What Happens in the Second Chapter?
Where I Started
I have been one who has always worked in a field I enjoy. Like many folks I got out of High School without a plan. My grades were bad, and I had no drive to go to college. After a couple years of dead-end jobs, I joined the US Air Force. Upon discharge I had the confidence and drive to go to college. I complete a 2-year course of study and received an associate’s degree in business. I graduated with a B+ average. Not bad for a guy who just barely got his High School degree with a C-. It took 4 years parttime to get that 2-year degree while I was supporting my family working 10 hour shifts as a restaurant manager.
Where I Started
I have been one who has always worked in a field I enjoy. Like many folks I got out of High School without a plan. My grades were bad, and I had no drive to go to college. After a couple years of dead-end jobs, I joined the US Air Force. Upon discharge I had the confidence and drive to go to college. I complete a 2-year course of study and received an associate’s degree in business. I graduated with a B+ average. Not bad for a guy who just barely got his High School degree with a C-. It took 4 years parttime to get that 2-year degree while I was supporting my family working 10 hour shifts as a restaurant manager.
I then spent the next 30 years working in the computer field. Starting as a computer store manager and learning hands-on to finish my first career as a network technician. About 20+ years in I went back to college part time and received my bachelor’s degree in information technology. Again, while working full-time. I graduated with honors with a 3.96 average.
I loved the job I did because I was always challenged. After losing my job just as I was hitting 60 that forced me into early retirement. Seems no one wanted to hire someone my age even though I was highly qualified.
A Period of Depression
I suspect most men when they lose a job go through a period of depression. You question yourself, wonder what happened, how can you improve etc. I did exactly that and after a year of looking for work with constant rejections I was convinced I would not find a job. Then a good friend of mine who I had trained in the same field needed some temporary help as the company was putting in a completely new network system. The job lasted several months, during which time I was putting away some money and deciding what I would do after the job was complete.
Decision Time
Having had the opportunity to talk with my friend most every day I came to a decision that rather than sitting on my butt everyday I would find something I loved to do as a hobby. I had the opportunity in high school to take woodshop and loved it. Then in early 2000’s I had a little woodshop in my 1 car garage. I had a small table saw, 14” bandsaw and a radial arm saw. All of which got sold because of one of life’s situations.
My decision to go back to woodworking felt good. But I wanted to have some better equipment this time around. So, with the money I had put back my friend and I drove 250 miles to go to the annual Grizzly Industrial Tools tent sale in Bellingham WA. We came back with tools for both of us. 2 table saws, 1 bandsaw, 1 drill press and 1 planner. With that my hobby was started.
My things went right back into that 1 car garage I had previously used. Just to find out that the tools I purchased a bit larger that I thought they were and left me with little room to maneuver around in the shop. Then add insult to injury I found a great deal on an 8” jointer with a 72” bed.
A Time of Remembrance
In 2017 I lost my mother to natural causes. Her death was totally unexpected. In addition, she died on the same day my wife was having cancer surgery. And two weeks later my wife’s mother passed away. We were overwhelmed with what life through our way. The best news is that my wife has been cancer free since 2017.
It was early 2018 when my mother’s estate started being settled. I derived an idea of who much my share would be. My wife and I discussed several strategies of how to save some and spend a little. We decided I could build a shop in the backyard so I would have more space and the rest would be put in investments.
Building the Shop
I did my research on what type of building I wanted and decided on a metal building from Future Steel Buildings. I couldn’t buy the building yet in the summer of 2018 so while in the planning stage I determined that our utilities need to be buried and not overhead. I took on that project by hand digging a 3 ft x 3 ft x 70ft trench from the house to the pole. Yes, it was a big hole, but we needed the space because of the space required between each utility. It too all summer but we finished in early August.
About that same time, I received my inheritance and was able to get the building permit and order the building. The building was scheduled to arrive early December. We started preparing the site in late November and finished with the concrete right about the first of the year 2019. Winter was very cold so little outside work was done.
In March 2019 I started assembling the ribs of the building on the ground. I arrange for two other guys and a lift for early April and on a Friday in a little less than 8 hours the building shell was standing. I work the rest of the year mostly by myself and sometimes with recruited help from friends building the interior. In early 2020 we finished everything had our final inspections and was now able to legally use the building.
Realization Hit
I built out my small office in the shop first. After my wife and I reviewed the expenses, it was decided that I needed to find a way to support my hobby without busting the household budget. A business had to be started to fulfill that previous decision.
I had originally started a YouTube channel called Pastime Workshop. Though I had started the channel before I built the shop, I did not get it off the ground and running. After thinking about how to bring in some income yet not take the joy out of my woodworking, I decided I would:
Put more effort into the YouTube channel
Make and sell items on Etsy
Rebuild the website on a better platform
April 2021
I started getting the business ready in early February 2021 and as of this first week of April 2021 ti have accomplished:
Researched and decided on the sizes of cutting boards I would offer.
Will offer each as a different design this way each board should be a one-of-a-kind board.
Purchase my first round of lumber and other raw materials.
Ordered shipping and packaging supplies.
Created account with carriers where needed.
Researched and implemented and inventory system with the ability to convert and track cost from raw materials to finished good inventory.
Built the basic structure of the new website.
And wrote this my first article.
What Happens Now in My Second Chapter?
I still have a lot to learn. Videography is one area I am not very familiar with. So far, I found putting a video together to be more difficult than expected and extremely time consuming. I will figure it out.
Right now, my burning question is can I make this work? I believe I can and will make it work. But over what period of time before I start to see a bit of income? Those are questions I can’t give a definite answer to at this time.
