More specialization ideas.

[wannafreeze]

I am hoping to get better/more answers here than in the business section.Otherwise I would post it there.
I have narrowed my business down to light commercial refrigeration in 3.5 years I have been on my own,by probably 98%.Thus I am doing what I like the most and doing it with more efficiency.
For two reasons I feel like getting into more specialized/different areas of refrigeration if I can figure what that would be.Unfortunately I wasn't exposed to different kind of stuff during my training period.I had focused on working for companies that did mostly what I am doing today.
Reason #1:
I need more 'technical' challenge.
Reason #2
I need less 'human' challenge.
I wanna get out of the daily business hassle.
More equipment,less humans,more or the same money,and still my own business.That's what I want.I am a one man show and that's a must for me.(No management skills.)
I am about to start a search.I don't know if ultra-low systems or something like that would suit me and what kind of service rep oportunities there would be.
I appreciate your input.

[jpsmith1cm]

Just my 2 cents on this matter.

If you are a "hands on" guy and DON'T want the "human" aspect, then maybe being in business for yourself is not for you.

From your description, we have a lot of similarities. I like working on the equipment, but, most of the time, could care less about the people part of what I have to do. I do that because I have to in order to survive. I'd rather sit with a few wrenches and have a chat with a compressor than talk to a manager or owner. At least the compressor isn't going to try to lie to me.

I see only one other option.

Hire someone to handle the business end of things.

But, if you do that, then you are basically, back to working for someone else.

[wannafreeze]

Just my 2 cents on this matter.

If you are a "hands on" guy and DON'T want the "human" aspect, then maybe being in business for yourself is not for you.

From your description, we have a lot of similarities. I like working on the equipment, but, most of the time, could care less about the people part of what I have to do. I do that because I have to in order to survive. I'd rather sit with a few wrenches and have a chat with a compressor than talk to a manager or owner. At least the compressor isn't going to try to lie to me.

I see only one other option.

Hire someone to handle the business end of things.

But, if you do that, then you are basically, back to working for someone else.

To me handling a couple of hundreds of my own customers is easier than handling one boss.Going back to working for someone else is a nightmare for me.I hope it will never happen to me.I don't even put half the time in my company (yearly average) and make 3-4 times more than I would make working for someone else.I won't even discuss giving up my own gig.I just feel like directing it to a less social avenue if I could.

[intellitech]

I am hoping to get better/more answers here than in the business section.Otherwise I would post it there.
I have narrowed my business down to light commercial refrigeration in 3.5 years I have been on my own,by probably 98%.Thus I am doing what I like the most and doing it with more efficiency.
For two reasons I feel like getting into more specialized/different areas of refrigeration if I can figure what that would be.Unfortunately I wasn't exposed to different kind of stuff during my training period.I had focused on working for companies that did mostly what I am doing today.
Reason #1:
I need more 'technical' challenge.
Reason #2
I need less 'human' challenge.
I wanna get out of the daily business hassle.
More equipment,less humans,more or the same money,and still my own business.That's what I want.I am a one man show and that's a must for me.(No management skills.)
I am about to start a search.I don't know if ultra-low systems or something like that would suit me and what kind of service rep oportunities there would be.
I appreciate your input.

I think you possess the characteristics that most of us refer techs have....and that is working independently on equipment rather than dealing with people. It certainly is what drives us on a daily basis.

But look at it from this angle.....a few years from now where will your business be? What if you grow to the point of needing an office person, other techs, and all the management skills that you will be now forced to learn even though that is what you do not want? This is the reality of where I work (for a service tech who became a business owner and has no management/soft skills or how to be a leader other than say "this is how it's done"). Are you willing to turn down work if it means you will have to start working 80 hours a week or more just so you can try to control your workload that is continually trying to grow? I guess I am trying to say simply, business will grow naturally as you have no doubt experienced, but when does it become more than a one man shop can handle and you are forced to either not take on new customers or simply take them on and work endlessly.

Personally, I think I would be perfectly cut out for a one man shop outfit (I like to work on my own), but if something happens to the one man shop owner.......let's just say that no one is left to run the business.

[the mojo]

So Al you want to go the ULT route,eh ?

Did you find anything out yet ?

[wannafreeze]

So Al you want to go the ULT route,eh ?

Did you find anything out yet ?
I wish I could.Could you help me.For old times' sake.:o

This is what a manufacturer e-mailed to me,upon my inquest:

"Dear Altan,



If I was looking for new and more financially rewarding opportunities in refrigeration as a one man company I would consider getting into the low and ultra low temperature refrigeration used in the environmental test and biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. That means cascade refrigeration. Good cascade service engineers are rare and can earn a premium wage. The challenge is finding the training. There are very few schools if any that teach this area of refrigeration. Most guys learn on the job with companies already doing this sort of thing. You might try contacting a guy I know in your area who is an expert. He may be retired or not interested but it’s worth a try.

........."

[the mojo]

Al, Leave me a e-mail it's in my profile and I'll give you my phone #.;)

[wannafreeze]

Al, Leave me a e-mail it's in my profile and I'll give you my phone #.;)

Done.

[wannafreeze]

Al, Leave me a e-mail it's in my profile and I'll give you my phone #.;)

For some reason the e-mail doesn't go through.Is your address ok?
Could you e-mail it to me?
altankoc970@yahoo.com
Thanks.al.

[ice-LI]

I know of (2) companies in the New York area that specialize in cascade bio medical refrigeration. one is in brooklyn and the other is in westbury called cryostar. they might be able to offer you training or point you in the right direction.

[wannafreeze]

I know of (2) companies in the New York area that specialize in cascade bio medical refrigeration. one is in brooklyn and the other is in westbury called cryostar. they might be able to offer you training or point you in the right direction.

I appreciate it.This coming saturday I am gonna meet a guy who is about to retire from this in NJ.Since preserving my business is a must I am gonna check with him first.I may have to ask you about the companies in NY.

[icehouse]

Al, keep away from Cryostar. They pay lousy :eek: and ask you give up your business. :mad:

[wannafreeze]

Al, keep away from Cryostar. They pay lousy :eek: and ask you give up your business. :mad:

Thanks.I wouldn't consider working for someone else.Maybe subcontracting in the beginning.I don't think anybody would wanna train a competitor though.
Do you know if ultra low guys charge more than us?

[absrbrtek]

I understand you wanting to get into a niche market. Ultralow temp IMO will be hard to get into without a good backround in it. I dont see to many companies such as Merk, Squib, Wyeth, Fort Dodge or others letting someone with little to no experience working on their ultralow temp box. The box may have $250K worth of product in it or several years worth of reasearch. Just getting into those places to do AHU's, chillers, towers etc is like pulling teeth. JMHO

Best of luck in your venture.

[wannafreeze]

Thanks.I wouldn't consider working for someone else.Maybe subcontracting in the beginning.I don't think anybody would wanna train a competitor though.
Do you know if ultra low guys charge more than us?

I agree.I have been thinking about it too.If I weren't in business already I could gain the back ground by getting a job with one of them cascade companies.But you never know.I will look into it for a while.

[icehouse]

Al, here is some info on cascade : http://www.essproducts.com/cascade_condensing_units.htm

[icehouse]

I also remember Thermotron, and their service mgr. is a member of HVAC-Talk

[icehouse]

www.sanyobiomedical.com/assets/documents/service_manual/MDF-U73V_Service.pdf -Pretty good info.

[wannafreeze]

www.sanyobiomedical.com/assets/documents/service_manual/MDF-U73V_Service.pdf -Pretty good info.

Thanks icehouse,if I meet the old guy on saturday , i migth be able to decide which direction to take.