My Uncommon Retirement

[Elbata]

When I read posts about retirement, it's mostly about retiring from Megacorp.

I always wish that I could fit in the Bell Curve, but the Megacorp experience was far different than my own.

I was a sole proprietor of an appliance repair, then air conditioning/heating business. Mostly operated out of Long Beach, CA and its environs. It was loads of fun, met lots of good people and enjoyed driving around from job to job.

My money was not made in minicorp (my little one-man show), never made much, but it was an avenue to get into real estate. I just happened to be the broken clock/blind squirrel and got very lucky.

So, I didn't get to experience the office politics/bickering, but I didn't get to experience the camaraderie of being with others and seeing a team project come to fruition. But since I'm an introvert and working where I got to call all the shots proved best for me.

 

[street]

I envy your career but I also know owning your own business isn't a walk in the park either. I also wasn't in a Megacorp but was lucky to live in a very rural area and was able to make a great income with great results.

I had the misery of office politics and it isn't fun but I looked the other way and did my thing.

 

[calmloki]

The Gal and I did the rental real estate route. She also worked as a service manager for several dealerships, so was in charge of the mechanics and got to be the flak catcher for unhappy customers ("you'd think, if you paid $$xxx for a car that it wouldn't squeak or run out of gas or ...). Her company loyalty was not recompensed in any reasonable way. I worked for companies very rarely. Did get to be the face and hands of the rentals. Still am about half time. Sure makes for a different retirement path - much more self reliant.

 

[CaptTom]

Interesting perspective on "other" paths than MegaCorp.

Shortly before I got my first MegaCorp job, I saw a very interesting piece of real estate for sale. An old farm house, across the street from the town dump. It would take lots of work (and $$) to renovate it. But it was on a huge lot which could be easily subdivided. It was in a resort town, near the main road to the beach. Easy on-off the highway, but not too close. I ran some numbers and thought I could swing it. Live in the old wreck while renovating, and sell off lots slowly.

Long story short, I chickened out. A developer eventually bought it and made millions. The dump was closed a few years later and this is now some of the most valuable real estate in town (except the beach.) I still get that "what if" feeling when I drive by.

 

[Lukeee]

Many paths to FI!!

I’m an introvert who works for a mega...
Like CaptTom, was too chicken to jump in early on real estate opprurnities. (I can count 3)
But the stock market has been kind to me (the money that didn’t go to real estate went to the market.

If I had to attribute my FIRE plan/schedule, I would say it’s 50/50 between the job and investing.

464 days and counting

 

[HI Bill]

Many paths to FI!!

Yes, there are! I had a friend who's father owned an aviation business, and the father died in an airplane accident (flying a loop too close to the ground). When the father died, my friend and his sister inherited the planes and equipment. While still in college, he used the 'seed' money from the planes to start buying real estate investments, and upon graduation, to start an aviation parts production company. He's been very successful, in part due to his father's misfortune. But, he also had a strong business sense and a strong work ethic, and received a college degree in aerospace engineering. And he started a business where there was essentially no competition!

 

[Conundrum]

I was a megacorp manager. Darn near killed me there at the end. I will say though the first 25 of 33 years were pretty darn good. The company was very generous with wages / medical / 401k match. Above the industry standard by a pretty good margin.

Now that I have been away for a bit I am gaining a bit of perspective. I was pretty bitter there at the end. However, looking at the whole career it was a pretty darn good run. What I have now would never have been possible without megacorp.

 

[SpartacusSchmartacus]

Military, service business, retail, building contractor. Then 2 miles from my house a horrid dump of a convenience store was for sale! The place didn't know soap, couldn't see the floor it was so messy. The price was downright cheap for obvious reasons but I focussed on one thing, the place cashed checks ... lots of em!
Wow what an eye opener to deal with the unbanked for the first time. Working 70 plus hours a week we had us a little gold mine. In short order we were making money in dog years. Made a 5 year plan and worked that mine for exactly 60 months.
Could say we went out with a bang, no semi retirement there.

 

[Bamaman]

Elbata: Congratulations on your execution of your life plan. We have seen just about all The big HVAC companies sell out to their supplier factories. i am glad you have made ER on your terms.

I worked for Megacorp and retired when they decided.they didn't want anymore older employees. They paid out The nose to get rid of us, but we earned all the severance pay and big company perks--putting up with their corporate BS.

Now go enjoy the new life.you earned.

 

[Red Badger]

OP - The bell curve is way overrated. Have a blast in the next chapter of your life!

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

I have a friend on a somewhat similar track.
He worked for a few small companies doing IT. Was able to build up enough savings to buy a few small inexpensive properties in small towns that he could rent out for more than the mortgage payments and kept building on that.

Personally, I was surprised that anyone would want to pay a level of rent more than what it would cost to cover a mortgage payment. But apparently his niche are these small cheap properties that temporary workers are willing to rent out because they're making decent money, get their own space, and don't need to commit to a place since their employment in the area is only temporary.

 

[cnocmmz]

Many paths to FI!!

I’m an introvert who works for a mega...
Like CaptTom, was too chicken to jump in early on real estate opprurnities. (I can count 3)
But the stock market has been kind to me (the money that didn’t go to real estate went to the market.

If I had to attribute my FIRE plan/schedule, I would say it’s 50/50 between the job and investing.

 

[Amethyst]

The stories you could tell! Bet there is a book in there somewhere.

Military, service business, retail, building contractor. Then 2 miles from my house a horrid dump of a convenience store was for sale! The place didn't know soap, couldn't see the floor it was so messy. The price was downright cheap for obvious reasons but I focussed on one thing, the place cashed checks ... lots of em!
Wow what an eye opener to deal with the unbanked for the first time. Working 70 plus hours a week we had us a little gold mine. In short order we were making money in dog years. Made a 5 year plan and worked that mine for exactly 60 months.
Could say we went out with a bang, no semi retirement there.