Business and stress

Steve · #1 10-11-2007, 01:18 PM

Can you imagine having a heart attack at 37? I have known a few friends who actually have had heart problems in their early 30's all due to stress.

What do you find is the most stressful part of your business day and what advice do you have for others to handle it?

My job's giving me a heart attack! - When Helen Smith had a heart attack at age 37, she was in shock. She was young, healthy and in tip-top shape. There'd been no warning signs. She had no family history of heart disease.

It was no little heart attack, either. It was a big one, she says, that forced her to take drugs and wear a pacemaker for the rest of her life. What in the world, Smith wondered, had caused the heart attack? And, more important, what could she do to make sure she didn't have another one?

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#2 10-12-2007, 08:34 AM

Lawn care business tips

If you are focused only on your business and making money, you need to get a life outside of the working world. The more interests you have and enjoy, the better.

Life is short, eat desert first...

Steve · #3 10-12-2007, 09:24 AM

From reading her article, it didn't seem like she was out there having much fun at all.

#4 11-12-2007, 09:32 PM

a few years ago this older irrigation guy and myself had a conversation at the local irrigation supply house. I explained how busy and stressed I was etc. At the end of our conversation he said "someone can work their whole life, and on their deathbed nobody ever says I wish I worked more hours, every night, and made more money" I downsized after my first daughter was born, I only have one shot at raising my kids. I never miss anything that they do. If that means I make alittle less, so be it I dont want to regret it later, hopefully much later on.

Little's · #5 11-12-2007, 10:41 PM

I had a job for several years that was very stressful and the stress caused all sorts of little problems in my health (nothing serious, just too much stress). I was relieved when I lost the job, and have been happy ever since. I spend as much time as possible with my family, and vowed never to let myself get into a possition to cause a lot of stress. I let things roll off my back nowadays, and couldnt be happier.

Steve · #6 11-13-2007, 07:48 AM

When you reflect on yourself or other friends you have who own businesses, do you find they are more or less stressed out than people you know who are employees?

#7 11-13-2007, 08:23 AM

I think honestly stress is induced on someone by themselves... it's all in the way you handle situations...

My dad's philosophy: If I can change it, I will... if I can't, I'm NOT going to worry over it... I'll deal with it when it comes.

I took that philosophy when I was 22 and ran with it... I've been less stressed ever since...

Little's · #8 11-13-2007, 10:08 AM

I had a job at Rent-A-Center where I was the manager. I made good money there. My job was to keep the past due accounts down to only 5.6% of customers (we had over 8oo current accounts). I either had to have the money, or the merchandise. If I didnt have either, then that meant my % was higher like 10-25% of customers past due.
Now, the typical customer was buying there because they had bad credit. They would lie, move away with the merchandise, hide, etc., anything so they didnt have to pay. I had to go and pound on doors, file police reports, etc. to try and get our stuff back, all to keep the past due percentage down below 5.6%. That also meant making sure deliveries went out on time, making sure the employees were doing their jobs, and keeping the money in order (not as easy as it sounds when your store is bringing in over $1,000,000 per year).
Here is why it was stressfull. If The numbers weren't below 5.6%, I would start recieving calls from the Market Manager, Regional Manager, and basically start having my job threatened.

Steve · #9 11-13-2007, 05:49 PM

WOW!

It makes you wonder if some managers would stop renting to those with the worst of credit scores or with no ties in the community. It would lower the income but potentially lower the past due % as well.

Little's · #10 11-13-2007, 07:22 PM

Rent-A-Center runs its business off of those who have bad credit. You can have the worst credit in the world and go to RAC and get furniture, or a big screen TV, or XBox or anything. All you need is 4 personal references, proof of income, and proof of residence.
RAC doesnt do credit checks, if they did, they would go out of business. The down side for the renter is that they end up paying 2 to 4 times what the item is actually worth in finance charges, or as they call it, rental charges.

Business and stress

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