Even though we didn't get the full month of neurodiversity spotlight memes that @LegaliiizeIt was pushing for, I was planning on quitting my job anyway. And taking my skills and going into business for myself. And establishing a workers' co-op structure as soon as it becomes bigger than myself and I hire people.

A business plan is maybe about halfway drafted; I'm several months along in the process that started a year ago by cautiously asking around, as many places as I could, about what I should do. In addition to people in my municipality, I want to thank @JoeByeThen and @hexaflexagonbear and numerous others who responded to my post and helped convince me to go for it, that developing the means of production was a better idea than haggling with Porky for more crumbs. Porky still struggles to get his production up and stable, in many ways, and engages in elaborate stunts to make it look like his ideas have any utility at all.

I put in 3 weeks notice to drive home the point that they were losing one of their most valuable employees. Told them good luck, didn't tell them why they'd need it. Wore some commie gear to work for the final weeks. My last day was this past week. Today, instead of carpooling at 6 AM, I am laying in bed til 9, enjoying a long holiday break.

I'm sitting on enough savings to survive for 2 years without working a single hour, but I also have a lead on some potential funding specific for workers' co-ops. So far my bug survival metrics are already far ahead of my (now former) employer, and that's just doing stuff by hand cuz my first batch of equipment ($750 worth) hasn't even come in yet. One that and the second batch of buggy buddies come in, we'll really be rolling.

Worst case scenario, I fail to clear the hurdles of getting packaging (super easy) or a dedicated facility (a bit harder) or developing a consistent customer base (idk but probably not too hard); then I have to go scrounge full-time jobs for a few more years. Best case scenario, by 2026 I end up with a business with tens of millions in revenue, that puts 10% of profits towards radical projects and all the rest back to employees as bonuses. Is it Dubious that I could do this in a few years from scratch as just one person? Maybe, maybe not.

While @Sbebg is telling you to short TSLA (or maybe that we all should have done it last week?), I am now telling you to buy mealworm futures! I'm gonna take low-impact, well-kept, humanely-treated, ecologically-balanced live feed TO THE MOON!

:bug-facts: :comrade-fly: :stonks-up: :porky-scared:

bees teach us that communism will win

  • GorbinOutOverHere [comrade/them]
    ·
    2 years ago

    developing a consistent customer base (idk but probably not too hard

    this is probably literally the hardest part of Doing a Business

  • meth_dragon [none/use name]
    ·
    2 years ago

    good luck comrade, im actually planning on getting into the much more ethically dubious field of fish breeding soon, but my balls are not so big as to go all in immediately so i plan on half assing things with a day job.

    i wish you well in your initial endeavours and hope that you may expand to more nutritious species in the near future!

  • departee [none/use name]
    ·
    2 years ago

    Damn that's crazy, I remember reading your bug farming posts what feels like years ago

    Good luck and hope it works out for you!

    • wax_worm_futures [comrade/them]
      hexagon
      ·
      2 years ago

      :inshallah: I will have more posts in the summer and fall of 2023 about how my own bug farm is coming along

  • Thordros [he/him, comrade/them]
    ·
    edit-2
    2 years ago

    Nice!

    Also, hire me. I operate a lil tiny apiary right now just to help pollinate our community garden, but mutual aid doesn't pay the mortgage. Had to borrow money from my kids this week just so we don't get foreclosed on. Fun!

    I'd love to do more ethical bug stuff.