Sounds like we have similar experiences. This is not the first time I've been put through the wringer, but it is the first time I couldn’t find work which would generate the operating capital so that I could work my way back up and I'd be the first to admit I've had a very hard time adjusting to it.
I don't tell everything on here, but decided to explain just incase anybody was curious and hopefully they'll learn from my mistakes. I live way out in the boonies (90 miles from austin, 70 miles from san antonio) There are no computer stores, etc. nearby (25 miles away is the nearest one) Car should be repo-d today so that will prevent any travelling for awhile. So I am hoping to finalize a deal today with the local mechanic shop where I will do his bookkeeping, etc. 3 days per week for 50 per day (this will cover my apt rent) At the same time, he has a 16x16 office that is unused on main street and I will be renting this from him for 50 per week. I intend to do computer repair, appliance repair, what have you as well as software development, bookkeeping, tax returns from this office if we do the deal. Hopefully that will allow me to make 2 - 500 per week and if that happens, that will give me some capital where I can start advertising to get more work. I will dig my way out of this whole, but without operating capital, it’s a mite hard digging right now <grin> Virgil Bierschwale http://www.bierschwalesolutions.com -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Alan Lukachko Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 10:05 AM To: 'ProFox Email List' Subject: RE: [OT] Colbert's comments about globalization -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Virgil Bierschwale Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 5:59 PM To: 'ProFox Email List' Subject: RE: [OT] Colbert's comments about globalization >I'll make you a bet.. The only time I bet was on horses about 20 years ago. I gave up on betting at that time. >You take my resume and rewrite it in any way that is legal and moral >and if you can get me a job paying anywhere near to what I made in >2002, I will gladly pay you 10% of my first years salary. The last time I wrote a resume was 1976 to get a job that lasted about 5 years. When they let me go, I said that no one would 'fire' me again. I learned about being put out to pasture early on in life in my 30s. I started my own company in 1982 and have had ups and downs since then. I haven't even done a profile of my company in over 10 years. So I'm not the best person to ask to write a resume. >I look at close to 1,000 jobs per week and apply for most of them and I >also am a regular on craigslist.org in bidding for work. >I cannot find work unless I'm willing to flip burgers. During one of the low times no money and no work, I went to work in a computer store. It lasted about 4 months until the store went bankrupt. The brother of the store owner introduced me to a couple of his clients to do software development. He only wanted the hardware business. He and I worked together as a team - he hardware - me software. This lasted a couple of years until he started yelling at one of our clients. The client fired him and asked me to do both hardware and software. In 1993, my company co-sponsored the first FoxPro developers' conference in Canada. From that conference, I got 3 new clients - one was a government ministry that produced hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue. At about the same time, I got on Microsoft's list of FoxPro developers. Over the next several years, I got a dozen new clients. Those clients in turn recommended us to others. I think it's a matter of finding people or companies that will help to find clients for you. With the exception of the first few years, most of my clients have come as a result of word of mouth. >I'm sorry that you feel the way that you do and I hope that you never >have to learn the hard way that us older guys are being put out to >pasture in favor of kids that are willing to work for 10 - 12 bucks per >hour because they live at home with momma. This year I will turn 60 - does that qualify me as an "older guy. I have 25 plus years providing business solutions to my clients. The kids who get 10-12 bucks per hour don't have that experience. If fact, I've gone into clients where those kids have spent considerable time and money on a project that just didn't work. I went in and fixed a number of problems in half a day and didn't even charge the client. A few months later, they called me to do 2 major re writes and we made over $50,000 in a few months. The client called this a bargain. The kids couldn't compete. >Like I said, anybody that can find me a 6 figure job paying what I used >to make, well I'll gladly pay you 10% of my check for a year in return for it. I think you have to give up the idea of getting a "6 figure job". If you're an "older guy", you must have gained a lot of business experience. You can use this to your advantage. You have to re brand yourself. Perhaps you can place an ad in the business section of your local paper. An ad along the lines of "Wanted companies with business systems that don't work." Or "Are you tired of hiring consultants that don't get it. I have 20+ years of experience in developing solid business solutions." You get the idea. Find out the names of the owners, presidents or general managers of local businesses that you would like to work for. Write letters to them and ask for there business. Tell them about your business experience. Follow up with letters and phone calls. It takes anywhere from 3 to 12 contacts to get their business. It requires persistence and hard work. Just don't give up. You may get a lot of rejection but eventually you'll get business. These are the people who have decision making power. They also authorize payment for your invoices. Get to know them and do the best you can for them. Even if you screw up, tell them before they find out and correct the issue as quickly as possible and don't charge for the fix ups. This has worked for me and in the last 10 years our revenues have been in the 100s of thousands each and every year. I've developed long term business relationships and they continue to work for me. One client has been with me for almost 25 years. We have written and upgraded his system a number of times and he keeps calling back to do more. I don't know what else to suggest. It sounds like you have the skills and experience. It's just that you have to figure out what to do with your changed environment. I wish you the best. Virgil Bierschwale http://www.bierschwalesolutions.com -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Alan Lukachko Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2007 1:58 PM To: 'ProFox Email List' Subject: RE: [OT] Colbert's comments about globalization I thought globalization was something that was supposed to keep shoving jobs down the economic ladder to free the people who lost those jobs to get better (higher paying ??) and more sophisticated jobs. This serves to increase the living standards of all people in the world and makes the world a better place. <snip> But that's what life is all about - education and change. Embrace it or languish. It's only those who are lazy who complain about globalization and change. Get on with life!! <snip> [excessive quoting removed by server] _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
