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Currently I work at a small business, well, it's not so small anymore. Since I have started, we have gone from billing roughly 2 million dollars of work a year, to nearly 20 million. (this is not profit, this is billing. Our profit is between 5-10% after expenses).
I am 26, I own my own 3 bedroom house in a great neighborhood in suburbia. I have a nice car that my company bought for me as a bonus. I am doing relatively well..except I am not.
I HATE my job, I hate getting up for it every monday. I hate it so much that I spend all sunday dreading it, and staying up all sunday night, because I know once I go to sleep, I will have to wake up and go back to my job that I hate the next morning.
Its not my coworkers, its not my boss, its not even the work. I just have no passion for it, I have no desire to do it well. I just dont care about it.
I work in estimating in a construction office. Currently, our problem is we have more work than we have employees capable of doing said work, so I currently am being asked to bid on work, with the goal of not getting the contract awarded to me. Everyday feels like I am being paid to just sit here and waste my time.
Outside of work, its just me. My best friends are my 2 brothers. My other friends have either moved away, gotten married, or we just sort of lost interest/common ground and so we no longer hang out.
Last year I went to PAX Prime with my buddy who lives on the east coast. He is my closest non-related friend, and while we were walking around PAX, or around the bars in Seattle during the convention, towards the closing of the weekend, we both were talking about how it sucks to go back to the real world. We were talking about how PAX is so awsome because it brings people together who care about the same things, and outside of those select conventions or gatherings its so hard to meet like-minding and similarly-interested people, especially once you are out of college.
This is when I first had the idea for my current brain child and new life goal.
I want to open a Nerd Bar... the gamer/comic/MTG player/board-game enthusiasts take on a sports bar.
It sort of came up in a conversation with a coworker also, who asked well "Where do you go to hang out with people who have your similar interests?" and I said that there were things like Comiccon or Pax, but aside from that, not really a place that caters to the nerd/gaming subculture. Most people look at us as basement dwelling losers who never leave their parents basement... but maybe its just because those people have never had a place that was meant for them.
I mean, if you want to read more about it, here is a Reddit post, I put in a subreddit for my local area.
+ Show Spoiler +https://www.reddit.com/r/orangecounty/comments/30zrod/possible_nerdgeek_bar_in_so_calorange_county/
But, uh yeah.
I have spent the last couple months really thinking about it. And really debating going for it, and I have finally decided... I need to do something or I just wont be able to live with myself any longer.
As of today, I have sent in the paperwork for my passport, once I receive my Passport, I will be putting in my 2 weeks, and I will be putting my house up for sale, and taking all of my savings, and investing it into my future.
I plan on taking my first 6 months off, to travel the world and the country a bit. (Current plans are USA then Asia, I want to hit at least Japan and Korea. I also want to hit New Zealand if possible) I am 26 and have always dreamt of traveling, but have never had either the time/money... and I know that once I am contracted into a lease on my new building, and start my new business I will not be able/have the time to travel fort he next 5-10 years.
My dad/brother are both entrepreneurs, and I have been working with them on their business/in their offices since I was 16, so I know that once I start this, I will be putting in plenty of 100+ hour work weeks.. so I decided to get my traveling out before I am officially locked in place.
My closest nonrelative friend is going to be my business partner, he has worked in the restaurant business for the past 10 years, and will be helping me get it started, and keeping it going.
Its extremely terrifying, as I have spent 90% of my life analyzing and over analyzing every angle. Thinking, rethinking, and overthinking every move ive ever made, every step ive ever taken... but finally I have just decided its time for a change.
I am incredibly sad about selling my house, (especially my Theatre room..which I have spent roughly $5,000 on...complete with surround sound, 100in Screen, etc).. but if all else fails, Ill be between 26 and 30, with a college degree, and my current job would always hire me back if I needed work.
So yeah, this is my Bilbo Baggins moment.. that contract has been lingering in my mind all night..and Ive finally decided to pick it up and sign it.
Im going on an adventure!
Im terrified, and I might be severely crippling my future/life...but it could also be the beginning of something great.
 
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hooray! bold decisions are the best!
good luck 
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On August 12 2015 11:25 catplanetcatplanet wrote:hooray! bold decisions are the best! good luck
hahaha well find out.
Tired of living life full of regrets of overthinking things i never did after I thought myself out of them.
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Russian Federation1016 Posts
On August 12 2015 09:22 MaestroSC wrote:
I am 26...
My dad/brother are both entrepreneurs, and I have been working with them on their business/in their offices since I was 16...
It's a right decision, go for it! It seems you have around 10 years of experience in different areas. I'm sure that's more than enough for starting your own business. Just don't listen to naysayers!
From my personal experience:
+ Show Spoiler +I left the job in finance (Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany), got back to Russia and started to work for a small manufacturer of mountaineering equipment. The salary is much smaller, but I spend at least 3 months per year in the mountains, Alpine region mostly. Those adventures are considered as business trips. And I'm absolutely happy. At the same time I have abrasive relationship with my parents who don't understand why I've left 60.000+ office job.
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Having something meaningful to wake up for is life changing! Wishing you the best and hope to see blogs of your travels as well as visit said nerd bar in the future :D
On August 12 2015 15:37 IAmWithStupid wrote:Show nested quote +On August 12 2015 09:22 MaestroSC wrote:
I am 26...
My dad/brother are both entrepreneurs, and I have been working with them on their business/in their offices since I was 16...
It's a right decision, go for it! It seems you have around 10 years of experience in different areas. I'm sure that's more than enough for starting your own business. Just don't listen to naysayers! From my personal experience: + Show Spoiler +I left the job in finance (Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany), got back to Russia and started to work for a small manufacturer of mountaineering equipment. The salary is much smaller, but I spend at least 3 months per year in the mountains, Alpine region mostly. Those adventures are considered as business trips. And I'm absolutely happy. At the same time I have abrasive relationship with my parents who don't understand why I've left 60.000+ office job.
I remember reading your blog a few years ago! - glad to hear you're still happy and encouraging others to pursue their dreams :D
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all the best!!
do blog about it!
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I have experience from having my hands in a lot of "pots" over the years, so read this with my intentions for you not to blow up your life.
The things I see that you need:
1) An accurate understanding of your actual cost of living for a year.
2) Expected costs for your trip.
3) Initial Capital for the business.
4) 1 year of expenses for the business.
5) Someone (read: lawyer) who can help you through California Business Regulations.
6) Enough savings to cover yourself for at least 18 months after you return from your travels.
Note: if you'll have greater than $150,000 USD in liquid assets after selling your home, the saved expenses won't be a huge worry.
Now, I don't think this is a bad idea. I do think a lot of your problems with work *will NOT* be solved by running a business you like much better. It'll just make you so busy that whatever personal ennui that you're dealing with won't have time to come to the surface. Even if you love it, a lot of days "work is work" and that's mostly the long and short of it. People who talk about their Passion or Happiness from a job are somewhat deluding themselves and those that listen to them. A lot of days are drudgery, so attempting to construct your self-worth from your job is a failure common to a lot of people. The point of a job is to keep you warm & feed, firstly, and not drive you insane, secondly. This is why finding one that fits your personality is normally the better approach.
I think the 6 months of travel is a good idea. I honestly would probably do that if I was you as well. I have a friends that are teaching at a university in Japan right now, and, on their holidays, they've spent them traveling around Asia. They've had a pretty good time. But that 6 months is going to cause you a lot more trouble when you return than you realize.
Because it's going to take at least 6 months of planning to get a place secured to start your business. If you have the doors open in less than 8 months after you finish travelling, I'd be rather surprised. Which is why you're going to need a huge amount of savings. You'll need to cover yourself from the time you quit your job until probably 1 year after the Bar/Grill is open. Restaurants fail at a huge rate (depending on the stats, something like 65%+ fail before the end of the first year), so you simply need your own expenses covered for that entire first year. As a single man in his mid-20s, that really won't be too much, assuming you have no debt to deal with.
Still, you're talking about needing at least 2 years of living expenses stored up, plus whatever other capital that you need for the business. Which leads me to think that the only "rash" part of your posts is the time frame. You probably need to work another year, using the job solely as a means to save money and spend time planning your next moves. It's also an opportunity to build business connections, which you are going to need. This is a huge project, and while I'm glad you've come to a decision, now you've got to take the planning aspects seriously. That would be my biggest worry, if I were you.
One last thing: regardless of your political leanings, you're about to turn yourself into the single most hated thing in this country. A California Small Businessman. I only wish that was a joke. (And that the long term implications for this country wasn't true as well with that sentiment) So be prepared for so much stupidity in dealing with the government that you better build some contacts with people that can get things done. That'll be an extremely powerful resource, unto itself.
In all, good luck and godspeed. Safe travels.
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On August 12 2015 22:12 Taf the Ghost wrote:
I have experience from having my hands in a lot of "pots" over the years, so read this with my intentions for you not to blow up your life.
The things I see that you need:
1) An accurate understanding of your actual cost of living for a year.
2) Expected costs for your trip.
3) Initial Capital for the business.
4) 1 year of expenses for the business.
5) Someone (read: lawyer) who can help you through California Business Regulations.
6) Enough savings to cover yourself for at least 18 months after you return from your travels.
Note: if you'll have greater than $150,000 USD in liquid assets after selling your home, the saved expenses won't be a huge worry.
Now, I don't think this is a bad idea. I do think a lot of your problems with work *will NOT* be solved by running a business you like much better. It'll just make you so busy that whatever personal ennui that you're dealing with won't have time to come to the surface. Even if you love it, a lot of days "work is work" and that's mostly the long and short of it. People who talk about their Passion or Happiness from a job are somewhat deluding themselves and those that listen to them. A lot of days are drudgery, so attempting to construct your self-worth from your job is a failure common to a lot of people. The point of a job is to keep you warm & feed, firstly, and not drive you insane, secondly. This is why finding one that fits your personality is normally the better approach.
I think the 6 months of travel is a good idea. I honestly would probably do that if I was you as well. I have a friends that are teaching at a university in Japan right now, and, on their holidays, they've spent them traveling around Asia. They've had a pretty good time. But that 6 months is going to cause you a lot more trouble when you return than you realize.
Because it's going to take at least 6 months of planning to get a place secured to start your business. If you have the doors open in less than 8 months after you finish travelling, I'd be rather surprised. Which is why you're going to need a huge amount of savings. You'll need to cover yourself from the time you quit your job until probably 1 year after the Bar/Grill is open. Restaurants fail at a huge rate (depending on the stats, something like 65%+ fail before the end of the first year), so you simply need your own expenses covered for that entire first year. As a single man in his mid-20s, that really won't be too much, assuming you have no debt to deal with.
Still, you're talking about needing at least 2 years of living expenses stored up, plus whatever other capital that you need for the business. Which leads me to think that the only "rash" part of your posts is the time frame. You probably need to work another year, using the job solely as a means to save money and spend time planning your next moves. It's also an opportunity to build business connections, which you are going to need. This is a huge project, and while I'm glad you've come to a decision, now you've got to take the planning aspects seriously. That would be my biggest worry, if I were you.
One last thing: regardless of your political leanings, you're about to turn yourself into the single most hated thing in this country. A California Small Businessman. I only wish that was a joke. (And that the long term implications for this country wasn't true as well with that sentiment) So be prepared for so much stupidity in dealing with the government that you better build some contacts with people that can get things done. That'll be an extremely powerful resource, unto itself.
In all, good luck and godspeed. Safe travels.
after selling my house, i will have nearly $300,000.
I keep my yearly expenses in an excel sheet atm, I live on 30,000 a year currently.
Also both my brother and my father have already agreed to loan me roughly 100,000 each for my startup.
Will have roughly 450,000 to start it, and keep it running for 6 months.
The current business plan has it in the plan that for the first 6 months we will not make a single sale or any kind of income at all for the business.
Appreciate the concern though...there is definitely a lot to be concerned about.
I have always wanted to teach abroad, I actually majored in English in college to become a teacher... so part of visiting these places, I am going with an open mind of possibly looking into going and teaching overseas, but i have a plan in case I get there and realize I could never do that either.
Thanks for your input and attention.
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United Kingdom36161 Posts
Best of luck
I always admire someone taking a leap like this.
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I couldn't do what you are about to do, I also work a job that I hate but I have to do it to pay the bills I try and follow my passions but I can't afford it or I am just too scared to try.
I wish the best for you and hope you have an extremely successful start up. I personally would love to go to your bar when it opens so you better make another blog post about it!
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Sounds like you have thought this through, and are ready to take the plunge! Good luck!
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MaestroSC, I'm glad to hear that. It seems like you have both the planning and the proper capital. I'm glad to hear that. However, that much planning wasn't quite coming across in your posts, which is why I brought it up. But I'm glad, as that means it has a good chance of working.
As for your Trip, where are you thinking of traveling in Asia? If you're willing to entertain a simple suggestion, I would personally do this: Get a 2 week JR Rail pass (cheapest way to move around Japan as a visitor), then go from Tokyo down the Eastern Coast to Fukuoka. This will take you through most of the major tourist sites/major cities. Yokohama, Hakone (and Mt. Fuji), Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Okayama and Hiroshima. Then, from Fukuoka (which is, functionally, a tropical environment), head over to Busan (another beach area), South Korea. Head up to Seoul, then fly over to Beijing and head South through China. From Hong Kong, the entire world is easily accessed. So any parts of SE Asia are quite open.
I would head to New Zealand via Australia, as New Zealand is a really, really long flight from almost anywhere else.
Best regards and good luck.
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Good luck. Be sure to update with travel pics, and then as the business gets going.
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glad to hear that you have things planned out too
Honestly I was a bit worried for you like Taf was.
good luck!
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On August 13 2015 12:09 Taf the Ghost wrote:MaestroSC, I'm glad to hear that. It seems like you have both the planning and the proper capital. I'm glad to hear that. However, that much planning wasn't quite coming across in your posts, which is why I brought it up. But I'm glad, as that means it has a good chance of working. As for your Trip, where are you thinking of traveling in Asia? If you're willing to entertain a simple suggestion, I would personally do this: Get a 2 week JR Rail pass (cheapest way to move around Japan as a visitor), then go from Tokyo down the Eastern Coast to Fukuoka. This will take you through most of the major tourist sites/major cities. Yokohama, Hakone (and Mt. Fuji), Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Okayama and Hiroshima. Then, from Fukuoka (which is, functionally, a tropical environment), head over to Busan (another beach area), South Korea. Head up to Seoul, then fly over to Beijing and head South through China. From Hong Kong, the entire world is easily accessed. So any parts of SE Asia are quite open. I would head to New Zealand via Australia, as New Zealand is a really, really long flight from almost anywhere else. Best regards and good luck.
Haha yeah.. was going to write out all the work ive put into the planning process so far, as well as what Ill have ready to invest into the idea, but people get weird when you talk about money. Didnt wanna come off as rude or flaunting it or anything.
Plans for travel so far are just Japan and Korea, as well as a major US road trip to visit as many state parks as possible, hopefully hit up Canada too. Have also been thinking about adding a European leg to the trip, but we'll see. I havent gotten to the trip planning part yet, I just know for sure I want to visit Tokyo, Kyoto, Akihabara district, as ive recently really gotten into Anime.
Also been wanting to visit Seoul since 2007, so this will finally be my opportunity.
Your suggestion sounds like a helluva good time, so I will definitely look into it. It will be my first trip outside of the States, so I am definitely interested in any/all suggestions.
And thanks, Ill need it.
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Sounds good. I work in Finance, so I understand your point. Which is why I never talk about work, haha.
The "issue" that popped up wasn't a lack of thought about the Bar/Grill design, but the backside planning. I can appreciate you being vague, but it was vague enough to warrant some questions. I've eaten at far too many restaurants that were good but failed to be there a year later to hold back from those questions. Just trying to help a fellow anime watcher (it turns out) out.
As for Japan, a few quick thoughts. (Note: my Japanese is good enough I could travel there, but I've yet to actually make it. Certain medical problems will prevent me for a few more years.)
1) JR Rail Pass. The cost savings on that pass is no joke. If you're planning to see a lot of the country, it'll more than pay for itself.
2) Depending on the time of year, it might be valuable to fly into Tokyo, then head North to Hokkaido, then journey back down South.
3) If you'd rather fly a lot less solo, you could always check out PacSet Tours. I've heard good reports, but, obviously, I can't completely vouch for them.
4) Work on being open to trying new foods, as practically everywhere in Japan has its own local cuisine. And they'll insist you try it.
5) Following onto that point, be warned that, if you use Japanese to speak to some of the servers, you may get the "Japanese Blue Screen of Death" face. I do have several friends that spent a number of years in Japan, and this is one of the things they love to joke about.
6) At a Tokyo Airport, be careful of Japanese Camera Crews. I'm not joking.
7) If you have enough planning for the locations you'll be staying at, searching around the cities for places that deal with English speakers isn't a bad idea. You'd be surprised how many restaurants are run by Westerners over there. It seems to have been a "thing" during the 90s to open up a shop in Japan.
8) Busan, South Korea and Fukuoka are about 130 miles apart. They really are close together.
On South Korea, you'd need to grab information from other TLers, but there's plenty of that available. I just know it's quite small. And you can watch SC:BW & SC2 live.
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Awesome plan. Gutsy, too!
Sounds like you have quite some experience with running/starting a business. So I don't need to tell you (but I will anyway ) that even though you're working with a good friend as a business partner, you should still put all official stuff in writing. Friendship mixed with business can cause complicated situations and putting things on paper helps solve those.
As to your business plan (the Nerd Bar). I've been to a few establishments catering to nerds/geeks. Mostly game-shops-gone-coffee-bars. The problem seems to be that although these locations attract an untapped (Ha! MtG pun) potential target audience, that same audience seems to scare away casual passers-by. Simply said: the nerd bars I saw where running on regulars, and regulars only, because the environment was a bit scary for casuals to just get a beer or a cup of coffee. Not saying that running on regulars is bad, but it's a pitfall: ideally you'd want both the regulars AND the passers-by (this coming from me, with 0 business instinct, so correct me if I'm wrong). I'm pretty sure you've considered this aspect and I'm curious where you stand in this.
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Good luck... sounds really exciting. May as well live while you are young instead of horde money for old age.
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holy shit! best of luck!!!
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EPT
