Man, i know how you feel. I spent years in those shoes in the automotive parts world( S&R/Parts manager). And ultimately that's what drove me to start my own business ( or two LOL ). I have been in business myself for about 5 years or more. And although i wasn't making a ton of money in the start, things really picked up after a while. I had the time and freedom to explore other avenues and options in life that working a normal job for some one else wouldn't allow me to do ( mainly due to time constraints) and the most important part was that i was HAPPY doing what i was doing.
After those years of just doing my own work and networking where ever i could, it finally paid off ina different kind of way. I just landed basicly my dream job. I do mainly engine computer tuning on pan-am series and cup series porsche race cars, also doing some ferraris and old classic muscle cars as well. I did an alternator on a bankers car and he reffered me to the owners of my current job after seeing some of my Formula style computer setups, like the one that runs my "fun car".
I met with these shop owners and after showing them what i know about stand alone engine management, the fact that i can fabricate and a few other things, they offered me a job on the spot. They gave me 31k a year to start without even asking for credentials. That doesn't include that i get 150 bucks a day to be at teh race track as a stand by tech. they also pay for my hotel, meals and all travel expenses just to have me there.
I guess what i'm ultimately getting at is that maybe you should start something up of your own and use that to either
A.) get where you want to be in life and be happy working for yourself ( not to mention knowing everything and not being fed BS by some "boss")
or
B.) use the time you have and connections/friends/customers you make while doing it to get yourself in some place where you are better off, or know for a fact what teh deal is before signing on with them.
when your gut tells you you need to make a move like this, it's usually right.. it may be rough in the beggining, but hang in there and your determination adn skills will take you a lot further than working for some one else ever will.
Good luck man, i know from reading your posts on here that you have the intelect to get out there and make something happen for yourself.
kepp us updated !!!!!!
