No Job? 10K in the bank? Start a sign business!!!!

[FatCat]

Worked in the offset printing industry since 1994 as a graphic designer/prepress tech and digital print specialist. Lost my job in 2008, and found it hard to find employment as many other print shops had closed, downsized, or if they were hiring it was all based on how little you would take to work there...ugh, that was a rough time for a lot of people. That same year, and before I lost my job I had bought a Roland cutter and started dabbling in making banners, signs and lettering vehicles. I made the decision to move forward with starting a sign business, and its only been in the last year or so I can honestly say it was worth it. Trust me when I say I truly wish you the best, but you better have grit and determination and go into it knowing it may be years before you realize the fruits of your labor. I spent many 10...12...14 and 16+ hour days here by myself to build my business. It wasn't easy, still isn't easy but its getting better and it grows each year...

 

[rjssigns]

I agree with subbing out everything. Hang on to the 10 grand. I only run my printer/laminator for short run, fast turn jobs. Yard signs, anything with white, ink multiple banners, etc... get subbed out.
One thing no one mentioned is if you do your own printing you also "eat" the mistakes. I never worry if my sub ruins stuff producing my job. Also, no maintenance, no running out of supplies, and not having a printer quit in the middle of a huge job can bring real peace-of-mind. Price was quoted and agreed upon and that's all I pay.

Something to think about.

 

[decalman]

Everybody has an opinion.

If you feel the calling to get into the business, well then do it.

But... do it on the cheap. I started with 1000, and then worked my way up. ( not much up lo)
Work from home, and use internet, ebay can be very profitable. Find a local niche. I have always kept my overhead low. Less stress. I have no desire to get rich, but I like, not lacking anything.

 

[OldPaint]

ME.......been painting signs since 1957-8. @ 12 -13. got some quality training for m a "shaky jake" hard drinking old brush man..........and another local artist who painted signs...I WAS HOOKED.
so i did all the perfunctory stuff like graduating high school, worked constrution, attended a 2 yr drafting school, got a job in the steel mill, went in the air force,, got married, got out of the air force, had a kid, re-enlisted in the air force, got divorced, got out out of the service, came back home, had more "jobs" did drug rehab, atended PENN STATE, learned i was a hell of a good potter. got married again, got divorced again. ran a biker bar, sold it, bought a motorhome headed for sarasota fl, became a beach bum, met the woman of my life(34 yrs now)had more "jobs"and seeme everyone i had......i was working for someone dumber then me,))))1986 i had a 21 yr old kid FIRE ME!!!! then tell me the reason was ........i was incompetent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAD MORE YEARS WORKING...........THEN THIS KID HAD LIVING....... that ended working for fools.
picked up my brushes, 5-6 cans of paint. total invested less then $100!!!!!! hit the street, BUT I COULD DRAW AND PAINT.........had been doing sign painting all of these past years, little here and there. SO 1986 i became "joe da sign painter." did well with the brushes, stock cars, boats, construction trucks...boards walls windows........loved window splashes...........i actually painted a full sized testarossa(17 feet long)on a window......all paint.
1992 i barrowed $2000, found a ROLAND PNC-1000, ordered some vinyl, had a computer..learned corel draw..........and MADE A LIVING there till 1998 we moved to PENSACOLA, FL.......I opened a shop, ran it for 2 years moved back to the house, bought a step van and did a mobile sign shop till gas prices stopped me from driving the 8 mpg "millenium falcon"bout 2004-5. got bladder cancer fought it till 2009, open heart surgery 2010, died 2011........pacemaker defib installed........still at it)))) just did a pickup truck with reflective vinyl tuesday))))AND TURNED 71 MAY 20th.

 

[artbot]

equipment does not make money. great design, customer service, etc does. expect it to take about two years to get that sign business engine running. like old paint said. get a job, and click away at the larger sign business picture. also the mention to go "get" clients is true. any existing business has a "sign/graphics" guy. you are going to need to poach those clients. just advertising won't do. you will have to choose a market location and do flyer coupons and a handshake, quick intro and out the door. outsource as much as you can. just keeping a machine happy is a lot of cleaning and maintenance. to do the job quick and right (the customer service side of things) you'll want that wholesaler to be there making you look good.

 

[Gene@mpls]

OP- sorry, I don't believe you painted that Testarossa. I do believe that you are old enough to have seen a new one in a showroom tho!

 

[bug]

Like most of replies, you need to like what you do and that means, spent extra hours, .... Building internet site, different kinds of advertising, speaking, in my case i started with small chinese cutter, and mutoh spitfire, 5000 usd, first 5 years i was always investing in equipment which i needed. For me most important equipment was good cutter, graphtec, mimaki, mutoh, summa, roland, gcc , good printer with dx5 or later head, roland vs640 or mutoh 1624. I really think, that you must really like and enjoy sign business, cause then you will search for answers, solutions, ... for any problems, lack of equipment, lack of clients, problems with equipment, software, clients, materials,....

 

[OldPaint]

OP- sorry, I don't believe you painted that Testarossa. I do believe that you are old enough to have seen a new one in a showroom tho!

DID NOT PAINT THE ONE IN THE PICTURE......didnt post it as such. posted it because some may not not know WHAT one of them is)))))
it was for a big auto stereo shop..........and one of the speaker/radio companies.....had as their logo a tetarossa...........somebody like JBL, ROCKFORD FOSGATE, ETC.

 

[Rebel Graphics]

Do you have any experience in the sign industry? In your original post you said there is some sign and screen equipment, but no elaboration as to if you know how to run them and be profitable. Did you have a shop previously?

There is so much more to it than just opening a door and making a million dollars. Do you have any clients that you can solicit to get you started.

There really is no way we can tell you the the correct course you should take. We have no idea of how much competition you will face, what you need a month to survive, etc...

My thought is 10 grand won't go too far when it comes to obtaining a location, getting any additional equipment to start, and giving you money for a place to live (unless you find a store front or shop location with living quarters).

my background is advertising and graphic design (25+ yrs) very proficient with software and equipment... building my clientele and i sub out all my prints... so yes, a tiny spot and 10k can go a long way

 

[Rebel Graphics]

if you have 10k why would you pi$$ it away on equipment? Once its gone it aint coming back

sub your stuff out, save your money try that for awhile and see how it works and sell all that old equipment you have

im not spending it on equipment, i sub my prints out... using that 10k to stay afloat for at least 6 months...

 

[Rebel Graphics]

Worked in the offset printing industry since 1994 as a graphic designer/prepress tech and digital print specialist. Lost my job in 2008, and found it hard to find employment as many other print shops had closed, downsized, or if they were hiring it was all based on how little you would take to work there...ugh, that was a rough time for a lot of people. That same year, and before I lost my job I had bought a Roland cutter and started dabbling in making banners, signs and lettering vehicles. I made the decision to move forward with starting a sign business, and its only been in the last year or so I can honestly say it was worth it. Trust me when I say I truly wish you the best, but you better have grit and determination and go into it knowing it may be years before you realize the fruits of your labor. I spent many 10...12...14 and 16+ hour days here by myself to build my business. It wasn't easy, still isn't easy but its getting better and it grows each year...

thanks for these words...
im a graphic designer as well, i sub my prints out and do the installs myself except electrical work. im very passionate and dedicated, love what i do and enjoy doing it for hours a day (believe me). i just cant work for the man anymore

 

[Rebel Graphics]

ME.......been painting signs since 1957-8. @ 12 -13. got some quality training for m a "shaky jake" hard drinking old brush man..........and another local artist who painted signs...I WAS HOOKED.
so i did all the perfunctory stuff like graduating high school, worked constrution, attended a 2 yr drafting school, got a job in the steel mill, went in the air force,, got married, got out of the air force, had a kid, re-enlisted in the air force, got divorced, got out out of the service, came back home, had more "jobs" did drug rehab, atended PENN STATE, learned i was a hell of a good potter. got married again, got divorced again. ran a biker bar, sold it, bought a motorhome headed for sarasota fl, became a beach bum, met the woman of my life(34 yrs now)had more "jobs"and seeme everyone i had......i was working for someone dumber then me,))))1986 i had a 21 yr old kid FIRE ME!!!! then tell me the reason was ........i was incompetent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAD MORE YEARS WORKING...........THEN THIS KID HAD LIVING....... that ended working for fools.
picked up my brushes, 5-6 cans of paint. total invested less then $100!!!!!! hit the street, BUT I COULD DRAW AND PAINT.........had been doing sign painting all of these past years, little here and there. SO 1986 i became "joe da sign painter." did well with the brushes, stock cars, boats, construction trucks...boards walls windows........loved window splashes...........i actually painted a full sized testarossa(17 feet long)on a window......all paint.
1992 i barrowed $2000, found a ROLAND PNC-1000, ordered some vinyl, had a computer..learned corel draw..........and MADE A LIVING there till 1998 we moved to PENSACOLA, FL.......I opened a shop, ran it for 2 years moved back to the house, bought a step van and did a mobile sign shop till gas prices stopped me from driving the 8 mpg "millenium falcon"bout 2004-5. got bladder cancer fought it till 2009, open heart surgery 2010, died 2011........pacemaker defib installed........still at it)))) just did a pickup truck with reflective vinyl tuesday))))AND TURNED 71 MAY 20th.

very inspiring