Thanks for the congrats on the daughter. She's doing great!
An update: things haven't changed. Apparently I'm being punished (along with my production guy, who isn't getting paid his overtime), for only doing $14k in February (I started here February 24th), and today, I didn't get paid. Today is payday. If my salary, after my deductions and rent, I'm getting about $150/month between two paychecks for groceries and gas money, bills (just had a baby), etc. Needless to say, I'm throwing the job search into full gear tonight. If anyone out there is looking for a graphics guy that can do layouts online, I can absolutely be a go-to until you get someone in shop. Let me know if you need a resume.
And to all of you hack sign shop franchise owners who aren't interested in the craft, just looking to turn an easy profit, shame on you. It's because of people like you, people who simply want to own a sign shop and go to your FAST-SIGNS-NOW-BY-TOMORROW-O-RAMA pep talks where you get all the info on how to spin your used-car sales speil to your customers, where you learn to berate your employees who are most likely creative, either with graphics, drawing, sculpting, or in carpentry in general for not making things "pop", for not giving things "that little extra", for not selling at all costs, despite lack of proper equipment, facilities, or staff, that people like me, people that own mom & pop sign shops who honestly do love what they do, we all suffer. To those of you sticking it out in similar situations, if you're young, get out of the trade, make some real money, and pick this up as a hobby when you can afford to go it alone.
I've been making signs for more than 10 years. I love what I do. I love creating something that makes a customer say "wow", that makes a customer invite me to their company Christmas parties, or show off what I made for them as theirs. I love seeing my signs hanging all over town. It breaks my heart that after 10 years, I've only had one or two employers who I feel honestly gave a **** about me in 8 (yes, eight) different companies. Why eight companies? Because two were closed or bought out, one folded, two downsized, one was in Alaska, and 6 paid less than $14.50/hour to a guy with experience and two kids to feed.
I pray to God that those of you who are actually running good shops, encouraging your employees to be creative, sharing the wealth with your employees instead of scolding them for not making your minimum monthly sales when all they have to work with is a ****ty old printer, broken laminator, and decades-old computers and software, I pray that you stay open, grow, and thrive. It'll probably never benefit me, but at least I'll know that someone out there is making signs and doing ok.
Okay, rant done... sorry for blurting this out, but I'm feeling really defeated right now, as if everything I've put into this industry is for naught.