The vo-tech kid I hired last year, best helper I've had in a long time. Shows up early, listens, asks the right questions. He applied to the plumbers' local in the spring without telling me. Got the call this week. Starts in January. I'm happy for him, and I mean that. I was in the union myself for a few years. I know exactly what he's getting: real schooling, real benefits. My father used to say you can't keep a good kid in a small shop, you can only be the shop he's glad he started in. Still. I'd started thinking he might be the one to take this place over someday. Back to the hiring pile. Anyone else lose their best guy this year?
Business side question, for the owners and for any Juniors thinking long-term. My father ran this shop for three decades and handed it to me. None of my kids want it. My nephew in Hamilton is in IT. So in ten years or so, who buys a 2-truck residential shop on the Hudson/Bergen line? The trucks and tools aren't worth much. The customer list and the phone number are the whole business. My father used to say a shop is just the people who still call you back. I half regret not thinking about this sooner. Anyone been through selling, or buying in?