The One Show, revolutionary new speaker?

[Minstrel SE]

Its a question of what marketable skill will get my phone ringing often enough

When I was on a trade course there were people there who said thay would be helping their bother or dad out for a while. The rest of us could see that we were being taught nothing unique and would have to start marketing ourselves from scratch in a competitive market.

Then the first thing the customer wants to see is a portfolio and record of time served

I realised that I cant do joinery any better than 100 other guys in the local area so its all about how I would stand out.

Lets face it that nobody really wants my competition so they are not teaching me anything special but charging a pretty penny for it.

I know people who can build and veneer bespoke cabinets and they were struggling to make it work. The tooling up costs can be eye watering based on what can amount to a whim and a prayer.

The main man who does picture framing round here set up a shop with inheritance money. He is very skilled indeed and its been developed from a keen hobby......the next guy in the area sets up a very basic market stall on a friday while his wife sits in a £300 Vitara reading the paper...looks like a bit of a cowboy to be honest

Point is you have to get in at some sort of commited level or earn buttons from it. Luck does come into it unless you have the skills and exclusivity that people can just not do without

[Pigmy Pony]

Hi Martin,

As I've said before, luck plays a massive part, and knowing the right people too. I fact it's more than important, I'd say it's essential. You said in an earlier post that you did a tiling course, what led you to do that? And if you decided that you just don't like it fair enough. But most people know someone who is in a trade of some sort, including tiling.

One way into something is to labour for a tradesman, and although the pay might be piss poor, it's better than nothing, and if you show aptitude and willingness, your skills can gradually build up until you can do jobs for them unsupervised, and progress from there. I'm sorry if it sounds a bit condescending, that is not my intention, but it is broadly how things went for me. As I said before I don't make big money, £120 a day when on a day rate, but when on my own jobs obviously more.