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How many of you could leave your shop behind for at least a month and not have any issues?
- Thread starter WhatsYourSign?
- Start date
Gino
Premium Subscriber
Yes, this is a well known fact, but I highly doubt they just bought a failing business and wanna leave in a year's time for a month long cruise or go play in the mountains. I take a month of Sundays off all the time. )))
kcollinsdesign
Old member
Yes, it is possible, but based on my casual perusal of your comments, I don't believe it will be possible for you.
Johnny Best
Active Member
Years ago when I was a signpainter, I was the business, people hired me to paint signs. Did not need a shop manager, there were no computers, you drew out your layouts on paper. Had a high school kid come in and clean and paint out boards.
Now, if a Yahoo knows how to use a smart phone and has twitter account, he can run a printer, laminator or plotter. Hire someone who knows Illustrator or Corel for design. If this guy sets up training and he can take a laptop and get emails from customers and call and talk to his designer about things then he could easy be gone for a month to pursue other interests.
Look how many people on here work for someone else doing a specific job. He has a Marketing company already that he must take time off from to run the sign business. Don't know why he is asking us if he already knows the answer to.
But my wife does that to me all the time and I still mumble out an answer.
Now, if a Yahoo knows how to use a smart phone and has twitter account, he can run a printer, laminator or plotter. Hire someone who knows Illustrator or Corel for design. If this guy sets up training and he can take a laptop and get emails from customers and call and talk to his designer about things then he could easy be gone for a month to pursue other interests.
Look how many people on here work for someone else doing a specific job. He has a Marketing company already that he must take time off from to run the sign business. Don't know why he is asking us if he already knows the answer to.
But my wife does that to me all the time and I still mumble out an answer.
RebelGraphics
New Member
“ I can leave my shop for days and it will run smoothly”... said no one ever
Bradley Signs
Bradley Signs
Why would you ask the questions, if you don't want to hear what everyone thinks, and you only want to hear the answers you like?
You haven't learned enough to walk away for a month!
If you want to walk away, you put in 47 years worth of time, build your empire, then walk away and don't look back!
Personally, I'll do this till I drop, as I don't trust one single soul to take over, at least not till I'm on the other side of the dirt!
What ever I am doing has brought me through feast and famine... so I must be doing something right.
Am I rich, by no means. Not monetarily anyway. I don't even want that option.
Being rich breeds more debt.
To each their own.
You haven't learned enough to walk away for a month!
If you want to walk away, you put in 47 years worth of time, build your empire, then walk away and don't look back!
Personally, I'll do this till I drop, as I don't trust one single soul to take over, at least not till I'm on the other side of the dirt!
What ever I am doing has brought me through feast and famine... so I must be doing something right.
Am I rich, by no means. Not monetarily anyway. I don't even want that option.
Being rich breeds more debt.
To each their own.
WhatsYourSign?
New Member
Update:
Wow - nearly 5 years since I made this post and the vast majority of you said it could never be done.
I was thinking about this post this morning as I got ready to attend ISA down here in Orlando...
I've used this post as motivation for the past 5 years to show that this can be done and I'm happy to report it took me nearly 6 years of growing my business, but I've been on vacation for the past month and we had a record month in my absence ($300k+ revenue, $600k+ sales).
My lowest paid employee made $50k last year in a low cost of living, rural community, and nearly half of my team made 6-digits while having full benefits (insurance, PTO, 401k, etc) and we had a record year profit wise (and this year is going to be even better). Because my team is paid well and I care about them, we have very little turnover and never struggled for staff during peak-COVID like so many companies did.
I don't know if people still post on here - I used this forum a lot before I discovered industry Facebook groups that are way less toxic. When I first got into this industry I knew there was so much I didn't know (there still is) and saw this forum as a way to find answers, even if I knew people were going to berate me for asking the questions (there was a guy named Geno I remember who would attack me every time I asked a question...I wonder if he's still around).
For anybody out there who is early in their sign career like I was 5 years ago when I made this post - I want you to know that it CAN be done...don't listen to the people who say it can never happen in this industry. Treat your team well, hire the best, pay better than your competition, and delegate, and you can build a sign business that is self sustaining.
Thank you for everybody in this forum who helped me during those early days...there are lots of cranky people on this forum, but you guys no doubt helped me along my journey.
Hope to meet some of your this week at ISA down here in sunny Florida!
Wow - nearly 5 years since I made this post and the vast majority of you said it could never be done.
I was thinking about this post this morning as I got ready to attend ISA down here in Orlando...
I've used this post as motivation for the past 5 years to show that this can be done and I'm happy to report it took me nearly 6 years of growing my business, but I've been on vacation for the past month and we had a record month in my absence ($300k+ revenue, $600k+ sales).
My lowest paid employee made $50k last year in a low cost of living, rural community, and nearly half of my team made 6-digits while having full benefits (insurance, PTO, 401k, etc) and we had a record year profit wise (and this year is going to be even better). Because my team is paid well and I care about them, we have very little turnover and never struggled for staff during peak-COVID like so many companies did.
I don't know if people still post on here - I used this forum a lot before I discovered industry Facebook groups that are way less toxic. When I first got into this industry I knew there was so much I didn't know (there still is) and saw this forum as a way to find answers, even if I knew people were going to berate me for asking the questions (there was a guy named Geno I remember who would attack me every time I asked a question...I wonder if he's still around).
For anybody out there who is early in their sign career like I was 5 years ago when I made this post - I want you to know that it CAN be done...don't listen to the people who say it can never happen in this industry. Treat your team well, hire the best, pay better than your competition, and delegate, and you can build a sign business that is self sustaining.
Thank you for everybody in this forum who helped me during those early days...there are lots of cranky people on this forum, but you guys no doubt helped me along my journey.
Hope to meet some of your this week at ISA down here in sunny Florida!
Johnny Best
Active Member
You mean Gino? He is my favorite member! Love the guy. That Geno guy got hit by a short bus one morning during Covid lockdown.
WhatsYourSign?
New Member
Yeah, that's the guy...it's been a long time since I visited the forum.
I knew Gino was going to usually end up giving me a helpful answer, but not without telling me I was a fool in the process.
Johnny Best
Active Member
"Day after day
Alone on a hill
The man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still
But nobody wants to know him
They can see that he's just a fool
And he never gives an answer
But the fool on the hill sees the Sun going down
And the eyes in his head see the world spinning 'round"
Alone on a hill
The man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still
But nobody wants to know him
They can see that he's just a fool
And he never gives an answer
But the fool on the hill sees the Sun going down
And the eyes in his head see the world spinning 'round"
Gino
Premium Subscriber
I'm well aware that my knowledge of the industry is limited compared to the industry vets here at Signs101.
We're not going to see eye-to-eye, and that's okay. It doesn't mean I don't wish all you guys well
I don't know if people still post on here - I used this forum a lot before I discovered industry Facebook groups that are way less toxic. When I first got into this industry I knew there was so much I didn't know (there still is) and saw this forum as a way to find answers, even if I knew people were going to berate me for asking the questions (there was a guy named Geno I remember who would attack me every time I asked a question...I wonder if he's still around).
I don't think I said anything to attack you in this thread, not at all. If you consider this place toxic, I'm glad, for your sake, you found other places to get your real answers. I'm also glad your business is capable of running itself without you. Don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing ?? Might mean, you aren't needed..... or maybe you found a good combination of people, products and conned them into working while you go off doing your thang. If all the credit goes to what you did, congratulations.
We're not going to see eye-to-eye, and that's okay. It doesn't mean I don't wish all you guys well
I don't know if people still post on here - I used this forum a lot before I discovered industry Facebook groups that are way less toxic. When I first got into this industry I knew there was so much I didn't know (there still is) and saw this forum as a way to find answers, even if I knew people were going to berate me for asking the questions (there was a guy named Geno I remember who would attack me every time I asked a question...I wonder if he's still around).
I don't think I said anything to attack you in this thread, not at all. If you consider this place toxic, I'm glad, for your sake, you found other places to get your real answers. I'm also glad your business is capable of running itself without you. Don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing ?? Might mean, you aren't needed..... or maybe you found a good combination of people, products and conned them into working while you go off doing your thang. If all the credit goes to what you did, congratulations.
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
I smell bullshit. How do you have 600k revenue with 300k sales? They're the same thing on paper and I find it hard to buy that you are in the $7mil a year range in gross revenue, in a rural area. I'm not saying you're not telling the truth but those are some pretty inflated numbers that seem suspect in the context that you came back here to rub nonsense in people's faces. If it's true then congratulations on pulling off the absentee owner thing on a business that usually requires a fairly hands on owner.
WhatsYourSign?
New Member
Read the numbers again and rethink your comment. I'm not saying you're dyslexic, but you got some things reversed.
Also - just because we're in a rural area, doesn't mean we only service a rural area. I have a fleet of bucket trucks on the road all over our state.
I don't really care if you guys believe me anyways - I was literally getting ready for ISA this morning as I'm coming off a month long vacation and I thought back to this thread.
My entire reason to bring this back to life is so that if some early stage sign guy or girl is wondering if they can build a self-sustaining sign business... The answer is yet, despite all the naysayers that say it can't be done.
WhatsYourSign?
New Member
I didn't go back and read the comments in this thread, so my memory of you was in general, not specific to this post.
My GM that runs the business is 28 years old and will clear $200k this year... So yes, I'm absolutely not needed. That is by design and absolutely intentional.
If things go according to plan, I'll sell the business to him in the next 5-10 years and I'll be retired by the time I'm 50.
In the meantime, I've started a different venture that is getting my focus these days.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
I didn't realize you already had another business which evidently is what's holding things together for you. Based on most of your questions and posts over the years, your guy is way overpaid.
Anyway, I hope you're telling the truth, but for whatever reason you're taking the time to even post here, thanks for the good news.
WhatsYourSign?
New Member
Perhaps overpaid but I am making well more than that so we're both happy (and I don't have to worry about him running off to do his own thing).
My goal is to pay him as much as I can so that, 1) he has no need to look for employment anywhere else or to start his own shop, and 2) I need him to have the money to make a nice down payment on the business when I sell it to him in the next 5-10 years.
If you're here at ISA, happy to grab lunch tomorrow to vet my story and get to know you.
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Johnny Best
Active Member
If Gino does go to the show you will be able to recognize him wearing a red dress. He wears flats because heels hurt his toes.
Signarama Jockey
New Member
Haha, good for you!
This is the first I'd seen of this thread, and I applaud you for proving that you can do it. As you know, there are a lot of crabby people out there who all want to pretend like if you aren't doing things the way they do, that you're foolish or naive, and it is absolutely delicious for me to get to see them all proven so wrong.
Congratulations. I wish you continued success.
WhatsYourSign?
New Member
Thank you for the kind words and positive feedback!
I've met many great people in this industry and I'm grateful for the opportunities it has provided in my life!
Every day is different which is both exciting and nerve-wracking, but there's a light on the other side of the tunnel and I'm grateful I made it through to see it!