Is This A Good Start

movndirt

My name is John D. Im from a small town located in Illinois. Im going on 22, in college for law enforcement. I'll have my degree next summer, Well I've always wanted to be a cop and own my own business..This past summer I worked for a excavating company for 4 months, he does basements, crawl spaces, back filling, final grades, plants grass seed, water lines, sewer taps, ponds, animal burials, hauls rock/dirt, demolition, clears tree lines and thats about it. It seemed like one of those jobs that would be pretty fun to do. June of this year my friend and I are thinking about going to a heavy equipment school in wisconsin. Its 11 weeks long, They teach you how to run dump trucks, track ho's, bull dozers, graders, back ho's, blue print readins, lazer readings etc.. then we are gonna let them place us in a job with a contractor and work for a year to get more experience. While doing that im going to finish my law enforcement degree (online when im not working). After a year we are wanting to open our own excavating business..he already has a nice tandom thats paid off, so that will save atleast 30,000 or so. As far as the being a cop, im only 22 im in no hurry to jump into it. If I can get a business going in the next 2-3 years I will just go from there. What do you guys think ? I know im VERY young but give me some advice if you don't mind..It will be a partnership. I have more of the money etc, its gonna be 55/45. So what do you think about this plan ?

precisionbuild

Being young has it's advantages. Just do it smart.

Good luck!

shanekw1

People actually call an excavation co. for this?

Their pet elephant get poisoned by the neighbors?

__________________

movndirt

He has a mini ho for it. Its not something he does all the time but once in a while he gets a call..its usually somone he knows. It's money..

tgeb

First off, welcome o the site!

Second, I am not a big fan of partnerships, I have seen what they can do to good people, sometimes it ain't pretty.

Third, I hired a fellow who had graduated one of those "Equipment Operator Training Academies" he was a fairly poor operator.
The school teaches quite a lot at one time, and it is impossible for any operator to develop real skill when in a few weeks you are taught the controls of six to 10 different types of machines, with only a few hours of seat time on each.

When you start school in June for 11 weeks, you will be getting out in mid August, The only guys hiring in mid August are looking for someone to fill the spot left by the guy that worked the summer and is heading back to college.

Now I am not saying that the schools don't have there place, and my experience is with only this one guy, well there was one other...but I did not hire him.

I would be very suspect of the school finding you a job position anywhere right now, there is just not work for the seasoned operators at this point. It may be better in the Fall but who knows.

Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to discourage you, I think it's great that you want to do this, and the guys on this site have plenty of good advice that can help you. I just am giving you my perspective.

BTW, I started my business when 24 yrs old, on a "shoestring", so I know it can be done.

Best of luck!

__________________
Tom

www.gebcon.com

rino1494

My advice, finish college and get your degree. Once you leave, you will not go back. After you get your degree, then go to the operators school. I have seen a couple operators come out of those schools thinking that they are the best on earth because they have a piece of paper. Operating takes experience and seat time. Go to the school to get a general idea, then get a job with a company to get the experience. Start at the bottom and work your way up watching every operator on site and learn how they do things.

BTW, stay away from partnerships. Most of them don't last long.


Also............finish your college, you will not regret it.

__________________
Life is hard. It is harder when you are stupid

Uncle Sam wants YOU....to speak ENGLISH

tgeb

I have said this before, but I don't mind repeating it.

I have met plenty of people who wished they had more education, but I have never met anyone who wished they had less.

__________________
Tom

www.gebcon.com

woodchuck2

IMO i would do the Law Enforcement, most LEO's have 20yr retirement now and a nice benefit package. NY State Troopers start out at $62k out of the Academy, $5k raise for 1st year and if you pick up a K-9 unit after 3yrs you get a 4x4 Tahoe to take home for the dog, free watch dog, you are paid extra for caretaking the dog, vet bills and for food. Most guys that have a K-9 unit are pushing $90-$100k a year. Then you could retire at 42-42yrs of age. In the meantime buy some equipment here and there and work it on the side. When you retire you will have a reputation, experience, some equipment to start with and you will be young enough yet to run this business for another 20+ yrs. In the end you can retire twice. Being LEO will expose you to people with $$$$ too and obviously dirt bags so you will know who to watch for when hiring. I was a Corrections Officer until last April and i was too old to transfer to Road Patrol. My BIL is a SGT. on Road Patrol and he also does construction on the side so we hook each other up for work. He has given me work in alot of higher end homes that he caretakes. He picks these homes up for caretaking because he is LEO and the Chief at the local Fire Dept, HO's feel if you cant trust him then who can you trust.

movndirt

thanks for the replies, I apperciate it.

Blas

DO NOT GO TO THAT SCHOOL!!!!!!!!!!!! It is very expensive and not worth your while. You will learn more in one summer as a laborer than you will at that school. They will take advantage of you.
DO NOT EVER GO TO THAT SCHOOL!!!!!!!!! WARNING SUN PRAIRIE, WISCONSON RIP OFF!!!!!!!!!!!

Please heed this advice. They tell you what ever you want to hear to get you in. My story- I was in school for construction management at Mankato state University and I thought it would be a good idea to take the class to get me into equipment that summer, so that I could make more money. I had been laboring and running bobcats for a few summers prior to going. So I went to the school to check it out. The instructors were hot heads and didn't really know what they were talking about and the equipment was always broken down.(they had a 763 bobcat with car tires on it for Christ sake) If you left by the second day you didn't have to pay anything so after a lively debate with instructor about the difference between density and volume I left. Save your money. The guys you work with in the field will teach you more in one day than you will ever learn there. I promise you.

__________________
"It is what it is"

movndirt

the school is ATS operator school, in Sun Prairie, WI. I know nothing about schools like that. Just what they were telling me. I deff don't wanna get screwed by doing something like that, they want 10,000 and its 11 weeks long. Around here you can't get a job with a excavating company unless you have some type of training/expierence. I don't know, i'm kinda gettin pushed away from the idea..its starting to sound like I will be kicking my self in the ass if my friend and I attend the school.

SOSPD

Hello all,
I've been lurking around this site for some time and you have provided me with valuable knowledge that has helped me grow my business. I am a Police Officer by profession and am an owner / operator of my small excavating business since 2006. I currently own a 2004 Bobcat S160 and 2008 Bobcat 425 and have been able to keep them busy and profitable.
A little advice for John: the occupation you are entering is very time consuming (me- 8 years on midnights and 10 years on day shift) and finding the time to have a family and work is tough. Lots of missed holidays, kids events, family party's.....Is it worth it "YES". Trying to maintain an additional business in excavation "very difficult". I have passed up work just to be able to have some family time and have burned vacation days to complete others. Most work for contractors occurs during the day which is in direct competition with my assigned shift. My goal is to grow my business and give it to my son when he turns 18 (so he doesn't have to work for anybody), which makes the extra business headache worth it for me. That being said I recommend you get your career rolling and put the digging on the shelf for a few years. The dirt will still be there after you get established in a police department.

As a side note "woodchuck 2" is right, the pay is good and that definitely will make your business venture easier in the future.

jcalvin

I myself still consider myself young at 28 and I steered VERY wrong about 10 yrs ago. I was in school on the way to electronic engineering degree, met a girl, and needed money because no woman is cheap. With the advice of the school's career counselor and a dire need for more money than a student makes, took a job with an electrician. I figured it would give me a heads up for the next year. WRONG! Never went back. Sparing a long line of excuses, I got married as a bottom level sparky and have been fighting tooth and nail ever since to make a decent living.

DON'T QUIT SCHOOL!!!!!!!!

I have tried to go back, but, you just never will. I don't care how bad you want it. You will never go back. Yes I am only 28, but, I now have 3 daughters and a wife that's counting on the measly income of my two jobs to stay ahead. Unless I can make enough to quit a job, I myself doubt I will ever go back.

__________________
Cal


You hired WHO

MACEXCAVATING

If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you will fall into someone else's plan AND guess what they have planned for you? NOT MUCH! Jim Rohn author and speaker.

NO PARTNERSHIP!
NO OPERATOR SCHOOL!
YES, Finish college!

Figure out from there. Law Enforcement very good career. Many choices Fed, State, Local. Takes all you can give it, very rewarding.

Dirt Dawg business is a rewarding business. Ups and downs. Don't forget the tax man, the insurance guy has his hand out, oh yeah the advertising dude. Banker wants his money yesterday. Wife wants hers.

Good luck with all that brother!

Don't let life turn you into a drunken looser like I was years ago. I lost a LEO Career and a lot of other things because of booze. At 40, I am just now figuring things out. So don't feel bad.

__________________
"The land of familiarity belongs to the dead."
"We're playing in the dirt BROTHER!"

www.macexcavating.com

movndirt

Your from auburn ? What department do you work for ? I might know you. I've been on several ride alongs. County, state, springfield..

SOSPD

Names Bill Bolletta...I work for Illinois Secretary of State Police.

movndirt

Ah, Im from Auburn also. I don't know if you know me ? My name is John Burtle, I go by my middle name (Derrick) I met you at the fire deparment a few months ago. I was gonna join but the mayor said I waited to late to get in the class. Which I understand, it was starting that weekend. Bruce has told me to get a hold of you in the past to do a ride along with you, I know this isn't the place to be talking about that kinda stuff so if you can, give me a call. 217-553-5144

rino1494

Small world. Maybe you can hook up with him and gain some experience.

__________________
Life is hard. It is harder when you are stupid

Uncle Sam wants YOU....to speak ENGLISH