Marc Caroselli will tell you he's always enjoyed fixing up things. Now he's fixing up his career.

After being laid off from a high-level job in advertising, the 53-year-old Livonia man is launching "Call Your Son," a home handyman service.

"I always have a project going or I'm helping a friend," Caroselli says. "For the last 10 years I was always talking about starting a business as a handyman. Every house I've been in has 100 things they need done."

Where he came from: After graduating and a stint as an insurance adjuster and other jobs, Caroselli was hired in the mail room at BBDO Detroit in 1978. "My family was always in advertising on the creative side," he notes, but Caroselli moved up on the business side of the agency.

After the loss of a major account he moved to another ad shop, only to return a few years later, working on Dodge car and truck accounts, including the Viper and Dakota. After BBDO bought Ross Roy Communications, Caroselli moved there, eventually becoming an account director.

Even then, he notes, he was tackling home fix-up projects large and small, from tiling to expanding bathrooms. "Even during the Dakota launch I was doing my basement," he adds.

What changed: In February 2006, the agency laid off 300 staff. "You always think that, 'It's not going to be me,' but it was," he says.

Overall, he spent a year looking for a job. "What I found I wasn't excited about. I don't know if anybody wants people my age right now, and Detroit's very tough right now," he says. "Advertising is like baseball: they're always looking for the young candidates. It was time to move on."

Moment of truth: While on vacation, Caroselli decided to set a limit on his job hunt, then pursue the handyman business.

"I said if nothing happens by October, I m going to start."

When October came, he started pursuing his builder's license taking business classes at Schoolcraft College, and working on his business plan. One focus was developing a business he could cut back but continue in retirement.

Stumbling blocks: Initially, Caroselli thought he might focus on garage work, but realized that business would be too slow in winter. He ruled out franchises because he didn't want to risk his finances paying for a business he could develop himself.

State paperwork was a challenge, too. "Getting all the little things to start a business takes more than you think," he says.

Another issue has been getting people to understand the nature of his business, which does not cover household chores.

"People ask if I want to clean their gutters, and I don't do gutters," he says. "I'm trying to be a craftsman. I want to make things that you're living with, like the door that's rubbing on the carpet, I want to take care of that."

Words of wisdom: Caroselli stresses the value of classes for learning what it takes to get a business going and a business plan worked out, and singles out Schoolcraft College.

One step that he skipped: advertising. "I was going to do the whole advertising business, and work around neighborhoods and drop off flyers," he says. Instead, he found it better to rely on friends and referrals.

"You're walking into someone's house, and you really have to be recommended by someone."

For Caroselli, the focus is on interesting work and building the business. "I'm set, I worked my butt off for years, my kids are out of school and I want something that challenges me, keeps me busy and gives me something good as I grow old," he says. "I'd rather do this than work at Wal-Mart."

You can reach Brian O'Connor at (313) 222-2145 or boconnor@detnews.com.