posted
It would be interesting to know how many signmakers are employees vs. those who are employers or self employed.
I know that "Letterville" does not reflect ALL of the sign people around the globe, but it seems to me that the majority who do post here own their own businesses.
I have a suspicion that most successful (or very talented) signmakers eventually discover that they can earn more money by "going out on their own".
Wouldn't it be helpful if a signmaking/ sign painting school included a class on business too?
Just throwing out the idea.
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted
Well, officially I'm an employee. I don't own anything at the shop and I don't write the paychecks. I manage day to day operations, do the design work, sales and production.
My current helper ran his own shop for 10 years in a nearby town doing vehicle wraps and such. According to him, he's working fewer hours and making more money working for us that he ever did working for himself. His complaint was that he found himself spending more and more time on the business end and not enough on the production end.
I recall a conversation with the Steve several years ago where he told me that a lot of very talented people were having a difficult time making a go of it in the sign business because they didn't handle the business end very well.
I agree that a class on business would be very beneficial.
posted
for myself, the business end has never been a problem. i guess it comes from being raised in "business." my parents bought a grocery store in 1950, i was 5. so i got trained in the "selling" and collecting money early. we ran the grocery store till 1957, when we changed the grocery store over to a BAR. was another CASH business. you serve a drink, you ring up the money. it applies to any business. i was learning bookkeeping from my mother at 14-15, understood p & l sheets and deductions and taxes. so i never had to worry about being able to keep track of monies & how to keep it coming in as i spent it. while in the air force, i ran a payday loan to make extra money. i wold lend money to others, and charge em a flat dollar fee when they returned my money. $20 lent would get me $25 payback, $30 i got $37, $40 i got $50. wasnt much but i never got stiffed. and the one or 2 that tried it, i have alway been able to carry out any threat of physical harm if they didnt pay))))) this also worked in the sign business. had a couple people try to get away without paying for sign work. i aksed one of em what kinda flowers he liked, cause i would send him some while he healed in the hospital & i would be outa jail before he was was walking again if i didnt get the money he owed me TODAY!!! hehehehehehe. i got paid immediately)))))
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Thanks Dave, these are the kinds of conversations I was hoping to encourage.
I agree with what you've said and I would definitely include a business class in the program. I think that our primary goal is to produce qualified well rounded apprentices, to use an unfortunately out dated term. Many times the business end can encourage a young person to work for someone for a while before venturing out too soon. Most businesses fail because of inadequate funding and lack of business knowledge. There's a reason that I am an employee.
Also, I agree with you that most of the folks here seem to be self employed and that is why I thought it was the perfect venue for this discussion. I also need to dialogue with the franchise and the electric sign industries because they represent a large percentage of the employers.
Thanks again-I always appreciate your perspective.
-------------------- Rick Heller Ohio Technical College 1374 E. 51st Street Cleveland, OH 44103 IOAFS Posts: 210 | From: Cleveland, OH | Registered: Nov 2001
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