Being self employed Jeff R. knows what it means to work hard. Sometimes having to do dirty jobs he never let a little dirt stop him from accomplishing a project whether it was in or out of Illinois.

What kind of work do you do being your own boss?

I do construction and heavy machinery building. The construction work involves rebuilding and rehabbing of commercial building, also residential remodeling and repair. The heavy machinery repair requires repairing computer numerical control machinery (more commonly referred to as CNC) and heavy grinding machine repairs. The other things I do also consist of consulting, employee training on heavy equipment, engineering and design, managing projects, and real-estate investing.

What are some special requirements/skills that you need to do well at your work?

Some special requirements is schooling which means constant learning and studying. Another skill is paying attention meaning to adapt to new technologies and ideas.

When did you get interested in this work and what go you interested init?

I became interested in my work when I was in high school. I knew that my purpose in life was to be a hands on type of person in a leadership role. I was always fascinated with leading people and getting my hands dirty. I occasionally do dirty jobs.

About how much is your salary?

My approximate income is 120,000 with projected income.

Did you ever fail at a project? Why or why not?

I would have to say I have never failed at a project because the way a situation turns out might be different than the expected results. To have failed means to have given up, so I would have to say that is why I never failed.

What was one of your most memorable projects and why?

That would have to be the most recent one that I had just completed. This project required me to work with and artist/sculptor to construct a large stainless steel sculpture and polish it to a mirror finish. This project was located in Cleveland, Ohio and it was outside in the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. What made it memorable is that I was involved in contributing to the Cleveland Cultural Gardens where this piece of art was representing the Azerbaijani.

This is equal to the project we are currently working on for the federal government. This project is called the Pentagon Memorial for the victims of 9/11 at the Pentagon and also for the people who died in the plane that crashed into the Pentagon.

What experiences have you gained from your job?

I have experienced working with many different ethnic groups, characters, and personalities, whereby I have learned how to deal with individuals in my everyday life.

In what ways have you impacted your client’s lives?

I have impacted my client’s lives by making improvements on their equipment to increase its production capacity. Also designing and consulting to improve employee production.

What is the most rewarding part about your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is the satisfaction of seeing the upgrades I make to the equipment, putting it into service, and seeing it work more efficiently. The other rewarding part of my job is interacting with many different types of people and understanding their needs.