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Would you do it again?
- Thread starter Justin
- Start date
RogueRoller
New Member
what is your definition of a sign shop? what kind of work would de done?
OlsonSigns601
New Member
Yes, I enjoy the work and do a good Job (so I'm told)
What would I do different...
Not work that jerk that went around town telling everyone we never paid him and we outsource everything.
Not advertise in the phone book for $34 a month for 1 year which resulted in one phone call.
Save money buy not buying a press to silk screen yard signs thinking I could do them for less than the $1.25 I now pay for them.
Buy a boom truck from day 1.
Tips for growing a good business.
Do good work, kiss *** to people with lots of money and lots of contacts, never bad mouth your competition.
Tips for getting state jobs.
Don't give a dime to anyone telling you they can get you government jobs.
Befriend someone who works for the government.
What would I do different...
Not work that jerk that went around town telling everyone we never paid him and we outsource everything.
Not advertise in the phone book for $34 a month for 1 year which resulted in one phone call.
Save money buy not buying a press to silk screen yard signs thinking I could do them for less than the $1.25 I now pay for them.
Buy a boom truck from day 1.
Tips for growing a good business.
Do good work, kiss *** to people with lots of money and lots of contacts, never bad mouth your competition.
Tips for getting state jobs.
Don't give a dime to anyone telling you they can get you government jobs.
Befriend someone who works for the government.
Anything to do with graphic design/sign design/printing/cutting, banners, wraps, dimensionals etc.. All of it!
RogueRoller
New Member
All heck yea, Not saying it is easy but the challenge is always there and satisfaction is over the top.
Different: HMMMMMM
1. Guess I would have never used a phonebook. Would have joined more chambers and went to there meeting sooner.
2. Would have went to more towns to see what everyone else wasn't doing sooner.
3. Would have bought more trade tools from other trades a lot sooner that is for sure. (die grinder, chain saw, Welder, Air Tools, cement mixer, gantry crane, ECT.)
State jobs hmmmm
I do city monument signs and such. ( Build your shop across from city hall worked for me. )
Pat Whatley
New Member
If you change the question to asking if I'd buy out the previous owners of the shop I'd been working in? That's easy....HELL NO.
If I had it to do all over again I'd get completely away from production and focus entirely on design and sales. I'm practically doing that now but I'm kind of tied to my brick and mortar setup. I'm working through the first year of the three year "get me the hell out of here" plan and if all works out by the end of year three I'll actually have a business I can sell (instead of just owning my job).
Don't get me wrong, I love the business and the design side of it....I'm just tired of production...and maintaining inventory....and competing for fewer dollars in an oversaturated market....and dealing with annoying customers....and working all day, all week.
If I had it to do all over again I'd get completely away from production and focus entirely on design and sales. I'm practically doing that now but I'm kind of tied to my brick and mortar setup. I'm working through the first year of the three year "get me the hell out of here" plan and if all works out by the end of year three I'll actually have a business I can sell (instead of just owning my job).
Don't get me wrong, I love the business and the design side of it....I'm just tired of production...and maintaining inventory....and competing for fewer dollars in an oversaturated market....and dealing with annoying customers....and working all day, all week.
TyrantDesigner
Art! Hot and fresh.
hmm ... i went from owning my own shop to moving and working for someone else ... eventually I will own my own business again ... will I buy this one ... no.
Things I will do differently next time ... not a whole lot, one reason I liked my own business was I factored into the cost going TO the customer and designing and quoting right there ... only difference, I will probably try to have something like a grumen or some other postal type vehicle loaded with some basic fab equipment so I can get the sale, and the job right then and there. ... that and have one tricked out shop vehicle.
I would also participate in the chamber of commerce more.
Outsource more ... too easy to make money off other peoples work ... I find myself getting tired doing banners and crap when I can outsource them, spend very little production time on them and can make some money while being able to focus on jobs that aren't time vampires.
Things I will do differently next time ... not a whole lot, one reason I liked my own business was I factored into the cost going TO the customer and designing and quoting right there ... only difference, I will probably try to have something like a grumen or some other postal type vehicle loaded with some basic fab equipment so I can get the sale, and the job right then and there. ... that and have one tricked out shop vehicle.
I would also participate in the chamber of commerce more.
Outsource more ... too easy to make money off other peoples work ... I find myself getting tired doing banners and crap when I can outsource them, spend very little production time on them and can make some money while being able to focus on jobs that aren't time vampires.
visual800
Active Member
I would do it again in a heartbeat. theres good money to be made, and lots of different skills to learn. signs are so much more than FOR SALE stuck in a front yard. what would I do different. I would get signed up as a vendor for other large universities and municipalities sooner. I would tell all ad agencies to SUCK IT! right off the bat. I would not fall for the "bubba down the street said he would do it for such and such" of course I feel for that back in the day.
I would tell all rroundtrackers to suck it also. they are nothing but whining redneck time invasions wannabes that got on my last nerve. so many things Ive done is stupid but it had to be done to learn. I operate alot smarter now but dont think I still bite the big one here and there.
I love the profession it free and it fulfilling. Everyone can see your junk and it makes an impact.
I would tell all rroundtrackers to suck it also. they are nothing but whining redneck time invasions wannabes that got on my last nerve. so many things Ive done is stupid but it had to be done to learn. I operate alot smarter now but dont think I still bite the big one here and there.
I love the profession it free and it fulfilling. Everyone can see your junk and it makes an impact.
Deaton Design
New Member
Nope, sure wouldnt.
Why not?
Arlo Kalon 2.0
New Member
In a heartbeat. Only thing I'd do different is never get into vinyl. Sign painting didn't die out - sign painters just freaked over Gerber machines and put their brushes away for good. I would eek out a living with whatever painting work I could get... waiting for it to come back around again as it is doing now.
OldPaint
New Member
WELLLLLLLLLLL..........that definition sure isnt what the business is today, i can say this as AN OLD TIMER, WHEN it was real money maker, iam talkin 60-90% PROFIT ON EVEY JOB!!!!!!!! now thats making money. didnt need a printer, shop, computer, business plan, how to figure cost of materials,
i been HAND PAINTING since i was in my teens, when the big thing was putting a name on your really kool car front fenders, like 40's to 60's cars had. you was really kool if you could reproduce "THE RAT FINK" on some bodies trunk lid or do one of ED ROTHS wild child, hot rod cartoons. reproduce a FRANK FRAZETTA painting, also know for MOLLY HACHETT music album covers on the sides of a big van. ANDDDDDD YOU MADE SCHIT LOAD of money. like i said 60-90% PROFIT!!!! all we had was a few $20 brushes, 10-12 cans of REAL ONE SHOT, some where really good with an AIR BRUSH, and they got the BIG BUCKS))))) in those day to airbrush a frazetta on 2 sides of a van could get you anywhere from $750- $2000, depending on how far you went with it. most job required a clear coat, and that was not included in the art work price. we would go to the body shop, help the owner of the shop mask off the van, and turn it into a party. now $750-$2000 was 1970-1979 MONEY......cost of materials outa that maybe $100)))) DENNY'S had a $2.99 breakfast)))) gallon of gas was .55. average yearly income was $11-15000.00!!!!! could buy a new house for $30k!!! new car in 1970 was $4000.00 in 79 it was almost $8000.00. so to do 1 job and make that kinda money while most people with jobs, was only making $11k...........was awesome.
i became a full time sign painter in 1986. just wish i woulda done it sooner. bout that time the GERBER 4B was the hot ticket. once the vinyl became a mainstay..........profits started to go into materials & equipment. today the "lowball" printers have destroyed a money making business. i have a "niche" market, and am 67, and i got all the work i want, doing ONLY what i want to!!! so for me to get into this as it is today..........NO WAY JOSE))))))))))) the way i see it, the inmates have takin over the ASYLUM)))))) but i would be still be doing some painting........as i CAN.........
OldPaint, I sure wish I was old enough to work, have a car, or drive in that era. I love me an old 1948-1954 Chevy 3100. I like Rat Fink work too! I'm sure you have talent of just drawing in general because the work on some of those I have seen in pictures is AMAZING, and I know I couldn't do it rightnow. I'd love to be able to draw good enough to do seasonal paintings on windows like they have at the local grocery.
I know some out there are still making a killing, but I know it's not as easy as it used to be to make decent money. I don't have a full blown retail store where people can drive by seeing me, but I can already feel I will have tons of competition with online retailers. I need to get into sign painting as it seems it can't really be taken for granted so much as "graphic design" can these days. If I had the drawing ability I'd be doing it rightnow.
I know some out there are still making a killing, but I know it's not as easy as it used to be to make decent money. I don't have a full blown retail store where people can drive by seeing me, but I can already feel I will have tons of competition with online retailers. I need to get into sign painting as it seems it can't really be taken for granted so much as "graphic design" can these days. If I had the drawing ability I'd be doing it rightnow.
OldPaint
New Member
you right. every "computer capable" 20 year old today thinks he is a GRAPHIC DESIGNER!!!!
he can play with photoshop and PRINT SHOP)))))
i do paintwork STILL.....and the nice thing is......NOBODY ELSE CAN!!!! you can bet i get paid very well when i wet a brush. i just dont understand NONE OF THE NEWBIES... want to learn to do paint. but then again, i stared at 4-5 years old with a pencil and crayons.......and was good at it then. i went to 1st grade, and the teacher couldnt get over how i was already doing 3 d drawings...........while all the rest was still doing 1 dimensional. i got into cars/car mags 1955-57, saw ED ROTHS work........and was hooked. my mind said.........I CAN DRAW THAT!!! and i did))))))))
as for WINDOW SPLASH work............which you refer to as store windows, not much call for it anymore. wasa big thing in 80-90's, and i did a bunch of em. thats another one of them 90% PROFIT 10% materials jobs. now you get into TIME vs MONEY. you not only had to have drawing talent to make things to scale on any sized window, but you had to be quick with layin down paint. EX: say you got a window 6 ft tall X 10ft wide. now this is gona be 2- 6 x 5 panes. divider in the middle. 6 x 10 is 60 sq ft. most window splash work is freehand, and loose. that work was usually $5-8 sq ft. high detailed work would get ya $10-12 a sq ft. lets work with the $5 for figures. $5 x 60= $300.00. on this type of work max time to allow for it would be 3 hours. $100 an hour job. do 2 of these a day...........$600 for 6 hours work))))) materials might be $50 for both jobs. 1st thing you coat out the window with any cheap white latex paint, of as i did i use KILZ. drys faster and blocks out better.take a pencil draw out what you want on it.........break out some 1 SHOT, or poster paints(if its in a area that wont get wet, and get it painted. then you go back with a razor blade and scrap away the white paint you didnt pain on..........usually 2 hours...... for $275!!!!
he can play with photoshop and PRINT SHOP)))))
i do paintwork STILL.....and the nice thing is......NOBODY ELSE CAN!!!! you can bet i get paid very well when i wet a brush. i just dont understand NONE OF THE NEWBIES... want to learn to do paint. but then again, i stared at 4-5 years old with a pencil and crayons.......and was good at it then. i went to 1st grade, and the teacher couldnt get over how i was already doing 3 d drawings...........while all the rest was still doing 1 dimensional. i got into cars/car mags 1955-57, saw ED ROTHS work........and was hooked. my mind said.........I CAN DRAW THAT!!! and i did))))))))
as for WINDOW SPLASH work............which you refer to as store windows, not much call for it anymore. wasa big thing in 80-90's, and i did a bunch of em. thats another one of them 90% PROFIT 10% materials jobs. now you get into TIME vs MONEY. you not only had to have drawing talent to make things to scale on any sized window, but you had to be quick with layin down paint. EX: say you got a window 6 ft tall X 10ft wide. now this is gona be 2- 6 x 5 panes. divider in the middle. 6 x 10 is 60 sq ft. most window splash work is freehand, and loose. that work was usually $5-8 sq ft. high detailed work would get ya $10-12 a sq ft. lets work with the $5 for figures. $5 x 60= $300.00. on this type of work max time to allow for it would be 3 hours. $100 an hour job. do 2 of these a day...........$600 for 6 hours work))))) materials might be $50 for both jobs. 1st thing you coat out the window with any cheap white latex paint, of as i did i use KILZ. drys faster and blocks out better.take a pencil draw out what you want on it.........break out some 1 SHOT, or poster paints(if its in a area that wont get wet, and get it painted. then you go back with a razor blade and scrap away the white paint you didnt pain on..........usually 2 hours...... for $275!!!!
skyhigh
New Member
I really enjoy the sign business....and I've done fairly well. It hasn't made me rich, but I did pretty well for a "mom & pop" place. I suppose our good luck hasn't been luck at all, but the abilities and equipment to do things most shops can not.
Yes I love the sign business......but instead, I think I would rather have been a spoiled (filthy) rich kid.
maybe a pro golfer?....Only if they allowed carts & coolers (with beer)
movie star?.......nah, I would hate being bothered for autographs
Let me get back to you.
Yes I love the sign business......but instead, I think I would rather have been a spoiled (filthy) rich kid.
maybe a pro golfer?....Only if they allowed carts & coolers (with beer)
movie star?.......nah, I would hate being bothered for autographs
Let me get back to you.
Last edited:
OldPaint
New Member
i never took pics of windows as i considered most it "quck n dirty" nothing to boast about, but did what it was intended to do.
this is one of the best in the business today preston mccall..........enjoy.
http://prestonmccall.com/showroompainting.htm
this is one of the best in the business today preston mccall..........enjoy.
http://prestonmccall.com/showroompainting.htm