New work drama!

[jeff kushner]

As a lot of you know that read my rambling, I work at a construction firm outside DC & my protégé Brandon has taken over for me as our Chief Estimator as I only have a year or two at most, left to work.

We will see what happens.
The 2 owners here are trying to sell the company to their kids but the kids don't have the talent yet so the owners are trying to lock in a couple of the experienced guys with "ownership" but with so many conditions, no one outside of the family is interested! Everyone has walked away from the deal as it changed over the past 3 weeks.


Last Friday, I asked our Supt, who I was BS'ing with, when him and Brandon were going into business.....he tried to look away but his smile told me everything`~not bad for a bluff, right?

He told me that Brandon has approached him about going into business together. I told him "Good for them....it's the natural progression for the guys that want ownership."





My position is decided but I won't tell anyone, cause I'm not stupid.

I will not stay if Brandon leaves.......because we all know what that would look like and frankly, I don't want to do it anymore, so I won't.

So now, part of me WANTS them to quit, so I can too!

I don't mind retiring a year early, I really don't!

LOL

 

[jeff kushner]

Day two......

Brandon came to me this morning and closed my door. to tell me he's received multiple offers. I asked him directly about teaming with Joey to go into business and he said that he isn't quite ready to go into business as he hasn't saved enough yet. So I did what anyone in my position would do, I asked him how much he needed! LOL

I told him that he needs to do HIS best and for his family.....and that I would not stay if he leaves but I'm good, he needs to look out for himself. He may take a job 6 miles from my house but a total of 60 each way for him.

I suggested that he tell the owners here "lets go to lunch", then at lunch tell them "Look guys, I've been talking with guys around town and I need my money to be more inline"

That way, he gets enough of a bump to make him feel better about his $$ while not increasing his commute, all in order to buy time for when he's ready to take the plunge into ownership.


So the plot thickens......

 

[SinLA]

There's very little I like about getting old, but giving good advice that ends up being appreciated and helping out youngins I like is one of them...

 

[TammyJ]

There's very little I like about getting old, but giving good advice that ends up being appreciated and helping out youngins I like is one of them...

Absolutely!

 

[jeff kushner]

LOL. I had my 1st "midlife" at 25 and fought getting "old" tooth and nail, now I completely embrace it! I got to a point where I no longer worry about many of the things that I used to worry about but there's a lot of "issues" that come with being superman.....got to keep the optics good all the time, that kind of stuff. LOL Think ZZ Top, "Sharp dressed man"

I had a guy a few years ago who we had done business together for years observe that several of my former guys end up as Chief Estimators at other firms. He teased me about "not being able to retain talent", a phrase I use often and apparently will be using again real soon upstairs<LOL>!

I can look around DC even today and still see 3 CE's that used to work for me, all were stellar......only one is was a "richard" and he's having trouble retaining talent now.

Then he said something I never forgot......"There is no greater tribute to a career than a legacy of making "Aces"(top shelf guys).

I never made anything, I just encourage success and don't tolerate failure w/o reason.

Me thinks, reviewing my convo with Brandon while talking to Kerry last night........that's he's already "left".

We'll see.....

keeps it fun, right?

 

[wellington]

Let me tell you. If you can retire now, do it! Since 2019, I have lost over 7 family members and friends. Most who were too young to retire. There is no guarantee of a tomorrow. This life is short and the older you get the shorter it gets. Get out as early as you can and enjoy the retired life, cuz it may not last long.

 

[jeff kushner]

Thanks W, I really appreciate the advice. To lose so many that you care about in only 4 years, I'm really sorry for your losses.

I don't feel bad that I haven't retired but it's such just a complete shift in paradigm that it's taking me some time to absorb a new outlook.....then as the bombshell that Brandon might actually leave became clear in my head, it's shocked me into action! Yikes! LOL

Todd Summerfield worked for me in 2015 till he exposed the fact to me, that he had exposed himself, to a undercover officer and was treated to a story on WBAL Channel 11(not making this up, I've had them all, over the years) News! Regardless of his "proclivities", he died at his DESK at another firm, at 56 of a heart attack. What a sucky way to go.
(I never did figure out which brand of stupid made him tell me about that News story. Why would you ever tell your boss something like that? SMH....ruefully! )

Somehow dying at work rubs me the wrong way so for the very first time, I'm REALLY considering it, Kerry and I are talking about it(she's terrified of course, as she should be) and am going to chat with a local retirement counselor.
They do it for a living and that way I don't have to reinvent the wheel for the things I should do.

Still haven't decided to rent or sell my home when I move over the bridge.....I'd love the income in perpetuity but will it be worth the hassle?

I figure one of two things will happen when I leave the counselors front door.....

I'll either feel pretty good about things

Or I'll feel pretty bad about things



LOL

 

[wellington]

Thank you. It's been a ruff few years and it's not stopping. My, our? generation doesn't seem to be living as long as the one before us, but they/country want us working longer. It's just not worth it.
One thing to remember if you do retire, keep moving. Don't become a couch potato. Stay active but now with things you want to do or always needed more time to do.
As for renting your home. So much good and bad there. The laws are on the renters side, not landlords side. Maintenance is on going unless you can get someone that knows how to do small repairs. Have an iron clad lease, right down to what seems so obvious. Always do credit checks and add a monthly, semi monthly, quarterly, which ever would work for you, premises inspection into the lease.
I have been a landlord a couple times in my life. Both times I lived in the same building. My latest one I had from 1996-2015, two apartments, I lived in the third. I have never had any big problems, but the stupidity is ridiculous. Granted, I rented mainly to college kids, as we weren't far from a college. A family would be much better, I think.
Our building did us good though at the time we had it. It paid for itself and for the house we have now when we sold it, that's the good part.
Good luck in your decision.

 

[zovick]

Thanks W, I really appreciate the advice. To lose so many that you care about in only 4 years, I'm really sorry for your losses.

I don't feel bad that I haven't retired but it's such just a complete shift in paradigm that it's taking me some time to absorb a new outlook.....then as the bombshell that Brandon might actually leave became clear in my head, it's shocked me into action! Yikes! LOL

Todd Summerfield worked for me in 2015 till he exposed the fact to me, that he had exposed himself, to a undercover officer and was treated to a story on WBAL Channel 11(not making this up, I've had them all, over the years) News! Regardless of his "proclivities", he died at his DESK at another firm, at 56 of a heart attack. What a sucky way to go.
(I never did figure out which brand of stupid made him tell me about that News story. Why would you ever tell your boss something like that? SMH....ruefully! )

Somehow dying at work rubs me the wrong way so for the very first time, I'm REALLY considering it, Kerry and I are talking about it(she's terrified of course, as she should be) and am going to chat with a local retirement counselor.
They do it for a living and that way I don't have to reinvent the wheel for the things I should do.

Still haven't decided to rent or sell my home when I move over the bridge.....I'd love the income in perpetuity but will it be worth the hassle?

I figure one of two things will happen when I leave the counselors front door.....

I'll either feel pretty good about things

Or I'll feel pretty bad about things



LOL

I have been a landlord a number of times over the years. I have rented apartments and offices in professional buildings that I owned, as well as my own home in GA for a couple of years while I was preparing to move south and selling my practice in CT.

My advice to you if you decide to rent your home is to do so only through a management company. The company will handle everything for you and relieve you of MANY headaches. Even though the management fee may seem high, it is worth it not to have to deal directly with the tenants yourself, especially if you tend to be a compassionate person (soft) as the tenants will take advantage of you sooner or later.