I'm back - sort of.

[MichaelW]

Wow things change faster than you can imagine.

Toward the end of 2007 my business, cellular retail with 5 stores began to have difficulties. We were not being paid from our carrier over some rather large disputes. We went the entire 2007 without being paid until my former business partner just decided to quit which left me holding the bag and double the work load I was used to. I did my best and kept the business going although my free time all but vanished. I almost gave up on the five-hundred thousand I am owed for 2007 until recently when I found other dealers in my same boat and now we all be pursuing a class action against the carrier.

By the fall of 2008 I had closed down all but 2 stores and switched from one carrier to another. This helped but we already had issues with customer loyalty and brand changing in a time when already I saw a large downturn in retail sales. On December 31st I pulled the plug on the 2 remaining stores.

Now I have been attempting to sell off a pile of inventory and fixtures all the while looking for a job as I have to have a break from running the show. At this time my financial situation isn't far from many others now a days and I am not down and out just knocked way down. I am tired and feel as though I have been in an a battle for the last 2 years.

I still have my JK and still drive it. I haven't done anything significant to it but plan on doing some camping trips and some dirt road expeditions providing the complete economy doesn't tank.

I plan on making a return to this forum as I now have a little more time than before.

So, I am back and am looking forward to reuniting with all of you!

Now I have a bunch of PM's to get caught up on.

[RotorHead]

Welcome back Michael. I wondered where you have been. Sorry to hear about your business woes. I'm self employed also and feel your pain. Lucky for me, I'm a one man, home based operation so it's easier to endure skinny times.

Good to have you back. The house has grown a little while you were gone. :beer:

[MichaelW]

This is good we have had growth! I am looking forward to getting familar with everyone.

I am not broken over the business thing as I have another waiting for when I feel rejuvenated again. It would be nice to get the money first though. :laughing:

[WTF_LOL]

I also had just started wondering if you dropped off the face of the earth. :lol:

As Rotor said, it is a whole different forum now, grown quite a bit since you were last here

Anyway, welcome back :beer: :beer: :beer:

BTW, did you ever finish your trailer?

[MichaelW]

Thanks!

Yes I did finish the trailer. I took it to the Chiracauas in Arizona last year and on a couple of other quickie overnighters.

[SDMF]

welcome back, again. :beer:

[Alec W]

Welcome back Michael :beer:

[WTF_LOL]

Trailer looks good!! Although, you said "Quickie overnighter"?? Doesn't the deffinition of quickie mean you do not stay the night?? :thefinger:
that's what my GF told me :shrug: , lol

I have a question for you. I tried digging up the thread that this was being discussed in but could not find it (can't remember which one it was, lol).

Anyway, if I remember right, you were conducting a test for Nth. I think you had something like 4"-5" of lift and stock drive shafts. I think you said you were experimenting for them how long the stockers would last before they gave up the ghost.

Now that they are gone, are you still doing the experiment? If so, how many miles do you have on your stockers and how they looking?

[dayton1999]

Welcome back Michael!

[Alec W]

Doesn't the deffinition of quickie mean you do not stay the night?? :thefinger:
that's what my GF told me :shrug: , lol

You know they never tell you the truth right? Quickie is not a good thing :thefinger::thefinger::thefinger::laughing::laughi ng:

[RubyMtnRubicon]

Welcome back buddy :bounce::beer:

[BeerMonkeY]

i was just thinking the other day wondering what happend to you, welcome back

[gold knight]

Welcome back Michael, the trailer looks great. Hope things turn around for you very soon:beer:

[offroader613]

Welcome back

[venom]

WB!
missed ya bud!:mr-t::mr-t:

[Rollbar13]

Welcome back!

:beer::beer::beer:

[wanderingtrail]

Welcome Back Michael. Sorry to hear about the stores.

Ron

[yoda13]

I knew I hadn't seen you on the other board I have frequented, sorry to hear about your tough stretch and good to have you around again...:beer:

[MichaelW]

:shaking:Thanks Guys! :bounce:

Hmm, I thought a quickie meant you skip the 9 seconds of foreplay and jump into the 2 minutes of .... :grinpimp:

I am *still* running the factory driveshafts! They refuse to die even with the 4.5" lift. Just wish the welding on the front axle was as stout. I have reattached the front axle now 3 times. :shaking: Now it has some of my ugliest booger welds on it so it should hold now. :laughing:

[Oside5ka]

WB Bud

[PhilD]

2 minutes of .... :grinpimp:Twice? ;)

Welcome back. Sorry to hear about your business woes. Business was very slow for me last year too, and I don't think 2009 will be that much greater, but things could always be worse.

[jdemonto]

Welcome back! We all had a rough 2008, the worst I have every seen personally. I fulley expect 2009 to be flat and hopefully some gains in 2010 and a full recovery by 2013.

Jason

[MichaelW]

I hope you guys are able to stick it out Jason.

Next time I run through Phoenix, I'll come by and you can buy me a beer. :beer::beer:

[Living Still]

Good to see you back on the forum Michael. I haven't been very active on here since way back when, but none the less I lurk often on JKO and Pirate dreaming of the day when I will have some time to get out and wheel again. Damn do I miss Reno where you don't have to drive more than 15 minutes to be on a dirt road. Hope your business situation gets resolved :beer:.

~Casey

[MichaelW]

Thanks Casey. Hopefully school is going well for you! Next time you are down we should wheel again together. Maybe this time you won't have any explaining to do afterwards. :laughing:

Business pretty much sucks but another venture may be in my future. In the meantime, well we will see.

Thanks Casey!:beer:

[toadontheroad]

Anything with the value of money attached to it sucks.
Sorry to hear you have to go through that kind of wringer. I know what you mean by not worying about it. That only makes things worse. Do what you can, think positive and let the Man upstairs take care of the rest.

Back before I bought my JK you helped me decide and even gave good advice (imagine that) so I thank you for that. Now I'm in a bad situation and we're thinking about selling the Jeep to make it through... BUT NOT IF I CAN HELP IT !!

Like you said in another post - it's not the label, it's what behind the 7 slots. A metaphor for people... Think about it, but not too hard. ;)

[MichaelW]

Thanks Toad!

I hope you don't have to sell the JK but in these times... You do what you have to. So far my JK isn't on the block but that doesn't mean it won't be. Yeah I'm not fretting over it. It is just stuff. and that stuff really doesn't matter, in the big picture. :beer:

[jocrazy0]

I think in your case Michael, I'd sue. Wait! I am! My second lawsuit in two years is in progress against a contractor who is 5 months behind in payments.... it is just a sign of the times. One: that businesses get behind in their payments; and two: they think they can get away with it.



I have another buddy who is a national sales manager for a company and their prime salesman. He relates that he is seeing this more and more in technology companies (including sadly, sometimes his own). As credit tightens companies start juggling their books and cash flow (rarely cutting their own salaries and expenses). And who gets hurt? The suppliers, who begin doing their own juggling, which hurts their suppliers down to the point where a bottom card in the Ponzi tower collapses bringing the whole thing down.

And that "six months of cash" that finance gurus spout? Total nonsense. Try doubling that and you MAY have a chance. I had close to that in various business accounts at the start of 2008 and at the end of 2008 I was down to zero, now in 2009 I am robbing my own personal investments while the suit progresses.

And now O'chimpy says I make too much money and I should redistribute that also. So what's the incentive to build a business just to have it taken away?


Sigh.... Welcome back again! At least you've come back to a place that have a few like minded individuals. I think I'll go jeeping while I still can.