all this talk about jobs..., long term plan for starting a shop Options

[xsboost90]

since i was a kid all i wanted to be was a business owner. My parents convinced me i wanted to be an engineer, but everyone i know that was one either didnt like it or couldnt find a good job. I took a year of industrial design and some autocad classes for mech. engineering that i need to finish. My problem is the idea of working in an office isnt what i want.

Ive always wanted to start my own shop- seems everyone does- but im not doing it unless im sure i am prepared and can be successful. I have plenty of mechanical experience, and can fabricate things like crazy, mostly whats holding me back is money and tooling. My plan is to build a nice sized garage in the next year or two and start collecting more tools and building/restoring p-cars and such. I may try to get into fabbing custom parts as well, we'll see.

My QUESTION is , should i go to work for a reputable shop first and learn the rights and wrongs , ins and outs or just jump in and learn on my own. Currently im a safety director for a health care facility, but have been a mechanic for two years and worked at a body shop for some time + learned alot from my father =bodyman for 20+ years. I may get him to come work w/ me as well...may even be interested in building street rods. Or how about this, street rods w/ porsche motors and drivetrain! There is a shop nearby that restores old bugs and buses, called metalcraft coachwerks. I always want to ask for a job there when i see the owner but, health ins 401k etc may not be an option. I think ill wait till my g/f graduates from nursing school before i make a big change. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/unsure.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/confused24.gif)

[lapuwali]

Like Mark said, start saving now. Having several months of cash flow available on hand at any time is pretty much a necessity if a small business is to live. Suppliers demand payment early and deliver late. Customers demand delivery early and pay late. Having enough cash on hand to serve as a cushion for that customer/supplier gap makes for much easier sleeping.

Start the business on the side and if it grows enough to go full time, do it. Look at the vendors and suppliers section on this board. Most of the suppliers are NOT doing that full time, but have day jobs.