Having my own construction business was never really a dream of mine. I knew my wife’s concern for security and believed that she simply wouldn’t be able to live with the perceived risks. Then again, I never really did much long range planning in my life. I thought hard about what I wanted to do that day, that week and even that year, but never planned beyond a year. With all the variables involved, planning beyond a year just seemed (and still seems) like a waste of effort.

But November of 1995 suddenly lined up a few elements in my life. For the first time in years, I wasn’t that engaged in my job. I’d come through a serious illness and had re-evaluated life priorities. The concept of failure didn’t seem as scary. We didn’t have much money, but TBW believed in my capabilities. I was reasonably sure that if I failed, I could get some one to hire me to do something that would keep the family in food and the donkeys in hay. The economy was just coming out of a recession…in fact, a recession stemming from financial institutions over-lending.

So I jumped into my own business with no work lined up and the jobs came in a trickle, then a steady flow. I’ve never regretted the move and can’t imagine going back. A number of friends are contemplating making their own jump and feeling that same pressure. Here are 5 reasons I believe the Spring of 2012 is a great time to start your own construction business.

1. The Great Recession seems to have bottomed out and construction work seems to be trending up.
2. Many construction companies went out of business this winter, leaving some gaps for newcomers.
3. Winter (particularly December and January) traditionally drains the most cash from construction companies. Start towards the Spring to capture the best cash flow of the annual cycle.
4. If not now, when? Life is short. The risk isn’t that huge and the rewards are good. Even if you fail, understand that you can survive it and maybe be better for it.
5. Look around at some of the nitwits that have made it. If they can, surely you have a reasonable shot at it.

Good luck and Godspeed. By the way, expect a bit of a blip from the Euro crashing and burning, but I don’t believe that’s going to kill our recovery in the USA.