Discussion Big change for me coming this year!

[Gino]

I was in the same exact situation. 1 man show too much shop rent for over 10 years. We moved back into the garage thinking it would be a good idea. The following reasons are why it only lasted a year:
1) Some customers you just don't want at your home.
2) Way more wasted time seeing people and dropping jobs to customers. You can make up lost $$$ but hard to make up time.
3) Found myself working after hours printing etc...in order to make up for the time lost running around.
4) Always something chore staring you in the face at home making it easy to get side tracked. I love my family but they too can be a distraction if home during working hours.
5) Motivation psychologically speaking for me is higher being at a work place away from home.

After one year of the shop in the garage I moved back out. I did however scale the shop back in size and location and brought my rent from $1800 a month before the garage to $500 per month after the garage. It's a store front but not on the main road as before (which made it cheaper). We have been there for a year now and I like the change. Best part is we close at 5 now allowing for no pick ups after hours at home or some asking if you can work on a file after hours since you are home with nothing better to do. Good luck I hope this helps some![/QUOTE]

That is a very important factor. Heck, just yesterday, someone wrote about a customer coming in and how bad the place smelled afterwards and they can't get rid of the odor.

Not just they might stink up the place, but I would not want people knowing where I lived. You will be judged by that. Either your high prices are paying for your living style or heck, you can't even afford to paint your own back steps. People are very visual and subliminally, it can take it's toll.

 

[Dr. Decal]

I have been a 1 man show employee for 8 years now. I am currently in my second shop, in which I am the entire graphics department. I have been putting alot of thought recently into starting my own business. I have always felt under paid for what I bring to the company (both that I've worked for), and have a hard time seeing the point in getting a small hourly wage, when I am practically running my own business within their business.

I recently purchased my home, and have a 30 x 40 basement, with a ground level exit. I also have a close friend who recently purchased an auto detailing shop. He offers window tint, accessories, bed liners, and all things of the sort. He asked me recently if I would be interested in doing graphics out of his shop just to bring in more business.

My tentative plan is to buy printer/cutter and a laminator, and make my basement into my production house. Then, do all graphics installs and have some retail graphics available for sale at his garage. My current employer only started offering graphics when I came on board. I would really like to work out a contract with them to keep doing their graphics work as a sub-contractor. This way, they will still be able to offer graphics, and I will have steady work as I build my clientele.

The competition in my area is minimal, and most of the work I have seen is not impressive. I doubt my current employer will go for the idea of me leaving to be a sub contractor, but they have no graphics department otherwise. I think I can make it on my own, but am a bit reluctant to pull the proverbial trigger. Although, the idea of running my own shop from home sounds much better than doing all the sales/quotes/design/production/installation by myself for $13/hr.

 

[Gino]

I have been a 1 man show employee for 8 years now. I am currently in my second shop, in which I am the entire graphics department. I have been putting alot of thought recently into starting my own business. I have always felt under paid for what I bring to the company (both that I've worked for), and have a hard time seeing the point in getting a small hourly wage, when I am practically running my own business within their business.

I recently purchased my home, and have a 30 x 40 basement, with a ground level exit. I also have a close friend who recently purchased an auto detailing shop. He offers window tint, accessories, bed liners, and all things of the sort. He asked me recently if I would be interested in doing graphics out of his shop just to bring in more business.

My tentative plan is to buy printer/cutter and a laminator, and make my basement into my production house. Then, do all graphics installs and have some retail graphics available for sale at his garage. My current employer only started offering graphics when I came on board. I would really like to work out a contract with them to keep doing their graphics work as a sub-contractor. This way, they will still be able to offer graphics, and I will have steady work as I build my clientele.

The competition in my area is minimal, and most of the work I have seen is not impressive. I doubt my current employer will go for the idea of me leaving to be a sub contractor, but they have no graphics department otherwise. I think I can make it on my own, but am a bit reluctant to pull the proverbial trigger. Although, the idea of running my own shop from home sounds much better than doing all the sales/quotes/design/production/installation by myself for $13/hr.

To get better responses and input about your own situation, you might wanna start your own thread on the subject.