08 Oct GUEST BLOG: A Tough Business
Having a trade business is tough. Running a business with your partner is tough. It can get extremely difficult sometimes to be married, live together, work together and raise children together (we don’t have any yet so I take my hat off to all of you who do!) as well as everything else that life throws at us.
From what I have learnt, sometimes it’s harder to speak to the people closest to you when times get a bit tough, than it is to speak to someone who is completely removed from the situation.
Running a small business can feel isolating, overwhelming and sometimes it just feels like you want to pack it all in and get a 9-5 or perhaps move countries and change your name (whatever works) so you don’t have to worry so much.
Sometimes it feels like a constant battle of chasing work, negotiation, chasing payments and the general stresses of running a business. After long days on the job that are physically and mentally exhausting, tradies will usually come home and spend another few hours calling clients to go through quotes, invoicing and more quoting, often 6 days a week. It can definitely wear you down and make you feel like sometimes you are missing out on living because you are always working.
Obviously us TradieWives take some of the pressure off doing a majority of the ‘back office’ work and I know it’s by choice to have your own business but sometimes it is just hard, particularly combined with all the other general life curve balls that are sent our way.
Craig usually keeps things to himself when he’s feeling a bit down, as I know a lot of men generally do and I have read a lot of posts in the TradieWives group recently from women who are feeling the pressure a bit in both business and relationships.
I recently got chatting to an organisation called ‘Mates in Construction’ they advised me that they have a 24/7 line you can call if things really start getting too much and you need an ear. I just wanted to share it with you in case it helps someone out there x
‘MATES in Construction exist to help Construction and Building workers and their mates who are doing it tough at home or work.
If you or your mate are doing it tough and would like help please call us 1300 MIC 111 (1300 642 111). This is a 24/7 line
If you are concerned about someone else and would like to know what you can do to help, either phone 1300 MIC 111 (1300 642 111) yourself or pass the number to the person you are concerned about and get them to phone us’
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