On a mission

[oex]

What do you do now? (For a living.)

:/ I dont I'm back living with my parents atm, at 30 :'(, though I must say, in this I am lucky, I have a close family or I'd be out in the cold.... I look at it this way now, I am lucky I have no family to support, there is blatently a reason I've reached this point at what should be the peak of my career and it isnt for lack of aspiration or trying....

The last big job I started was about 4 years ago now.... I setup a website for a guy who had no website or computer skills (to speak of) just an idea for a business and enough money for hosting costs (he had a reasonably paid full time public sector job)....

After 6 months the guy spends $5000 of the profits on his new office and proudly shows me around, meanwhile I'm living in a shed with electricity for my computer and lighting but no heating just so I can run the business (because you cant have any benefits when running a business)

After 18 months the guy moans at me one month when I pick up the hosting payment that he's having to pay the maximum rate of tax because he's now earning over $100,000/year, at this point I'm still living in a shed on $150/month and I request we sort out a contract for 10% of business earnings (baring in mind I set this up working full time over 18 months while he held down a full time job)

After 24 months his business is market leader and he gets picked up and promoted on the BBC national news, even as far afield as Australian radio for one interview :lol.... we also finally get this deal implemented except I have to pay for the 2 servers he has and expenses so I'm still only on a little over $300/month but he wont sign a contract, good news though I moved in with my parents into a warm house :lol

At 30 months he switches webhost because he doesnt need to grow the business anymore, I'm left $15,000 (further) in debt from building this successful business, some kind of fines for unpaid taxes on profits I didnt make (I dont get it and obviously neither did my paid for accountant because he never sent the forms off (but you have to have money to sue accountants)).... I am not entitled to government benefits, pension, housing benefits, dental care (because I owe the government money) and am unable to open a bank account anymore :lol

Another business before that, I designed their systems 3 times over several years (a lot of work as a quote to try and pick up trade) and they finally paid someone else $XX,000's to implement my designs :lol

I have many other similar crazy stories like this, I'm sure you all do.... People stealing $XXX,000s information from work and then selling it, people taking bribes for council contracts etc whilst others working damned hard and getting screwed....

I dont trust enough anymore, what is the point, if I'd gotten by and they were successful I'd have been happy but to watch people succeed off your work while you fail has a sour taste to it.... I work hard to make a difference not to let others make me a failure....

[GregL]

Magnum and oex,

Good luck to both of you guys, I feel for you.

[Magnum]

God is taking care of me.

There has never been a time when I can say that he left me.