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Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

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we are the largest provider of what we do in the United States

Sorry, it sounds like "What's My Line". What is it that you do?

ZS

My company performs what is called a Cost Segregation Study (oddly it has my name in it) for clients and CPA's for people that own commercial real estate. The study goes towards correcting errors in depreciation schedules and can reduce or eliminate federal income taxes for a few years.

we have a business that exploits a single line on a federal tax return

I am a retired wage slave, but now I am raising tasty cattle. I now have enough time that I was able to use a team of horses to plant grass seed today. Started the cattle herd with two heifers I bought with the $800 refund that George Bush handed out in 2002(?), now have about 50 head.

My wife is the entrepreneur. For the past thirty years she has provided administrative services (bookkeeping, computer, tax filings) for small businesses. She wants to retire, but her clients won't let her.

Majority shareholder in the company that manufactures Accu-strut.

Owed and operated a printing and digital services company for 20 years. Sold it and retired in the fall of 2011. Hard work and a lot of stress especially the first two years but it was profitable and I'd do it over. Was up to 8 employees at one point, but down to 4 when I sold. Better more efficient equipment and I was a lot smarter than when we opened.

Basically, for my entire adult life, I have been diagnosing and solving complex problems. Now I work on humans, before it was electrical/mechanical. Prior machine tool mechanic, machinist mechanic, Italian sports car mechanic, and long time yacht mechanic and electrician. Now an upper cervical chiropractor for 10 years, using the NUCCA system.

Been self employed for 30+ years, I grew weary of being abused or fired by others.

Manufacturers representative agency specializing in automotive aftermarket- myself and two other partners. 25 employees, two offices.

i have a lot of respect for all you business owners

i have been a corporate shill for 20+ years but have never gone the private business route

you have my respect!

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I own (with my brother) a retail tire outlet. My father was hired as the manager before the store opened in 1972. My father purchased the business in 1981. My brother and I purchased the business from our mother when dad passed away in 2003. Same location now for 46 years.

I owned 2 delicatessen's. One in New York city the other in the Bronx. 25+ years and for the part i enjoyed it. Oddly enough i did much more catering at my Bronx ( terrible ) neighborhood. Held up at gunpoint 3 times. The Manhattan location was interesting many well known celebrities shopped there. The key was not to fuss over them. They enjoyed being treated like everyone else. Once in a while you get the person waiting for a red carpet. Most of those years were spent working with my Family. Hard work but some of the best times in my life. Sorry for the ramble. John

Bought the ranch (almost bare dirt, had an old barn) in 2000. Escaped designing and writing computer networking software in 2003, when I coincidentally planted a lot of avocado trees. Planted more in 2007 & currently have a little over 5000 trees on 35 planted acres. Run goats on the rest of it, more as weed eaters and a project for the kids than anything else. Along the way have put in a lot of culvert, a lot of conduit, a lot of water lines, a lot of asphalt grinding (think better and free if you have a good location gravel) roads, some paved roads, a nice metal equipment shed, and a decent water tank. It has been a lot of fun, I learned a lot (including that I like building things), but if had any clue the direction Commiefornia was going to exponentially accelerate towards, I’d have never bought the place and would be doing something else somewhere else. Sigh...
Oh well, only three years and ~7 months until the youngest finishes high school at the great (non-libtard school) they are both at and the battle to pry Mrs slosig out of Commiefornia can begin in earnest.

Very interesting to read what the other members are doing. And I agree some other posts as I got tired of working for idiots, getting laid off or getting fired.

Started my aviation business on July 4th, 1980 and haven't looked back. We did aerial survey, aerial fire fighting, drug eradication/interdiction, FBO operations, aircraft repair and sales. Had 15 employees and several contract employees as well. Sold off the business about eight years ago. Now doing contracting and I like building things but at 73 I am pretty choosy about what projects I take on.

quote:

My company performs what is called a Cost Segregation Study (oddly it has my name in it) for clients and CPA's for people that own commercial real estate. The study goes towards correcting errors in depreciation schedules and can reduce or eliminate federal income taxes for a few years.

we have a business that exploits a single line on a federal tax return

Thank you for taking the time to respond.

More of a contract than business owner, but back in the day, I provided fresh fish for the Jamaican fish restaurant in/on Guantanamo Bay. I'd bring the fish in, they'd give me 2 dollars a pound. Best gig ever. Now, I'm a retired Marine/Murse.

In addition to the 911 gig, Real Estate photography for residential listings.

Started as a favor to a friend, has grown to working with over 15 agents. Actually had to cut back recently for family reasons as just didn’t have the necessary time.

Hopefully once I retire from 911 in a few years, it will help fill some spare time

In addition to working at a hydro-electric dam in administration (timekeeping, purchasing, creating travel orders, etc...) I own and operate a small photography business.

My photography business is a mix of portraiture, and selling photos of landscapes and wildlife. https://davesphotography7055.zenfolio.com/

I also have done some product photography.

Dave

I am a partner in an importing company that has been in business for over 45 years. I have been with them for the past 21 years as an employee, then as a partner.

Optometrist practicing medical optometry; private practice 21 years; owner 12 years. Two locations; 6-8 employees at any one time. Cutting back hours a little now to spend more time with the family. For a couple of years, 18 hour days and 6 day workweeks were not uncommon.

I think it's in my genes. I'm self employed and my father ran his family's business which was started by his father. There are many in my immediate and extended family that work for themselves.

I started picking nice looking rocks out of my neighbor's landscaping, ringing their doorbell, and offering to sell them their rocks around the age of 5. Although I have worked for others (usually as an education for paths I was considering) I have always worked for myself.

I have done many things, but most here know me as a safe guy. Although there are many safe guys there aren't many of us that deal with the large antique vault doors. When I'm not delivering gun safes for local retailers I'm restoring these masterpieces. I have my work represented on four continents to date.

I started with my own auto repair shop when I was 21. Now I have a mobile service truck and get to be somewhere different every day. Forklifts, Semi's, airport ground equipment, and auto. I have done the mobile thing for 18 years now. Going to retire within the year, or at least change gears. Got my Captains license and will be doing boat delivery and repair.

My wife and I own a Real Estate Appraisal company. Our second one (first was in another state). We've managed to edge out our competition in the commercial markets for our area over the past 3 years.

Previously we've owned an FBO (fixed base operation for aircraft at an airport), and a business marketing and consulting company.

We are also both founding board members of a non profit in our state which serves our area.

I keep looking for an exit strategy for our appraisal company, but my wife keeps sucking me back in. I hate paying employees to do a mediocre job...unfortunately, if you want things done right you do still have to do them yourself. We've started the training process with 5 people now, and all have either quit or been fired. I've moved on to poaching other appraisers...it seems more efficient. Unfortunately in our area, there is a large lack of educated people in the job market.

I've been feeling the itch to get back into aviation again, and perhaps build something my son can take over. So that could happen this year also.