Home-Based Closet Sales

by Tea Crimes
(Mississippi)

I started a home based carpentry business to improve the quality of my home and family life. When I was in my early thirties, I had been working as a carpenter. I was young and I was making good money on construction contracts all across the state. I liked my work and I found it rewarding, and I liked the money I was making, but it wasn’t good for my home life. I found that I couldn’t leave the job at work. I’d bring the curse words and the bad attitudes and the drinking home from my job and expose my kids and wife to it. Eventually, I realized I had to make a change. So, I quit my job and quit drinking.

Things got better, and I started to pick up odd carpentry jobs. But the reliability of the paycheck wasn’t there. So I talked it over with my wife and we came on an idea. Her parents had just paid a lot of money for an installed closet system. We realized that I could do the same job, cheaper, faster and better. So, I went pro. Now I’m making lots of dough, even with the recession. I learned a few things as I set up my business.

1- Stop working. That’s right, stop when you’re done. You might think your business won’t succeed unless you work 80 hour weeks, but it also won’t succeed if you’re exhausted and miserable.
2- Take some classes. Make sure you really know how to keep records, follow regulations and tax laws, and manage people. These things didn’t come easy for me.
3- Separate your business and home. I’m still based out of my basement, but there’s a clear separation of the house and the workshop/office space.
4- Don’t answer the phone if it’s past closing time. Just let it ring. There is no such thing as a closet emergency.

Good luck! Being your own boss is great!

Stuart's comment: This is a great example of identifying a specialist niche market - closet systems rather than general carpentry. Also, many thanks for the excellent tips on work life balance.

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