Maximising business opportunities or quality of life?

[vetran]

Hi.

With my current clients life is good at least in the short terms - rates are not spectacular but much better than permie.
I am passing a lot of offers as I can't do too many things at a time.
I've recently scaled up a bit, subcontracting work to 5 other people - this was a huge burden and net effect was barely better than me doing things so after the project ended I scaled back to being little.
What are collective thoughts - should I try to maximise opportunities and scale my company startup style or keep it low and enjoy life, like 37signals / basecamp?

unless you can buy the resource cheap and sell expensive (consultancy) or lots of little margins (Agent) then you are left with selling a service or software you develop if you want to make real money.

Just subbing out means you make 5-10% and the subs moan, the customer moans etc. You spend half the time (50% of your rate) sorting it out.

What do you want in 10 years? How do you get there? Are the questions you need to ask.

Just got off the phone with a friend who made himself a nice little Niche providing a specific service . He drives a new Porsche wears £1000+ suits he does as little or as much as he likes most of the time.

[Platypus]

Just got off the phone with a friend who made himself a nice little Niche providing a specific service . He drives a new Porsche wears £1000+ suits he does as little or as much as he likes most of the time.

Yeah, rent boys are back in the news in a big way

[MarillionFan]

I think he means the other end of the age spectrum. Grab a granny night at the Ritz in Manchester. No point wasting a drink on someone that won't make it through the night.

That's what AtW is always on the lookout for. He has a freezer of girlfriends.

[ChimpMaster]

....

Just got off the phone with a friend who made himself a nice little Niche providing a specific service . He drives a new Porsche wears £1000+ suits he does as little or as much as he likes most of the time.

It's easy when you don't have a house, wife and kids to worry about! But - well done to him.

[Old Greg]

That's what AtW is always on the lookout for. He has a freezer of squirrels.

FTFY

[oracleslave]

At the age of 31 you should still have plenty of drive, energy, hunger etc to make a full go of the business opportunity that appears to be staring you in the face. Plenty of time to kick back in your forties and beyond.

[northernladuk]

At the age of 31 you should still have plenty of drive, energy, hunger etc to make a full go of the business opportunity that appears to be staring you in the face. Plenty of time to kick back in your forties and beyond.

Totally this. You have been working for what, 10 or so years but have another 30-40 to go and possibly another 30+ of spending but not working.

[sasguru]

Work smart. Work little. Choose your work.
Get paid top dollar for the little you do.
Now I'm off to get some rays in the garden ...

[MicrosoftBob]

I think he means the other end of the age spectrum. Grab a granny night at the Ritz in Manchester. No point wasting a drink on someone that won't make it through the night.

I think because of PC it's called Grab a GGILF night

[vetran]

Yeah, rent boys are back in the news in a big way

No that bloke only drives a BMW.

This Guy's niche is in big companies not political parties.