I had decided to just take some time out and walk away from nearly everything I had been involved or had been participating in. For the last few months, I've been forced to make some hard decisions concerning the business. They are the kinds of decisions I hope no one ever has to face. They can really tear a person up inside. My trip to Myrtle Beach was kinda the "straw that broke the camel's back" so to speak.

Anyhow, things are starting to work their way through and I'm starting to get that sense of accomplishment back. Its been slow in coming, but I'm getting there.

Secondly, I want to say something about Peachtree City Foamcraft. In my other post, I said that many of my former clients (i.e. - developers) were farming work out to places like PCF and that it appeared that PCF was charging the same price to them as they would to any sign shop. Well, when I got home from work earlier today, I saw that my Jim had responded to my other post. So I decided to call Jim. It turns out that they had tried to reach me earlier today at my shop, but I never got the message. Anyhow, Jim and Ken explained that they never knowingly sell directly to someone who is not in the sign biz, and that they take steps to ensure that. After talking with them, I believe them.

Also, I learned that there are other manufacturers who produce the same or similar types of signs as PCF (although not as good as PCF according to Jim and Ken ). It is possible that some of the other developers that I used to do work for are using them {one of which is located in Myrtle Beach interestingly enough).

Here's what had happened at my meeting with "the client." He called and set up a meeting with him and his office. When I arrived, there was another person there. I've never met him before. During the course of the meeting, this other person pulled out a PCF brochure and a PCF price list. He said that he could get "one of these signs from them at wholesale." He also had a 21st Century Signs brochure with him also. Well, you could imagine what was going through my mind.

As I spoke with Jim at PCF on the phone, he was kind enough to look through his database to see if I possibly recognized any names that might be involved. Jim wanted to make sure that he had been dealing with a legitimate sign shop and not some phony front. The only thing that rang a bell with me was the name of a project that was next door to the one that I had been called on to by this "client". It turns out that the project had been done through a franchise shop in a nearby town. Whether this "other person, a developer, was lying at the meeting or if he has some special relationship with this franchise, I simply don't know. My gut feeling is that this "other person" was talking a lot of BS either way. I'm doing some other work for this client right now and I intend to discuss this matter with him at our next meeting. I'm also going to talk with a couple other developers that I used to do signs for and find out their story as well and see if there is any connection with what I've been seeing.

Also, I learned from both Jim and Ken that some other "wholesalers" have borrowed PCF designs and photos of work done by PCF and are or have been using them to advertise their own brand. In short, passing some of PCF's work off as their own.

Anyway, I'm glad I had a chance to talk to Jim and Ken today. They made me feel much better about the situation and I appreciate it. They are a couple of really nice guys who take a lot of pride in their work.

Looks like your customer is asking to shot fish in a Barrel.

If you both have the same product as substrate,
then the best "Design and Finish" sould win!
Never to be shown to the other guy.

Price does matter but Quality product does as well!

That sounds like a nasty business.

I believe one can only be "giving" and "helpful" they way you consistently are - if you are not "empty".

Sounds like you are back, in the thick of it, and that you've got a plan to take care of things.

I didn't respond to your previous post on what to do when you're feeling burnt out because I'm feeling that way myself and couldn't muster up much in the way of encouragement at the time. You've had so much to contend with in your business, and yet have offered so much of yourself and your experiences to all of us through various forums, that I'm not surprised you needed a breather!