You remind me very much of my Financial Management professor in college...one of the sharpest people I ever met in my life (as far as business was concerned...I didn't know much else about him). You sound as though you have formal education in business concepts (and also communication skills). You could also simply have taught yourself such things...but it is more likely, in my mind, that you have taken classes in these subjects. Have you? (Just curious).
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How Long Have You Been a Signmaker?
- Thread starter Fred Weiss
- Start date
Fred Weiss
Merchant Member
Nothing particular in the way of formal education. I've always had good language skills. My father was self-employed most of his life so I was raised with somewhat of an entrepreneurial outlook and was never satisfied working for others.
My first business venture was a Christmas tree stand as a teenager. Two weeks of standing by an oil drum fire with frozen feet and split chapped lips and managed to actually make one dollar in profit. Grew up in the coin laundry business where I learned how to deal with people and repair mechanical devices. Four years in the Navy where they taught me electronics (Hated it but it was probably the most useful experience in my life).
But I'm basically a self-taught opportunist having found out along the way that I had a creative side that was capable of producing work that others would like and buy.
My first business venture was a Christmas tree stand as a teenager. Two weeks of standing by an oil drum fire with frozen feet and split chapped lips and managed to actually make one dollar in profit. Grew up in the coin laundry business where I learned how to deal with people and repair mechanical devices. Four years in the Navy where they taught me electronics (Hated it but it was probably the most useful experience in my life).
But I'm basically a self-taught opportunist having found out along the way that I had a creative side that was capable of producing work that others would like and buy.
THATgirl
New Member
yeah Fred! It's fun to find out that what you love doing you can make money at! I used to feel bad charging for my signs because I had so much fun making them. Then I started to charge by what bill was due. (power bill......27.99......sho-card price........27.99) Then I was told 'you don't charge enough' so I started charging more. I have been making signs for 30 years next August. I love it......it would be nice to not have it be so up and down but it has still been a fun career!
SteadyBenny
New Member
How long?
I started in this business around 1989 and left around 1991 (was fired). Due to bunch of bad luck and a blemish on my personal record (misdemeanor, served 6 months under house arrest) the only people that would hire me crappy jobs like a car wash. I struggled for 12+ years like that. This was all over a bit of pot, not even 1/8 of an oz... to all you kids that think it is cool to smoke pot, think about trying to apply for a job, if you lie and say you were not convicted, they WILL find out. If you do say you were convicted, who's going to hire you?
I never went to jail. I had one of those things on my leg like Martha Stewart does now. Even though it came off six months later, and I have not smoked or drank since I was arrested in 1991, to this day I'm paying for it.
In 2003 I bought a Graphtec CE1000-60 used (about 1996-97 vintage) and started making signs again. In 2004 I took a part time job at a retail store (mostly nights and weekends) for 30 hours a week and was doing signs during the weekdays another 30 hours a week. I had my hours cut after Christmas to 20 hours. Doesn't bother me, more time to make signs...
I got married in 1996 and my wife has a good job. We were able to buy our house in 1999. I was still a minimum wage earner in those days. The retail store doesn't pay a lot more than minimum wage right now.
I started in this business around 1989 and left around 1991 (was fired). Due to bunch of bad luck and a blemish on my personal record (misdemeanor, served 6 months under house arrest) the only people that would hire me crappy jobs like a car wash. I struggled for 12+ years like that. This was all over a bit of pot, not even 1/8 of an oz... to all you kids that think it is cool to smoke pot, think about trying to apply for a job, if you lie and say you were not convicted, they WILL find out. If you do say you were convicted, who's going to hire you?
I never went to jail. I had one of those things on my leg like Martha Stewart does now. Even though it came off six months later, and I have not smoked or drank since I was arrested in 1991, to this day I'm paying for it.
In 2003 I bought a Graphtec CE1000-60 used (about 1996-97 vintage) and started making signs again. In 2004 I took a part time job at a retail store (mostly nights and weekends) for 30 hours a week and was doing signs during the weekdays another 30 hours a week. I had my hours cut after Christmas to 20 hours. Doesn't bother me, more time to make signs...
I got married in 1996 and my wife has a good job. We were able to buy our house in 1999. I was still a minimum wage earner in those days. The retail store doesn't pay a lot more than minimum wage right now.
I've been employed full time in the sign business since 1993. I sort of fell into this business after working in a variety of other fields after art school (television, independent marketing firms, etc.). Yeah, I'm one of those guys that actually has an art degree (BFA in illustration to be exact). I've always been good at lettering and painting. The first signs I painted were for my aunt's restaurant in New Mexico. I did that when I was in junior high school. Anyway, in the early 1990s I was trying to land jobs in large market TV stations or design studios, but the sign company where I am employed offered me more money -with the added plus of the city having a low cost of living. Pretty easy math.
I don't think the sign industry gets a great deal of respect. And since it doesn't have the obvious glamour of jobs with shi-shi design studios or big advertising agencies the sign industry has a tough time attracting talent. Combine that with the stupid idea many business people have that computers are the thing creating the art, therefore any minimum wage guy is good enough and things get more difficult.
I don't think it is absolultely necessary for a sign designer to have a degree or lots of formal training. But I do stongly believe such jobs require a strong amount of graphic design knowledge and talent, regardless of the designer's background. I'm just so sick and tired of seeing "font murder" and other abominations of graphic design being vomited out by lots of amateurs. A sign is the most important marketing tool for any business with a store front. The design of the sign should not be handled lightly.
I don't think the sign industry gets a great deal of respect. And since it doesn't have the obvious glamour of jobs with shi-shi design studios or big advertising agencies the sign industry has a tough time attracting talent. Combine that with the stupid idea many business people have that computers are the thing creating the art, therefore any minimum wage guy is good enough and things get more difficult.
I don't think it is absolultely necessary for a sign designer to have a degree or lots of formal training. But I do stongly believe such jobs require a strong amount of graphic design knowledge and talent, regardless of the designer's background. I'm just so sick and tired of seeing "font murder" and other abominations of graphic design being vomited out by lots of amateurs. A sign is the most important marketing tool for any business with a store front. The design of the sign should not be handled lightly.
gcljlamb
New Member
In my heart...
...all my life. Almost 39 years, paper and pencil. My granddad used to put my art on his refridgerator.
I've considered myself a student of art and graphics ever since I can remember, but never went to "work" at it until this last year. I worked part time at a T-Shirt shop running Freehand on a Mac back in 2000 and really enjoyed it. Felt like I was called into full time ministry (still do), left for St. Louis in 2001, went to Arkansas in 2002, left in 2003, came back home in 2004 when my wife got sick and went jobless for 6 months. Found an ad for a signmaker with experience with Flexi. I knew it was a long shot, but I went to the owner and convinced him to give me a shot at learning the program and sign making. Over the course of 2 weeks (working for nothing) I learned the program and enough about making signs (mostly vinyl, some digital print) that the owner (20+ years experience) gave me the job. Got an offer to start my own sign business while managing the marketing for a friend of mine and that's where I am now. It's funny, I've done lots of different jobs searching for the one that I wouldn't get bored with. Turns out it's the very thing I loved to do as a kid. Draw pictures. Now I get to draw 'em and stick 'em on everybody elses "refridgerators"
...all my life. Almost 39 years, paper and pencil. My granddad used to put my art on his refridgerator.
I've considered myself a student of art and graphics ever since I can remember, but never went to "work" at it until this last year. I worked part time at a T-Shirt shop running Freehand on a Mac back in 2000 and really enjoyed it. Felt like I was called into full time ministry (still do), left for St. Louis in 2001, went to Arkansas in 2002, left in 2003, came back home in 2004 when my wife got sick and went jobless for 6 months. Found an ad for a signmaker with experience with Flexi. I knew it was a long shot, but I went to the owner and convinced him to give me a shot at learning the program and sign making. Over the course of 2 weeks (working for nothing) I learned the program and enough about making signs (mostly vinyl, some digital print) that the owner (20+ years experience) gave me the job. Got an offer to start my own sign business while managing the marketing for a friend of mine and that's where I am now. It's funny, I've done lots of different jobs searching for the one that I wouldn't get bored with. Turns out it's the very thing I loved to do as a kid. Draw pictures. Now I get to draw 'em and stick 'em on everybody elses "refridgerators"