How to approach being a pirate.

[David Bowman]

OK, need some help and input from others who have done this. I have read the threads here and responses and taken to heart much from it regarding leaving the shift work behind and taking your skills and marketing them. I am going to hang out my own shingle and build my own pirate ship (shooting school). One problem:

Spouse is VERY MUCH tied to idea that I still have to have "a job of some kind" in order to relocate to somewhere much more business friendly. Mind you, she is not opposed to going, she just doesn't want to jump without knowing where the drop zone is.

I explained that is an option, I am not totally opposed to it, but if that doesn't materialize in a reasonable amount of time that another option is I could just "blow it up" and start fresh with the money from my cashed out retirement (15 plus years with the State). Here is that conversation:

Me: "I could just blow it up you know. Cash out my retirement and we could move."
Her: "Yeah, but they would take half of it in taxes"
Me: "So what. Still alot of money."
Her: "Not that much. You still need a job. We have to have money coming in. And I don't want you giving up your retirement that you have 15 plus years in on."
Me: "Still wouldn't leave it there regardless if I got a different gig. I say, so what, I will make more money, and we can retire with that."

I have no idea how to get her to understand that the "job" that I need is the one I will create by getting students to pay me to teach them. I also don't want to spend my time traveling and interviewing and then, after shining them on and dropping buzzwords and lingo; relocate, start my venture, and quit.

There are hundreds of shooting schools out there, but I think that I really can do well at this (as many others have done) and make money doing it out of my home (basically). I have a range that will allow me to host my classes lined up in the area we want to relocate to, I am working on the specifics of the business plan and I really think this could be successful.

How do I change her mind or should I focus on getting a job first and following that route?

[BeardedPelican]

I'm no expert. But to sate her need for security (that's all it is, it's not a personal thing with you) I would simply keep the job you have, but cut back the hours you work and put time and effort into the independent job. Then as time goes on for a little while and you start to make money with the shooting school, she'll see that you can make more money by marketing your skills effectively. Then when she's not looking, quit your shift job and teach full time. That's one option, I'm sure others will have more seasoned advice

[paknheat]

I'm in the process of leaving the " shift work" behind as well. Going back to school full time , but I'm going to pick up some PRN work while I'm enrolled. I'd like to keep some cash flow coming in . Once I'm done & have my own shingle hanging I'll be done with all that.


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[Al Lipscomb]

Talk to a real tax lawyer on how to take the money in your retirement plans and make them more useful to you. Then don't think "job" think "targets".

[Nick Randall]

Sounds like your biggest decision is whether you want to continue to be married to her or strike off on your own. Alone.

[David Bowman]

Sounds like your biggest decision is whether you want to continue to be married to her or strike off on your own. Alone.

Well, not really. She is just one of those people who has a paradigm of "this is how things are done" and I think she is fearful of failure. I, on the other hand, have failed enough to know that it doesn't last forever if you just get up, dust yourself off and get after it again.

She has no other frame of reference for how this is done. It has always been "go to school, get a job, do your best, retire."

[michael]

Don't do anything without full spousal support. It is also difficult making a living teaching shooting....difficult, but not impossible. Tread cautiously.

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[David Bowman]

Good to know... Will definitely keep it in mind.

[Stoic]

Tough question; I went through this just a few months ago.

As others have said and you're probably aware, security is the issue. My suggestion for you is, get started now, while you still have a "day job," if you can. It's a good idea financially, and it will help set your wife's mind at ease.

Try to involve her as well. I explained my plan in detail to my wife, and asked for her to get involved in running the business. I told her, "This is what we're doing; Help me with it, so we can do it well." She accepted it at that point, and has been involved at every step since.

[Goodspeed(TPF)]

Try this: See iffin you can get people to pay you to fill your classes "right now", in order to teach them on your off days from your current job. Basically what I'm saying is if you currently have one day off of work per week, then see if you can "book it" for the next three months straight. If you can do that it would at least be some hard data to take to your wife. Ideas are GREAT, but it's RESULTS that matter. DREAMS are wonderful, but it's CA$H that pays the bills. So, in other words: SHOW HER.

[Base Bleed]

Try this: See iffin you can get people to pay you to fill your classes "right now", in order to teach them on your off days from your current job. Basically what I'm saying is if you currently have one day off of work per week, then see if you can "book it" for the next three months straight. If you can do that it would at least be some hard data to take to your wife. Ideas are GREAT, but it's RESULTS that matter. DREAMS are wonderful, but it's CA$H that pays the bills. So, in other words: SHOW HER.

Excellent advice.


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[temposhot]

I'm reading this thread with interest. I'm in a similar situation regarding a new business (non-shooting related, I might add,) so thank you for asking that question.

Scott

[michael]

Try this: See iffin you can get people to pay you to fill your classes "right now", in order to teach them on your off days from your current job. Basically what I'm saying is if you currently have one day off of work per week, then see if you can "book it" for the next three months straight. If you can do that it would at least be some hard data to take to your wife. Ideas are GREAT, but it's RESULTS that matter. DREAMS are wonderful, but it's CA$H that pays the bills. So, in other words: SHOW HER.


Excellent advice.


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Yes it is. This is the way to go.

[HiWayMan]

Maybe she can get a job too, if she does not already have one. This would help with maintaining a positive cash flow while in the initial phases.