How many of you own your own business?

[mmonroe]

Doesn't matter how small.. from mowing yards and doing nails, to roofing and family owned restaurants.

[BradR]

Not much of a business, but I run okshowpics.com and have sold a few things from it

probably not quite what you were asking about though

[TeriOKC]

My husband and I own a mattress company. It's been in business since 1913, and we are only the 3rd owners.

[PennyQuilts]

I'm a lawyer in private practice. I specialize in being a guardian ad litem . Let me JUST SAY that the gas prices are eating me alive because I don't get reimbursed for travel by simply passing on the cost. At the same time, today, I spent the afternoon working on a quilt so I shouldn't complain...

[Kerry]

I was CEO of a small company for 2 years and I have been an independent consultant for the last 7 years. I don't know if I can go back to being a regular employee.

[Watson410]

I work for my dad's company, which he plans on me taking over soon... Hopefully the next 5 years.

[Karried]

We own a Commercial Construction Company.

Primarily we deal with Metal Stud Framing and Suspended Acoustical T-Bar Ceilings and various other applications.

It's basically taking a plain, basic building or office space, (or schools, churches, dentists/physician's offices, remodels, etc etc) from white box to the specifics of the contractor, leasee or owner based on their specific needs. We also contract out sheetrock and drywall labor to complete the projects.

Hubby does the pricing and ordering of the materials, deciphering the blueprints, estimating, giving bids and price quotes, and scheduling and supervising. He also hires and fires, and usually lays out and oversees all the jobs.

I do the paperwork, invoicing, bills, insurance, payroll, accounting and bookkeeping, (with lots of help)....

Even with endless hours sometimes, we definitely enjoy the freedom of owning our own company.

It's hard sometimes, and very stressful.... but there are plenty of rewards too.

Hubby put in nearly 20 years doing the same thing and making someone else wealthy .... now he's doing it for himself and our family .. we like that concept.

[okc_bel_air]

Brad whats up.

I have my own web design/graphic design company for about 6 years now.

tony

[so1rfan]

My wife owns a small resale shop.

[mmonroe]

What kinds of advertising do you guys do and how much do you usually spend and in what medium?

[John]

Consulting firm...

[Patchy Proot]

I own Oklahoma Futon Company & KidZone Furniture. We are a futon furniture specialty store and the largest youth furniture store in Oklahoma. We have new websites for both departments which will be e-commerce when they are completed by the end of this month. You may access both of them by going to kidzonefurniture.com. Check us out!

We advertise with the Oklahoman, NewsOK, Gazette (starting next week), and we have our long standing billboard over the McDonalds at Reno and Meridian.

[Blangdon]

I have a small international trade consulting firm.

[SouthsideSooner]

I'm the biggest booze merchant in South OKC.

Some may call me the bad influence in the neighborhood but I prefer to think about it as providing stress relief for the masses.

We are currently in our 9th year of business.

[venture]

I've spent most of my adult life doing the self employment thing. Took a few years off to enjoy the money from Dell, but it wasn't my thing. Working with an old co-worker from years past on a new startup that is doing IT Consulting, Online Store for IT Products, and Contact Center outsourcing. It's been a slow go right now...but that's expected with this economy.

If anyone needs computer type stuff - let me know. :-P LOL

[edcrunk]

i owned a record store for 7 years and sold it before i moved to dallas. i've owned 3 clubs and am on the verge of opening my fourth.

[wsucougz]

i've owned 3 clubs and am on the verge of opening my fourth.

Do tell.

[wsucougz]

I own and manage 8 rental units just north of downtown and have a real estate license with which I do my own deals and that of friends and a few others. The primary bread comes from my corporate day-job, though.

[OKC Focus]

I am a writer who specializes in urban planning and municipal issues stories. I am currently working on starting a website with 2 colleagues. It will feature articles and stories specific to Oklahoma municipal issues. I don't foresee it becoming my sole source of income, but I would consider it a business.

[jennalaird]

I am a Realtor and own a franchise of Metro Brokers of Oklahoma. As for marketing, my company tends to focus on the advertising our houses and our business on the internet, as that has been the medium which has given us the greatest return on our investment, by far.

[edcrunk]

Do tell.

well... opening a club is kinda like playing the stock exchange and all the factors needed for a successful venture seem to be aligned positively. due to the overwhelming success of our ROBOTIC WEDNESDAYS at electro lounge, we've developed quite a large following with the latest generation of club goers. also, my patrons from previous clubs have come out to our reunion / flashback nights and are still around. one of my former partners in one of those club is on the verge of selling his business and will soon have a lot to invest. there is a spot we're interested in that will soon be vacant on the northside and isn't very far from the entertainment enclaves that our potential patrons already haunt.
but yeah, the timing is right, the people are there and ready for something new that is entirely aimed at their niche.

[jbrown84]

I am working on starting a company specializing in creative media, from portrait and commercial photography, to wedding videos, to short films.

[limitedvista]

I own a web design business and also do a good deal of real estate / construction photography. I've been doing it for 6 1/2 years.

[Prunepicker]

I'm a classical and jazz musician, arranger, private teacher, musician contractor and arranger for just about any group. Lately I've been arranging music for string quartet for weddings and rewriting parts for vocal teachers that need something transposed. I also help song writers put their music on paper for their personal use or to have it copyrighted.

It's not lucrative but it keeps me out of the public schools and above minimum wage.

[BG918]

I have a degree in architecture but currently work in commercial construction for Flintco. I want to someday own my own design/build firm though specializing in small residential and commercial projects in urban and historic neighborhoods.