EP #35 – Is Self-Employment Right For You? w/ Dan Voice
Overview
In this episode of the FieldRocket Podcast, host Tulloch Priest sits down with Dan Voice, owner of Prime Fusion – a successful heating and plumbing business based near Leicester with over 20 years of industry experience.
Dan dives into the often overlooked realities of building a long-term career in the trades. From navigating the initial fear of finding work to understanding the true costs beyond an hourly wage, this episode is essential listening for anyone considering going it alone.
Highlights
How do you know if starting a business is right for you?
- (1:15) You need to decide what you want from your career. Is it wealth, comfort, or flexibility? It won’t be comfortable at first.
- (2:25) Going self-employed isn’t going to make you a lot of money at the start – there’s a long process of figuring things out.
- (3:40) Employers do a lot behind the scenes that you only really find out when you run your own business – taxes, insurance, etc.
Getting it right from the start
- (4:15) If you’re thinking of starting a business, have a 2-year plan beforehand.
- (4:33) Not all clients are suitable for sole traders. For example, Dan focuses on retired customers who can be home all day, as his servicing work is prone to delays etc.
- (6:15) The best customers are the laid-back ones.
- (7:45) Installation work is hard labour. Most older gas engineers focus on servicing.
- (9:59) Installs will bring more revenue, but you’ve got to work ~3x harder for it.
- (10:37) Dan does installations for people he knows, but not if it becomes a price-focused job.
- (17:50) If you’re thinking about going self-employed, don’t burn bridges with your ex-employer.
- (19:43) There are bank accounts with honeypots that split and save your money for tax etc.
- (21:45) Self-employment is all about averages, because your income will vary so much.
- (24:00) It really helps to have a supportive partner when you go out on your own.
- (25:11) The ideal time for self-employment is when you’re living at home.
Having a long-term career in the gas industry
- (11:24) At the end of the day, the most important thing is if you’re getting what you want out of your business.
- (11:50) If you do things well and look after your customers, you’ll have a long career. Greed is the slope you need to avoid.
- (13:20) You need to adapt to your area and customers. Set your business model up to suit your surroundings.
- (13:54) Being a gas engineer isn’t a goldmine. You should always do what you enjoy and concentrate on your own goals and happiness.
- (22:55) Dan talks about his story of moving to Leicester – and the mistake of changing his phone number.