The End
In 2001 when I was thrown out of left RTE, I decided to set up a little business doing web design.
The intention was to run it as a paid hobby, doing little sites for local businesses and the like.
It didn’t work out that way.
For reasons that I still can’t quite understand, the business took off in a big way, and within a year, I had major contracts with Lily O’Brien’s Chocolates to rebuild their small brochure site into a major e-commerce site, and with a subsidiary of O2 to build a major virtual private network linking all mobile phone shops to head office. There were also numerous smaller sites and the business rapidly got out of hand.
I expanded the business to include hosting simply because it made sense to be able to provide an all in one package and to have complete control over the servers.
In the years since, I have never been short of work. On the contrary, I frequently found myself juggling contracts to keep all the clients happy.
Over the last couple of years however, the CFS has taken hold, and I have found the design and development side to be more and more of a strain. As this was supposed to be a hobby, not a chore, I decided to quit that side of the business and to just continue with the hosting.
Over the last couple of months, I have been doing the figures. I have decided that the income from hosting alone does not warrant the hassle and responsibility of looking after fifty or so websites, and I made the final decision.
I am quitting.
Ending a lucrative business is not a light decision. I have responsibilities to my clients, and they all have to be taken care of. I have arranged that in such a way that no one should be inconvenienced in any way, and they will maybe even find life to be a bit cheaper! From my own perspective, I will have a lot more time to concentrate on enjoying life. I will have a lot more time for writing, both online and off.
I’ll miss the money though.
Filed under: General, Health, Tech stuff on April 21st, 2009
If it was causing so much strain then it wasn’t worth it. Money or not. Kick back and relax and enjoy your retirement!
That was the reasoning behind the decision. It just wasn’t worth it.
Apart from anything else, I got the whole web experience out of my system. I loved the challenges but it was hard work.
I reckon I have done enough for society at this stage, so it’s time to quit and relax.
Richard,
Why is Grandad answering your questions? Has the alter ego taken over? Has Jekyll become Hyde? Has Smeagol become Gollum (or is it the other way round?)
Damnit! The Old Git has been messing with my laptop again. Somehow he messed around with my login. My apologies.
Wow. Good luck. I made a similar decision some years ago, left a career I loved and lived for, but it was the right thing to do and I’ve no regrets though I miss it sometimes. Poorer but still happy, and all that.
All the best to you, with that writing and a less stressful future!
Retired again?
I think I would have just kept jacking up fees to see how hard you could push your clients.
You old softy.
Susan: I very much doubt I will miss the work, so I think it is the right thing to do. I’ll still be around though. Unfortunately, so will that crusty old bastard.
Sixty: I did. In fact my fees were going through the roof, but my conscience got the better of me. As you say – I’m an old softie.
About time. I was afraid you’d keep working until your retirement was long behind you if you know what I mean.
Grandad sure is pissed though…
Aha . .at least you’re leaving by choice. I’m off to find a new career! Enjoy . . you deserve it.
“Grandad sure is pissed though…”
I saw that. Another excuse for him to get hammered again?
A brave decision but the right one, I would imagine. Fair play.
Not so brave, Darren. I would have been brave and foolish to continue!
I’m a web designer as well… If you feel like starting your business back up in the future, but want to toss the designing and developing part on someone else, I would be please to work with you!
Welcome, Daniel. I think at my age it is very unlikely I will hit the high spots sgain. There againm if money runs tight?…….