WOW!

[eahicks]

Is anyone else experiencing a surge in business? We've been just slammed the past couple weeks and it keeps on coming. First half of July was crickets, guess all the 4th of July vacations ended and everyone's back to ordering now. Haven't had to time to get on here for days. Guess it's a good problem to have.

 

[petepaz]

we are pretty busy here also

 

[JTBoh]

We've been slammed since about a month after Irma. In 10 years in the trade, every day since has been the busiest I've seen.

Here's to hoping El Nino never materializes.

 

[rjssigns]

Super busy with lettering yacht transoms this year. Just finished one last Saturday. People with money are spending it. God bless 'em.

 

[fuzzy_cam]

Slammed here in Texas. Historically, July has never been a booming month, at our shop at least. Somehow still find the time to browse Signs101 though

 

[rjssigns]

Slammed here in Texas. Historically, July has never been a booming month, at our shop at least. Somehow still find the time to browse Signs101 though

Slacker, get back to work!

 

[TheSnowman]

Steady here. Just about right. I closed my "retail walk in" strategy though, and just do it all by going to customers, or via email. This is the first year it's kinda been under control, and still the same financially.

 

[Solventinkjet]

Slammed here in Texas. Historically, July has never been a booming month, at our shop at least. Somehow still find the time to browse Signs101 though

My boss is always saying, "Do those guys on Signs101 ever work?!" For kicks one day we calculated how much time Gino has to spend on Signs101 per day to get to 29,000+ posts in 12 years. It's about 6 posts per day which we figured takes about an hour or so to complete.

Also, I have been hearing from customers that they are slammed every day now. The industry seems to be chugging along fine. That being said, as someone who started their adult life during a major recession, I am always planning for the next one.

 

[TimToad]

Is anyone else experiencing a surge in business? We've been just slammed the past couple weeks and it keeps on coming. First half of July was crickets, guess all the 4th of July vacations ended and everyone's back to ordering now. Haven't had to time to get on here for days. Guess it's a good problem to have.

Oil prices have gone up 45% in the last year, so a good chunk of your local growth could be related to that. It takes a little while for the effect of those rises to kick into the economy overall, but seems logical to me.

We've been growing 10% annually and steadily busy for four consecutive years. People dump on California all the time, but we've found it to be a very good place to be for folks that show up, are reliable, do good work and are professional in their approach.

 

[Marlene]

The fiscal years ends to a lot of places this time of the year. We get an uptick in those trying to get in before it ends or buying because it is the start of a new year.

 

[EffectiveCause]

This is the year all the new tax changes kick in and businesses can deduct 100% of their expenses. This seems to have boosted spending across multiple industries. Printing is my side gig. Full time I build Peterbilt trucks and right now we have a back log of over 30,000 trucks which is more than twice as high as its ever been.

 

[TimToad]

This is the year all the new tax changes kick in and businesses can deduct 100% of their expenses. This seems to have boosted spending across multiple industries. Printing is my side gig. Full time I build Peterbilt trucks and right now we have a back log of over 30,000 trucks which is more than twice as high as its ever been.

What tax law prevented a business from deducting all business related expenses BEFORE the recent changes?

 

[EffectiveCause]

What tax law prevented a business from deducting all business related expenses BEFORE the recent changes?

They way it was explained to me after a certain amount and for some expenses it maxed out at 80%

 

[TimToad]

They way it was explained to me after a certain amount and for some expenses it maxed out at 80%

It sounds to me like you're referring to the new ability to take the entire deduction for capital expenditures in one year instead of the old system where you would depreciate major purchases over multiple years. A bit of a shell game and very short sighted because you lose the ability to use the deductions spread evenly over several years if you don't buy anything major in subsequent years. It adds a big chunk to the deficit, but folks don't seem to care much about the deficit and spending now that the black dude is out of office.

 

[tattoo.dan]

Steady here. Just about right. I closed my "retail walk in" strategy though, and just do it all by going to customers, or via email. This is the first year it's kinda been under control, and still the same financially.

this right here is what we are debating doing. Seems like we stay too busy and "distracted" during the day with walk-ins that don't amount to much and then we miss out on larger jobs because of fulfilling the last minute "favor" type stuff. Been at it 10 years and have been weeding away a lot of the b.s., but I really think it's time to shut to doors to walk-ins and go appointment only. Working less and the bank account looks the same.

 

[Stacey K]

I've only had my storefront open for 2 months. I'm very busy right now. It only took me a month to figure out walk-ins can suck half your day away. The little rush jobs are encroaching on my larger business jobs - time for that to stop. You can tell immediately with just a short conversation if the customer is going to be easy to work with and let you "take the reigns" or if they are going to suck every minute from your day resulting in a embarrassing finished job and wasted hours. Maybe having 3 teenage boys helps with this intuition...LOL I sent one customer away the other day for his crazy boat fish in a recyliner decals nonsense that he insist I design for FREE - because that's my job. I have no time to do things for free mister! Rant over. Time to get back to work.

 

[Gino]

Ha, this just happened yesterday.

Guy calls and says he's in need of a small sign..... about 9" x 12". He asks if we'd consider doing it. Sure. He goes on to say, he's called 3 or 4 other shops and no one will give him a fair price, let alone even wanna talk about it.

He comes in this morning, gives me the information. I'll flatbed print it on some gold substrate and be out of it for less than $5.00 Charging $55. He then says, he has some other signs he'll be needing. Gives me a list of signs, all sizes and copy. I told him I'd get back to him by Monday at lunch with a quote. He said, I don't need a quote, just tell me how much and if you need a deposit, I'll bring it right over and we'll get started as soon as you can. Looks like it will come to maybe $2,000 to $2,500. Not bad for someone who was shunned by people not wanting to talk a few minutes.

Oh, by the way, it's a Church Association, to boot.​

 

[Johnny Best]

God is watching over you Gino! Did the guy look like Michael Landon?

 

[Gino]

Nope. But I'm glad a watched my tongue. Turned out he was the head pastor for this Church Camp Association. He's got a lotta pull...... in both worlds, I guess you could say.

 

[tattoo.dan]

That's a good deal for you Gino. You'll get a good one every once and a while. But the way yours played out would be more the business model I am wanting to go to. Your preacha man called ahead of time, and then set up a time to come and talk with you in person. He didn't just come through the door while you were in the middle of another job and demand your time right then and there. I've had people actually walk out because I asked them to hold on while I finish laminated this piece, or finish applying this vinyl. Wanted kids name on back of tee ball shirt or something and wanted it done right then. That's the kind of b.s. that I am over.