Exactly on the dot. In the trades you _have_ to move up to management / or above in short order due to the toll it takes on your body.
But not everyone can be a manager, I think we need better protections for the doers (unions, etc.). A lot of naive kids go into trades and trash their body only to end up with nothing or a life addicted to painkillers.
Just because you own a business doesn't mean you're a manager, I know plenty of people who work independently and work alone or have one or two guys working with them.
It's surprisingly similar to software development in that regard, once you get skilled enough you can get better money contracting than being employed and right now there's so much work that the "safety net" doesn't concern you.
I'd really like to do the same, although the lack of healthcare in the USA makes me hesitant. I'll probably do it anyways and just roll the dice, but hoping things change here soon.
But not everyone can be a manager, I think we need better protections for the doers (unions, etc.). A lot of naive kids go into trades and trash their body only to end up with nothing or a life addicted to painkillers.