Watty's Awakening

Suffolk_lass

I love the bowls idea for your stash!

Watty1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82156213#Comment_82156213

Interesting. WattyDog is very OCD about the order things happen in the evenings - humans eat, he eats, ponies come in and eat, he has his evening Kong his humans watch a bit of TV while he has the kong

With the horses I've always been so careful about not letting them run to a clock. It means if I have to ask someone to "turn them out in the field" or "bring them into the stable" I can say whenever suits rather than they have to be in by xxx

I once looked after a pals horses while she was on her hols and I thought she was joking when she said they have to be in at 4 pm every day any later and they would tantrum. At 4.30 they were having meltdowns and unmanageable, so much so I had to call someone to come and help! It made me vow that when I had mine at home they would be randomly bought in and turned out.

Watty1

Revised offer on business from buyer. Hmmm. They have increased their offer a bit and also taken all the "sweeteners" I offered as well, but, they went with the higher price. The sweeteners were me and my ideas for a fixed period to really do the transition. At the price they are offering, I have decided they get 4 weeks of me checking they can run things, nothing else. I would have the solicitor define the support in the contract.

So I am thinking it over and utterly ambivalent. I've run the figures.

I could take the money, pay off all debts and be free of work and manage until retirement age in a few years.

OR

I can employ someone else full time and still pay VNM and myself the same and in a couple of years I would make what they are offering. Well not quite as some of it would be "deferred" as I would be paying into pension pot. That would buy me time but I would still carry the mental load of the company.

OR, I could take the money, pay off all debts and be free of work and manage until retirement age in a few years.

Slinky

How do you actually feel about still being involved with the business, if you were to employ someone?

I ran my business for nearly 15 years, towards the end I knew I was going to/had to stop. It wasn't just that we were moving out of the area it was based in, I was getting very tired of the monthly grind, and that 95% of what needed to be done was by me. Varied tasks but repeating every 4 weeks. I didn't want to get to the point where I hated what I had started. As it happened, an injury meant I couldn't carry on and was just going to close the business before we moved, when several people popped up wanting to buy it. I had about 6 weeks of handover and walked away. Seven years later the business is still running and by the looks, still making good money for the person who bought it from me.

I could have employed someone to take over from me, but mentally I needed to walk away.

Watty1

@Slinky good questions and something i have thought about. The honest answer is I'm not sure. I actually love some of what I do - but - the grind, the tech, the compliance stuff might just be getting me down. And yet when I finally structured my AI request properly it found the answer and talked me through a tech fix. The day before I wasted hours trying to get same fix because my prompts were badly structured.

I think the honest answer is I am tired of being "in limbo" between two states. I've just written an article for a magazine, it was a fun thing to do. Did I want to spend my Saturday doing that though - absolutely not. I'm now editing a spreadsheet for a technical consultant. Again no, the best bits of today have been sitting on the tractor!

But I could have done these yesterday if I were not doing the routine and the mundane tasks I was doing. A lot of admin could easily be done by someone else.

cheesymouse

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82157480#Comment_82157480

Well, I think you have answered your own question there - trust your gut

PennysIntoPounds

If you would still carry the mental load then get rid. You are doing this to lessen your mental load. That's a good deal, take the opportunity- and your future isn't set in stone, this gives you the mental and physical and financial space to breathe and see what sort of future tickles your fancy 🥂

Watty1

Have decided to accept the offer but with some caveats. I will only ensure a smooth transition, no intense working so all the support etc is off the table, I will leave a suitably vague piece in the acceptance offer but my solicitor can sort words for what I will actually do when we get to contract stage.

The important caveats are that she needs to supply proof of funding and a timetable for the remaining due diligence so that this does not drift. I do not want to remain in limbo so I will be suggesting we get this over the line by Christmas. With no proof of funding this is still a "wish" and although I have repeatedly asked about funding all I have had is comments like funding sources have been identified and there is a letter of intent.

I've no real idea what this means but I think it is like - in our world - you identify that bank xx will give you a mortgage and you ask them in theory if you could borrow xx on your salary. That is way off saying here are the mortgage funds in place.

beanielou

Glad you have made a decision on this & really hoping that it works out smoothly.

rtandon27

I'm loving the firmness that comes with acceptance - you line in the sand and firmness wrt funds are sensible and reasonable 👌