Our blue van drives along a country road along the coast in spring. We’re on our way to lunch. A warm breeze stirs the daffodils as we make our way to the water’s edge. The lake sparkles in the afternoon sun. The four of us lined up on an old wooden bench. Aside from sandwiches being opened and birdsong in the distance across the lake, no sound is heard.
I used to be self-employed as a carpenter for hire, specializing in old town and country houses. Being my own boss had always appealed to me since he was a trainee. Maybe it was the way everything was up to you and answerable to no one but your customers. But after 10 years of being self-employed, and apart from the occasional job where I had to ask for extra help, I was offered the opportunity to work for a carpenters’ society. I took it, for a variety of reasons, but mostly because it was essentially what I was doing the most by getting extra help. But this way I’d be doing less of business management and more of what I loved: working with wood, on some really rewarding projects.
So when I look around at my colleagues having lunch, I realize that it would not have been just any association I would have entered. He knew these carpenters quite well, as two had been apprentices, and the other two he had called in from time to time to help with larger jobs.
Being on a team also means that buying assets for the business has less of an impact. We are currently upgrading some of our power tools and equipment. A series of purchases like this can be a real hassle for a self-employed carpenter, but when you’re on a team, the cost is spread out. Also, you should be aware of the fact that when you are self-employed, you may need to purchase a piece of equipment that is seldom used. Hiring is an option, of course, but it’s also a cost and it’s a good idea to have as many of your team as possible.
For example, we needed some new area lights the other week. Because as a team we can work late into the night without having to strain by doing it in a shift pattern. The complexities of our work mean that the lights must be up to the task. Even if I were doing the work myself, it would have taken weeks instead of days, and the cost of lighting would have made the job financially unviable.
Hiring would also have been expensive. But now we have the ability to buy the right equipment to get the jobs done efficiently. Maybe one day I’ll work on my own again, but right now, by the serenity of the lake, teamwork suits me perfectly.