Just randomly found this quote “In most cases, having a devil’s advocate on your team is essential for success”

Some big company CEO I heard likes to do this, criticizing a proposal like crazy to see if the presenter can hold on and pass. Otherwise the proposal will not be approved.

Statistics says that on average women makes higher profit in investing. Men take higher risk, on average more failures, while big success would go to men as you need to take risk to have opportunity for big success.

Best to leave half family asset to your wife and you take the other half (assuming your wife is not making more than you) to risk without taking on debt. If you fail, your family would still be OK. Have the agreement with your wife about this approach first. I assume she will be OK with that. Your wife takes the low risk route while you take the high risk high return route.

The key issue is that can you find an employee that will produce more value than what you are paying the employee and the time you spend teaching and guiding the employee (employee may leave after getting trained). Besides simple economics, there are several risks with adding people than yourself: (1) if interfacing with clients, they may offend your client, (2) they may leave you and take your clients with them, (3) steal from you, and (4) get you into lawsuits. If you can isolate portion of work for a suitable person and prepared for the risks, then try it.

Try using your labor, not capital if you don’t have capital. Your time is yours but if you try to look for capital without experience not only difficult but also risky.

It is a matter of cost. Find out where you can sell the “sand” to at what price, then how much recycling bottles priced. Construction use of sand is typically priced lower than cement. Low price material has large proportion price in transportation, therefore it is location dependent.

0.3% of US companies have over 500 people. If you are in those 0.3%, you will have less than 1% chance to the top. Just by the numbers, very few people will be at the top medium or large size companies. To be a founder of medium or large company, as well as rising to the top in such company, is always a low probability. To be a founder of a small company would be easier. To work for a medium or large company as employee would be easier. When you are young, you can choose. When 60 or people with other “red flag”, probably don’t have much possibility to get a job paying more than minimum wage, therefore to be a founder may be only choice.

Make it a subset of game based learning. Design some games that students like to play and learn while playing the game.

The contact could be with you or with your company (S-corp), meaning they could hire you as a contractor or hire your company. Consider both sides about tax and liability.

Timber market is not the problem. Problem is the price for standing timber (assume you will not be making profit from cutting down the trees and shipping them to EU market). Then the length of time to wait, resulting in low NPV. 300 hectares would seem too small for most investors. If you have the land and looking for ways to use it, start with something that can generate cash flow faster. If you really need hardwood for such small scale, do it on the side.

Contact the county to confirm how many dwellings you can build on that acre and if any height limit. In Houston you can build 27 buildings at 25% coverage, meaning 400 sqft 1st floor, 800 sqft 2 story, 1200 sqft 3 story. It may be in Austin ETJ and more restrictive. If allowed, you can build 27 single family homes in the acre. You will need sufficient sewage disposal capacity. Single family homes will be more valuable than multi family. And it cost small to build 400 sqft one at a time.

Best in real estate development:

1 you have property management experience

2 you have income to save as seed money

3 you can start now on weekends

4 unlimited growth potential

5 shortage of good but affordable housing, smaller size and in suitable locations

6 put in pond for fishing that you enjoy and buyers will enjoy too

Due to construction labor shortage, you may need to start or partner with a small construction company at the same time.

Start simple and stay modular and scalable. Seems you don’t have actual deadline and no customer to tell you to change things. When you are stuck, take a break and you will have better solution when you are rested.

It is good that you have friends to remind you about risks. For business type discussion, talk to other business owners.

Top choice is trade show / exhibitions, the only place you can talk to many companies without being blocked. If you are willing to spend money and time, have your own booth.

If you are in software business, have a free version software for people to download/use on your website.