OK, now that was pretty damn funny. Might be using that in further discussions with my colleagues!
Well, it evolved. Like you, I started out young building and making things. My mother still has a recipe box I made for her when I was 11 from old scrap plywood my Dad brought home from a construction site. I even wood burned "Recipes" on it with my old wood burning set.
Fast forward, and after a couple of years of training, I started my first company at 21, doing all woodwork. The fun of my life now became my job. My weekend hobby was something I did all day long. I didn't have the money to be a contractor then, so I took all carpentry work. Hung doors, made cabinets (sometimes a houseful), built decks, etc. Anything with wood. All day long, 6 - 7 days a week.
As you become more successful, you need to become a better businessman. Being a better businessman requires a lot of time and effort, and worrying about the dollars. Then all purchases have to "make sense". Labor has to "make sense". It becomes a lifestyle for those that stick with it and all purchases have to "make sense".
With one income, bills to pay, and a company to keep afloat, it is up to me to support the whole mess. With employees from time to time, it ratchets that responsibility up even more. To me, work is work at this point. The custom furniture guys have all gone out of business here, as have most of the cabinets shops. There are still a couple of large ones, but even the guys used to use to make my kitchen cabinets are down to skeleton crews. And not one of those guys does it for "the love of the craft" and hasn't for years. Like me, they turn out as good a product as they can to satisfy their own personal pride and to make sure they get a call back.
If I only did roofing, only did painting and refinishing, only did remodeling, I wouldn't have a stream of work. I built houses for a bit, and when the economy turned sour in the 80s, I had nothing to do, but I did have an office, secretary, superintendent, employees and all kinds of other overhead. But no houses to build....
I learned then to be flexible, and go where the work was. So the work determines the direction of my company.
For years, I have told all of my clients to call me when they need anything. If I don't or can't do what they want, I will refer them to someone I trust. So I guess it is working in its own way... they seem to call me for anything. And I keep them in my loop.
Robert