Work - you job and status

[Fruitbat]

Within my own company I have a fairly high profile job.

Externally, I have to sell ongoing services to business, to grossly simplify what I do.

My customers, 100 or so regular contacts, are in a position of power in as much as I have to keep them happy to survive.

Sometimes the more aggressive of them exploit this power differential by enjoying making me have to explain things and exploiting the fact I can't tell them to F off.

Is some play the big man, in front of their staff sometimes by complaining about my company and just letting fly. It crossss into some who are actually personally disrespectful to me or won't let me discuss things as an equal.

I hate this element of the job. I have bosses to keep happy. I have customers to keep happy. Nobody actually works for me, I run the show and they look after me well financially and allow me freedom, which is what I enjoy.

I find having to be a yes man demeaning. I could lose business if I just tell people where to go if they are unreasonable or abusing the relationship. I am a company man and have to be a diplomat.

Is being self employed the only way to truly have a frame? I really long for a day when I don't have to do anything I don't want to and can concentrate on doing things my way.

 

[mrgoodstuff]

Within my own company I have a fairly high profile job.

Externally, I have to sell ongoing services to business, to grossly simplify what I do.

My customers, 100 or so regular contacts, are in a position of power in as much as I have to keep them happy to survive.

Sometimes the more aggressive of them exploit this power differential by enjoying making me have to explain things and exploiting the fact I can't tell them to F off.

Is some play the big man, in front of their staff sometimes by complaining about my company and just letting fly. It crossss into some who are actually personally disrespectful to me or won't let me discuss things as an equal.

I hate this element of the job. I have bosses to keep happy. I have customers to keep happy. Nobody actually works for me, I run the show and they look after me well financially and allow me freedom, which is what I enjoy.

I find having to be a yes man demeaning. I could lose business if I just tell people where to go if they are unreasonable or abusing the relationship. I am a company man and have to be a diplomat.

Is being self employed the only way to truly have a frame? I really long for a day when I don't have to do anything I don't want to and can concentrate on doing things my way.

What percentile of earners in this country are they paying at to be degraded like this?

 

[Fruitbat]

I make £75000 - £120000 annually plus car. In usd I guess that's about $110 - 200 if you ignore the fact sterling is uncharixaristically weak.

 

[mrgoodstuff]

I make £75000 - £120000 annually plus car. In usd I guess that's about $110 - 200 if you ignore the fact sterling is uncharixaristically weak.

So what percentile is that in your country? Top 5%, 10%, 20%, etc?

 

[Fruitbat]

So what percentile is that in your country? Top 5%, 10%, 20%, etc?

Average Is £27k.

No idea what percentile I would guess top 20. About the same as a solicitor or basic doctor (specialists earn more)

 

[BeTheChange]

Average Is £27k.

No idea what percentile I would guess top 20. About the same as a solicitor or basic doctor (specialists earn more)

What do you do? £75k seems quite high to not be in charge of anyone. How old are you? Do you have kids? A £100k a year is c. £5k+ a month after tax. Even with high expenses you could easily be saving £2-3k a month. Put that in some good investments like property and you could run your own portfolio company in no time.

 

[mrgoodstuff]

Average Is £27k.

No idea what percentile I would guess top 20. About the same as a solicitor or basic doctor (specialists earn more)

According to this web page: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/...-year-nearly-50-000-make-1m-survey-finds.html

It says you are in the top 4-5% with £100k

 

[mrgoodstuff]

According to this web page: http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/...-year-nearly-50-000-make-1m-survey-finds.html

It says you are in the top 4-5% with £100k

So I'd accept the temporary discomfort, figure out plans for business on your own, but have some interests and hobbies you participate so that you enjoy life.

 

[Fruitbat]

I'm a salesman. I have a support team but I am not really "in charge" of them.

i don't believe that 100k is 4-5%. Perhaps if you view PAYE earnings but this doesn't take into account dividends etc. Most accountants and solicitors, all doctors, many small business owners make around 100k headline when you factor everything in.

 

[Fruitbat]

What do you do? £75k seems quite high to not be in charge of anyone. How old are you? Do you have kids? A £100k a year is c. £5k+ a month after tax. Even with high expenses you could easily be saving £2-3k a month. Put that in some good investments like property and you could run your own portfolio company in no time.

34. See my other post re lack of underlings.

My industry is overpaid in general.

I would be wealthy if I wasn't married to someone who earned virtually nothing for years. Also, I used to have a severe Coke habit which cost me about 600 and up a month. I'm also a compulsive spender and lost a fair bit on speculative investments. Only now am I getting my **** together, single and drug free.

 

[mrgoodstuff]

I'm a salesman. I have a support team but I am not really "in charge" of them.

i don't believe that 100k is 4-5%. Perhaps if you view PAYE earnings but this doesn't take into account dividends etc. Most accountants and solicitors, all doctors, many small business owners make around 100k headline when you factor everything in.

In the US doctors and small business owners would be less than the 10%, it would be like 3-5% range.

 

[mrgoodstuff]

34. See my other post re lack of underlings.

My industry is overpaid in general.

I would be wealthy if I wasn't married to someone who earned virtually nothing for years. Also, I used to have a severe Coke habit which cost me about 600 and up a month. I'm also a compulsive spender and lost a fair bit on speculative investments. Only now am I getting my **** together, single and drug free.

All about self-control! You admit your faults thus you can correct them.

 

[Fruitbat]

In the US doctors and small business owners would be less than the 10%, it would be like 3-5% range.

I would guess there are far more people in severe poverty in the states which drags the average down.

I get taxed at roughly 50% of my income when you factor in all tax.

i would take the states all day but my Interpol caution for minor drug smuggling means you won't let me in!

 

[Fruitbat]

By minor I mean £20 weed in my sock

 

[sodbuster]

Being in business for yourself isn't any different. You have the ABILITY to lose a client you don't like, but you have to figure out it it's WORTH the effort. At least until you get too busy to support them all.... They guy who is 1% of your business is easy to lose. The guy with 10%? A bit tougher. That 10% is likely 40% of your take home profit. You have fixed costs that don't go away. Once those are covered, the profit margin goes up exponentially.

 

[Prime_Beef]

Sodbuster is correct.
Being in business for yourself puts the hardest boss in the world in charge...the one you can't lie to or blame! Add to that you are where the buck stops. If one of my employees doesn't do something or fails to show, it very likely could be you. These are things I know well. Depending how you are set up could be freedom or none.

 

[sodbuster]

yeah, people ask me why I'm working long days etc... I tell them "my boss in a jerk" They look at me funny and I say "if I'm not a jerk and be hard on myself, the next boss will be" and they nod in agreement.....

 

[Atom Smasher]

You need to change your frame. Even though you're in that position right now, open for business tomorrow as "Fruitbat Incorporated". Now you are Using your company, your boss, and your clients to grow your personal empire. Reframe to appreciate the company and your clients, as they serve as your springboard to better things.

Reframe what you do to an attitude of serving others. Your job is to provide value to them and take their money for your impeccable service.

Your current situation is temporary. USE it instead of letting it use you. Eventually you will find other opportunities, perhaps within that company, in a different company, or in your own business.

If you are not saving regularly open up an Acorns account. With that you can set up a daily a contribution to your account, and with your phone app you can "impulse save" which is a very empowering feeling.

The boss, the clients, everyone who is annoying you will be mere springboards under your feet one day, and that should provide some impetus.

It sounds like you're well on your way to straightening a lot of things in your life out. Make it official by thinking of yourself as "Fruitbat Incorporated", a real entity. Of course, insert your real name there. That's pretty much what I did to get where I am today.