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I got the to thinking about the Kramm question this afternoon. We all read a lot of posts with advice on this and that. I know that a lot of people on this site are attached emotionally to the work they do. This is a good thing. It what makes everyone here better. My question is how do you personally know if your business is a success. Do you judge your work and if the customer is happy then so are you? Or do you look at the bank account every month and say, great month. Let's find a way to make that bigger. I am caught between the two. There are times when I think I had a good month, built and installed a couple of nice signs but little money to show for it and the other months where I do nothing but vinyl and chase poor customers and have a big increase in the bank. Either way I am happy, but what is success?
------------------ Kevin Landry KnL Signs Halifax NS knlsigns@hfx.eastlink.ca
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If your bank account is looking great all the time, your customers are happy, unless, of course, they're all one-time customers.
------------------ St.Marie Graphics & Makin' Tracks Sound Studio Kalispell, Montana stmariegraphics@centurytel.net http://www.stmariegraphics.com 800 735-8026 We're chiseling every day of the week! :^)
The answer is simple. Are you in demand? When the service side of any business is the prevailent side of what you do, then success follows and you are in demand. It is best to be quality oriented and have a good eye for design to compound that factor but it will always be about service. Thas'it................CrazyJack P.S. You will always get the best money for your work ehen you deliver ahead of time.
------------------ Jack Wills Studio Design Works 6255 Brookside Circle Rocklin, CA 95677 writer@quiknet.com
Posts: 2914 | From: Rocklin, CA. USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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I thought I was successful living in St Louis with a cushy engineering job pulling in $60,000/year..
Then I found Lake Havasu, AZ and decided I wanted to live there..
Left the high paying job to move to the desert with no aspects of employment or a customer base..
Now two years later I can pay the bills and have money left for playin.. I only HAVE to have 20 billable hours per month, 5 hours a week.
Not an excess of cash but I can afford to do everything I want to do and Im in a wonderful climate that's conducive to enjoying the outdoors.
I am HAPPY.. that's success in my book, and it doesnt have anything to do with the size of my checking account, although right now it's rapidly expanding because I dont have many bills to take care of.
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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You have to decide on your definition of success and then decide if you fulfill it in your business.
For me success in business is defined as follows...
Am I challenged every day to do work that is better than yesterdays.
Is the work I do satifying to me. Especially creatively.
Does my work provide my family with enough money to be secure. Chasing the dollar leaves little time to be creative, so it is important to charge enough that money isn't a major concern.
Is there enough money left after each job to replace and/or buy new quality tools that are needed as the company grows.
Are all employees (including me) paid fairly for what they do. Do they share my passion for creating the things we do? Do they get fair credit and praise for their part in the creative process. Are their good ideas recognized and rewarded?
Am I able to take at least one little step EVERY DAY towards my future goals and dreams?
Do I have the time I need for family and friends outside of work?
All these things help to define my success in business.
Good luck in the success of your business!!
-dan
------------------ Dan Sawatzky Sawatzky's Imagination Corporation Cultus Lake , British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.ca
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I have a mentor in the Biz by the name of Ronnie Dion. Over the last 3-4 years he has taken me under his wing and taught me a ton. His best advice to me which I attach to being succesful was "paint signs with passion and the money will come naturally". I feel if you do what is your best while always trying to do better for your customers, you will be succesful. Yes we need to pay the bills, but if you are honest to yourself and your customers they will keep coming back. Personally for me if my children are eating, the roof over our head is paid for, and the customers keep calling, I'm happy!!
------------------ Rob Larkham RL Graphic D-Sign Chester, MA rldsigns@aol.com
Posts: 517 | From: Chester, MA | Registered: May 2001
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