What do/did you do for a living?


With the increasingly high priced items people own and are selling, I'm curious about the line of work people do or have done. I thought my $5k integrated was a massive investment, but seeing users searching for $100k speakers or $75k SET amplifiers has me curious about the varying lines of work people do to afford these items. 
128x128j-wall
I Was a house painter when it started... I found ways to paint for gear. Looking back it was so worth it!! 
@scubapuppy   My first job was house painting for my step-father.  I loathed they guy, because he was a determined drunk with tendencies toward rage, but I really liked painting houses, even caulking and glazing.  I think I just resonate with hands on work.  The $4/hour cash he paid me helped me buy my first good stereo at age 13 (really improved on the crappy piece I had from my paper route money - - nothing close to a real job, given the poor financial reward that offered!).

Since 19 years of age, I have been involved in manufacturing mechanical rubber goods.  I started as a line worker molding stuff on the 3rd shift to get my way through an expensive college, but later ended up in the Lab doing physical testing.  Out of boredom, I started reading up on rubber formulation design, and I started fixing a number of the problem materials we molded out on the floor.  Turned out, I was pretty handy at it.  I added a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a Material Science emphasis to my resume, which helped marry science to decent intuition and problem solving skills.  I eventually got recruited to another company, and after 15 years there I bought it from the 2nd generation family owner, and have been running it for 20 years now.  All along, all of my bonus money has been fair game to put toward audio equipment - - how's that for an understanding spouse!

Still doing the rubber thing, and still enjoying it.  But retirement is getting close, with a likely long taper-off doing formulation consulting for the firm after selling it to another young buck engineer.
I have been an executive coach for the last 20 years.  I work with fortune 500 executives to become more effective leaders. 

I'm also a large metal sculptor currently working on an 18 foot tall abstract of Frida kahlo. 

I am in the midst of forming a speaker company selling a design I've been working on for the last 2 years. 
Semi-retired business executive and investor. Started in audio as a high schooler working in a record store in the 70s. Loved music, played guitar, family had a crappy Zenith system. Heard good system at PT job. We stocked the record section for the top high end store in town and the owner took a liking to me because I was interested in classical and jazz  and was hungry to learn about music and business. He would sell me at cost +5% but I didnt have extra money. Still I took good care of his department and made him money. When I graduated HS in 76 he and the record store owners gave me my first system, McIntosh MA5100, Bose 301s, BIC TT. (Yeah very generous)  I bought a TEAC tape deck and that started me down the path. Mid way thru college record store went down but an audio rep supplier hired me to sell for him giving me access to wholesale priced Marantz, SAE, Shure, others. I handled military stores but also bought and sold gear flipping stuff to friends for a gain after trying them for 3-6 months. Rep firm didnt really care as long as I wasnt selling to GIs. Final year in college learned a history degree got me nothing other than full time at the PT job.  Boss suggested to a masters or law degree. Did an MBA and MA and started PT law school but bailed after a year going at night and spent the next 30+ years working in finance, marketing, strategic planning, running a few mid size companies and starting and running a consulting/investment firm. Had the same system other than rotating SONY ES CDPs in that period. Retired in late 40s and was bored after a year so I started a new gig helping non-profits learn marketing. At about 50, I wandered into a Overture Audio in DE where in-laws live and got sucked back into the hobby. Since then, I have upgraded EVERYTHING multiple times with a focus on new and restored vintage systems (3) with McIntosh, Marantz, Kef, Ohm, Spendor, SONY ES, Acurus, etc. 10+ years in I have found much improved sound but not achieved Nirvana. Retired at 55 which has given me more time to listen but less money to spend. Sucked at golf and skiing, soccer and hiking killed my knees and back so this is IT along with playing mediocre jazz/blues guitar and drinking Scotch and bourbon. Looking to research a then buy my BIG FINAL SYSTEM sometime in the next few years which is conceptually appealing and seems like it would be fun but on hold due to Covid. Hopefully we make it to do it. Be safe everyone. 
Union plumber, nearing retirement. An audio enthusiast since i was 12. Married almost 39 years to a very understanding woman. Three daughters are grown, put through college, and out living their lives. Two weddings down, 1 to go.

 Audio is not my only interest, I play some golf, enjoy photography, have a 50 year old Camaro out in the garage, play guitar, and average about 2000 miles a year on my bicycles.