Professional Stress Reduction... reduce, reinvent, retreat?

[GypsyGraphics]

When business is particularity stressful or slow these days, do find yourself thinking... reduce, reinvent or retreat?

I'm sure at different stages in life, the answer would likely be different. For example, someone close to retirement age would be thinking of a "retreat" from business. But in this economy, maybe that's no longer an option.

Lately, a few of the factors that have me thinking of making changes are... the stresses related to a reduction in business and the attitude of clients. Even some longtime clients, who i've always enjoyed working with, seem to be letting their professional way of communicating, fall away. I get that most everyone is feeling the pinch in one form or another, but it's like.... the planets are out of alignment or something!

I'm not of the mind that, just because business is down, every client is worth keeping. In the past few weeks, i've fired two clients. Lately i've even gotten uncharacteristically rude email from people who usually are polite and professional. they conclude with things like "sorry for this rude email." I think if someone feels the need to apologize for the tone of their email, maybe they should consider hitting "delete" instead of "send." I've replied to those emails with "apology accepted, email deleted."

I don't imagine ever giving up my business, or retiring, but do find myself kind of daydreaming about devoting some of my time to something different, something financially beneficial but more than that... enjoyable and/or rewarding.

I don't have anything specific in mind, just wondering what others do or have contemplated, to either improve or tolerate a less-than-idea business climate.

although, i did have one silly notion that sometimes pops into my head, dashed in facebook.... darn you Pat Whatley.

 

[Tim Aucoin]

That's sort of how I got into the sign end of our business Gigi! As you know, we were strictly a traditional print shop, and when print slowed down, I made changes to adapt and started offering other things to my new and existing clients. I've added about 6 new services in the last 5 or so years, and so far only one has been a total flop!

I think the answer is either flee (back out) or fight (adapt and change)! But that might just be my own twisted way of thinking!

 

[Sticky Signs]

Perhaps the glamorous and lavish lifestyle of a drug dealer is what you seek? Now that's cash money in yer pocket!

 

[signmeup]

You could dabble in prostitution...

 

[Speedsterbeast]

It's interesting to hear someone look back where I am unable to. Been in business for myself only 5 months. I really have no frame of reference.
However, I must ask the question of is it the people around you changing or could it be you? Although I don't know you, my guess would be both.

As I have watched the people around me get older, I can't help but notice how the more jadded most people become. I gave my father, who was my best friend, hell for this all the time. He told me that as people get older they tend to be tired of putting up with crap and care less waht other people think about them. I told him he was just a miserable old bastard.
I see examples of this on this forum every day too.

Since you have no intentions of retreating, maybe you should reinvent and make things new again. How about doing something totally different?

I'm only in my thrties, but I do know that the things in life that made me feel the most alive and had the biggest payoff were by far the scariest things I did.

 

[GypsyGraphics]

gosh i dunno sticky... i don't think i have the expereince required. i wouldn't know my product to offer suggestion or know if i had the good stuff or not. and the only drug thing i could think of to say would be...

"You take the blue pill – the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill – you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes." -Morpheus



ugh... or is that DayQuil ad NightQuil???
yep i see a bright future here

 

[GypsyGraphics]

You could dabble in prostitution...

dabble... what like hold hands with people for money?

 

[Baz]

Sheesh guys! Why not add gambling to that .. Putting in a couple of video lotery terminals would bring in some cash to :ROFLMAO:

Seriously though ... When times are tough sure your mind starts racing for ideas. Adding services like Tim is saying is definately a positive direction. I personnaly find that most people i know that are in business work very hard for their money and to me it just seems that i might as well work hard and stress out with what i know and love to do. I won't stop fighting til' my face falls flat on the table!

If your slow ... How's about changing some of you signage and vehicle lettering (or adding) ... a fresh look might draw up some more clients ... Also when i am slow that is the time to make changes in the shop like adding shelves, new table, new storage racks. A good cleanup feels good to!

 

[GypsyGraphics]

It's interesting to hear someone look back where I am unable to. Been in business for myself only 5 months. I really have no frame of reference.
However, I must ask the question of is it the people around you changing or could it be you? Although I don't know you, my guess would be both.

As I have watched the people around me get older, I can't help but notice how the more jadded most people become. I gave my father, who was my best friend, hell for this all the time. He told me that as people get older they tend to be tired of putting up with crap and care less waht other people think about them. I told him he was just a miserable old bastard.
I see examples of this on this forum every day too.

Since you have no intentions of retreating, maybe you should reinvent and make things new again. How about doing something totally different?

I'm only in my thrties, but I do know that the things in life that made me feel the most alive and had the biggest payoff were by far the scariest things I did.

i don't doubt that some of it's me, but not in the sense that i'm jaded, miserable or a hctib (backwards)... more that i'm less inclined to tolerate people who are, at least when it's not necessary or warranted. i'm about as easy-going a person you ever met... people really have to try if they want to tick me off. and i'm not ticked off now... i think it sad to see the effects of the tough times people are having. i think people are scared and it's showing in ways they don't even realize.

doing something totally different sounds good to me... something will come to me, i don't doubt that. i just wanted to hear what others do... because maybe the answer isn't business related at all.

 

[beckys]

I do a bit of e-bay, not signs, I sell 35 mm slides.
My aunt passed about and 60 years of collecting stuff, I will be selling that. I think about moving from here and going to Florida or somewhere warm, and hitting estate sales to sell on e-bay. Really, people buy anything!!!
Thats my dream-been doing this way too long-since 93', and am way too jaded to continue much longer
It's either the clients, haggling or the vinyl junkies on every corner, pretty much had enough!

 

[GypsyGraphics]

Becky, hitting estate sales really sounds like fun and i make some extra coin well that's pretty nice too!

ideally, i'd find something that i really enjoy that would be a nice break from the daily grind one or two days a week. and nothing to do with computers, something that has me running around... maybe like helping out people who are house bound or something with little kids.

 

[Speedsterbeast]

doing something totally different sounds good to me... something will come to me, i don't doubt that. i just wanted to hear what others do... because maybe the answer isn't business related at all.[/QUOTE]

That's a great way to look at it

 

[petesign]

GG, you need to get out more and enjoy the weather. Take on a few more lettering jobs, and get away from the phones. Remember what it was that you enjoyed when you started.

If someone calls for a job you don't want to do, you don't necessarily have to do it... and it's not the end of the world if you fire a client or two either.

 

[petepaz]

if you don't enjoy what you do and it's just a job then that's where most of your stress will come into play. if you enjoy your career then you will fight and create and keep it going. i really like my job and the things i get to do (of course there is always the PITA customer or two along the way but not enough to steer me off the path, just cause me to drink a little more..haha) i like the people i work for and they take care of me. i think if you enjoy your job and still make time for recreation and family then all is good

 

[Si Allen]

Of course there is always

 

[iSign]

I had to ask the same questions a few years ago. I was feeling an economic decline that was literally scaring me, and literally keeping me up at night.

I started working out as one form of stress reduction, based on my doctor telling me it is clinically proven to be good for minimizing stress.

I also moved my hobby of playing drums a lot higher on my priority list & suddenly for the first time in 10 years, I began getting together with a group of guys and playing music almost every week, for almost 2 years now...

Another thing was to downsize in some ways. I cut my overhead a lot, and changed the way a lot of things were done. I decided to do more myself, and have less hired help. This shifted my problem from not enough work, to too much work... overnight! Now, that was still a "problem" but one that I found better ways of handling... one of which you also have found... picking and choosing the RIGHT clients, and not trying to take care of all of them... FIRE the worthless ones..

On a related note, something I know you are already doing, but I wasn't doing as much of... SUBBING OUT WORK! I even sub out work that I am capable of doing myself, just because it sometimes allows me to get more done in less time, make more money etc. etc...

...and just as I learned I can say "NO" in my professional life, and fire clients... I also realized that my personal life had areas where I had evolved into a place of "accepting" many of the things that I was dealt, without question... when I reality, I felt it was no longer in my best interest to just accept some of them... so I started saying "NO" there too... and in my case, that was also a big part of the "RE-INVENTING" process that I chose for myself and my business!

 

[iSign]

oh... I forgot the most important one... I had actually let my love for this business cause me to almost eliminate any social life outside of work and family... which meant I didn't make time for nurturing friendships... so I didn't have many. Of course I have all you guys, and gals... and a lot of clients I consider friends... but these past two years valuing meaningful friendships has also been a very important shift that has resulted in a much more balanced perspective on my life, and in recognizing what really matters. I have established some great friendships with people I can talk to about work, money, hobbies or health... anything really... and this has also played a role, I'm sure, in my sleeping better, laughing more, and worrying a whole lot less... not surprisingly, i am much more profitable again as well... and I don't attribute that only to the changes I've made... but that is without a doubt deserving of part of the credit!

 

[SignosaurusRex]

I've already reduced everything I can that makes sense. I'm too angry to retreat, too tired to reinvent and too broke to retire. The only thing left to do is regroup and attack with a greater ferocity. Beyond that.....I can always hunt down some meat to kill and grill along with recycling spirits into non-potable water. It wont pay the bills but it sure will reduce the stress for a spell.

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

Reduce, only negative. Retreat, for a reward. Reinvent, for tomorrow

 

[Jillbeans]

It's either the clients, haggling or the vinyl junkies on every corner, pretty much had enough!

I've felt that way for over ten years.
But this is the only job I really know.
Business has been sooo dead lately, I'm only bringing in about $1K a month.
Having to get this "real" part time job partially pisses me off because it takes four 7-hour days to make what I can make in 2 hours lettering two truck doors and a tailgate.
But in other ways the "real" job has helped me prioritize my time and get rid of any tire-kicker type jobs.
It's also helped my lack of people skills. I am blunt without being rude but known for saying exactly what I think before reason kicks in.
The "real" job has made me more people-friendly. I now know more about my clients who patronize the deli after 6 weeks than I knew about some of them in 26 years.
I've learned that they have first names rather than company names.
I know that Barbara (the wife of a hated and now mercifully dead client for eons) likes asian peanut coleslaw and extra gravy. She even brought me in a way cool shaped piece of antique slate that her late hub had hoarded.
I smile, make eye contact, and tell them to have a good day.
I talk to some of them about upcoming jobs.
As for emails, I've always been a better writer than a speaker, so I rarely get rude ones.
But I have seen the trend of clients cheating on me with the vynull vulvas.
They usually come back to me, shamefaced, because my stuff just plain looks better.
One longtime client, after me selling him his files, has now gone to some other poor bastard hack and I don't miss him.
He's making the hack cram even more crap onto his stuff for less money.
I would suggest to you, GiGi, to only do the things you love.
That's what I do as I get older.
Try volunteering at a food bank one day a week, get the hell out of the office and out into the real world.
It will do wonders for you.
You are a great person with a lot of personality as well as talent.
You will survive this bump in the road.
Love....Jill