Now - 1) Went from being a contractor on a good day rate to being forced into being an employee (IR35 for the UK readers) 2) Taking a 13% pay cut 3) Due to point 1) I have zero money going into my business account 4) The business owes the government £16k 5) Due to 1), 3) and 4) I need to pay back money after tax to my company
Ask HN: What was the most stressful time in your life?
31–36 of 36 posts
Re: Ask HN: What was the most stressful time in your life?
#32Now - 1) Went from being a contractor on a good day rate to being forced into being an employee (IR35 for the UK readers) 2) Taking a 13% pay cut 3) Due to point 1) I have zero money going into my business account 4) The business owes the government £16k 5) Due to 1), 3) and 4) I need to pay back money after tax to my company
Move to Amsterdam, we have similar changes in the making, but for now the going is still good as a contractor. Rates are similar to London and the language on the workplace is usually English.
My main challenge is if I want to go back to contracting properly I need to change roles. After three years of trying to build a startup it is hard to walk away...
Re: Ask HN: What was the most stressful time in your life?
#33Re: Ask HN: What was the most stressful time in your life?
#34Adulthood is troublesome as well for me, but it isn't the most stressful so far. It feels like a never-ending ultra marathon on crutches. And that's ADHD for me. Making my life harder for no real benefit.
Re: Ask HN: What was the most stressful time in your life?
#35Working with a shitty business partner. An expensive (time wise) but worthy lesson.
What did you learn ? Curious.
Backstory: 4 of us joined to make a product. 2 of the 4 people had the idea and invited me and another guy to join them in making it happen. All cool.
Except that I didn't quite like one of the 2 'idea' founders. Objectively he's a great potential business partner, has a ton of ideas etc - a hustler type, but he has some character traits that really get on my nerves.
Ex. tyrannic way of suggesting changes + all of the decisions eventually have to go his way. You can fight it, but it drains so. much. energy. Micromanaging tyrant would be a good summary.
Anyhow, I knew this but still went in after disclosing my concerns to the other 'idea' founder. I was confident that I will find a way to work with him, and actually made a challenge to myself to at least use the situation and learn how to handle that kind of people. But long story short, eventually the friction made the partnership too uncomfortable + the product failed (technically his fault in the marketing department), so naturally our contact dissolved away.
I still think I could handle our conflicts (while coding the product) in a better way, but ultimately the biggest benefit I got out of the whole ordeal was honing my bullshit alarms and detectors. Also improving in saying no, but that's still quite a long way from where I'd like it to be.
Re: Ask HN: What was the most stressful time in your life?
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
What did you learn ? Curious.
I'm a bit late to respond, but nevertheless. Backstory: 4 of us joined to make a product. 2 of the 4 people had the idea and invited me and another guy to join them in making it happen. All cool. Except that I didn't quite like one of the 2 'idea' founders. Objectively he's a great potential business partner, has a ton of ideas etc - a hustler type, but he has some character traits that really get on my nerves. Ex. t…