New to the business

[Legari]

Hi, my name is Qiongxi and I'm from Spain(sorry for my englando!).
Somehow I ended up with a Roland XR-640 in my small business(we mostly print pictures with a Epson D700 and photocopies) and I want to make it my new flow if income as well as getting more work volume with it.
I have a designer working for me, but he has no experience with plotters. Between him and me we've been able to print a couple small jobs, figured out some things about cutting and mostly being fully operational at a basic level.

I've been reading as much as I could since I discovered this site (its awesome, btw), and I know it will look like I want you guys to spoon feed me, but I need help. We've been able to finish a couple jobs and cash in some good money, yet we lost half of our profit due to our inexperience (I know, gotta happen).

Well, enough ranting. I kindly ask for some guidance, I know it aint easy, but I need to know where should I start learning because right now it feels like I want to look at 20 places at the same time.
What should I focus on? I'm about to hire a salesman, since I feel confident enough to print signs for most small business(thats what we're going to target at the start) and we have more things to offer them beside signs.

If you guys need more background, I will be happy to provide it.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Legari]

Shameless bump.

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

Yeah, losing half your profit due to your inexperience will be the least of your problems if you are already hiring salesmen while asking strangers on a forum how to run a sign business from scratch with no experience.

BUT...to answer your question, I'd start by maybe getting a job at an already existing sign shop for awhile and learning not just the basics but also the MANY nuances and language that make up the industry.
If you aren't willing to start there...maybe a few months sitting in front of youtube typing how to .....
There really is no substitute for hands on learning be that working for someone else first...or losing AT LEAST half your profit while making mistakes and losing clients etc.
Good Luck.

 

[ams]

It's better to ask us questions. We can't provide a source to go to for teaching.

 

[TXFB.INS]

There are LOTS of questions that are needed about this Roland machine.

• What does the nozzle test look like,
• What RIP are you using
• What is the ink configuration
• Etc...

The best place to start is go to the Roland website and start looking through their instructional videos.
Also go to YouTube there are lots of videos there that help with how to run the machine


PS: welcome from TX, USA and the search function is going to be your best friend as you learn

 

[Dark Fox]

I agree

I agree with Kentucky. You have to know, at least the basics, of the sign industry. Either work for a while in an established sign company yourself, or hire someone with experience. Yes, they get paid more, but you won't be completely loosing your profits like you are now. Think of it this way.... You're starting a web site building company, but you don't know how to code. To help you out, you hired someone that can code on myspace (if anybody still uses that). Yes they can copy and paste, but you won't be able to build something custom made.

Yeah, losing half your profit due to your inexperience will be the least of your problems if you are already hiring salesmen while asking strangers on a forum how to run a sign business from scratch with no experience.

BUT...to answer your question, I'd start by maybe getting a job at an already existing sign shop for awhile and learning not just the basics but also the MANY nuances and language that make up the industry.
If you aren't willing to start there...maybe a few months sitting in front of youtube typing how to .....
There really is no substitute for hands on learning be that working for someone else first...or losing AT LEAST half your profit while making mistakes and losing clients etc.
Good Luck.

 

[Legari]

Hello guys, thank you for the input.

Yeah, losing half your profit due to your inexperience will be the least of your problems if you are already hiring salesmen while asking strangers on a forum how to run a sign business from scratch with no experience.

BUT...to answer your question, I'd start by maybe getting a job at an already existing sign shop for awhile and learning not just the basics but also the MANY nuances and language that make up the industry.
If you aren't willing to start there...maybe a few months sitting in front of youtube typing how to .....
There really is no substitute for hands on learning be that working for someone else first...or losing AT LEAST half your profit while making mistakes and losing clients etc.
Good Luck.

Yeah, losing half your profit due to your inexperience will be the least of your problems if you are already hiring salesmen while asking strangers on a forum how to run a sign business from scratch with no experience.


About this, we're able to produce easy sign jobs, and the salesmen is supposed to sell much more else than signs, we have way more products and services right now. Signs would be an extra, since I'm know I couldnt fully specialize my business right now into signs. I just want to learn the most I can and save as much time as possible while doing it.

I'd start by maybe getting a job at an already existing sign shop for awhile and learning not just the basics but also the MANY nuances and language that make up the industry.

Sadly, not an option, I still have to run the business, I cant just leave it right now. Maybe I could try to find a part time free job and I could go a couple hours when we close the shop at noon, the thing is I dont know if there would be anyone interested in basically teaching me for free, even if I worked for them a few hours a day in return, when my background on signs is pretty much non existant, leave alone actually finding them.I guess I will have to keep making mistakes and then learning from them.

There are LOTS of questions that are needed about this Roland machine.

• What does the nozzle test look like,
• What RIP are you using
• What is the ink configuration
• Etc...

The best place to start is go to the Roland website and start looking through their instructional videos.
Also go to YouTube there are lots of videos there that help with how to run the machine


PS: welcome from TX, USA and the search function is going to be your best friend as you learn

Yeah, we've learnt most of it searching on youtube and random forums. I kinda want to have a basic guideline of things I should learn before the problem itself appears. We've learnt mostly when we encountered an issue and then to resolve it, we had to search for a solution. What I want know is to start learning before.

I agree with Kentucky. You have to know, at least the basics, of the sign industry. Either work for a while in an established sign company yourself, or hire someone with experience. Yes, they get paid more, but you won't be completely loosing your profits like you are now. Think of it this way.... You're starting a web site building company, but you don't know how to code. To help you out, you hired someone that can code on myspace (if anybody still uses that). Yes they can copy and paste, but you won't be able to build something custom made.

The thing is, hiring someone else? Not an option right now, working for someone else, same answer. We're good learners and we gotta work out it with that haha



Thanks everyone for your responses, I will keep learning from you guys as much as I can, hopefully someday I will look at this thread and laugh at myself : D

 

[Gino]

This might sound stoopid, but what kinda problems are you having ?? Your English is good enough to converse back & forth, so use it.

What kinda signs are you trying to make that are failing to yield a profit ??

Why do you want to enter the sign business of which you know absolutely nothing ?? Because you got a free printer ?? That's a mighty dumb reason.

I have several vehicles, but I don't do car repairs. I have air conditioners in my house, but I don't sell them. I have lotsa things, but that doesn't make me wanna enter into something I know nothing about.

Why not stick to what you know for now........ and do the sign thing on the side and learn as you go ??

If all the options and suggestions given to you so far are outta your ability to do, why cheat customers out of professionally made signs ?? In my best and nicest voice, you are what gives many of us a bad rapp. You're actually making your customers pay for your learning. Also, there are no fast learners in this trade, if you're coming in a back door........ just hacks who catch on quickly.


Good luck............

 

[Legari]

Hello Gino, the sign business will be a side thing for now, but I want to learn it, thats the thing, and I want to speed up the proccess as much as I can.
About losing profit because of inexperience, I know its just that way, and those things happening is a way of learning. I just want to avoid those mistakes by learning first xD

About "why cheat customers out of professionally made signs?", we thrive to provide the best service we can, and so far, we've given good work to our customers, even if that means losing money and a **** ton of time in order to do so.
Our prices are a bit lower than most business around right now because I want to earn as much experience as I can, but I dont do it at the cost of giving low quality signs, my clients always have been happy about the work we delivered.
Im not arguing with you but let me explain something about me, I do cellphone repairs in my business aswell, and there're a couple shops around that rip off people, using low quality replacements, not sealing back the devices properly, etc... Low quality repairs. Then those customers come to my business and they think everyone in this field is the same and I have to educate them about it. Yeah, those ****ers are giving me a bad rep.
But let me tell you something, I've taught myself to repair cellphones/tablets, the same way I'm trying to learn the signs business: INTERNET. Im not saying both business are the same, but you telling me that I'm cheating customers out of proffesional signs, well, it made me salty. I'm telling you the cellphones thing because I cant find a better way to explain it with my limited english, maybe you've seen really poor signs made by newbies that charged the same amount than a so-called "professional", but that may not be my case, I want to give my customers the best service and products I can, and if I **** up something because I'm a newbie, I learn from it and redo the work, so I can provide what the customers is asking for.

Why I'm trying to get into a new business? Well, the other stuff I got around here dont have a good future right now, so I'm looking for something else. I dont have any problem right now beside not having enough customers, but I just wanted to find some basic guidance in my learning way.

I know you dont say this with malice, but the same way I dont know you nor your business, you dont know me nor my business. Telling me I give some you a bad rep feels out of context here.

I wont answer to some of your other question because I feel like somewhere you understood me and I've explained the rest above, thanks for answering!

 

[Gino]

Hi, my name is Qiongxi and I'm from Spain(sorry for my englando!).
Somehow I ended up with a Roland XR-640 in my small business(we mostly print pictures with a Epson D700 and photocopies) and I want to make it my new flow if income as well as getting more work volume with it.
I have a designer working for me, but he has no experience with plotters. Between him and me we've been able to print a couple small jobs, figured out some things about cutting and mostly being fully operational at a basic level.

I've been reading as much as I could since I discovered this site (its awesome, btw), and I know it will look like I want you guys to spoon feed me, but I need help. We've been able to finish a couple jobs and cash in some good money, yet we lost half of our profit due to our inexperience (I know, gotta happen).

Well, enough ranting. I kindly ask for some guidance, I know it aint easy, but I need to know where should I start learning because right now it feels like I want to look at 20 places at the same time.
What should I focus on? I'm about to hire a salesman, since I feel confident enough to print signs for most small business(thats what we're going to target at the start) and we have more things to offer them beside signs.

If you guys need more background, I will be happy to provide it.

Thanks in advance!

Hello Gino, the sign business will be a side thing for now, but I want to learn it, thats the thing, and I want to speed up the proccess as much as I can.
About losing profit because of inexperience, I know its just that way, and those things happening is a way of learning. I just want to avoid those mistakes by learning first xD

About "why cheat customers out of professionally made signs?", we thrive to provide the best service we can, and so far, we've given good work to our customers, even if that means losing money and a **** ton of time in order to do so.
Our prices are a bit lower than most business around right now because I want to earn as much experience as I can, but I dont do it at the cost of giving low quality signs, my clients always have been happy about the work we delivered.
Im not arguing with you but let me explain something about me, I do cellphone repairs in my business aswell, and there're a couple shops around that rip off people, using low quality replacements, not sealing back the devices properly, etc... Low quality repairs. Then those customers come to my business and they think everyone in this field is the same and I have to educate them about it. Yeah, those ****ers are giving me a bad rep. But let me tell you something, I've taught myself to repair cellphones/tablets, the same way I'm trying to learn the signs business: INTERNET. Im not saying both business are the same, but you telling me that I'm cheating customers out of proffesional signs, well, it made me salty. I'm telling you the cellphones thing because I cant find a better way to explain it with my limited english, maybe you've seen really poor signs made by newbies that charged the same amount than a so-called "professional", but that may not be my case, I want to give my customers the best service and products I can, and if I **** up something because I'm a newbie, I learn from it and redo the work, so I can provide what the customers is asking for.

Why I'm trying to get into a new business? Well, the other stuff I got around here dont have a good future right now, so I'm looking for something else. I dont have any problem right now beside not having enough customers, but I just wanted to find some basic guidance in my learning way.

I know you dont say this with malice, but the same way I dont know you nor your business, you dont know me nor my business. Telling me I give some you a bad rep feels out of context here.

I wont answer to some of your other question because I feel like somewhere you understood me and I've explained the rest above, thanks for answering!

Listen Lagari, you do whatever it is you wanna do and sugarcoat it anyway you want. In my opinion, which don't mean squat to you or anyone else around here, is my opinion and you aren't gonna change it.

I'm not gonna give you a tongue lashing, but let's see why I said the things I said and see why I feel the way I do. All of YOUR words in red are the red flags which indicate a hack. The blue is an emotional story that serves no purpose to why you are exploring the sign trade. What you want and strive for vs. what you put out are two different things, by your own admissions. You've stated several times, your other business[es] are failing and no future, so you wanna come in a back door and learn as fast as possible a trade that some of us have dedicated years and decades to making professional. First, you want to make it your focus, then you want to make it a sideline, then you want to learn as fast as possible cause everything else is falling apart. There is no language barrier when one makes excuses for one's shortcomings. You either can..... or you can't. Nothing wrong with being self-taught, but to think you're gonna do this in the sense you want, it ludicrous.

No, it was not said in malice... but in truth and if the truth hurts you, then so be it. Nothing out of context, either. You are preforming at a low end hack sign shop level. Nothing more, nothing less. Remember, you came here looking for guidance and easy lessons on how to start a business. A business I happen to know a lot about and many others here do, too. If you want to be in this business, don't make excuses for doing things through the proper channels or cutting corners, cause you're desperate. You do things for less money is the biggest pet peeve I have. You shouldn't be charging a thing, if it's all experimental on your end.

 

[2B]

If what you are looking for is a list of issues and how they were resolved, then you will need to

• make a list and then post them or
• MUCH BETTER IDEA - use the dedicated section for your printer and see what issues have come up and what the solutions were for those issues

bottom line this forum is packed full of past issues either being for specific issues related to machines or more general issues related to making products.
again the best way to become prepared is to search the forum or wait for the issue to arise and then learn how to fix it

 

[Legari]

Sugarcoat? Lawl.
I guess that my other business are "failing" by your definition if they have no future, but you have no clue of what I do and why it has no future.
Shortcomings? Actually since I took the business from my parents it has grown up, but times changes as I told them 5 years ago that some things tend to go worse, its pointless for me to keep trying to float up film negative pics, its pointless.

I'm performing on a low end? Ofc, thats why I'm trying to ******* learn. If I had a high end studio I wouldnt be asking those questions. What I tried to tell you with you blue lined quote is that I want to learn, and I'm just looking to receive an extra help from experienced people. I didnt say I want to learn in 2 days what you've spent years on, but as I said before, GUIDELINES.

About the work we deliver, I strive to do it and I do it. You havent seen any of my work, but I can tell you, I've seen much worse from other shops. If I'm not happy with what I've done, I will do it again, yet it seems like that for you, I've made a **** sign 100%, no matter what, based on the little you know about me.

Btw, I want to make it my focus, yet it will be a sideline for now until I can make it my main business cuz well, money dont grow on trees.

Dunno, you might be trying to help me from going bankrupt in the future, but no matter what I want to learn, I guess I will just find my way.

Once again, thank you for your time, even if we disagree, I appreciate that : )

If what you are looking for is a list of issues and how they were resolved, then you will need to

• make a list and then post them or
• MUCH BETTER IDEA - use the dedicated section for your printer and see what issues have come up and what the solutions were for those issues

bottom line this forum is packed full of past issues either being for specific issues related to machines or more general issues related to making products.
again the best way to become prepared is to search the forum or wait for the issue to arise and then learn how to fix it

I dont have a problem RIGHT NOW, I just want to learn before the issue comes up haha

 

[Legari]

Anyways, I dont feel like this is going anywhere, from now on I will focus on asking the specifics as they appear, thanks everyone!

 

[Andy D]

Sorry Qiongxi, sometimes when you post stuff here it's worse than running with the bulls
Welcome to the forum though...

Unfortunately you're going to have a hard time making this work with no prior
experience. What I would do if I were you, is hold off on hiring a salesperson until
you're fully functional & offer lots of money to someone with experience, maybe at another shop,
to either come work for you or to come in on the weekends and show you how to run and apply
vinyl and prints....

Hell, If you happen to have a villa at Barcelo Castillo, I'll grab my speedos and come train you for free

 

[Legari]

Sorry Legari, sometimes when you post stuff here it's worse than running with the bulls
Welcome to the forum though...

Unfortunately you're going to have a hard time making this work with no prior
experience. What I would do if I were you, is hold off on hiring a salesperson until
you're fully functional & offer lots of money to someone with experience, maybe at another shop,
to either come work for you or to come in on the weekends and show you how to run and apply
vinyl and prints....

Hell, If you happen to have a villa at Barcelo Castillo, I'll grab my speedos and come train you for free

About the salesperson, he will be selling other services aswell, I'm still looking for one tho.
I guess I could try to hire someone with experience to come in on the weekends to teach us.
We can apply simple vinyl right now and I found someone who does the installation right now for our customers.

Sadly I dont have a a villa at Barceló Castillo : D but if any day you come to Madrid, I will give you a tour!

 

[Andy D]

Okay, but just so you know, this is what you missed out on....

 

[Legari]

Okay, but just so you know, this is what you missed out on....

Daaaaaamn, dat body. Know I really want to get into the business to get money so I can invite you.

 

[inkfrog]

I would offer the following advice;

Start at the beginning and work in stages learning different aspects of the back end of sign production. What software will you use in your production workflow? Learn that software, learn about typography, colours, different file formats and their pros and cons.

Look at good designs, work out why they are good. Learn about different vinyls and digital medias, what does one range do that another doesnt? Why is one range more expensive than another?

Different substrates, what they are made of, what are their limitations?

In short, as others have said, its a long hard slog, theres no quick fix to producing quality product, of being able to advise a customer on which method of production or materials would best suit their needs. If I were you I would slow down a little before you start to think about supplying signage on a commercial basis. Make some different signs for your existing business, good ones.

 

[player]

Post your signs.

Tell us your other business.

 

[rossmosh]

First, everyone starts off knowing 0 about a subject. So don't let people discourage you based on that. Everyone on this forum started knowing nothing about design, print, signs, ect ect ect. Second, education takes time and often costs money. It's just the way the word works. It's going to take you time to learn your machine, the industry, techniques, ect. In your circumstance, it will also likely cost money. Because you have your business to run, you can't do an apprenticeship at a shop, so you're going to have to spend.

Best case scenario you should do the following:

1. Try to bring in someone retired or experienced part time. Speaking from past experience, you need to make sure this person is walking you through the steps and you're not just letting them do the work while you poke your head in every once in a while. The whole point of bringing this person in is so you can learn.

2. Do samples. Lots and lots of samples. Re-do all your store signage. Have any friends that need signs? Do them for cost.

3. Contact company reps to see if they are hosting any classes in the area or if they offer any education. Roland may help you. Your local supplier may help you. 3M may help you.