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What are weekends I forgot ?

mobilwraps

New Member
Hello everyone,

I am new to this but wanted some feedback on areas of the business. i have had my business open for 5 months now and i have to say i love it. best decision i ever made. i do find myself working every day which is a part of business and i don't mind but but my wife would disagree haha anyway i'm to the point where i think i need a bigger space i have a 54 inch printer 54 inch laminator and a 64inch plotter plus tables computers etc. i'm only working out of 200sf right now its very tight but i make due. but i also feel i can get more production done with more space. so my question is what do most of you have for space. i'm looking at a building that has 2 floors 1250sf on each floor. looking at it i think its too much space but then i think ahead and with new equipment and so on maybe it will be worth it



any thoughts please


thank you
 

Craig Sjoquist

New Member
Yikes, do not move , why 5 months in business, any common sense to that, your not in a big city, are you the only sign person ? maybe rent a storage garage for other stuff and needs, but go at this slowly ...overhead is can be a big business killer.

Save your cash till you can be assured overhead payments, new equipment, breakdowns, software, and many other must haves that just come along.

Sure 200 sq ft is small and cramped but will work if you use every inch, till you really can afford to move and must, because of real work and cash flow.
 

Craig Sjoquist

New Member
Oh welcome to a outstanding forum and people.

After 35 years I've failed many a times and seen many also fail even though they do outstanding work, nothing wrong with if you go at it slow.
 

mobilwraps

New Member
thank you for your reply. i do understand that it could be too soon. and wont make any decisions till at least 2011 but i have secured a contract starting in the spring that that is not going to fit here . but i am now going to look into storage as well. got me thinking.


thank you again
 

Locals Find!

New Member
200 Sq Feet is very very tight. I don't think you need to jump up 1050 sq ft. more for your needs.

Why don't you look for something in say the 500 sq. ft.range that might still be in your budget. Without overextending yourself. I have always gone after the minimum space I need or can find at the lowest price. Just my thoughts.
 

Firefox

New Member
Unless that 200sf is very expensive hang in there as long as possible and pay off as many bills as possible so when you move the nut you have to crack won't be so large.

Too often people try to grow too fast and it is so easy for the bills to get ahead of you.
 

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
At five months, you definitely haven't had enough time to figure out any sort of business cycle in your operation. Nor have you had time enough to work out all the bugs of the business world. You need to be very cautious about throwing out some sort of arbitrary (2011) date by which you move into bigger digs.

Use the walls, use the ceiling...use what ever you need to use in order to hold out a little bit longer.

When the dollar bills start to fill the room and begin crowding you out...then it will be time to move.
 

Locals Find!

New Member
That is what i'm after what do you guys run at for sf and is it small or large scale.

I am running at 500 sq. ft for my operation. We mainly stay out of the shop and what space we have in here is extremely efficient. Let me also say we outsource 75% of our operation. So we aren't running the equipment your running. We are more lean and mean.

Just ask yourself can you afford to double your space and still have 6 months of reserve in the bank to cover all your bills such as rent, equipment payments, supplies, messed up jobs etc.. If you answer yes to that. Well, go for it. If no. Well, stay where you at till you do.
 

mobilwraps

New Member
if i cant support it i wont buy anything and like you have said use the walls celling and anything else. well i have already had to do that. rent is free here so trust me i really don't want to have to move at all but if i want to grow at all then some day i will . but thank you for all the posts so far


lovin the ideas
 

showcase 66

New Member
I started in a 10' x10' bedroom with a 4' x 2' closet. I didn't have all the equipment you have but it was really tight. You need to be creative in how you have your space set up. I had a 3' x 9.5' table when folded down and when you folded it up on the wall it would be either out of the way or could turn into a 4' x 9.5' easel. I had opportunities to move into larger spaces multiple times but never did. At times it was frustrating as hell but in the long run it saved me a lot of money.

As for moving into a new space. The way I figured for me was as long as I had at least 6 months of the rent in the bank as well as all the initial start up cost then I would do it. But ever since we got our new house, I increased my space by over 5 times.

Not sure about your area, but if you still want to get into a larger space, you may want to wait until March thru May. A lot of the small commercial spots around here drop in price around then. People get their returns and with a lower cost will actually rent a place.

What ever you do, make sure you have a good business plan to go with. A good idea with a bad plan usually equals failure.
 

mobilwraps

New Member
CSDD

it helps hearing people have been through this problem and how they encouter different problems. I have made sure i use all the space i have to the best of its ability. maybe if i get ambitious i will post pictures of it. :)
 

GypsyGraphics

New Member
hi mobilewraps & welcome!

it's great to hear your business has started off so well and that you're really enjoying it. sure does sound like you've got a lot of stuff in a small space but with your business so new... i'd say do your best to keep your overhead low and your spirits high. sounds like you're able to both right now.

i love seeing pics of members shops! it's exciting to see the big dogs shops but seeing how smaller shops utilize their space can be really helpful.
 

mobilwraps

New Member
well i tried to upload pictures but seem to get an error something about a security problem ? anyone see this before ?
 

ova

New Member
We started out in an old 4 room house. Each room was about 10 x 10. We do awards as well as signage. One room was the show room and where we staged items waiting for pick up. One room was the design, print, cut and warehouse. One room was the assembly room. The back room was where we cut the columns and also storage. When we had anything bigger than a 3x4 sign, I would wait until we closed, move the cutter and desk chairs, then apply the vinyl to the substrate on the floor. Our weeding table was only 2x6.

If I had a vehicle to letter, I either did it on the curb side or took it home and did it in the garage there. 5x10 banners were done at home on the ping pong table.

Our business doubled in one year, so we rented a 2500 sq. ft. building. Thought we were sh!ttin in high cotten when we moved in there. After six years, we've purchased a 5300 sq ft building with a garage in the back. And we have an extra lot next to the place if we ever have to expand.

After saying all of this. Be patient, struggle some at first, build up your clientel base, then slowly find a direction to take your business. It will happen, but tread lightly. Here today, gone tomorrow is what I see too much in this business.

Good luck!!
Dave
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Probably one of the best ways to figure out if you need more space is..... are you tripping over yourself to get work done ?? Speaking of work, how many hours a day/week is your printer, cutter and laminator working..... separate counts there.

If you are printing 4 hours a day or more and your laminator is 2 hours a day and your plotter is another 4 to 6 hours, I'd say you need more space. Those counts or less.... stay put and move things back and forth. Being efficient is worth more than paying your self to move thing around all day long.

Also, if you are over the time frames I put up.... you need more than 500 sq ft. If you have your printer running 20 or more hours a week..... plus cutting vinyl, laminating and putting this stuff on vehicles and rigid substrates, painting, screening or whatever else you do... look for a 2,000 sq ft area and do it professionally.


Welcome from PA.....................................................
 

mobilwraps

New Member
Gino great advice
as of right now the printer works about 30 hours a week. laminator maybe 10-15 and the cutter is about 20-25 As for tripping over things, well yes i do that a lot but man i thought that was part of starting up a business haha. anyway the response has been great i will be holding out as long as possible.

still cant seem to load pictures

Justin
 
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