Be Your Own Boss

For hundreds of years, manual labor was often performed by slaves, indentured servants or lower class low-paid workers. Even in the last 20 years we saw much manual labor performed by foreigners or migrant workers — sometimes paid under the table in cash to keep prices low.

With the explosion of income in the US, many people who normally would take care of their own minor manual labor needs found that they had enough money (and felt too important) to take care of it themselves, and they started to hire out more. The 80s was the boom of lawn care services which developed into gardening technicians. The 90s was the boom of home remodeling and rebuilding — expensive kitchens and bathrooms and basement refinishing. The 00s bring the boom of home theaters and party rooms and bigger decks outdoors.

With the booms came a limited supply of manual labor experts. When the supply of a particular service is low, the price is naturally higher.

If you are not handy with your hands or even if you’ve never worked in a manual labor job, you might find a huge benefit to learning the trade. My neighbor is a foreigner who started mowing laws when he was 16. Now he’s twice that age and nearly a millionaire — he builds decks, refinishes basements, and still runs his own lawn care business, but now handles mansions and corporate developments.

If you’re young, there are many manual labor companies that are looking for subcontractors. You basically get to be your own boss, and you subcontract your time out to other companies who need you as the emergency fill-in laborer. It is hard work, but the money can be amazing. I’ve heard of local fill-in guys making over US$45 an hour after learning the trade over a few years.

In the long run, as you develop a positive rapport with companies that hire you, you will find the opportunity to take on subcontractors of your own and really grow your business. Every person I know that gave the business a good amount of time has been much more successful than the suit-and-tie crowd. As the suit-and-tie crowd has more money, they have less desire to do their own basic manual labor and will contract out for everything. I’ve seen closet designers charging US$120 an hour, and I’ve seen companies that come and clean your tile grout for nearly US$70 an hour.

Manual labor isn’t for everyone, but it is a great source of income if you’re willing to learn. There are many opportunities to start at the bottom as your own boss and work your way up by proving your responsibility and accountability to the contractor hiring you.

The best part of manual labor is that it isn’t a job you’d necessarily think you’d like — it won’t ruin any loves or hobbies you have. Yet after completing a hard day’s work and seeing the finished product (and happy customer) you can build a self-confidence that is unmatched in any other business.

If you’re unemployed and can’t find work, consider trying manual labor just to learn the trade to be able to DIY in the future. You might be surprised at what you find.