A new chapter in my business journey

**Isetech** · 24-Aug-23, 08:32 AM

It is pretty exciting, just a couple more days and I finally have an oportunity to move into a factory with an office and place to expand my skills.

My plan is to spend a few bucks and make it as simple as possible with the bare minimum, no more files and paper work on sheves etc, its just going to be a big curve monitor or 2, docking station, tablet for delivery notes and invoicing, flat screen TV, decent coffee machine and a modern table for meeting and stuff.

Once I have setup the factory office, then the plan is to strip the home office and do the same, burn or the old books and paper. the only book I will keep is my job book which I have used since I started the business. I might frame it with all the old certificates and the ECA member document (it looks like a pirates treasure map

and all my other certificates which just rot away in the filling cabinet, I am going to need a entire wall.

The plan is to also spend some time figuring out how to run a real business, I know by now (33 years of it) I should know how to do it, when it comes to dealing with customers finding work and doing the electrical, I have a bit of experience, but the money side of it especially the spending part I suck at it. I know how to blow money and waste it, which is my weakness. I need to learn how to manage money.

I also need to learn to play nicely with the other kids on social media, I plan to employ someone to manage the content and make sure that the content is what people want to read and not what I think. I might keep one of my profiles open on this forum. You can be anyone on social media, its time to be the nice guy.

**Dylboy** · 24-Aug-23, 02:10 PM

That is very exciting! So happy for you ! : ) Wish you all the best !

Talking of being a business owner and not just a job creater for yourself I have got all my expenses etc on a spread sheet and I know my minimum, then after that (took awhile ) I now charge for what I have to and what I need to instead of trying to be nice and fit myself into someone else's budget.

I have lost a bunch of quotes but the ones I get it's now a pleasure.

Look family and friends is different but still.

A thing a client said the one day is why can the client have a nice car but you can't, clearly they charge for what ever they do or are paid for what ever they do.

However with the inflation and lower loadshedding the phone is quite other than the odd small job or a stove is broken. But fortunately I don't have big overheads.

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**Isetech** · 10-Sep-23, 08:39 AM

This people is why online service make me nervous, I looged into the 14 day trial, loaded a pile info, lef tthe office for break, when I tried to log in. "Your email address or password is incorrect. Please try again" and so you try again again and again, that that idea out the window.

After spending a ton of cash to speed up my laptops, invested in an ipad and a bunch of other stuff to make my office experience easier and quicker, I dont want to get back to the office and make a cup of coffee, then sit and wait for my office PC to boot or have to fight with websites to do a quick quote or invoice or battle on site in front of a customer trying to ge ta website to open or to sit and fight with a website which control all my information and data online.... eeeeesih.

**Isetech** · 14-Sep-23, 07:54 AM

That time has come, part of the time management project has identified that I spend way too much time on this forum. Time to take break. I might sign up again but for now I need to get the business back on track.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my posts.

**Isetech** · 24-Aug-23, 05:42 PM

I still have 8 projects on the go, ranging from small CCTV installations to new machines for the factory arriving, to 12 kw inverter with a roof full of panels, to a double storey 3 phase rewire and a pile of other stuff going on.

Its a pity you not from our part of town, there is a lot of work around here.

**Isetech** · 10-Sep-23, 09:52 AM

I figured the problem, it doesnt like gmail accounts, I change dthe email address and downloaded another 14 day trail, its worked.

Then starting setting up customers, used a gmail account and it pops up red with a notice, invalid email

.

**Isetech** · 05-Sep-23, 05:51 AM

What a start it was, the day just went from bad to worse, starting with a few issue at home, then being late on my first day, thanks to load shedding, hectic traffic (you poor sucker who have to deal with traffic, then add robots out, man I feel your pain) running around like a chicken without a head, then something happened , which really just made me want to get back in my van, go home, get back into bed and roll out the other side and try again.

I didnt, I just put my head down, focused on what had to to be done and just went balls to the wall. We managed to get a lot done, even managed to get to the bank to sort out more issues with the bank (only one bank I know of which you still have to go to the bank to replace cards, cant make an appointment with a business banker (you have to sit in a que and wait your turn with everyone else until a banker is available, I dont even do this with my personal account with FNB).

The work load has got on top of me again, I was suppose to be on top of things by the end of August, now I doubt I will be finished with current projects by the end of December, even with the new staff.

Its time to put my big pants on again, grab ther bull by the balls and squeeze.

We managed to get the office"" setup, very basic, nothing fancy, a desk a plastic chair for now and a kettle. We will be upgrading, by the end of the day we had already moved everything around, so there is not rush to go out and buy office furniture yet. Yes we will be getitng a decent coffee machine, probably before we build our desks. We going to make the workshop/office a place like no other. Our wash basin at the entrance is already causing a topic of conversation

.

We met with a few other business owners in the complex, you can identify the experience you going to have with them by the first meet, the ones who want to borrow stuff (I shyte you not, it has already happened) the ones who look like potential customer and others who are curious to see what we do.

**Isetech** · 10-Sep-23, 02:52 PM

What I have learnt today, if I want to use online apps etc, I need to replace my gmail account with a different account.

Today, tried all sorts of stuff, sunsynk login, tradify and servcraft all indicate that my gmail account is invalid, its seems its not the apps, it has to do with the gmail format.

I have been using the same gmail address for many many many years, now suddenly all these apps are rejecting the gmail address. IT works but sometime it takes a number of attempts to access the websites.

**Isetech** · 03-Oct-23, 06:12 AM

I have created a whatsapp group for IE and MIe's to discuss the challenges (regulations) we face in the solar industry. It is by invitation only. You must be a an IE or MIE or registered electrical engineer with some solar experience. Any of the regulars who take the time to respond to posts on this platform can message me if you would like to share your knowledge and suggestions.

I want to keep it small (not more than around 20 people).