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Can I do it all? Signs, Screen Printing, Embroidery, Vehicle Graphics?

V

visualtechmedia

New Member
Is it possible to succeed offering multiple services like Signs, Screen Printing, Embroidery, Vehicle Graphic, and Decals under one company? I'm new to this business and would like to provide all of these services. Am I nuts for thinking this will work. I already have the equipment, Roland SP300, Vastex 6 color Screen Printer, Melco EMT16 embroidey machine and I can operate them all very well. Is anyone else doing this?
 
K

Kwiksigns

wookie
not by yourself.... your question is extremely vague. Yeah, you can do it, but do you want to have a life beyond work? are you hiring people to help you or is it only you? do you have a storefront? do you have clientele? How did you acquire all that equpiment and still consider yourself "new"? I think you should work at one of the many shops in the world that offer all the services you listed and learn from experience. It is not out of the world to offer more than one service, just takes time and... money.
 
letterman7

letterman7

New Member
As stated, not by yourself. Since I work by myself I tend to try to do a couple things extremely well and source the rest. Just because you have the equipment and knowledgeable on how to operate them does not make you the best at any one thing. Choose a passion and do that well.
 
J

jrsc

New Member
I have avoided vehicle graphics but we do everything else listed plus dtg, rubber stamps, commercial print and mailings (digital presses), laser engraving, promotional products and a couple more random things. Our customers like that we can offer them everything from one place.
 
V

visualtechmedia

New Member
jrsc said:
I have avoided vehicle graphics but we do everything else listed plus dtg, rubber stamps, commercial print and mailings (digital presses), laser engraving, promotional products and a couple more random things. Our customers like that we can offer them everything from one place.
Click to expand...
Awesome! Now, that's what I'm talking about. I would love to have a DTG printer. I want to offer as many services as possible in this field and contract out the jobs I'm not able to handle.
 
OldPaint

OldPaint

New Member
as a 1 man operation...........for 30 years.........NO YOU CANT DO ALL OF THAT.......why would you want to???/
like most say..........pick something that your good at...........and sub out the rest.
there are so many places that do SCREEN PRINT for the trade.......why even bother. do a layout, email to to them, they ship it to you..... give to customer.......COLLECT MONEY.
EMBROIDERY.........again many places do this.....FOR THE TRADE........
VEHICLE GRAPHICS...... this can be a one man operation........was my main stay for years back when the brush was king. profits for me were AWESOME!!!! it was a little material, lot of talent and SPEED.........getting it done in the shortest time possible. i had days i lettered 3 complete stock cars.........in less then 8 hours!!!!! $400 a pop........used $20 bucks worth of material))))) now thats making money. used to paint store front windows and window splashes........again, low materials cost, SPEED made them high profit.........holiday window splashes........$2-300 a pop..........sometimes 3-4 a day............
then vinyl took that into the toilet..............higher material/equipment cost........everybody doing it for less money.......the people expecting low prices........
now with the PRINTER & WRAPS... high cost materials, equipment.......and low prices........and working harder and longer for less profit.........
glad iam not in the game tryin to make a living...........from it...........except when hand lettering is still required.........i get paid well...........
 
WildWestDesigns

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
It is possible, but still a few unknowns to your situation (as far as I can tell from this thread, but I might have missed something) as to rather not it's the best avenue.

I've seen one person in my trade group try to add more and more things in house and a few months later, some of those extra abilities are now being sold off. Still in business, but just not what it was cracked up to be with all the extras. Now this was also a 1 person shop, very easy to get burned out when trying to do a multitude of production methods when it's just yourself. Each with their own quirks.

I chose to specialize. This is something that I have enjoyed doing since I was really young (and I can say like Old Paint, I actually used to do it by hand as well, no way now as you couldn't pay me enough), so it worked out that way for me. Not saying that it will be for the next person.

One thing that I have also noticed is that no matter how well you may think you know how to operate machines, always something new to learn.
 
A

Andy D

Active Member
player said:
The more you do the harder it is to find multi-tasking COMPETENT EMPLOYEES.

Read the book "The E Myth: Why Most Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It".

http://www.amazon.com/The-Myth-Most-Businesses-About/dp/0887303625
Click to expand...

This is a must read, it is the best and most sited book on starting and growing a small business.
It's not a easy read, or a fun read, in fact I really dislike his writing style... but it is the most important book
you will ever read.

The more complicated you make your business the more you will be tied to the day to day running of it
and less time you will have to be the entrepreneur every business requires to grow. Simplify, Simplify, Simplify!
And do only the things that are the most profitable!
 
A

Andy D

Active Member
Also, I would recommend the E myth revisited, only because that what I read, not the original.....
I'm not sure what the difference is, but this is the book that is most sited by every expert I have listened to
about starting a small business.
 
Billct2

Billct2

Active Member
Yes you can. It used to be common for a small shop to do all types of different work. One of the suggestions you hear a lot is to keep your prices high and build on your customer service, that would be even more true if you try to do all those things.
 
ExecuPrintGS

ExecuPrintGS

New Member
We do it here also. 3 full time employees and the owner.
Everyone has their job/ specialty and we all stick to it. It can be done but sometimes it feels a little like "jack of all trades master of none" around here.
 
SignManiac

SignManiac

New Member
As a forty year veteran who started the old fashioned way, paints and brushes. I'm in business to make money any way I can. The more I have to offer the more I can sell. It comes down to equipment and personnel. My role is to delegate, run the business and marketing side, and I personally handle each and every design. We design the logo, sell the business cards, embroider the hats and shirts, letter the vehicle, make the business sign, install the work.

We fabricate the signs in house, i.e. sandblasted, carved, painted, digital printing, laser, pinstriping, air brush, gold leaf, pretty much can handle anything that comes through the door with cash, credit card in hand. Gets tricky sometimes but the key is being realistic about your time management. Make sure you can deliver in the time promised. You don't want a bad rep for not being reliable. Better to turn down a project that you know can't be done on time. Customers will appreciate your honesty. Oh forgot to add, no shame in outsourcing. That can be the smartest money you will ever make.
 
visual800

visual800

Active Member
can you do it all? No!
Can you offer it all? YES!

Find you a screenprinter, embroiderer
Learn how to but cards, brochures, paper products online and resell


I offer it all! and paper products is a great way to fill in the gaps. But if you are new I would slowly slide into it and keep in mind you are going to screw things up. wrong numbers on shirts, cards, you will eat some orders over time
 
Johnny Best

Johnny Best

Active Member
My grandfather, a farmer who ran a 200 acre farm use to tell me. "The bees have a specific job, as the horses, cows, pigs and the crops. He as a farmer is the one who controls them all to produce the products he would sell". After 40 years he sold all the land to a builder for development and made a great profit. I do not think he ever had the time to read a book but he also said hard work always pays off in some manner.
So what have you got to lose, try it and it seems you have the knowledge to make it work.
 
reQ

reQ

New Member
I can talk about my experience.

1) I am 1 man operation
2) I do signs/decals/ blah blah blah
3) I added laser engraving & screen printing 3 years ago
4) I live in my shop & only go home to sleep (seriously)
5) I am frikin' tired & looking for help starting next year
6) Oh yeah... i also do window tint & PPF, but i found great guy who does it with me on contract


All after all, yes, you can do it all but all depends how much time you want to spend on your business.
 
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