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I'm not sure how many of you know, but the company that I work for is being acquired by a larger one, I've been here just coming up on 6 years and it's been a really great experience.

But as we move through this process it's become very apparent that no ones job is safe right now, to make matters worse for me I don't have a classical education behind me, tons of experience yes but no degree's. So if it wasn't enough that we had to relocate our home and slog through a number of personal issues including the expense and prep for HB, now I'm facing the prospect of not having a job after 14 years of good steady work. I would love to build guitars for a living but the reality is that it takes years to build a good reputation and enough business to make a profit.

I mention this here for a couple of reasons, first of all this is like a brotherhood in some ways and secondly there are a number of people of faith on here, if there's anything I believe it's that prayer has power and that friends of faith are not always easy to find.

So if you don't mind can you say a prayer that at end of this whole acquisition I will walk away with something that can put food on the table, right now I would take something that would just pay the bills. I may survive this whole affair in one piece, but it's the not knowing part and the having little to no say in it that's preventing me from sleeping at night. I can sell the car but I can't sell the kids

Cheers

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

Paul,
I feel your pain my friend. Having worked at JD Edwards, then PeopleSoft, and now Oracle, I've been through this for the last 3 years. And through 3 major layoffs and 2 aquisitions later I'm still around. Our company is still in turmoil, and there is no certainty anymore. I'm not sure I will ever feel safe again. When you are working for a living, no matter if you own your own business or not you are never safe! Just take it one day at a time and start preparing for the worst. It is much better to be prepared than just wait. My prayers are with you, and good luck!
Tracy

Paul

My best wishes are with you too.

Russell

A wise man once told me that if you are good at what you do then people will come looking for you.
Good luck and my thoughts are with you.   

What industry are you in?

Paul...
My prayers for you and your family are on their way brother!
We can all use a little more prayer and Faith!
Kindest Regards, Walter

[QUOTE=RCoates] What industry are you in?[/QUOTE]

By trade I'm a software engineer, mostly enterprise level applications, with a stong emphasis on CRM and integration technologies...

But I've done just about everything at one point or another including managing a QA department, like I said lots and lots of experience but no formal education.

In other words, I'm a super geek

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

Thanks all for the thoughts and prayers, it eases my mind because I have no control over the process so I just have to give it up to god and stop worrying about it.

Funny thing is my wife sent out a notice to her prayer list about it and 5 minutes later (almost to the minute) she got contacted by Albertsons in Boise for a position she applied for late last year, she has a good job now but this one is pretty high up. So we are weighing all our options now, we had considered going to Boise because we wanted a better place to live so you never know. This could be the opportunity we where looking for...

Thanks all...

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

Paul...I've been where you are as well. It's scary...but there could be an opportunity as well. These are some of the issues and questions I had to deal with before venturing on my own.
...Try to take stock of all of your positive attributes and skills that your employers have taught you over the years. Forget about degrees...you don't have them so don't let it drag you down.
...What are your strongest skills (aside from guitar building) and how could you use them in an entrepreneurial way...like forming your own company with a product idea or a "gun-for-hire" consulting business.
...Think of your strongest and weakest company leaders and decide why they succeeded or failed. Emulate the good and disregard the bad.
...Do you have a passion for one or more of your skills or do you know of a better way to do what your companies have been doing?...can you convince others to believe in you?
...etc, etc.

Once you get over the fear of failure you just might get excited about committing to becoming successful on your own.

This is not for everyone, but we all should go through this exercise at least once in our lives.

From just reading your posts, you have a lot more going for you than you may realize or give yourself credit for. Best of luck and I'll be thinking good thoughts!

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Paul: You are and will continue to be in my prayers brother.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

You'll be in my prayers, too, Paul.

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Paul,

Hang in there, and keep us posted. Sounds like you and your family maybe headed in a new direction. That could be both scary and exciting! Do you want to build full time?

Jeff

[QUOTE=Sprockett] But... it's the not knowing part and the having little to no say in it that's preventing me from sleeping at night. -Paul-[/QUOTE]

Paul, the not knowing part, is where we use our faith. "I've not seen the righteous forsaken or God's seed begging bread." You are right where you need to be, trusting God. He won't let you down.

Congratulations, we are in the same boat. It's always nice to have a little company. Lord, Open our eyes and let us see. Open our ears and let us hear. Amen

Paul, I've been in a similar position - ex-analyst programmer, ex-IT quality manager and now trying to make a living from building guitars. I was an IT contractor for a while, and by then I'd been laid off often enough to know that the only difference between me and the so-called permanent employees was that they were still blinkered enough to think that they had some kind of job security.

JJ's advice is absolutely spot on. Get your CV together and look at just how many skills you've acquired over the years, you might be surprised at the result.

You're right, though, building guitars is a long slog. Other builders told me at the beginning it would take at least 5 years to get established and they were right. Even now I still have to work part-time for someone else to be sure of a regular income.

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Pete
http://www.petewoodmanguitars.com

[QUOTE=JJ Donohue] Paul...I've been where you are as well. It's scary...but there could be an opportunity as well. These are some of the issues and questions I had to deal with before venturing on my own.
...Try to take stock of all of your positive attributes and skills that your employers have taught you over the years. Forget about degrees...you don't have them so don't let it drag you down.
...What are your strongest skills (aside from guitar building) and how could you use them in an entrepreneurial way...like forming your own company with a product idea or a "gun-for-hire" consulting business.
...Think of your strongest and weakest company leaders and decide why they succeeded or failed. Emulate the good and disregard the bad.
...Do you have a passion for one or more of your skills or do you know of a better way to do what your companies have been doing?...can you convince others to believe in you?
...etc, etc.

Once you get over the fear of failure you just might get excited about committing to becoming successful on your own.

This is not for everyone, but we all should go through this exercise at least once in our lives.

From just reading your posts, you have a lot more going for you than you may realize or give yourself credit for. Best of luck and I'll be thinking good thoughts!


[/QUOTE]


I didn't realize you were an entrepreneur JJ. What is your business?

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Paul,
My prayers are with you as well. One thing I will ad and of this I'm very certain. God has proven it to me time and time again. "FAITH" is the "ASSURANCE" of things unseen. If you truly have faith...there can be no doubt. Put all your trust in God.

Brock...I've been involved in establishing a few medical device companies over the past 12 or so years...one went public and all were sold off to larger entities. I decided to do this after going through the corporate odysseys with the likes of Baxter Labs, and a few divisions of Bristol Myers Squibb. I've never looked back. While it hasn't been a cake walk, it is far more satisfying to be in control of one's destiny. Hopefully my latest endeavor will allow me to golf every morning and build guitars every evening...and be there for my 3 boys.

Back to Paul...I think that anyone who has the ability to plan, design and pull off the successful construction of an acoustic guiter has the innate ability to be successful in any endeavor they choose to be passionate about. The real key is finding the passion for something worth sacrificing the time and energy. Going out on your own will be the scariest and most difficult thing you ever do. You also might find it the most rewarding experience of your life. Consider it as part of your new plan along with other more traditional opportunities. There may be others in your organization who could become partners in a new endeavor...others in your life worth talking to about something completely new. We're only limited by how far we choose to extend our imagination.

While I won't ever minimize the importance in faith and prayer, I believe it's far more productive to focus on your God-given intelligence and talents to make things happen. JJ Donohue38575.0019675926

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Well said JJ

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

[QUOTE=JJ Donohue] I believe it's far more productive to focus on your God-given intelligence and talents to make things happen. [/QUOTE]

I agree.

Paul these situations are awful, stressful, and unfortunate. You are a smart guy and I have every confidence that should the worse happen you will survive it and perhaps find something even more lucrative and with more potential. But, let's hope it doesn't come to that....

I am pulling for you.

:-)

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Thanks all for the kind words thoughts and prayers it really means alot to Michelle and I, someone in this industry said that 'only the paranoid survive' and that's kind of my motto right now...

It looks like one of the big grocery chains wants to offer michelle a Sr position in the corporate office in Boise, it pays pretty dang well. At the same time I had a good friend offer me a position doing consulting on CRM systems with him so at this point we have a safety net. I really don't want to do consulting but will if it will pay the bills (of course he can't find anyone at my level and really wants me to join, I just hate travel ;)

So right now we are weighing options and I've taken JJ's words to heart, HB is my acid test for that and will tell me whether I'm ready or not. We don't really want to move (again) but the bay area is SOOOOOO expensive to live here and it would nicer to live somewhere that I don't HAVE to pay to save the dang whales every time I buy something....

I would love to build guitars for a living, but it would mean a big lifestyle change and some major sacrifice, not that we couldn't do it just that the timing is off. I figured two more years for my boys to move out and then we could really downsize our lives and make an all out run for the ring. Just not sure if I'm ready for that now, I have 2 more clients that want guitars in queue so even without HB I'm getting work.

I keep calling this the year of change for us, but man I didn't expect this much change :)

Cheers

-Paul-Sprockett38575.5166087963

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

Sorry to burst your bubble Paul but my kids moved out a couple years back, didn't make any difference in the time or money I spend on them. Best if luck with what ever comes your way. Hey I look forward to getting together at HB.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

[QUOTE=John How] Sorry to burst your bubble Paul but my kids moved out a couple years back, didn't make any difference in the time or money I spend on them. Best if luck with what ever comes your way. Hey I look forward to getting together at HB.[/QUOTE]

That's the last thing I want to hear John!!!!

I've been pushing them both hard to either work or go to college, so far school is their choice which is good for them. At the same time we are not letting them have a free ride, I think it's important to learn how tough this world can be if you don't get busy and find something to do...

It's easy for us to say the world has changed since we grew up, some of that's true but there are so many things that never change and that you either listen to your elders or learn the hard way...

I'm just hoping my kids are listening

Cheers

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

I didn't listen too well when I was younger, and dropped out of college on my dad's dime. Then I had to go back to college 15 years later and pay for it myself. My youngest two are both working and making progress thru college but the cost of living and going to school is tough when your 18 and untrained, so I do what I can, it's certainly not a free ride.John How38575.6406597222

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.