how long before you guys were able to put a dollar

Just wondering how long it took some of you to make any money.

I know my inventory is low for a start up, but I see my next dozen jobs or more going straight to new tools, not to mention next years insurance, a truck, license fees etc.

I don't even count the few grand spent starting.

Excluding your truck I would say 20K just in tools and equipment. Buy good stuff from the start and you won't have to replace it for a while.

3 years

I worked 3 or 4 years part-time before I was confident enough to quit my day job and go full-time. I worked pretty hard and between

my wife on the phone and me in the field, we beat our minimum expectations by almost 20 grand. ( Don't get too excited. Most people

are not cut out for this type of work and would quit no matter what the pay ) Just to put this in proper perspective, ( I'm sure

Dave K will like this ) most of our technicians make a larger gross in a good 3 months than I made working my butt off for an

entire year, 22 years ago. This not only reflects how much more prices have gone up, but also how much more productive we, as

wildlife technicians, have become over the years. I can honestly say that our company is more of a bargain today, than it was

twenty-some years ago!

I made money my first year. I made more than I expected. After the third year I had to limit the number of jobs because it was getting to be more than I wanted. I had a full time job at the time and was working to much.

Okay Steve, are you saying that you no longer have a full time job and this is it? If that is the case, it comes as no surprise to me.

Right from day one.worked as a nuisance beaver control 4-man for the railroad-great money as well as per diems,and I got a lifetime pension out of it to boot.

Boco is definitely my latest hero. There are many of us that love what we are doing and leave a very fulfilling career to our

offspring, if they so choose.

Yes Paul, I gave up my full time job.

I've been trapping nuisance animals for nine years. Four of those years were for free and I'm finishing up my fifth year in business.

I'm keeping it part time because there's just too many fish that need catchin' and somebody has to do it and I feel obligated to help out.

And besides, I'm getting old. There's more to life than work. I wish I had realized it a long time ago. It's a hard habit to break.

Steve, it was a lot of years of reading your posts before I even knew your first name. Like Vinke has said more than once to me, "You

are on my list of people who I have to meet before I die." And if we meet after that, I don't imagine that would be too bad either!

Started September year ago. Had the truck and spent 17k on business start up costs before I made a dollar. Worked two months part time, then went full time. Winter was rough, but made it all back and then some this summer. Sole breadwinner here. Couldn't have done it without Robb Russell's help. Miss him everyday.

Yep,its nice to pass the job on.My helper that I trained on the job took it over when I retired.

You survived one if the toughest winters in many years.

Thanks a lot Bob. Your story is just another big part of our rather unique business. Like I said before, and you will probably

hear it as long as I live, ( And maybe even after ) "Small business is still, and always will be, the building block of any nation!"

I did 5 years part time before I took the leap , as it's seasonal here I still will work for seasonal employers when my schedule allows , works good both for me and them

Paul:
I have to agree about small business. I went to our local hardware store the other day and they had a new employee in the paint dept. It was the first time I had ever seen her and she said, " how can I help you Everet". I was thinking how did she know my name, we never met. Told my wife about her and she said, your name is on your coat and smiled. I love the old mom and pop hardware store where you can by just one battery or wire by the foot. Some even have cage clips and hog rings.

I went from state hopping for fur for 15 years south, way south and west. Always made money. Came back home, found tons of beaver in the early 90's, so started with them for fur making record catches locally, then began charging, which soon began to turn into skunks, chucks etc. Never have needed a lot to survive, good with numbers, so always have come out ahead in anything and everything to do with trapping by making a buck and then putting it back into the business so I can sleep at night without worry of losing a pile, rather than taking a big risk into an unknown. Has always worked out well.

Everet, One of our best techs was my daughter, so I have no problem hiring members of the opposite sex. And even if I did, my

daughter is 6'1" and I'm 5'9" so I'd get my butt kicked anyway. ( I'm not making this up ) I love my kids, but now even some of the

6'4" grandsons could probably nail me, but as 71 year old wrestling champ, they don't even try. Now seriously, who discusses their

family on an ADC site? So far, me and Travis, that's who. I've learned that life can be a pain in the butt, but also a heck of a

lot of fun. Don't let the possible problems of the future prevent you from seeing the immediate enjoyment of today! I have done

enough worrying for everyone on this site. Take a breather; I've got it covered!

There's absolutely nothing wrong with talking about your family among friends, and there's so darn few of us we might as well be friends. Besides I'm awful proud of my little family and how we are able to live a self sustaining lifestyle. With out the blessings of the Lord above and our wildlife control business we would just be working stiffs and miserable. I love this game and hope to leave something good for my kids.

I agree with Dave K, three years or your doing something wrong.

It depends on a lot of factors. In general, the more time you devote to it the faster the ROI will be. This will also depend on what services you offer as well as your service area. Recouping a $20,000 investment in Hazen, North Dakota isn't the same as recouping it in Norfolk, VA.