I’ve been working in the food industry for about 3 years now, and the long hours, no prospect of upward mobility, and bosses (derogatory), I can safely say I don’t enjoy this anymore (not that I really did to begin with, just needed pocket money bro).

Luckily, I do have a considerable sum of money saved up over the years. I do have a business idea in mind which would be somewhat passive (mushroom growing), but I’m afraid that it would just be a money pit and I’d be worse off. On the other hand, there’s going back to school. I’m still young, but alas, the prospect of a student loan is not enticing at all.

I could do maintain the job, go to school, and do the mushrooming…in theory…but I do enjoy having time for the gym and just going out for hikes.

What seems like the best course of action?

  • Mehrtelb [he/him]
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    72 years ago

    I’m currently stuck in retail and had this job for almost 6 years. I have been accepted into a college and am really looking forward to leave this shitty place behind. (German, so no student loans makes that decision easier) From my experience, I’d say trust your gut. Nobody on the Internet will be able to tell you what will make you happy, you have to find that for yourself. Pro and Contra Lists rarely help, listen to your heart and what you want, not what you should.

    Take some time, like a weekend or vacation, to figure this out. Good Luck.

  • @CommunistWolf
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    52 years ago

    I wouldn’t call growing mushrooms a passive job, myself, although it’s definitely better than working kitchens. Still, there will be Plenty of Work, and there are various health risks associated with breathing the spores constantly - if you don’t have a dedicated, separate space, I’d absolutely recommend against it. Shipping containers are popular, I hear.

    If you do have that, sadly, almost all new businesses fail within the first few years, so it is a risky strategy, and as the person closest to it, you won’t be in a good position to evaluate the risks. You’d need outside advice from people with a great deal of knowledge about your situation and the market situation in your area. A mentor, in other words. Sadly, the people best placed to be that will also be your erstwhile competition.

    Treat it like you’re investing in some random mushroom farm on a crowdfunding platform somewhere. Would you be happy to do that with your money?

  • KiG V2
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    42 years ago

    I think doing all 3 even in part would be good but also spread yourself very thin. Even doing 2 though would mitigate a lot of risk. Although sometimes risk is worth it, as others have said it depends in large part to your local situation, I would see how strong the demand for local food is and if there are already mushroom growers providing supply.

    If you did mushrooms + job, your money invested in it wouldn’t disappear quite so fast and if you decide to bail in a year or three you would still have money to try school out. If you did mushrooms+school it would be a load of money and whatever of the two you end up bailing on would be wasted (not TOTALLY wasted but you get me), BUT at least you would already be halfway through something else if one didn’t pan out. What would you go to school for? Honestly getting a degree and hoping for a job to pay off the loans is roughly as risky as starting a small business these days, just a little more on-rails.

    I worked in the food industry for 6 years…5.5 at the same place…yeah that shit is fucking terrible. Even DoorDashing is better than that lol. Yo now that I mention it DDing depending on where you live is pretty decent (19-23$/h, minus about $3 for gas and car expenses) and has incredibly flexibility that someone starting a new venture would need. Just an idea. Also 100% less miserable if you don’t mind being alone and driving all the time. There’s surely other similar things to do as a new job too.

  • @rcbrk@lemmy.ml
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    2 years ago

    Get some small business training specific to your jurisdiction. Some unemployment programs around the world have such training and funding associated with them, but you have to dig around and ask. The business-training/mentorship environment can sometimes feel pretty hypercapitalist, but there are good skills and understandings to be found in there although you’ll need to bend some of it to fit more anti-capitalist ideas.

    Learn how to create a formal business plan, and some basic financial modelling skills. What ends up happening might be wildly different to expectations, but at least you have a model to adjust then. Being able to understand your business lets you understand when things are failing, and correct or avoid disaster.

    Mushrooms: Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms, by Paul Stamets

    Food growing/distribution systems+support: https://openfoodnetwork.org/

  • @chad1234
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    42 years ago

    Research the mushroom market to get a better idea of whether that will work.

    Maybe there are courses which are free or price capped. Paying full fee is probably unwise if you are USian.

    • @chad1234
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      32 years ago

      Secondly, beware of franchise sellers and you should avoid contracts which force you to buy all your supplies from the head company

  • @Lilaer
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    2 years ago

    deleted by creator

  • @Leia_Round
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    32 years ago

    Glad I’m not the only one who dreams of mushroom farming.

    • @IdliketothinkimsmartOP
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      22 years ago

      It truly is a lovely thing :). I always dreamed about a career in the sciences, but Uncle Sam put a hefty price tag on that.

      It’s obviously less science-y in the sense of labs and test tubes, but, it’s quite close! Why do you like it?

      • @Leia_Round
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        32 years ago

        I just like mushrooms. I like to hunt them, and growing them seems like a cool thing, especially rare verities. I even found what I later learned was a lions mane mushroom in SW Washington. Wish I was still gonna be living here in October so I could go back and collect it.

        I had the idea of farming them back in college when I was learning logo design. I’ve got my name and stuff, just never had any place to really do it, but that might be changing as we’re moving in with my MiL for economic reasons.

  • @DPUGT2@lemmy.ml
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    -12 years ago

    Your choice is, essentially, between future prospects and immediate pleasure (time for the gym and hikes). I believe the socially correct answer for your generation is the latter, then in a few years when you’re living under a bridge you can complain about it on social media.

    Also, trying to turn a hobby into a business is possible, but unless you’ve succeeded at this hobby for so long that scaling it up and succeeding at it is beyond guaranteed, it’s likely to be the money pit you fear. Besides, if the landlord gets wind of you growing oysters in your apartment, there might be an eviction in that… the things can ruin wood framed housing in just a couple of years.