grampa dan
New Member
It can be so intimidating to start in this business. There is so much to learn.
Design, layout, materials, colors, construction techniques, business skills, pricing, customer relations and thousand more things.
Back when I started (more than 40 years ago) I was young and very green. The sign business looked pretty simple. I bought a board, some paint and brushes and had at it. I quickly discovered I could make pretty good money doing what seemed like a lot of fun! It sure beat working. Those around me told me my work looked great.... which I suppose it did, taking into account my experience and young age. Now I know better.
It didn't take long to find out my prices were low compared to other shops out there. It didn't bother me for my costs were low too. But I quickly found out my competition didn't like me at all. My customers often told me I was doing the job for far less than anyone else.
Over time I discovered many things. One was that the money I brought in wasn't mine. I only got to keep what was left over after everyone else was paid. That included taxes of course. And I found out I wasn't making as much as I thought.
Over time I raised my prices. I also decided I was in it for the long haul and needed to get a whole lot better. I was still young and arrogant however. I decided I would work for my competition to learn the business. He offered me what I see now as a fair wage, although at the time I thought I could do far better on my own. So I stayed self employed learning through the school of hard knocks.
Over a period of many years my business grew and prospered. I became passionate about learning all I could about my craft and about business in general. And it worked out pretty well too.
Now as I see others coming up it makes me smile. I see sign makers with little knowledge. I hear seemingly silly questions, prices far too low and a general impatience to play with the big boys, to want to be good without putting in the time, all make me remember the days when I was just starting. I remember I was that guy, back in the day.
I know we all start out there, some progress quickly, others much slower, and some never seem to get by that transition period. We've all been that guy at one point in our careers. We need to remember that... and just smile.
-grampa dan
Design, layout, materials, colors, construction techniques, business skills, pricing, customer relations and thousand more things.
Back when I started (more than 40 years ago) I was young and very green. The sign business looked pretty simple. I bought a board, some paint and brushes and had at it. I quickly discovered I could make pretty good money doing what seemed like a lot of fun! It sure beat working. Those around me told me my work looked great.... which I suppose it did, taking into account my experience and young age. Now I know better.
It didn't take long to find out my prices were low compared to other shops out there. It didn't bother me for my costs were low too. But I quickly found out my competition didn't like me at all. My customers often told me I was doing the job for far less than anyone else.
Over time I discovered many things. One was that the money I brought in wasn't mine. I only got to keep what was left over after everyone else was paid. That included taxes of course. And I found out I wasn't making as much as I thought.
Over time I raised my prices. I also decided I was in it for the long haul and needed to get a whole lot better. I was still young and arrogant however. I decided I would work for my competition to learn the business. He offered me what I see now as a fair wage, although at the time I thought I could do far better on my own. So I stayed self employed learning through the school of hard knocks.
Over a period of many years my business grew and prospered. I became passionate about learning all I could about my craft and about business in general. And it worked out pretty well too.
Now as I see others coming up it makes me smile. I see sign makers with little knowledge. I hear seemingly silly questions, prices far too low and a general impatience to play with the big boys, to want to be good without putting in the time, all make me remember the days when I was just starting. I remember I was that guy, back in the day.
I know we all start out there, some progress quickly, others much slower, and some never seem to get by that transition period. We've all been that guy at one point in our careers. We need to remember that... and just smile.
-grampa dan
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.....well put!