Geneva Olson
Expert Storyteller
Did everyone else's business just shoot up ?!
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how's business?
- Thread starter Geneva Olson
- Start date
Texas_Signmaker
Very Active Signmaker
I've noticed it more busy the last two months. My local business is up 25% this year. National is down slightly... which equals out to being even with last year. October was my busiest month ever. Lot of bigger jobs
Goatshaver
Shaving goats and eating bushes
I work with a lot of cannabis companies so Oct/Nov are always busy for me because it's harvest season for them.
Geneva Olson
Expert Storyteller
good one! do you ever trade graphics for product?
Goatshaver
Shaving goats and eating bushes
100%good one! do you ever trade graphics for product?
I'll get "gifts" as well for helping them out with a quick turnaround.They've pretty much have given me 99% of my business over the last 6 years.
Geneva Olson
Expert Storyteller
THATS AWESOME! good for you!100%
They've pretty much have given me 99% of my business over the last 6 years.
It's been crazy busy this year.
Usually oct-dec we lose money - October we did 200k Proffitt, November and December we already have 150k Proffitt booked... I think in the 50 years the company has been in business, that's only ever happened once or twice. I think this year we have a 30% jump in revenue.
It's funny because we're also dead - it's a lot of larger projects that pay well, that we knock out quickly.... Almost all of our 1-5 smaller ord sign jobs have disappeared last month, and it's all larger projects.
My home / second business has been busy too - same thing.... Larger orders, I used to do 1-2 signs for random people which took up a ton of time, now I'm spitting out couple thousand dollar sticker / lamacoid orders for multiple customers every month.
The economy here overall seems to be down, with most people limiting their spending... But it seems like the bigger companies and government jobs have been spending like crazy.
Usually oct-dec we lose money - October we did 200k Proffitt, November and December we already have 150k Proffitt booked... I think in the 50 years the company has been in business, that's only ever happened once or twice. I think this year we have a 30% jump in revenue.
It's funny because we're also dead - it's a lot of larger projects that pay well, that we knock out quickly.... Almost all of our 1-5 smaller ord sign jobs have disappeared last month, and it's all larger projects.
My home / second business has been busy too - same thing.... Larger orders, I used to do 1-2 signs for random people which took up a ton of time, now I'm spitting out couple thousand dollar sticker / lamacoid orders for multiple customers every month.
The economy here overall seems to be down, with most people limiting their spending... But it seems like the bigger companies and government jobs have been spending like crazy.
My workplace has been busy as all hell lately. But a big part of that business was a major shakeup with our two local hospitals. One of them embarked on a major brand change. So we've been tasked with re-designing and re-doing all of their exterior signage as well as the signage at their affiliated clinics in this region. There is a giant amount of interior signage that has to be changed too, but the outdoor stuff is more urgent. While working on all of that we got informed they were buying the other rival local hospital. So we have all of that stuff to change too. The hospital has a very picky marketing department, which has resulted in a whole lot of design revisions for everything. That has made the work load even bigger. Oh, and I almost forgot. We have to get all of this shit done by December 31. Everyone is stressed the F#$! out.
Meanwhile we still have lots and lots of other customers to take care of. The local hospitals aren't our only "big" client. Some of the other clients are pretty big in their own right. This has involved working a fair bit of overtime and taking work home with me to finish (violating the work-life balance).
Still, looking at other things happening in the broader economy, I'm working my @$$ off right now because I'm very worried the bottom is going to fall out of our economy within the next few months. We'll busy as hell and then all of a sudden we'll be twidling our thumbs, not having anything to do. I still remember the dead doldrums of the post dot-com bubble burst in 2000. Business was flat out dead at our shop during that time. I'm praying we don't go through that again. But it seems like the country is asking for it.
Meanwhile we still have lots and lots of other customers to take care of. The local hospitals aren't our only "big" client. Some of the other clients are pretty big in their own right. This has involved working a fair bit of overtime and taking work home with me to finish (violating the work-life balance).
Still, looking at other things happening in the broader economy, I'm working my @$$ off right now because I'm very worried the bottom is going to fall out of our economy within the next few months. We'll busy as hell and then all of a sudden we'll be twidling our thumbs, not having anything to do. I still remember the dead doldrums of the post dot-com bubble burst in 2000. Business was flat out dead at our shop during that time. I'm praying we don't go through that again. But it seems like the country is asking for it.
Eforcer
Sign Up!
Overwhelmed. Orders keep coming in. Literlly shut my doors 2 days to catch up. Of course this happens, when we are moving our residence.
TopFliteGraphics
Here since 2011
Up over 28% year to date vs last year. And that is after 2023 was up 27.5% over 2022. And 2024 was up 26% over 2023. To add some perspective, my sales have more than doubled since 2022 and I have managed to keep staffing the same. AND because I use the Profit First method, my profits are also WAY up 
jfiscus
Rap Master
Maxed out on space at our current location, business is up though. Trying to find ways to be more efficient and cram more equipment and people into the same space. Looking for a new location in the same area for a move within the next couple years, but need at least double the space to grow...
Stacey K
I like making signs
Interesting. My business was down this year overall. I did move in July so that had something to do with it but Spring was not as busy as usual with vehicle graphics. My friend who has an apparel business with signs on the side was down 19% overall. The last couple weeks have been very busy but I don't think as much as other years. A friend of mine who is a decent sized landscaper of high-end work said this was the first year in many years that he was bidding against others to get jobs. He was very concerned. My sister just sold her daycare of 22 years. It was the first Fall she didn't have a long waiting list in 22 years. My tavern customer said his business was down this year also.
Maybe it's just my area here in Wisconsin.
Maybe it's just my area here in Wisconsin.
Graphic Extremes
Knows To Little
Not sure if I am up that much for the year, but the last few months are so busy I can not keep up with it.
Eforcer
Sign Up!
Sorry it is not up for you, but maybe moving slowed it down...
Stacey K
I like making signs
Yes, it did and I expected it. It worked out OK for me considering all the moving I did with my business and personal residence and I'm trying to partially retire.
It's interesting to me so many small businesses in my area are down this year and from what I'm reading above, that's not the case in other areas of the country.
signexpertai
New Member
We can help with your orders 24/7—let the A.I. take calls for you and send you call summaries by email, fully automated.
By the way, for one of our clients, business had been very low this year. After investigating, it turned out Google was penalizing their website because of a ma*ware issue, and unfortunately they discovered it too late.
Another problem was that their website was hosted on GoDaddy. You have to pay an extra 300 for website security, which they didn’t—so their website got h*cked. The h**kers began linking low-reputation websites to their site, and as a result Google started penalizing them.
Always keep an eye on the backend of your websites.
By the way, for one of our clients, business had been very low this year. After investigating, it turned out Google was penalizing their website because of a ma*ware issue, and unfortunately they discovered it too late.
Another problem was that their website was hosted on GoDaddy. You have to pay an extra 300 for website security, which they didn’t—so their website got h*cked. The h**kers began linking low-reputation websites to their site, and as a result Google started penalizing them.
Always keep an eye on the backend of your websites.
Texas_Signmaker
Very Active Signmaker
We see how AI talks around here. I can imagine it picking up the phone and blabbering more than my wife does... Noooo thank you.
signexpertai
New Member
hahahah
Texas_Signmaker
Very Active Signmaker
I was curious about this AI receptionist so for kicks I called the phone number on your website... no one answered, not a person or an AI attendant. Just dead air. You're website says your AI receptionist works without needing lunch breaks, sick days or vacation.
The address on your website is bogus and doesn't even match the area code. There is nothing about your company online or who you are. You claim to be the sign expert, so you'd think one would post information about their background on there. You're hiding behind AI written posts, AI written website. Maybe someone typed "Make me an AI business and run it for me" and AI thinks spamming a sign industry forum website is the best place to start. Internet gets worse everyday.