so what were YOU doing at quarter to 1am last night?

[Kev Williams]

right now I'm engraving blue anodized shot glasses in the LS900,

the fiber is in the middle of 230 black anodized operator plate job, they're for some ethernet switching gizmo,

the IS400 just got done engraving words and cutting holes in an ABS electric box lid that'll end up in a mining truck, the wife will paint the engraving tomorrow,

the GCC is engraving a bunch of 8x12 signs for a nearby medical company,

the old XT#1 just finished a batch of Allen Bradley 559 plates, I'll take them upstairs for the wife to paint too,

the old XT#2 I just got set up to engrave 30 clear plex torque scale indicators, they also need paint and assy which the BIL will do tomorrow,

and a few minutes ago I slathered Cermark over a table full of SS plates that'll go in the 900 as soon as the shot glasses are done...

--- I'll bet most of YOU guys were asleep!

Well, maybe not Tim...

(it's nice to be busy, but this has been my SOP for going on 4 years straight, and I'm about tired of these late nights!)

[John Kleiber]

In answer to your question, I was sleeping.
But when I do have to stay up late to meet a deadline, its a great feeling to have multiple machines running.
-John

[Bert Kemp]

I was watching Sahara

[Rodne Gold]

Listening to muzak in my dedicated room... (see pic) ... you need some helpers Kev...no use working yourself to death and no time to enjoy the fruits

[Dave Sheldrake]

Working like I am now (it's 04:37 here) not many days I do less than 16 hours and haven't had a day off since I can remember

[Kev Williams]

Listening to muzak in my dedicated room... (see pic) ..

Now that there is one very carefully 'acoustically arranged' dedicated muzak room

-boy, do I miss those days, I'm jealous... I have a whole bunch of perfectly good music gear just sitting in a storage unit- a first-year Carver C2000 S.H.A.P., a pair of Carver 500w cubes, pair of Dahlquist DQ-10's, pair of 15" Realistic Mach II's, pair of 16" Pioneer CS-G's, a pair of home-made loudspeakers I used for the time-delay, a Pioneer 160 wpc tuner to drive the time delay speakers, a nice Dual turntable (forget the model), a couple of boxes of 1980's vinyl, a 100 disc CD player that's still full, a Harman Kardon cassette deck (pretty decent for 1981), probably a few more trinkets I'm forgetting... My wife suffers from chronic migraines.... Someday I may get a man cave to put it all in again. Just hope it happens before 'it's too loud'

[Bill Stearns]

Hey All -
So, you find yourself working, what you feel are, too many hours, uh? There’s an old AA saying: “If nothing changes ... nothing changes!” Would seem, at first glance, the hours we put in are directly related to our revenue needs ... simple ‘nough, uh?


It’s taken me years, but I’m finally realizing: more important than the hours I work,'n the income I make, is whether, or not, I have “balance” in my life? - became pretty darned clear that I didn’t! (“Balance” meaning: time ‘nough for family, friends, outside activities, other interests; time for “self”, etc.)


I’ve come to see that putting in too many hours, on a regular basis, can be a cry for "change" of some sort! Think it’s key to, first, accurately evaluate our revenue/livelihood needs - in dollars ‘n cents. Then, with this sum in mind, to evaluate precisely ‘why’ we’re putting in the hours we do? Truly necessary? The reasons, of course, run the gamut! A need for higher income is certainly right up there. Retaining our competitive position in our marketplaces? Maybe, our inability to turn ‘way business? (as in my case.) Imagine you’ve got your own list, uh?
Anyway, over these months, I’ve isolated those customers whose business (always) results in my working overly long hours. (Most always due to their short sightedness; vis-a-vis unrealistic deadlines.) So, now, with both my income ‘n “balance needs” in mind, I’ve finally gotten up enough courage to start turning ‘way certain projects, here ‘n there. I’m, more or less, handling jobs during sensible workin’ hours; and allowing time ‘nough for “other things”. And, know what? Business has remained brisk - ‘n best of all, I’m feeling happier ‘n more relaxed than before! Long story short! ... IMO, “balance” counts! BILL

[Dave Sheldrake]

Very true Bill, my problem is I have staff relying on what I do so they can do what they do. The money doesn't matter to me these days but I have always been the same, I won't ask any of my staff to do something I won't personally do myself.

[Jacob John]

I have to ask. Do most of you make enough to hire full time staff? Seems like you reach a point where you hope to hire people to do the work while you manage. Do you prefer the hands-on approach, not trust anyone but you to engrave, etc.?

[Kev Williams]

I have the opposite problem Dave has. My "staff" is my 6-hour-a-day BIL, and my poor wife who knows nothing about this business (but she's learning!) - BIL's work generates about 1/10 total sales, most weeks he's paid more than he earns, but he also does a lot of 'priceless' work- cutting, beveling, taping, gluing, paint fill, Cermark washing, packing, gopher duty- that I couldn't do without. My wife is a part of this business by default, but she's a trooper, she's my main paint filler, helps with shipping stuff, pack & unpacking jobs, pins badges, tapes plates, and does some of the invoicing (I do most invoicing because most of my work is one-off, so pricing is 'on the fly'). BIL has been here almost 35 years, but he's never had the self-confidence to 'spread his wings' much- of the 15 machines here, he knows how to run 3 of 'em- the LS900, the GCC and the C2000. There's many jobs he and my wife can run once I set the machines up, and I've had a few of my kids help out at times. But- answering the phone, the door, buying materials, quoting prices, reading and answering email, scanning graphics, vectorizing, setting up jobs, most of the invoicing, paying the bills, accounts payable, accounts receivable, doing the taxes, keeping track of the 15-30+ jobs in house at any given time, fixing and maintaining the machines, and keeping as many machines busy as possible - that's MY job --guess I'm pretty good at it by now

[Mike Null]

At the moment, actually for a couple of years, I have been too busy. I have two part-timers but neither can run the equipment. they do shipping, painting Cermark, washing, assembling, lifting etc. I have to do all the artwork, set up the machines and inspect. No compromises on quality. I handle all billing and communication. I regularly turn away business to try to maintain some semblance of good service to my regulars.

I'd love to take a few days off and relax but that won't happen until Christmas. I do shut it down then.

[Bill Stearns]

HEY 'gain:
It’s obvious that, when it comes to our hours spent working, everybody’s situation is ‘little different. (BTW: I’m a one-man show; just so you know.)


In finding myself regularly putting in way too many hours, I finally realized it was time I reassess my original “goals & objectives” - sadly realizing that, far as objectives go, while I love my business, my genuine “enjoyment of life” had slipped thru the cracks! In short: I came to see that I’d never hit a target I wasn’t aiming at!
Hours invested? employing help, or not? - a drive for higher sales? - the thing to consider may be: Are we running our business ‘way we do, ‘cause it’s simply the way we always have? (I was.) - got to a point where I had to ask myself: was I running my business, or was my business running me!? I’ve personally come to understand: Goals, and ways in which to run a business, change with time ‘n age; that higher income doesn’t necessarily translate into a happier, more content, life! - ‘bout all I’m trying to say!


KEV - Now, as for your operation? Certainly good that you can see that BIL’s contribution (to your overall earnings) is “priceless”. (It’s okay that not everyone has, or cares to have, lots of drive ‘n ambition.) Guess I’m thinkin’ of the tremendous weight he must’ve taken off your shoulders in all that he’s done for 35 years! (Your time translating into money, right?) As for your single-handedly doing all that you're doing, well, maybe, just keep in mind what I said earlier 'bout "balance". Running 15 machines! - Wow! - sure wouldn't want' a wake up to that task each morning! My best to you! BILL

[Jacob John]

You do have a lot of machines Kev! My wife is a one woman show. I help where I can out with mailers and marketing, but she's the only one creating and producing. I hope to one day hire someone to produce while she creates the artwork and markets. That's why I asked about trusting others. Do most of you prefer to make everything yourself? To me that's the fun in owning your own business, but then how does your business grow? It's a complicated balancing act for sure!

[Scott Shepherd]

I think the problem as been around for a long time. It's "How do you get someone to care about your business as much as you do?", and I think the answer is "You don't". Our lenses last 5 years or more. Got a couple lens going on 10 years now. Still spotless. Not just me saying spotless, but spotless under magnification. I've been in a fair amount of people's shops over the years that have lasers and they'll call me when they are having issues and I'll go there. I'll say "Looks like a lens issue" and I'm told "The lens is clean, we just cleaned it". I get them to take it out and it looks like they have been cleaning it with scotchbrite or it's pitted so badly that you can't see a clear spot on it. They tell me that they clean it all the time. I don't doubt that, but use your head and pay attention to the details.

It's hard for someone to remember to take the nose cone off when they don't have to pay for a $150 lens if they forget.

It's possible to find the needle in the hackstacks out there, but it's a challenge. Over all these years, we've found one needle in the haystack and that person still works here today.

[Matt McCoy]

"How do you get someone to care about your business as much as you do? -- You don't."

I agree with this. One of the most challenging parts of a small business, looking to take it to the next level, is creating a structure where you can remove yourself for a few days, and the work will continue without much oversight. This can be a difficult impediment to overcome and requires good employees, training, structure, well-crafted written SOPs, and trust. It's heavy and expensive on the front end, but necessary if you want a work/life balance, in my opinion.

The bonus advantage is having a turnkey business, with value beyond the sum of its parts, that can be sold down the road.