posted October 22, 2015 12:48 PM
Letterville has gone so quiet of late. I sure miss the discussions. Mostly I miss news of what all of my friends are up to. I decided to start a new thread, beginning with news of our place.
As always we keep busy. The last two years were about big changes.
Peter and Hailey (son and daughter-in-law) officially became majority partners in the business. This prompted a whole new way of thinking about things. It is our intentional plan to remain a backyard business but with the acquirement of a new CNC plasma cutter had to add a good sized expansion to the shop space. That meant a total reorganization of the space and tools. Working with partners is a good thing as decisions are well thought out and discussed. We carefully think things through planning for both short and long term.
After more than two years of focusing on two extremely large projects things are slowing down as we go into the final stages of the second project. We had ramped up to more than twenty employees the first year and then thinned things out to run with about half the number of staff in the second year, now down to four full time and three part time as of next week. The ones we are left with are the best of the best.
In the next months (by summer hopefully) we will finish off the project in Trinidad and then move on to new projects, some of which have been in the design stage for well over a year. We've also taken lots of time this past summer and fall to finish off many projects around the shop and yard.
While I still get my hands dirty in the shop on a regular basis, the reality is that most of my time is spent at my desk, designing, planning and running things. Peter acts as shop foreman and does his job well. In the process he takes much of the pressure off of me.
Travel is a big part of business these days with our projects as far flung as they are plus my participation in teaching workshops. Janis and I are even doing a little travel as recreation. In the last two years there have been multiple trips to Trinidad, Florida, California, Nevada, Denver, Alaska and even Japan. Based on the number of trips already booked for coming months that trend looks to be continuing. It is exciting!
We continue with the workshops a couple of times each year, just finishing off a very successful sculpting workshop. We are currently planning two more for the spring with discussion about more in the fall of next year. I thoroughly enjoy the workshops as they are a good way for us to share all we have learned through the years. We are seeing a huge upswing of people around the world who want to work with their hands to produce creative things. It is our goal to provide them with the knowledge, skills, experience and materials they need.
The future? Well, it looks bright. We have some pretty amazing projects on the drawing board. The phone continues to ring and my mailbox is never empty. As our reputation grows the projects seem to demand ever more creative solutions. Although very challenging that's an extremely good thing!
Our new house is pretty much finished and is very comfortable. After sharing out house with up to six people for the last two years Janis and I are now by ourselves once more. It took a little getting use to the quiet for sure. We are looking forward to plenty of good times ahead. Phoebe, now almost eleven wants to start 'working' in the shop. A shiny new grand daughter, Juniper has arrived and I am determined to be the best grampa ever to both.
In short... life is good!
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8738 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted October 22, 2015 04:51 PM
I can't post much news personally, other than to say that the sign business was very good to us. It was what has allowed us to "live our dream". We still continue to enjoy our life in Mexico and hope to do so for many years to come.
This afternoon we were sitting with a bunch of friends at a "watering hole" in Progreso and someone commented on all the new signs on storefronts recently. I made the comment that business must be good and someone else piped up and said "YES for the sign guys!!!"
It's nice to see the business is thriving even in Mexico.
-------------------- 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 October 22, 2015 06:05 PM
As far as sign work goes nothing much is going on except for simple bread and butter projects. The high-end work has pretty much dried up for the moment.
Most of the work I've got going on is screen printing apparel and a lot of short-run decal work.
We're doing a lot of corporate work and it is growing. As such, we're developing an online catalog and store so they can order product that is unique to their respective companies and be able to make purchases online with just a PO.
The work isn't all that note worthy but it has been profitable.
posted October 22, 2015 06:37 PM
Its probably been my best year to date, although there haven't been a lot of huge projects there has been very consistent work. I don't get to travel as much as you Dan, but mostly around the state of Oregon. My projects seem to span the state. Hopefully some year I will be able to make it up to your sign workshops. I did learn that my great grandfathers house in Baker City (1878) is now a vacation rental and has been completely remodeled and returned to its former glory, after getting in touch with the owner we arranged a trade for a sign in exchange for a stay. Will be sure to post those here. Creative projects keep coming in and I love the hand carved and dimensional work above all else.
Thanks for all of those who have inspired and motivated me.
-------------------- Jeff Wisdom SignWorks info@oregonsignworks.com Posts: 450 | From: Oregon | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted October 23, 2015 11:38 AM
We are in the process of "rebuilding" our sign business. We lost about 50% of our sales as a result of the recession. Orders are coming back but not near what they once were. A lot of my time is spent on estimating jobs with about a 30% success rate in getting the job. I used to get better than 50% of the jobs I quoted. No longer do I go to sites to "see" a sign or do any kind of sketch unless I am fairly certain I will get the job or I get a down payment first. We've focused on efficiency and are working on our own estimating software to cut down on the amount of time spent on figuring job costs. We are also making training videos to help train new employees and the videos also help us refresh our memory when doing a job we haven't done in a while. I like the sign business and I want to be able to continue to make signs. We don't do anything real fancy but I love it when our customers say their business improved because of their new sign. We are making progress in our "rebuilding" attempts as I am spending less time on estimating and the numbers are more accurate now. Our challenge right now is we need to hire someone part time but most "good" people need a full time job. We don't have enough work for a full time person so we are hiring day laborers as needed. Our business is not where it needs to be yet but we are optimistic that the changes we are making will put us on the right track.
-------------------- Jean Shimp Shimp Sign & Design Co. Jacksonville Beach, Fl Posts: 1266 | From: Jacksonville Beach, Fl. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted October 24, 2015 12:49 PM
My plans of semi retiring have started. Our house is up for sale and the shop property is basically sold, but I get to stay until the house is sold and I'm ready to move out. Even though I am about the busiest I've been since the recession, it still isn't enough to sell the business with the building & property. No problem, I'm taking everything with me. This winter when it finally slows down I'll finish learning Muse and Dreamweaver enough to write a couple websites for my future semi retirement business. At this point I have decided not to open to the public when I move. I want to keep it an internet only business. When everything sells we'll be heading to Texas to be near my daughter and grand kids, so we'll be on the northwest edge of the Dallas Metroplex. I also can't wait to get back to some woodworking and renew the reverse gold, glue chip glass work.
-------------------- Dave Sherby "Sandman" SherWood Sign & Graphic Design Crystal Falls, MI 49920 906-875-6201 sherwoodsign@sbcglobal.net Posts: 5396 | From: Crystal Falls, MI USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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posted October 25, 2015 09:23 PM
Ernie and I are semi-retired. I am turning down , or quoting high, on carved signs.. Ernie is focusing on laser engraving/cutting, and CNC cutting out letters. I am doing mainly Edge prints and ready to apply lettering . I will probably stop doing screen printed shirts in January. We inherited a house, so we are busy, almost weekly, cleaning out and fixing up. Now onto cutting, splitting and stacking the firewood for thi winter .
diane
-------------------- Balch Signs 1045 Raymond Rd Malta, NY 12020 518 885-9899 signs@balchsigns.com http://www.balchsigns.com Posts: 1695 | From: MaltaNY | Registered: Jan 2000
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posted October 27, 2015 10:11 PM
It seems Facebook siphoned off a lot of regulars here in Letterville, but I recently attended the 40th Anniversary of Letterheads in Cincinnati and, as Dan said, there seems to be a renewed interest in handcrafted work and there was a large contingent of young people soaking up everything they could. A very promising future for what we all love. Personally, I've been doing quite a bit of handpainted and distressed-look signs and murals for restaurants in Atlanta lately. Sure is fun playing in the paint again.....
-------------------- www.signcreations.net Sonny Franks Lilburn, GA 770-923-9933 Posts: 4115 | From: Lilburn, GA USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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