$5000 startup

[JAMEY]

I am wanting to start up in the sign business. I realize it's best for me to start out with a cutter and work up from there. I can contract out the printing jobs for now. I would also like to sell/install window tint, window screens (back windows of trucks), automotive side graphics and such. I plan on leasing a building or storefront or whatever.

I would like to have catalogs that customers can look at so that they can order the digital auto graphics they want.

I have a lot of car dealers nearby and would like to try and land some business with them for their window sales promotions and such.

I have the Beacon Graphics catalog but am not sure what to order. I see that there are some machines to stay away from. I need reliability in my machines. I'm looking for easy setup. The less steps the better. It would be nice to be able to import regular graphics into a program.

I would be willing to spend a little more if I'll get a lot more bang for my buck.

Any ideas or suggestions would be great.

Thanks

 

[Air Art Girl]

Stay away from the "No Brand Name" crap out there. Invest in good equipment from the start. We have 3 different Roland's and love them. Good luck.

 

[DRPSignsNGrafix]

welcome from Rochester area. Spend more upfront and you'll get more in return.

 

[Jackpine]

Know what you want the software and equipment to do. Invest in good equipment and good software, after you have read Mike Stevens, subscribe to Sign Craft magazine. Never stop looking at good signs and designs and knowing the difference. Ask a lot of questions from vendors and those that are willing to share their experiences. Be fair and honest with yourself and your customers and rember you are selling your skill and talent, get paid for it.
Welcome to the group. A very good place to start.

 

[JAMEY]

Thanks guys..

I am also considering LEASING. If I did that, I could get better/more equipment I believe...and possibly dive into it all. I was looking at Fellers' and Beacon's sites. From Fellars...I see they offer a wrap class. Boy would I love to get into that as well.

Am I looking to far?

 

[Jackpine]

Thanks guys..

I am also considering LEASING. If I did that, I could get better/more equipment I believe...and possibly dive into it all. I was looking at Fellers' and Beacon's sites. From Fellars...I see they offer a wrap class. Boy would I love to get into that as well.

Am I looking to far?

Look at Grimco and Gregory also.

 

[VinylCraft]

http://www.signweb.com/stmg/forum/viewtopic.php?t=62819

it's nice to own your equipment.

 

[Bogie]

A decent digital camera is your friend. Get one you can carry in your pocket. People will look at you like you're nuts when you take a picture of just a sign, but hey...

 

[iSign]

I think your budget and your ambitions are good information to share along with this important question, but the most important information in my opinion is what skill level are you at? Have you put years in as an employee in this industry, or are you coming from a semi-related industry (graphic design? ..window tint? t-shirt printing?)

I think the best advice, the best sequence of events or just the best chance at the most useful insights are going to come from letting us know what you have inside to help you succeed.

 

[Bogie]

Yeah. The snake oil salesmen at the local "get a business and buy a mcmansion" trade shows, tend to tell you that all you have to do is buy their gizmo... They don't tell you a darn thing about the fact that the stuff that you produce actually has to look good...

The folks who buy into franchises, thinking that all they're going to have to do is sit in the back and collect money while the $8/hour tweezer monkey at the counter has it roll in are sadly mistaken...

 

[James Chrimes]

I started my business with nothing, and still have most of it left! Best of luck.

 

[JAMEY]

I am a graphics man for a landscape company. I use ProLandscape a lot. I also have been using PhotoImpact, Photoshop, PaintShopPro, and many others for year. My logo creating skills are good. I have no vinyl experience.

 

[GK]

if you have no vinyl experience, you will soon learn that just about everything you will do is going to be in vector format, so those nice little gradient fills will be useless until you start with digital printing =). good luck on the startup.

 

[TheSnowman]

Yup, if you have no vinyl experience, you'll find out very soon, that graphics all come down to lines, and nothing else. I've worked w/ many graphic artists, and they can't believe the difference between designing something, and then being able to cut it. It's a lot to learn until you get the idea. We leased our equipment w/ a $1 buyout at the end. Not sure why, I was told from my accountant and the loan company that it was better for tax purposes. Pro Capital was who we financed through. They do wide format printer loans on a daily basis.