Hey all,
I have an opportunity to launch my airbrushing/custom painting into a full time operation and am seeking some advice on a few things as I ponder doing this. The major hurdle is leaving a good paying job with great benefits and a not so good future prospect for maintaining it as it is with General Motors on the assembly line and we all know the problems they are having. Once gone from GM I cannot go back hence my posting this thread. In other words, I am having a hard time deciding if the leap off the porch and out of the proverbial security blanket a UAW GM job has in pay and benefits. My questions are how do you full-timers handle these issues:
- Health Insurance
- Investing for the future (IRA, 401k...ect)
- Registering as a legitimate business (..or not
)
If I take this separation in the form of a "buyout", I will have the temporary financial means to fulfill my intentions in the first year or two aside the unanswered items above. I will still get part of my pension in retirement age which won't be much, but I am more concerned with the health insurance and the likely hood of getting a commercial space eventually. My main line of airbrush work is in the form of motorcycles, helmets, and wall murals with the odd tee shirt or canvas, but I may try for some tee shirt booth gigs in the future. I don't want to chain myself to one genre or airbrush art or just custom painting. It's a big leap with a big gamble, but as I mentioned, the American Auto industry is in shambles and not to mention it would be more full filling to do something I like for a living as opposed to something I "have" to.
So, has anyone been here before? Does anyone have any advice to offer in this? What about things I am not seeing or mentioning here? Any and all advice is highly appreciated!!!
Gary