what would you do....big decision...
 

some of you are to lazy to read all of this...but your input would be nice...

OK, I am in the Marine Corps..yeah yeah yeah....anyways, I am now down to 9 months till I get out.

I am registered to go to Wyoming Tech in Oct 2005.
There is this place back at home called www.cyclegadgets.com and they have an online store, they go to rallies, and they specialize in BMW/Goldwing/touring motorcycle accessories. (GPS, PIAA Lights, Mounts...) when they are around the east coast to go to a rally, I try to meet up with them, and be the install guy. I make a ---- load of money doing it...

My question, and what I am wondering about is,
they want me to come work for them full time but they are moving the business to Eurika Springs, Arkansaw(sp?)
They want to start me around 40K a year, and the 'install/maintainence' would be my dept. I would do install's, tire changes, oil changes, etc....all on touring bikes.

The big one is moving everything, me and my wife's entire life to someplace we've never been to, and its a big risk.

I was going to go to wyo tech for auto body/street rod fab. but I would love to work on motorcycles just as much. Both, I think would make me about the same amount of money...

has anyone been to Eurika Springs, AK? from pictures, and what Ive read, its an awsome place.

Whats your input? What should I do? (if I go to work at cycle gadgets, auto body/fab would be thrown out the window. --no school)

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

Go to school. Get something that says you know your ass from your elbow. You will ALWAYS be able to get a job with a wyotech diploma. Plus the fact you could get into a factory program from there. Then the big money will come. just my 2 cents.

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

yeah thats my battle. cyclegadgets is booming like a MF. Last year they grossed 3million. 3 years ago they were working out of there basement. so I think I will be secure with them....I get out of the Marines the first of May. School doesnt start until Oct. of 2005. SO I will have some time inbetween there so check out everything....

yeah, with a WYO TECH diploma you can pretty much sign your own check. But I think both will pay about the same. I dont know....Im just confused.

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

Starting out at 40K is great. If i was you i would say ---- school and go and work for them...Its hard to find jobs right now. Also would you rather be spending 20K plus(or whatever it cost for a year) on school or making 40K. You will only get paid more as the company grows. I would say go to Arkansas.

Woodywoodruff

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

Go to school. There's a WyoTech in Blairsville, not too far from here. I'm sure that you could find just as good a job as this one, after you get your schooling done.

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

yeah, and I have a free edcuation, (GI BILL). I think I will tell them that I will work for them, but take a 10 month break from them to go to school. They want me to work for them real bad, so I think they will let me take time off for school. Humm???

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

Life is full of decisions like this, and the fact is, there is no big gains without big risks. I would say go for it and work for them. Reasons why I think you should:

-Arkansas or Algeria, you'll still have your wife/kid(s) (if applicable) with you. Your family is your life, no matter where you go.

-You already have a skill, and it's a profitable one. There's no need to go to school if you've found something you love to do and you can get paid for it. It doesn't matter how much more money you could make doing something you dislike.

-That school will always be open. This oppertunity may not be. You don't know where this will take you and you don't want to die wondering what it could have been.

-Robert said above that his grandpa got replaced by young kids just out of college, but automotive isn't 100% school, it's 100% experience, and that's why the statement "in this case there's no replacement for education" is false.

-You'll know within the first year whether you want to continue or go back to school. That's nothing after the time you've done in the military. Do it for the first year at least.

If you enjoy working on motorcycles and you can get paid for going to shows, developing new stuff, ect... why not just do that? Who knows, you may own the next cycle gadgets if you keep your eyes open and give it all you've got. ;)

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

NW arkansas is a kick ass place bro. My parents moved here a year ago, we live in bentonville here and letme tell you there is mad cash around here. people relocate from everywhere around me, neighbors are from canada and LA and a few from chicago like myself.

Billionares per sq mile ratio is like #3 in nation in my area (Rogers/bentonville)

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

No ----, look at that crib sitting in your sig. :o I'd sport that house in Antarctica. ;)

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

word

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

Thanks for the input robert and stealth.......

-stealth, you make very good points. I think the same way on all of those points. life is full of risks, which risks do I wanna take? making money working on motorcycles and working on cars, both would be great to me.

-robert, I have also heard that the NW corner of AK is bad ass. Property is dirt cheap, (no pun intended), the cost of living is even cheaper. I get on realtor.com and find houses which at home would go for 150K and in AK, they are like 60K. cycle gadgets bought 70 acres in eureka springs, I have only seen pictutres, but it is so beautiful. the only way I could tell you where its at, is its next to a KOA campground.

-my drawbacks...
Im from Indiana, thats where all of my family is. I would live in AK, raise my kids there, raise my family there, do I really want to be away from my family for the rest of my life? My family is close. mexican close. Do I want my kids to grow up with-out grandparents.

-an upside, the oppertunity is huge. the business 3 years ago was nothing, today its a multi million dollar business. where will it be in the next 3 years? the owners are the managers right now. they are in the position to sit back and let someone else do the work. that someone else is me, my wife and one other person who already works for them. we will probably hire more people when the business expands in AK. (when we open the new facility) I would have my own dept, be my own boss, and probably have employies under me when the time comes. I just think of the old saying, what do you do when reality is to good to be true...

-the pros and cons are about the same. they weigh themselves out pretty evenly. My dad and I talked about this last night. He feels the same way I do. I think what I will do is work for them in the 6 months between getting out of the Marine Corps and going to school. If things are the way they seem, I will make my decision then.

Thanks for your input....Im still open to everyones ideas/comments....

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

What does the wife say? Kids have an opinion too.

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

they certainly do. You gotta also take into account, what are schools like? where will the wife work?

but like some1 said. school is ALWAYS there. the military will pay for it whenever you want to go right? so go for the now or never position.

is there a wyotech close to AK ?

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

-My wife would also work at cycle gadgets, together we would make about 70K to start with. I would make in the area of 40K she, about 30K.

-We have no kids, so looking at schools there now, would mean nothing because our kids wouldnt be going to school there until probably 10 years from now.

-About the town, I have yet to go there, but from what Ive been told, the population is about 5K people, and in the summer it becomes a huge tourists location, and about 25K people come through the town between Memorial day and Labor day. -this the reason why cycle gadgets is moving there.

-BMW and Goldwing riders are huge long haulers on motorcycles. (a 2-3000 mile trip is normal) so Eureka springs is a half way point between the coasts, and kinda in the middle of the country.

-they want to have a full service shop, this is where I will come into play.

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

no kids, both of u have jobs waiting, wtf u waitin for? :)

"You want big rewards, you gotta take big risks"

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

our only draw back is being away from home. raising kids with no family around and so forth. thats it.

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

how far away will you be living from the family?

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

mapquest says 11 hour drive. 679.20 miles.

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

I bet a flight is only like $85 1way 150ish round trip.

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

My wife and I talked about this alot more, and I think we will just let time tell.

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

nope good luck the airport in NW arkansas (XNA airport code) is about $300-400 for me to go to chicago and thats Sat-Sunday, many vendors fly into the airport and M-F to fly to NewYork or LA or Chicago is normally $700-1110, compalies have the cash so they flip the bill.

upside is the airport is new and has more land than Ohare airport in chicago, and you only need to show up 1hr in advance at most :) its like 3yrs old too :)

Re:what would you do....big decision...
 

If you go there, like it, and have kids, your parents will follow you there. (Don't tell anyone. It's true.) ;)