Now that i have posted on this board and have really come to value all the posts, tips and knowledge i thought i would introduce myself.....
My father started this sign company about 35 years ago and it was his life. I remember playing in our dining room trying to avoid easels that he had set up when he hand lettered. He went from there to the garage to his own building.
I started working with him when i turned 18 for something to do until i found out what i wanted to do and 23 years later here i am!
We had a shop of 5 for years and were absolutely blessed with work. 12 hour days, 6 days a week. That all stopped around when sept. 11th hit, certain people retiring and companies becoming less community oriented. We became a 2 person shop and when it got busy we just worked a little longer and harder.
This Oct 19th will mark the 1 year anniversary of dads death. (Guys...wear your masks, gloves and whatever else you can to protect yourselves!!!) I guess it was not an option just to close down so i am continuing on. I was always involed with the fabrication and design part but hardly ever dealt with pricing or customers. Now i have it all and sometimes seem to be running in circles. I have thought of should i go bigger, should i keep it to just me (which many of you know just by leaving the shop for a couple hours becomes a hassle), hire one more person?
I am so fortunate that dad had made so many sign friends who came to him constantly for advice and now they are always so willing to come to my rescue... I am so blessed by that!
This year has been quite a change for me but fortunately the work i have received i know how to do and if i do not well then i pass it on. If there was one thing i learned this year i guess it would be.....Yeah Pops, you do know it all!!
My father started this sign company about 35 years ago and it was his life. I remember playing in our dining room trying to avoid easels that he had set up when he hand lettered. He went from there to the garage to his own building.
I started working with him when i turned 18 for something to do until i found out what i wanted to do and 23 years later here i am!
We had a shop of 5 for years and were absolutely blessed with work. 12 hour days, 6 days a week. That all stopped around when sept. 11th hit, certain people retiring and companies becoming less community oriented. We became a 2 person shop and when it got busy we just worked a little longer and harder.
This Oct 19th will mark the 1 year anniversary of dads death. (Guys...wear your masks, gloves and whatever else you can to protect yourselves!!!) I guess it was not an option just to close down so i am continuing on. I was always involed with the fabrication and design part but hardly ever dealt with pricing or customers. Now i have it all and sometimes seem to be running in circles. I have thought of should i go bigger, should i keep it to just me (which many of you know just by leaving the shop for a couple hours becomes a hassle), hire one more person?
I am so fortunate that dad had made so many sign friends who came to him constantly for advice and now they are always so willing to come to my rescue... I am so blessed by that!
This year has been quite a change for me but fortunately the work i have received i know how to do and if i do not well then i pass it on. If there was one thing i learned this year i guess it would be.....Yeah Pops, you do know it all!!
