REwriting HVAC class

[Bob Warniers]

Howdy ya'll, I'm Bob from Austin, TX., where I teach HVAC at the Community College. I'm REwriting a class we call "Special Topics". Please allow me to present this to you: When you went into business for yourself (or selves), what would you do differently NOW, that you did or didn't do when you were a brand new shiny faced entrepeneur? I don't really mean TECHNICAL stuff, but the kinda Mom 'n Pop stuff that we all laugh about when it's in the rearview mirror! Don't be embarassed here, this'll help alot of brand new shiny faced Texans who're probably going to make exactly the same mistakes that everyone does, . . or DID! Let's have some FUN with this'n. I'll check back every couple o'days 'n see how badly I'm being ignored. Thankx for your input - Bob

[GXMPLX]

Welcome to RE.

That's a bitter question!
You mean instead of spending my day collecting money from those who don’t want to pay and give it all away paying suppliers, taxes, fines, wife, kids, fighting customers that don’t want to abide by rules, workers that want to finish the job early not doing what they’re supposed to, contractors that do lousy jobs and don’t finish in time… well rather than that I would definitely change it all to go to a little town to teach a bunch of kids!

P.D. Don’t take the word “little” the wrong way!

[US Iceman]

I hope they don't think they will get into this business and strike it rich. As GXMPLX so fondly replied, there is a lot more to running a business that sometimes out weighs the fun you thought you would have when you started it.;)

[keepitcool]

Running a business is a huge commitment. It suddenly changes your life from 100% refrigeration to about 20% and 80% of the fun items that GXMPLX mentioned. Once they get out of your class encourage them to to get hooked up with a seasoned veteran and get some real experience before trying to start up a business.

[Bob Warniers]

Welllll . . .OK, I was expecting alot more sarcasm than this! Private enterprise is never guaranteed to be a cake walk, and ya gotta pay your dues. But I was hoping to hear great classic tales of 'never do this', or 'don't ever do that', or 'I wish I'da done that . . .but didn't!' C'mon gang, we've all got those stories we laugh about now but didn't at the time!

[US Iceman]

OK, here's one.

Be suspicious of a new client who calls you at night and says it's an emergency. My experiences now tell me; somethings wrong besides the cooling.

Odds are, the other firm doing his work has put him on a credit hold for not paying bills.

Lesson from this: Never be in a hurry to accept a new customer. There might be a very good reason why you don't need him or can afford to have him.;)

[GXMPLX]

Sorry I missed the point completely!

As a young student now I certainly whish:


Learned to use P-h, T-s diagrams and interpreted them correctly
Learned to build System/component Equilibrium diagrams
Learned to use at least EES (Engineering Equation Solver) and AutoCad
Had learned at least about ARI standard 540
Had had a glimpse at Mathematica or MatLab/Simulink or LabView
Had had a look at all manufacturers software


… then went back to a little town to teach a bunch of kids!

[GXMPLX]

Add to the previous list:


Deeper knowlege on chemistry / chemical reactions (This might be better now a days in school than the training I got)

[yinmorrison]

Hello Bob, I see where you are coming from, however the only way they can ever learn what is expected in real life business is to experience the possible glory and pain involved. If I had the chance to do it all again it would be because of the mistakes learned from the past and for anyone to relate to this you have to experience it personally and learn how to deal with things. Not everyone deals with problems in the same way. I have lost a lot of money over the years via various Companies not paying due to Client problems yet what I have found is that if you stick with finishing a job regardless, you will be rewarded later as the Customer appreciates this and the Architect will reccommend you to other people as Trustworthy and reliable.At the end of the day if you are only in it to make a fortune you will not succeed if you are not prepared to take a risk!
Back in 87 I was in Partnership and a job we were doing in London went sour as the Main Contractor imposed Penalty clauses for failure to complete individual rooms on time ( there were over 150 rooms ) , the guys we were working for could not handle this and neither could we despite being 98% complete overall and they got hit with the charges and could not pay us ( back then 87K we were owed ) we had to close the doors and pay off 18 men. The problems arose later as although we were Limited we had only just done so and were still due to pay the previous years Tax Bill for the partnership and had signed Guarantees with our bank. To cut a long story short it took 7 years to clear it all off and my family suffered badly but in the end I came out the other end.I lost a wife, house and have paid so much money in taxes , alimony and god knows what else that you wonder if its all worth it, never mind the techy stuff you have to keep up with. At least I see from this site that most engineers are up to the problems of high tech AC systems which is why I dont need to even post replies to queries.

[chemi-cool]

Hi Bob, [love your southern accent...]

1. Be honest, never ever lie to a costumer.
2. If you don't know something, ask, do not guess.
3. Learn Coaching and Face reading. Maybe the best
tools of any profession.
4. Learn to listen to your customers, its important for
them.
5. Explain to your wife\girlfriend that you are in a 24\7
business, they should be behind you at all times.
6. Remember that no one cares if you are tired or on
your way to Sunday lunch wit your parents, you are
needed else where.
7. have patient!

[Bob Warniers]

Yeah, Yeah! That’s the ticket! Thanks for this input folks . . .Ya’ll are bringing up similar topics that I try to stress, but being the instructor, they think I’m fulla cow-flop! Our licensing procedures here in Texas are pretty strict and require three years minimum experience before one can even apply for licensing, and it’s illegal to operate w/o such. The Manager of the residential dept. of one of the largest companies in our "little" town claims twelve years exp. is needed for any semblance of competency, and I always say ‘make alla your mistakes under someone else’s shingle before you go out and hafta take alla the blame for your own’. GX and C-Cool make great points about client relationships and how important they are. I call it good ‘bed-side manner’, like a Doctor/Patient relationship. We somehow always seem to fix the problems with the machinery that confront us, but on that long trail getting’ there we tend to overlook the ‘snake-bites’ on the way as inconsequential. Keep fightin’ the good fight Ya’ll, ( . .’n Yinmo, I wish I could buy ya a bottle of Scotch, pahdnah!) and thanks again for the input - Bob

[yinmorrison]

Bob, I went a bit far, just reminiscing after a few beers as usual. Things aint that bad now and thanks for the Scotch but I am into Guiness.