What you used to do for a living??

[RocketmanMH1]

I was just wondering If any others on here have a multiple career background much like myself, I know a few were raised in the business ,  some by accident, some just too creative to let others do work for them........................

As for me I've been a car guy since I could get my hands on a toolbox drawer,  grew up on the farm working on all the broke stuff , so I started out as a mechanic, decided to carry on a family tradition of auto body repair and refinishing, so I went to school for that, got  good at that  then bored after a few years of production work. Then I went to work one morning backed the truck up to the door and loaded all my tools in search of a better day.   6 months later got into trucking, one year later got into grading and clearing land, had a good run for 17 yrs and one day it just stopped, the economy concerning building and construction just said.... I'm taking a nap.


Well, had to do something for a living so here I am, turned a hobby into full time because I enjoy it,  I love the process of designing and building even if its seats or boats or cars or whatever.


Just wondering if some of you are in the same boat seat :D so to speak.

[Mojo]

Great topic.

My younger years created a lot of experiences for me. I have been a work-a-holic since I was 12. After Boot Camp in the Marine ( I was a reservist ) I went to school and became an EMT and ambulance attendant at 18. I got tired of dealing with druggies and drunks so I went to work at a funeral home and served my apprenticeship as a mortician at 19. I ended up working part time in the funeral home for 14 years ( I married the owners daughter) doing embalming, body removals and working funerals. I loved the work and enjoyed being there for others during their times of loss.

I went to work shoveling coal for a public utility at the age of 20 and started a ferocious climb up the ladder. First -power plant operations then thermal energy operations then water operations and finally corporate planning which included marketing and PR. It is one of the largest Municipal utilities in the country and they were an awesome employer to work for. I loved my jobs I had there right up to retirement and the retirement benefits I walked out the door with are awesome.

I flipped a  few houses several times for extra money (my kids were schooled in private schools...ouch ). I think that is where I found a love for working on homes.

In my free time I started my own marketing agency in the late 80's working with local race car drivers. From there I moved up the ranks and into NASCAR. In the late 90's I started consulting to companies which included numerous Fortune 500 companies. Then the wheels all came off. I got diagnosed with Leukemia in 2000 and was forced into retirement at the Utility.

I kept my marketing agency in tact and worked a limited schedule while doing chemo. I had a few clients but those few were demanding and several were overseas. I did a lot of traveling back then and had an awesome time. Then after numerous strokes I lost alot of my cognitive abilities and had to close down the agency. Still wanting to do something I picked up upholstery work and the rest as they say is history.

Like I said I have always been a workaholic. I was never happy unless I was working and doing something. I worked two and three jobs sometimes and worked 16 hours a day 7 days a week. I loved it and loved just working. Today, not much has changed. I still love to work but can no longer do long days and nights. I work a few hours in the morning and a few at night and call it good.

I will be doing something till the day I die and if I cannot do anything then someone please punch my ticket with a bullet and send me on my way to meet my maker. :)

Chris

[byhammerandhand]

After getting a couple of degrees in math, I went to work for a series of Fortune 100 companies as a database analyst  and software support engineer.   Then I went to work for a company whose flagship product was a major database management system.   After a couple of years of that, I moved over to be lead engineer on another product, a system development system.  I spent a number of years at that (24 in all).   I enjoyed the people and the work.  But the company always struggled and we had regular reductions in staff, from over 1500 world-wide down to about 700 when I left.  During that time, I developed a serious interest in woodworking and furniture building.

Finally, I had enough, resigned, and started a furniture repair business.  As I said, I patiently tunneled, then broke to the surface and ran like hell.  I expected my colleagues to think me nuts, but without exception, every farewell went something like, "You are so lucky to have something you can do well and enjoy."  Celebrating 9 years this month.

[CreativeCanvas]

Sure ya got enough time?

First real job in addition to paper routes and cutting lawns was busing tables in Miami at the ripe old age of 13. I remember my salary was $1.50 an hour plus tips. Worked in restaurants & a 15 min oil change joint & then a hardware store throughout high school & college. Did well in school & got a Crim Justice degree from Buff State. After a brief stint in law enforcement decided I didn't want to be a cop. No offense!

During the 23 yrs between then and buying the canvas studio in 2004 I've done just about anything you can imagine:


Roofing & siding

Warehouse supervisor

Apprentice plumber

Popcorn machine repairman

Apartment complex superintendent

Nursing home maintenance supervisor

Painter of hardwood cabinets

Postal service employee

Head mechanic @ 36 hole country club

Painter specializing in faux finishes: marbling, faux wood grain, etc.


Which leads us to the present. Was painting with/for the guy who owned the shop next to where the canvas shop er, studio, is. Eddie got sick with Crohns(sp?) disease which eventually killed him. And he didn't trust anybody else to be the lead man so work was sporadic.

The previous owner of my studio stuck his head around the corner one day & asked if I knew anybody that wanted to buy a canvas shop. I said I dunno, how much? Should mention that I'd recently divorced and made out purty well. My ex didn't want anything more than the furniture, TV, and the new(er) pick-up. I figgered that was a heckuva deal?

So anyway yanked some equity outa my house & next thing ya know I was the proud new owner of a canvas and cushion business. Regardless of the fact I'd never sat behind a sewing machine in my life, had no business skills, etc. Figgered what the heck ...?

[sofadoc]

I wanted to be a male stripper, but I failed the written test. :D
My Grandparents were upholsterers. My parents were upholsterers.
My fate was sealed.  ;)

[CreativeCanvas]

I wanted to be a male stripper, but I failed the written test. :D
My Grandparents were upholsterers. My parents were upholsterers.
My fate was sealed.  ;)

There's a written test? Alls I had to do was pass the physical test, with flying colors I might add ...  Ah well don't feel so bad SD. There are worse fates.

Always wished my family had been in business, specially after going into business myself ...  But they were too smart. Mom is an RN & Dad was a college professor. Granpappy Jack was an engineer @ GE for 30yrs. Gramma Dottie was a partier.


Great thread!

[gene]

My first job at 16 was working in a motion picture developing lab. I developed 32mm, 16mm, 8mm, and then Super 8 when that came out. Color and black and white. I learned responsibility and motivation at that job.

Most of my adult life I was in sales and marketing in the industrial paper packaging industry.

I started my upholstery studio full time 7 years ago after getting burned out with the corporate world about 9 years ago. I would have been down sized eventually anyway, which is another reason I am glad I got out. AND!!!I haven't done a corporate report in 7 years!!!

gene

[Mike]

After hoght school I started working with my dad pinging and wallparering.  Then I got into drywall and exterior stucco then at about 23 I went to a deliver driving job.  That comapany went belly up and I got s job at a office furniture company buildig wooden furniture. Tables counters cabinets exct.
I got marked had a son and then needed more kney so I went back to stucco work. For a while. Then after my mom died my dad became handicapped and started a little sewing shop repairing canvas. I would stop b to help out and then I ended up raking over had a small BItshop  whole I was doing that.  Did that for 14 years   Somwehre in ther got divoced had nothing to loose but the kid after that I moved to Florida in 2004 ( same time you started doug) and that the rest of the sort for the last  8 years

[JuneC]

Reformed computer geek (plant floor systems integration and custom programming).  Got tired of being a desk jockey and the corporate politics that went along with it. 

June

[RocketmanMH1]

I knew this topic would be interesting, Even though we all have things in our lives that have directed us into this field, I would say it's an independent "bone"  that turns our head and keeps us looking for ways to make our mark on our little world. Creativity just can't be held back.  Another thing, of course this is my opinion, but I would be willing to wager that the majority of us could step into most any position anywhere and run the wheels of the thing!!!! ;D

[Darren Henry]

Dropped out of university... worked a lot of crud jobs and often only had my income from the armed forces reserve to live on (ate good on weekends though)...landed a job with Mister Minute ™ a "while you wait" shoe repair/knife scissor & sharpening/key cutting/ engraving chain in the malls. ....
got brain numb managing those outlets and wanted to learn more so convinced a shoe maker to apprentice me. Worked there as a journeyman for another couple of years then moved to Kenora Ontario to work for the orthotist who had been my operations manager at minute because I loved the area (Peter and I had stayed friends after we left Minute)....Ther wasn't enough work on my side of shop so spent a year working on the lake (Lake of the Woods) as a caretaker/contractor....

March of '95 I went to do some sewing for a friend who made custom bags/pouches/etc.. in a studio above an upholstery shop. We went down for coffee with them and things went from there. 

[fragged8]

you and me both June, that corporate BS drives me nuts
I just cant keep my mouth shut heheh  always getting
into trouble for letting managers know how I felt :-)

I worked so many jobs I can't remember half of them

plastics engineer
deck hand on diving vessels
builder
mechanic
paint sprayers helper
teacher

and many more bysides

Rich

[byhammerandhand]

I originally wanted to be a jockey, but that didn't work out.  Those of you who have met me know why,

[kodydog]

I grew up in a resort town near St Petersburg and as a teen jobs were easy to find at the hotels and resorts. Back then stone yards were real popular and one guy had me sifting his yard through a makeshift sifter to get the stones back to the top if the dirt. $1.50 an hour.

After graduating High School went to work for Winn Dixie and traveled up the ranks for four years before realizing the only way to advance was to do a lot of butt kissing. Not my cup of tea.

Went to trade school and got a job drafting for an engineering company. Kinda cool job. They had a contract with Fl Power to make all there substations controllable from one location, via telephone lines. This is also where I met my wife. After four years the contract ran out and I could see the writing on the wall so I got another neat job with a map making company. The department I worked in mapped the ocean floor for NOAA.

1984 my new bride and I moved to Hickory NC. We didn't have a clue where we were going to live or work but we were young and resourceful and Hickory was a booming industrial town. We knew we would find jobs doing something. This is something I would never dream of doing today but I met a guy who was a plant manager for Hickory Business Furniture (Hickory Chair) and he agreed to start me off as an upholsterer apprentice.

1989 we started our own business in Charleston SC with a shoe string budget and a prayer. One year later Hurricane Hugo blew through and gave us a wind fall (NPI) of business.

1999 we moved back to Fl to start another upholstery company near Gainesville.

Through good times and bad we always manage to keep our heads above water and I am now starting a job for an upstart upholstery company in Jacksonville. The future always looks bright. Wish me luck.

[JuneC]

I originally wanted to be a jockey, but that didn't work out.  Those of you who have met me know why,

Now Darren and I - we could have been jockeys.  eh Darren?  8)  But then horses are so dang big!  Scares the crap out of me and I'm fearless!  ;D

Through good times and bad we always manage to keep our heads above water and I am now starting a job for an upstart upholstery company in Jacksonville. The future always looks bright. Wish me luck.

Good Luck Kody!  Sounds exciting.  Will you be able to live where you do now? or will you have to move to Jax?

Junel