A Red Letter Day

[Brian G]

Yesterday I mailed in the final payment on my business loan. You can officially put me in the "hard to kill" catagory, my financial load has been lightened. Feels damned good. Business sucks right now, but I'm still smiling.

Brian G.

Hangin' In [:-dog]

[Chad Fabry]

Good for you Brian. Overcoming an obstacle like a monthly payment is very rewarding.

My business sucks too. But, the only expense I have to worry about right now is yellow pages.

[Darren]

Business, whats that?

This is the worst 4 weeks I've had in 9 years of doing this. If it doesn't break soon, I'm in trouble.

Darren

[DonTx]

Congrats Mr. Goodman!

Not to rub it in on anyone, but this is the slowest we've had since the first of the year. We had record Jan. and Feb. I don't know why, but I'm not complaining. I fully expected the normal slow down. What worries me is that I usually have a slow month somewhere and since it hasn't happened, it might be in the future.

Donald

[Les]

Brian, can I borrow $421.00? I know you got it! I'll pay you back the first day I do four inspections. On a serious note - On several days I have been cheered up by you and your "good attitude". If only all inspectors had your character and attitude, it would be a better world.

Good Luck!!!

[Steven Hockstein]

Congratulation to you Brian!!!

[Jim Morrison]

You won't ever meet anyone more aptly named than Goodman. I've sought his opinion, offered him mine, raised a glass with him, and stood shoulder to shoulder with him among the throngs at a local "battle of the bands".

When a guy like Brian pays off an HI business loan, we're all better for it.

Here, here!

Jimmy

[David C. Argabright]

Good to hear you're free of the payment. Maybe now you can put some of that money into a fund to get that wife you're always bragging about to the next Inspection world. Congrats.

[chrisprickett]

Good job Goodman!

[Gordon]

I'll raise a glass to you this evening, when I go out with my wife to eat!! Congratulations!

[Ed Porter]

Brian,

Congratulations, my man. Feels good, doesn't it? I did the same thing almost a year ago to the day. That extra $300+ is a nice extra chunk to have in the bank account.

To all of you, This is going to be a GREAT year. Much success to you.

[Jack Ahern]

Well Done!Let's raise one for the Goodman![:-banghea

Jack Ahern Needham on the Charles

[Paul MacLean]

Life gets a whole lot easier when your debt free.[:-bonc01][:-jump2][:-bonc01]

Congratulations Brian!!!

[Scottpat]

Brian that is good news.

Congratulation's.

[RobC]

You can truly say you're working for yourself now....and not for the bank.

Well Done!

[rlskfoster]

[:-party]Hey think of all the extra cool tools you can buy with the extra cash!! Tools!

Somewhere in the background I hear Tim "The Toolman" Taylor doing his pig grunting routine.

Let us know what you "invest" in.

Buster

[Brian G]

It seems I have both an absence of financial debt and an embarrassment of riches in friends. I appreciate the warm responses, at least until I manage to piss all of you off. []

My sympathies to all of my similarly suffering HI's who have way too little to do. I feel like a farmer with crop in the midst of an unexpected drought. When's it gonna rain again? I think we're caught between Christmas debts and tax time. Lord I hope it doesn't stay this way until mid-April. [:-indiffe

The money will go to a few other minor debts for a while, then hopefully into some effective advertising. Oh yeah, my step daughter is also engaged, and wants us to fix up our old mobile home for her and Johnny Wonderful to live in. Hell, the money will melt away like it always does, but at least it won't be in a lump sum due by a certain date. Less pressure is good, all by itself.

I'm wrestling with myself over a price increase too. I deserve it on the one hand, but I have a hard time going up when I'm barely working as it is. Lately I'm a carpenter again. Jeez, if only I had it made like some of you grizzled vets. []

Brian G.

Here's to the Tired, the Poor, the Hungry...the Self-employed [:-party]

[Jim Katen]

Congratulations Brian. That’s a milestone to celebrate. I suggest you take your wife out to a splendid dinner, discuss business for a few minutes and write it off as a business expense.

In commemoration of this occasion, I offer the following observations:

1. When you plan a vacation, business increases. It’s practically a law of nature. If business is slow, book a cruise.

2. When you raise your prices, your volume of business goes up. There is, of course, a limit. But I’ve found that it’s always higher than I thought it was.

3. Sometimes the gods of the telephone demand tribute. For instance, some weeks back I bought my phone a new altar (they have ‘em at Staples). After installing the phone on the altar, I spent extra time on its monthly tune-up and waxing. The telephone gods were so pleased that the phone’s been ringing steadily ever since.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[DonTx]

Brian, Jim forgot rule 1a. If you only want a few inspections, try taking a nap. The phone will ring in random intervals just enough to keep you from getting a nap.

[RobC]

Perhaps THE most mportant rule would be to make sure your Yellow Pages phone number is correct.

The books are out in October for us and shortly after that the phone stopped ringing. I thought it might have been something I said until the graphic designer called in the middle of December to give me the good news.

I just negotiated a transfer of responsibility with the owner of that number a few weeks ago.

Oh Well!

[Vince Santos]

Congrats Brian.

As far as raising your prices. You could raise them to one of the highest priced inspectors in the area. Believe it or not there is a market for this type of pricing. You would advertise yourself as higher priced because you offer a better inspeciton.

BTW

If you try this, let me know how it works. [:-thumbu]