[BC] I'm looking for work....too

[Robert Meuser]

Dana

That is a convoluted and negative view of the business.

When I did contract work, first I had a legal contract with the station. Second, 
that contract had interest penalties for late payment. Third, retainer was paid 
in advance. Fourth, outstanding claims were given to collection agencies who 
could mess up the station's credit rating. Fifth outside work as in remotes were 
paid in cash only up front by the club owner.  Fifth I had a well connected 
enforcer to deal with the club scene. I brought in 10 to 20 thousand per month. 
I had very few cases that went to collection.

R

DANA PUOPOLO wrote:
> The problem with contracting these days is that many/most people simply don't
> pay in a timely fashion.  Rents and mortgages need to be paid on time. I
> stopped being able to provide 60 or 90 days interest free financing about the
> time my second child was born. That was a long time ago.
> 
> The reason many contracting businesses have gone away is because the work has
> dried up. I can't afford to sit around waiting for calls where they expect me
> to IMMEDIATELY come running. I need to eat during the lulls too! In the past,
> stations realized this and provided retainers. Alas, those days are long gone.
> Instead we're treated like plumbers, electricians and gardeners. The big
> difference is that those crafts have a much larger base of potential customers
> then we do.
> 
> Also, the reason many places are without contractors is because of
> consolidation. It used to be that a station had one or two bodies.  A
> contractor was a valuable asset. Now eight stations have three or four
> engineers. Managers think that the engineers are screwing around so there's no
> way they will let them bring in contractors with that many bodies about. The
> fact that they might be working twice as hard as they used to is irrelevant to
> these bozo managers!
> 
> -D
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> ------ Original Message ------
> Received: Fri, 03 Feb 2006 04:58:00 PM PST
> From: "Mike McCarthy" <mre at ais.net>
> To: "Broadcasters' Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
> Subject: Re: [BC] I'm looking for work....too
> 
> Actually, Both Kevin and Cowboy are right.  I too had ebb and flows in 
> my contracing business. I was VERY fortunate to have very few ebbs and 
> many flows overlapping each other.  I alays had a project of some sort 
> in motion for 15 years.
> 
> Chicago no longer has a full time contractor any more. Everyone has 
> side clients. But there is no one around to handle larger projects 
> locally.
> 
> Granted, Chicago like any other major market requires certain skills 
> and such. But for someone with the right skills and equipment 
> inventory, a decent living could be made. 
> 
> MM
> 
> 
>>On Friday 03 February 2006 08:21, Lewis Munn wrote:
>>
>>>Join the crew, Paul!!
>>>   
>>>  I have been looking for engineering work, installs, tuneups, 
> 
> repairs, even 
> 
>>checked on the Big Radio conglomerates advertising for engineers on 
> 
> killer 
> 
>>schedules...no luck now for a long time.  
>>
>>>   
>>>  Open to travel for a good job, or relocate.  But would really 
> 
> prefer 
> 
>>contracting, installs, tuneups, repairs, etc., anywhere.  But seems 
> 
> nobody 
> 
>>wants me anymore.  *sob*  
>>
>> It's been a slow couple of months !
>>
>> I think that I ( yes, even I ) posted on this very list that now 
> 
> would be a 
> 
>>good time.
>> Well, NOW I'm in Philadelphia straigntening out a 6 tower diplex 
> 
> that 
> 
>>developed
>> a "challenge" recently.
>>
>> Be careful what you wish for !
>>
>> No, the rest of the year isn't filled up.........yet !
>> ( but it's looking very promising )
>>
>> As KK posted, those of us that choose to be contractors know that 
> 
> we will
> 
>> not be always busy all of the time, but that there will be slack 
> 
> periods.
> 
>> Often related to normal business cycles, sometimes not.
>>
>> Take advantage, and enjoy them, for they too, shall pass !
>>
>> ( I keep wishing for that six month gig in Nassau...... ) 
>>
>>-- 
>>Cowboy
>>
>>http://cowboys.homeip.net
>>
>>A figure with curves always offers a lot of interesting angles.
>>
>>
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> 
> Reply to <towers at mre.com>
>>From my traveling acount...
> 
> 
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