Welding/Motorcycle Shop

[Welder1986]

Hey everyone,

I am still very new here but wanted to start a progress thread for my Welding business (llc). After reading TMF my eyes have been opened and my mind spun 180 degrees and could not be more thankful for it. Also coming across @IceCreamKid and his thread on carpet cleaning and the blue collar possibilities of the fastlane.

I work a full time welding job during the day and run my business from my home shop at night and on weekends which ranges from repairing broken farm equipment to parts on motorcycles, to complete motorcycle builds ground up, machining and everything in between. I can not stand the thought of working for a company (slowlane) anymore and just being a number, so I have committed to start making changes to allow my adventure to the fastlane to begin!

Firstly I am eliminating some parasitic debt I have to allow me in this next year to walk away from my day gig. I can build budget custom motorcycles monthly to continue my current income at the very least, while most likely I will bring in more cash then that. (I hope) Ebay seems to get the most exposure and allows me to see what is selling and popular in the market.

Second I am reading and learning as much as possible about marketing because I really don't have a ton of customers. It goes from jamming to dead for weeks at a time. I now understand not to chase money but to solve problems and help peoples needs. I struggle to relate this to my job shop welding biz where I do a bunch of different fabrication and repair work rather then a simple niche that I could direct marketing efforts to.

My thought was I always wanted to build bikes for a living and have the welding shop to fund it. Which goes along with the "do what you love" thought that does not necessarily mean you will succeed.

There are no real custom bike shops in my area that do what I do (rake and stretch frames, fabricate hardtail conversions, machine wheel spacers and axles, hand make oil and and gas tanks etc.) That being said there are 4 welding/repair shops in my surrounding area. 1 is staying afloat, 1 is steady and 2 are slammed with work. 2 have no online presence while the other 2 do. These shops don't advertise other then the phone book and maybe a place mat at the local diner. It is by word of mouth and years and years of being around I assume.

One owner works at his shop 2 days a week while the other days his guys run it. I now see he has more than just wealth$ but wealth as in time to do what he wants the other part of his week. That is my goal to eventually have a group of hardworking employees I can trust to take care of my shop.

I have been browsing this website picking up on tips and nuggets here and there. It is a bit overwhelming for me to take it all in but I will continue to grow my knowledge and hopefully my business will benefit from it as well.

I hope this wasn't too long! Thanks for reading. I hope to contribute and help others when and where I can on here. I would be all ears to any suggestions or guidance, good or bad. Thanks in advance!

Eric

 

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[Runum]

Hey everyone,

I am still very new here but wanted to start a progress thread for my Welding business (llc). After reading TMF my eyes have been opened and my mind spun 180 degrees and could not be more thankful for it. Also coming across @IceCreamKid and his thread on carpet cleaning and the blue collar possibilities of the fastlane.

I work a full time welding job during the day and run my business from my home shop at night and on weekends which ranges from repairing broken farm equipment to parts on motorcycles, to complete motorcycle builds ground up, machining and everything in between. I can not stand the thought of working for a company (slowlane) anymore and just being a number, so I have committed to start making changes to allow my adventure to the fastlane to begin!

Firstly I am eliminating some parasitic debt I have to allow me in this next year to walk away from my day gig. I can build budget custom motorcycles monthly to continue my current income at the very least, while most likely I will bring in more cash then that. (I hope) Ebay seems to get the most exposure and allows me to see what is selling and popular in the market.

Second I am reading and learning as much as possible about marketing because I really don't have a ton of customers. It goes from jamming to dead for weeks at a time. I now understand not to chase money but to solve problems and help peoples needs. I struggle to relate this to my job shop welding biz where I do a bunch of different fabrication and repair work rather then a simple niche that I could direct marketing efforts to.

My thought was I always wanted to build bikes for a living and have the welding shop to fund it. Which goes along with the "do what you love" thought that does not necessarily mean you will succeed.

There are no real custom bike shops in my area that do what I do (rake and stretch frames, fabricate hardtail conversions, machine wheel spacers and axles, hand make oil and and gas tanks etc.) That being said there are 4 welding/repair shops in my surrounding area. 1 is staying afloat, 1 is steady and 2 are slammed with work. 2 have no online presence while the other 2 do. These shops don't advertise other then the phone book and maybe a place mat at the local diner. It is by word of mouth and years and years of being around I assume.

One owner works at his shop 2 days a week while the other days his guys run it. I now see he has more than just wealth$ but wealth as in time to do what he wants the other part of his week. That is my goal to eventually have a group of hardworking employees I can trust to take care of my shop.

I have been browsing this website picking up on tips and nuggets here and there. It is a bit overwhelming for me to take it all in but I will continue to grow my knowledge and hopefully my business will benefit from it as well.

I hope this wasn't too long! Thanks for reading. I hope to contribute and help others when and where I can on here. I would be all ears to any suggestions or guidance, good or bad. Thanks in advance!

Eric

Welcome to the fastlane Eric.

I used to weld, fabricate, build chassis for street legal drag cars. I really enjoy creating art from raw materials. I also love the challenge of creative problem solving.

Some things I learned that you may see already. Some of this may help or not...

1) Flash burns and breathing heavy metals is not good for your body. When you are young it doesn't seem to matter. It will matter as you age. I realized at about 40 that I couldn't keep doing this until I was 60.

2) The successful craftsmen, shops, have talent and contracts. They contract with companies for the steady labor work to fund their craft. They market their craft at shows, races, and other public events. Occasionally they get a cable TV show contract(Jesse James, et al)

3) You will work unbelievable hours. You have to answer the phone, do the bidding, do the leg work, order parts and raw materials, pick up and deliver stuff, fabricate and weld, and generally wear yourself out. Then you have to clean up and go to the shows and races to market. You will have to make road trips if you want to be known outside of your area.

4) Most retail customers will want to beat you up on price. Then they want to haggle again after the work is done. Get very specific work order agreements signed in advance.

5) You need CNC equipment to efficiently cut out the latest and greatest designs.

6) You will not make any significant financial progress until you hire employees, good employees, and pay them well. You won't trust ordinary labor guys to work on the craft stuff but you can afford the labor guys. You can't afford the best guys but they are the ones that will bring you more business.

7) Once you get a good employee or two you will have to do what you can to keep them.

I would suggest reading The Four Hour Workweek by Ferris. Don't let the title mislead you, the book is about trying to automate your business rather than actually working four hours/week.

I am sure there is more I forgot and will come out later.

I am not trying to discourage you. I wish you the best and will be glad to help if I can. Good luck.

 

[biophase]

I read this thread totally different, probably because of my background. I see someone with a set of skills to create product. However, I see those skills going to mass production of a simpler product. There are many steel products that are just inefficient to make and ship from China these days due to the price and weight.

I look at your skills and I see an easier fastlane journey making things like shelves, iron gates, doors, types of small decoration pieces, targets, stands, etc.

I feel like it would be much easier for you to create and then teach someone to make these simple things and then leverage Amazon and ecommerce to sell whatever you make. The business becomes less about you and your creative side.

You can then build bikes on the side for fun.

 

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[Welder1986]

Been super busy lately between the website, jobs, and the current bike I am building. I have been more productive in growing my self and business these last 2 weeks then the last 2 years. From stopping at local shops introducing myself and giving a card (which I should have been doing all along) to the new site to contacting SCORE and so on. After reading TMF it just clicked in my head, now or never. I have also been reading other self improvement books the latest is one from the Rich Dad Poor Dad series which I liked. I honestly feel like a different person just the way I think now. I want better for myself and really do like building relationships with my customers and taking care of them. The last few customers I have worked with my entire attitude has changed. I absolutely always appreciated and respected them but now knowing that truly helping them is what its about. I have done some follow ups with past customers, stirred up some more possible work and just asked how they were. Good feeling.

During the day I have been pretty miserable at the full time job but I know I need to get some things straight before I leave. Not an excuse..everything is in the works including selling some bikes and getting rid of some small debt. I like the guys I work with but I look at them and they have no ambition to go anywhere. Obviously they hate being there but wouldn't even dare to change it. Day in day out same thing. Then they push for Saturdays and they jump at the opportunity.. I get you have a family and bills but I just cringe. 5 for 2 what a deal.. 6 for 1? Why not just make it 7 for none! They have stopped asking me about Saturdays because I refuse. One guy made some cash when he was younger and is well off but at what cost? He is ready to retire. His prime years are in the past. Seeing this on a daily basis makes me push harder at what I need to do. In the past I would snooze or chat on break/lunch with people but those days are done. What a waste. They bust my stones because I am unsociable at break time. In the meantime I am reading and getting smarter and building my knowledge at what I need to accomplish. I always liked to read. Nowadays if your face isn't buried in your phone you are an outcast.

So the last day or so have been a royal pain in the arse. Everything was fighting me.. for example I got an email from SCORE to call them and meet up with a local entrepreneur so I call the number and its no longer in service. Had to get in touch again get the correct number and by that point they were closed. Next I tried getting a hold of my attorney to question about a patent for a part. Tried emailing via his contact website form, wouldn't send, called his number, went to voicemail, inbox full.. click. Then I struggled for 3 hours last night trying to connect my site to new domain. No luck. That was just the tip but when they all add up it's a struggle! But I kept pushing and completed all the tasks. Even though small it is an accomplishment.

In the past I may have said ehh heck with it I will try tomorrow maybe... but I didn't. The stuff I didn't know how to do I youtubed. I feel there is no excuse not to know how to do something. Pickup a book, do a search. Can't get any easier unless you have someone do it for you. It is about being lazy, I know because I have been there. I don't know = I am lazy and don't want to do the work. That's my opinion.

My point is that it isn't always easy you have to push. Go out of your comfort zone. I didn't stop at local shops not because I didn't want to but because it was out of my comfort zone to just walk in somewhere and offer services. By the 3rd or 4th place I am thinking why the hell have I waited this long!?

Felt like ranting thank you lol

 

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[Welder1986]

start a brand and then scale (all of the above that i write you may help with that)

also put some photos here of the bikes you make. i would like to see your work.

edit: on the coffee table with the magazines i mention above also put some small stuff like a broken cylinder and a fixed one (great for generating discussion with you)

Great ideas thank you. Most of my cycle projects end up on this frame jig in one fashion or another so I figured I'd throw this in.

 

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[Welder1986]

Wow has it really been 2 years since I last posted in this thread!?

Things have only gotten better. Helped the other welding shop out until I was losing money going there and had to direct all the attention to my customers. Have been full time almost 2 years now. Very incredible feeling.

Currently I am looking for a shop in town as my home garage is busting at the seams.

Have also turned a bit away from the motorcycle aspect of the business and am focusing on the manufacturing side. I find the repetitive jobs from the local business is way more realistic and stable to continue growing. I feel the sky is the limit.

I can see hiring employees in the near future allowing me to work ON the business more than IN it.

Read Unscripted awhile back, another great one. I feel I will always be partial to The Millionaire Fastlane as that clicked something in my brain that changed the course of my journey. Both are great though.

 

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[timmy]

Hey everyone,

I am still very new here but wanted to start a progress thread for my Welding business (llc). After reading TMF my eyes have been opened and my mind spun 180 degrees and could not be more thankful for it. Also coming across @IceCreamKid and his thread on carpet cleaning and the blue collar possibilities of the fastlane.

I work a full time welding job during the day and run my business from my home shop at night and on weekends which ranges from repairing broken farm equipment to parts on motorcycles, to complete motorcycle builds ground up, machining and everything in between. I can not stand the thought of working for a company (slowlane) anymore and just being a number, so I have committed to start making changes to allow my adventure to the fastlane to begin!

Firstly I am eliminating some parasitic debt I have to allow me in this next year to walk away from my day gig. I can build budget custom motorcycles monthly to continue my current income at the very least, while most likely I will bring in more cash then that. (I hope) Ebay seems to get the most exposure and allows me to see what is selling and popular in the market.

Second I am reading and learning as much as possible about marketing because I really don't have a ton of customers. It goes from jamming to dead for weeks at a time. I now understand not to chase money but to solve problems and help peoples needs. I struggle to relate this to my job shop welding biz where I do a bunch of different fabrication and repair work rather then a simple niche that I could direct marketing efforts to.

My thought was I always wanted to build bikes for a living and have the welding shop to fund it. Which goes along with the "do what you love" thought that does not necessarily mean you will succeed.

There are no real custom bike shops in my area that do what I do (rake and stretch frames, fabricate hardtail conversions, machine wheel spacers and axles, hand make oil and and gas tanks etc.) That being said there are 4 welding/repair shops in my surrounding area. 1 is staying afloat, 1 is steady and 2 are slammed with work. 2 have no online presence while the other 2 do. These shops don't advertise other then the phone book and maybe a place mat at the local diner. It is by word of mouth and years and years of being around I assume.

One owner works at his shop 2 days a week while the other days his guys run it. I now see he has more than just wealth$ but wealth as in time to do what he wants the other part of his week. That is my goal to eventually have a group of hardworking employees I can trust to take care of my shop.

I have been browsing this website picking up on tips and nuggets here and there. It is a bit overwhelming for me to take it all in but I will continue to grow my knowledge and hopefully my business will benefit from it as well.

I hope this wasn't too long! Thanks for reading. I hope to contribute and help others when and where I can on here. I would be all ears to any suggestions or guidance, good or bad. Thanks in advance!

Eric

Great thread and welcome....Note:- I am not a welder. I am a product designer

Your challenges are real...I am currently in talks with a small start up robot Manufacturer here to collaborate with us in producing a welding booth to aid in the mass production of "many" new stainless steel products. Currently it would cost approx. 80K upfront.

Will never happen.. We are pushing the guy to take a unit fee thereafter to offset initial start up costs. This in effect creates a passive income stream for him and allows me to generate income from day one...

I think we could all do very well out of this....This would be the Richard Branson down side concept....Reduce exposure

It is speculated that so called "hazardous workplace enviornments" will be phased out within 10 yrs due to toxic fumes and associated personal safety risk.

Be a manager, not a worker....Get it right from the offset.

Wishing you success

 

[CycleGuy]

Good work. As someone who has been around the industry it's good to see another on this board.
My best piece of advice for scaling this business it to surround yourself with efficient, knowledgeable workers.

You need to focus on building a dream team of employees with your direction and talent leading the team.

 

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[Runum]

I also would like to start delegating some of the cycle operations out. Now from my view it could go 2 ways. Say sandblasting for example. I can either send all my parts out to get blasted at $75 an hour or I can have a friend blast the parts using my sandblaster for $15 an hour. Now that one is obvious but then there's an operation like powder coating. I can send parts out for whatever the shops hourly rate is or invest in a small setup for my shop and have another friend (with powder coating knowledge) to come in and coat parts for me. I believe from an entrepreneurs stand point it would be to have the guys working for you instead of forking out bigger bucks to outsource. I am getting to the point with multiple projects that it isn't efficient for me to be doing every single step.

Good progress.

Concerning which services to offer and which to vend out, there are a lot of things to consider. Given that you will have to make several of these choices and do each choice many times it may help if you start recording the choices and the variables and create a spreadsheet to help you make a decision and justify those choices ongoing.

Variables may be but not limited to:

cost of shop square footage for each operation since square footage is limited
sales benefit of product for each square foot
missing opportunity for a different product or service in the same space
equipment cost to provide the specified product
cost of equipment when not being used
repair cost of equipment and consumable equipment cost

TOTAL cost of labor
taxes
insurance
sick days
salary
perks
repairing defects

vs TOTAL cost of vending out
transportation or shipping
hour cost
defects

Every decision has a number associated with it. Capturing and refining those numbers will help you make more informed decisions.

Good luck.

 

[jon.a]

I read this thread totally different, probably because of my background. I see someone with a set of skills to create product. However, I see those skills going to mass production of a simpler product. There are many steel products that are just inefficient to make and ship from China these days due to the price and weight.

I look at your skills and I see an easier fastlane journey making things like shelves, iron gates, doors, types of small decoration pieces, targets, stands, etc.

I feel like it would be much easier for you to create and then teach someone to make these simple things and then leverage Amazon and ecommerce to sell whatever you make. The business becomes less about you and your creative side.

You can then build bikes on the side for fun.

Scale

 

[Runum]

I read this thread totally different, probably because of my background. I see someone with a set of skills to create product. However, I see those skills going to mass production of a simpler product. There are many steel products that are just inefficient to make and ship from China these days due to the price and weight.

I look at your skills and I see an easier fastlane journey making things like shelves, iron gates, doors, types of small decoration pieces, targets, stands, etc.

I feel like it would be much easier for you to create and then teach someone to make these simple things and then leverage Amazon and ecommerce to sell whatever you make. The business becomes less about you and your creative side.

You can then build bikes on the side for fun.

100% agree on making simple, repeatable unique products for sale. Look at other guys that have gone before you, Jesse James, Boyd Coddington, Chip Foose, Don Hardy, etc. They are creative and have amazing ideas. They also found products they could produce en mass that grow their brand and keep the doors open.

Door hinges, mirror brackets, gas tanks, fenders, seat brackets, foot pegs, wheels, hinges, struts, forks, gates, doors, lawn ornaments, traction bars, seat belt brackets, gauge brackets, etc.

I also agree with possible sourcing from China. It won't hurt to spec to a standard frame and negotiate with an overseas supplier to check cost. It would free you up to work on other ideas.

Great insight @biophase

 

[AFMKelvin]

Hey everyone,

I am still very new here but wanted to start a progress thread for my Welding business (llc). After reading TMF my eyes have been opened and my mind spun 180 degrees and could not be more thankful for it. Also coming across @IceCreamKid and his thread on carpet cleaning and the blue collar possibilities of the fastlane.

I work a full time welding job during the day and run my business from my home shop at night and on weekends which ranges from repairing broken farm equipment to parts on motorcycles, to complete motorcycle builds ground up, machining and everything in between. I can not stand the thought of working for a company (slowlane) anymore and just being a number, so I have committed to start making changes to allow my adventure to the fastlane to begin!

Firstly I am eliminating some parasitic debt I have to allow me in this next year to walk away from my day gig. I can build budget custom motorcycles monthly to continue my current income at the very least, while most likely I will bring in more cash then that. (I hope) Ebay seems to get the most exposure and allows me to see what is selling and popular in the market.

Second I am reading and learning as much as possible about marketing because I really don't have a ton of customers. It goes from jamming to dead for weeks at a time. I now understand not to chase money but to solve problems and help peoples needs. I struggle to relate this to my job shop welding biz where I do a bunch of different fabrication and repair work rather then a simple niche that I could direct marketing efforts to.

My thought was I always wanted to build bikes for a living and have the welding shop to fund it. Which goes along with the "do what you love" thought that does not necessarily mean you will succeed.

There are no real custom bike shops in my area that do what I do (rake and stretch frames, fabricate hardtail conversions, machine wheel spacers and axles, hand make oil and and gas tanks etc.) That being said there are 4 welding/repair shops in my surrounding area. 1 is staying afloat, 1 is steady and 2 are slammed with work. 2 have no online presence while the other 2 do. These shops don't advertise other then the phone book and maybe a place mat at the local diner. It is by word of mouth and years and years of being around I assume.

One owner works at his shop 2 days a week while the other days his guys run it. I now see he has more than just wealth$ but wealth as in time to do what he wants the other part of his week. That is my goal to eventually have a group of hardworking employees I can trust to take care of my shop.

I have been browsing this website picking up on tips and nuggets here and there. It is a bit overwhelming for me to take it all in but I will continue to grow my knowledge and hopefully my business will benefit from it as well.

I hope this wasn't too long! Thanks for reading. I hope to contribute and help others when and where I can on here. I would be all ears to any suggestions or guidance, good or bad. Thanks in advance!

Eric

I'm building a business around the same niche as you. I want to be around motorcycles for life and I'm positive the industry will explode in the upcoming years. Do to the third world countries demanding motorcycles.

To scale your business you'll have sell a few custom motorcycles at a higher cost. Just like a Lamborghini. There's not many of them but the few that are around, are in high demand.

Now the question is, how do you get your custom motorcycles to be in high demand?

The answer to that is social media.

Create your brand through social media.

Get people to make a big deal about your custom motorcycle. Hire a professional photographer and post pictures of your bike on Instagram, facebook, tumblr and your home page. Let it spread for a while.

Give the motorcycle a personality and reflect that personality in the pictures. Give a name if you have to. Then hire some professional models and take pictures of them with the bike.

Of course it doesn't have to stop there. Hire a camera crew and shoot a commercial with the motorcycle. For example you riding it around town to a bikers night meetup. Get a go pro and give the viewers a glimpse of what's it like to be on the riders seat. Then upload it to YouTube for your followers to see.

Once you have enough buzz around the bike put it up on sale on ebay and let your audience know. Who knows one of your followers might be a millionaire from Russia or Brazil that might want your bike.

Once your brand takes off through social media. Sell motorcycles parts with your brand on it. Just like Harley Davidson does with their parts. Even the wire connectors have a Harley logo stamped on them.

 

[Welder1986]

Had a brief talk with the BNI president of my local chapter which happens to be the mother of someone I know. Small world. But it is a very dedicated commitment you need to make with weekly meetings, dues etc.. Once I get my schedule set I will decide if it is right for me.

In the meantime I have put my 2 week notice in and will be helping out another local welding shop with a very flexible work week which helps my situation with customers and what not. I am excited for change and a bit more freedom.

I also received a call out of the blue the other day from a local newspaper editor who does motorcycle articles. He wants to photograph one of my latest bikes and do an interview. I am pretty excited about it and getting some local exposure. I have never had the opportunity to do something like that yet.

I feel like the hard work is paying off, the jobs have been getting more steady and the phone rings more frequently then ever before. I also like the fact of having a forum with a bunch of like minded folks to document my journey!

 

[Welder1986]

Welcome to the fastlane Eric.

I used to weld, fabricate, build chassis for street legal drag cars. I really enjoy creating art from raw materials. I also love the challenge of creative problem solving.

Some things I learned that you may see already. Some of this may help or not...

1) Flash burns and breathing heavy metals is not good for your body. When you are young it doesn't seem to matter. It will matter as you age. I realized at about 40 that I couldn't keep doing this until I was 60.

2) The successful craftsmen, shops, have talent and contracts. They contract with companies for the steady labor work to fund their craft. They market their craft at shows, races, and other public events. Occasionally they get a cable TV show contract(Jesse James, et al)

3) You will work unbelievable hours. You have to answer the phone, do the bidding, do the leg work, order parts and raw materials, pick up and deliver stuff, fabricate and weld, and generally wear yourself out. Then you have to clean up and go to the shows and races to market. You will have to make road trips if you want to be known outside of your area.

4) Most retail customers will want to beat you up on price. Then they want to haggle again after the work is done. Get very specific work order agreements signed in advance.

5) You need CNC equipment to efficiently cut out the latest and greatest designs.

6) You will not make any significant financial progress until you hire employees, good employees, and pay them well. You won't trust ordinary labor guys to work on the craft stuff but you can afford the labor guys. You can't afford the best guys but they are the ones that will bring you more business.

7) Once you get a good employee or two you will have to do what you can to keep them.

I am sure there is more I forgot and will come out later.

I am not trying to discourage you. I wish you the best and will be glad to help if I can. Good luck.

Absolutely thanks!

1. For sure, safety and breathing protection is a must. I am 30 and have been welding around 15 years. I have had the flash burns on my eyes and bad once on my arms. No joke.

2. I will read up on contracting work.

3. I have been at it for 3 or so years. I work a lot in my shop everyday and know all too well the demands. I have done a few local bike shows and some bigger ones (nyc) and will be looking in to more.

4. I have a welding agreement form I use that was suggested by a family attorney.

5. I have manual machining equipment (mill, lathe, surface grinder etc) and access to a cnc lathe and prototrak mill. They have come in handy for sure.

6/7. I agree. I have a very close friend who practically ran one of the shops in town and now works at another. He would join me in a second. I know you shouldn't work with friends but hes a no bs put your helmet down and work kind of guy. If I take care of him he will take care of me. He also has a mobile setup which we use from time to time. Actually have a mobile job using his welder this week.

I appreciate your time and words. Thank you.

 

[Runum]

Been super busy lately between the website, jobs, and the current bike I am building. I have been more productive in growing my self and business these last 2 weeks then the last 2 years. From stopping at local shops introducing myself and giving a card (which I should have been doing all along) to the new site to contacting SCORE and so on. After reading TMF it just clicked in my head, now or never. I have also been reading other self improvement books the latest is one from the Rich Dad Poor Dad series which I liked. I honestly feel like a different person just the way I think now. I want better for myself and really do like building relationships with my customers and taking care of them. The last few customers I have worked with my entire attitude has changed. I absolutely always appreciated and respected them but now knowing that truly helping them is what its about. I have done some follow ups with past customers, stirred up some more possible work and just asked how they were. Good feeling.

During the day I have been pretty miserable at the full time job but I know I need to get some things straight before I leave. Not an excuse..everything is in the works including selling some bikes and getting rid of some small debt. I like the guys I work with but I look at them and they have no ambition to go anywhere. Obviously they hate being there but wouldn't even dare to change it. Day in day out same thing. Then they push for Saturdays and they jump at the opportunity.. I get you have a family and bills but I just cringe. 5 for 2 what a deal.. 6 for 1? Why not just make it 7 for none! They have stopped asking me about Saturdays because I refuse. One guy made some cash when he was younger and is well off but at what cost? He is ready to retire. His prime years are in the past. Seeing this on a daily basis makes me push harder at what I need to do. In the past I would snooze or chat on break/lunch with people but those days are done. What a waste. They bust my stones because I am unsociable at break time. In the meantime I am reading and getting smarter and building my knowledge at what I need to accomplish. I always liked to read. Nowadays if your face isn't buried in your phone you are an outcast.

So the last day or so have been a royal pain in the arse. Everything was fighting me.. for example I got an email from SCORE to call them and meet up with a local entrepreneur so I call the number and its no longer in service. Had to get in touch again get the correct number and by that point they were closed. Next I tried getting a hold of my attorney to question about a patent for a part. Tried emailing via his contact website form, wouldn't send, called his number, went to voicemail, inbox full.. click. Then I struggled for 3 hours last night trying to connect my site to new domain. No luck. That was just the tip but when they all add up it's a struggle! But I kept pushing and completed all the tasks. Even though small it is an accomplishment.

In the past I may have said ehh heck with it I will try tomorrow maybe... but I didn't. The stuff I didn't know how to do I youtubed. I feel there is no excuse not to know how to do something. Pickup a book, do a search. Can't get any easier unless you have someone do it for you. It is about being lazy, I know because I have been there. I don't know = I am lazy and don't want to do the work. That's my opinion.

My point is that it isn't always easy you have to push. Go out of your comfort zone. I didn't stop at local shops not because I didn't want to but because it was out of my comfort zone to just walk in somewhere and offer services. By the 3rd or 4th place I am thinking why the hell have I waited this long!?

Felt like ranting thank you lol

Cool feeling to be energized. Remember this is a marathon, not a sprint. A process, not an event.

If you are still working for someone you may look at this as a test of your character. When you are self employed you will have to do a LOT of crap you don't want to when you don't want to. You are now in that position but working for someone else. If you flake out on your employer and still take the full pay you are, in essence, stealing. Would you want your employee acting like that? You still owe it to him to do the job right or move on.

Go get em.

 

[kkompoti]

i am just trying to help.

don't make a site only to show past work. make a site that sells your craft.

make a facebook page of your shop (post photos of upcoming work there)and advertise it to local users, local farming facebook groups , local motorist fb groups etc. (find some members here that do facebook ads and ask them how to make specific targeting with low advertising budget)

clean a corner of your home shop. put a sofa(craigslist) and a table with relative magazines. also put a coffee machine there. and make coffee for free for anyone that comes in your shop.

put your wife or girlfriend answer all the first phonecalls. "You have called John Doe's Welding Shop. What can we do for you?'

put a sign . big and well designed sign.

make a logo

buy shirts and working clothes with that logo.

 

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[Welder1986]

I read this thread totally different, probably because of my background. I see someone with a set of skills to create product. However, I see those skills going to mass production of a simpler product. There are many steel products that are just inefficient to make and ship from China these days due to the price and weight.

I look at your skills and I see an easier fastlane journey making things like shelves, iron gates, doors, types of small decoration pieces, targets, stands, etc.

I feel like it would be much easier for you to create and then teach someone to make these simple things and then leverage Amazon and ecommerce to sell whatever you make. The business becomes less about you and your creative side.

You can then build bikes on the side for fun.

I had setup an Etsy account with the intent of making steel furniture, coffee tables, stands etc.. other than that or craigslist I was not positive on how to find customers. Earlier in this thread social media marketing was mentioned. I could advertise the service or advertise pieces that are for sale.

While building bikes makes me think, basic furniture is very straightforward and for me I go on autopilot which is nice for a change.

Can't thank you guys enough for your help and suggestions.

 

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[Welder1986]

Bingo........In general...The Fastlane midset is deeply rooted in scalability. It can quickly becomes a reincarnation of the 9-5 herd mentality. This may be necessary initially in the start up state....Remember most wealth is generated from the shoulders up. This advice was hard learned personally at great expence.

I feel like I was headed to the 9-5 grind except for myself. I understand scale. It's a slow process going from working with my hands to working more shoulders up.

 

[Welder1986]

Hey guys hope all is well.

Have been busy with jobs lately and trying to educate myself but wanted to check in and say hello.

In the last few weeks I have tried some direct mail post cards and have had a few bites. On the postcard I described my services, offered a discount, and sent them off. I just sent about 50 more out today. It seems like a great way of getting at least a few seconds or possibly more of a potential customers time.

Have any of you had luck with similar advertising?

 

[Welder1986]

A while back I had a friend of a friend build a website for my shop. Needless to say it was ok but not what I wanted. After trying to work with him and getting nowhere, tonight I decided to find an easy editing site builder and do it myself.

I would say I am nearly halfway done and am very happy with how it is coming out. I have applied some small tips from tmf about making it about the customer and not the business. I feel very relived that I can get my point across and also make changes without needing someone else to rely on. No excuses.

Reading about directing customers to your site is something I was working on. After thinking about it, I wasn't really happy with the site I had so why do I want people going there when my message is not portrayed as I wanted it!

Sometimes you need to just do it! I would post a link with permission if I could to the site when its done. I am always up for suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Welder1986]

Still on track, one day at a time. I am meeting a mentor with SCORE Monday to discuss growing my business and to soak in any knowledge he offers. Have been reading a lot lately and building motorcycles. My goal for the next few months is to get setup to work for myself full time and am very excited about that. My site is roughed out and I have been in contact with a small business that optimizes seo. I realized I can't do absolutely everything my self nor do I know how. It seems more efficient to delegate certain tasks out.

 

[kkompoti]

As i see it you believe that making a site better than the 2 local competition shops, would generate you more costumers.
if so, what is your plan on dealing with these new costumers?

are you going to answer the phonecalls yourself? or are you going to have a nice looking lady do that?
are you going to show them some previous work you've done in pictures out of a tablet? or are you going to have a small area with pieces of your work?
when they come to your shop what they will see? a one man show with oil stains and sparks? or a nice little office with a window to the side of your shop where employees are working?

have you come with a plan for all these? also have you gone to the shops of occ , or counts customs , to see how they do their business and try to "steal" some ideas from there on how they treat their normal costumers?

you can be small ,but you can easily look and act big!

add value to every step of the way. and you will achieve your goals!

find the value the 4 other shops in your area don't give to their costumers and take advantage of that.

also find the best welders from the other shops and try to make them your employees.

and finally ,reffering to your welder friend , tell him and make him understand from day 1 that he will be a well paid employee, not a partner.

 

[Welder1986]

As i see it you believe that making a site better than the 2 local competition shops, would generate you more costumers.
if so, what is your plan on dealing with these new costumers?

are you going to answer the phonecalls yourself? or are you going to have a nice looking lady do that?
are you going to show them some previous work you've done in pictures out of a tablet? or are you going to have a small area with pieces of your work?
when they come to your shop what they will see? a one man show with oil stains and sparks? or a nice little office with a window to the side of your shop where employees are working?

have you come with a plan for all these? also have you gone to the shops of occ , or counts customs , to see how they do their business and try to "steal" some ideas from there on how they treat their normal costumers?

you can be small ,but you can easily look and act big!

add value to every step of the way. and you will achieve your goals!

find the value the 4 other shops in your area don't give to their costumers and take advantage of that.

also find the best welders from the other shops and try to make them your employees.

and finally ,reffering to your welder friend , tell him and make him understand from day 1 that he will be a well paid employee, not a partner.

As far as the website goes it is a way to show past work etc. I personally would go to one place over another if I can see work before hand. I plan to treat customers better then the competitors anyway I can.

For now working out of my home shop I am limited with having a nice looking secretary and an office but I see your point.

I like the idea of being small but acting big.

Thanks!

 

[Welder1986]

Hey guys, wanted to post an update. Hope everyone is well.

I met with my SCORE mentor the other night, we discussed a bunch of different topics and it went well. I will be keeping in touch with him frequently after completing some small tasks each time.

I also listed some bikes online for sale and they have been getting quick bids on the auctions. Some friends got a whiff that I was selling a few and for some reason can't fathom it. I was asked why about 6 times. I just said it is part of a plan. Do I want to sell? No, but I wan't to be a builder and then someday I can be a collector. Can't keep them all. In order to take the steps away from a 40 hour job this cash will give me the salary to live off while I build and learn more. Not that I am quitting right off the bat either.

Which leads to my next possible path. I have a local welding shop which is not really a direct competitor per say, they do structural and big MIG jobs where I do not do any of that, that is looking for help. At the moment it is just the boss and a friend of mine working there. He is very flexible on hours, I could work 20-25 hours all on the books and work the rest at home, also could do 50-55 every single week if I had to. I debated for a while but I feel like this is the next step. If I work p/t for him then I could very well up the cycle production. If I stay on top of the style and these bikes are moving quick I may not need to be there for a long period of time. I know the grass is not always greener but my full time job was bought out and is rapidly declining fast and has lost over 50 people the last few months.

I will post back with the verdict!

 

[Welder1986]

I also would like to start delegating some of the cycle operations out. Now from my view it could go 2 ways. Say sandblasting for example. I can either send all my parts out to get blasted at $75 an hour or I can have a friend blast the parts using my sandblaster for $15 an hour. Now that one is obvious but then there's an operation like powder coating. I can send parts out for whatever the shops hourly rate is or invest in a small setup for my shop and have another friend (with powder coating knowledge) to come in and coat parts for me. I believe from an entrepreneurs stand point it would be to have the guys working for you instead of forking out bigger bucks to outsource. I am getting to the point with multiple projects that it isn't efficient for me to be doing every single step.

 

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[Runum]

Hey guys hope all is well.

Have been busy with jobs lately and trying to educate myself but wanted to check in and say hello.

In the last few weeks I have tried some direct mail post cards and have had a few bites. On the postcard I described my services, offered a discount, and sent them off. I just sent about 50 more out today. It seems like a great way of getting at least a few seconds or possibly more of a potential customers time.

Have any of you had luck with similar advertising?

Where are you getting the mailing addresses?

What about advertising through motorcycle retailers? Maybe an ad printed on their sales receipts? Wouldn't these be your target clients? They would already be vetted and warmed up.

 

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[Runum]

Good idea. The list I have is from looking up any possible customers that could need my services such as excavation, landscape, architects etc. Then I will send another in a few weeks as well.

Truck guys are always looking for unique brush guards, push bumpers, winch mounts, step bars,, nerf bars, light bars, hunting stands, etc.

Many customers want their stuff powder coated in certain matching colors. Maybe another complimentary service to offer with another provider or in house?

 

[Runum]

A while back I had a friend of a friend build a website for my shop. Needless to say it was ok but not what I wanted. After trying to work with him and getting nowhere, tonight I decided to find an easy editing site builder and do it myself.

I would say I am nearly halfway done and am very happy with how it is coming out. I have applied some small tips from tmf about making it about the customer and not the business. I feel very relived that I can get my point across and also make changes without needing someone else to rely on. No excuses.

Reading about directing customers to your site is something I was working on. After thinking about it, I wasn't really happy with the site I had so why do I want people going there when my message is not portrayed as I wanted it!

Sometimes you need to just do it! I would post a link with permission if I could to the site when its done. I am always up for suggestions. Thanks!

You have a great attitude and a can do spirit. I see no problem with you posting a link for us to take a look. Did you get your own domain?

 

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[OldFaithful]

That's some nice work. Kudos.

 

[Welder1986]

Good work. As someone who has been around the industry it's good to see another on this board.
My best piece of advice for scaling this business it to surround yourself with efficient, knowledgeable workers.

You need to focus on building a dream team of employees with your direction and talent leading the team.

I like that dream team idea. Finding people better than you are at certain tasks to move forward. I do have a few guys that help here and there and are very good at what they do. (motor work, painting,) It is just getting to the point where I can hire them, and along with all the other fees of having employees.