Oh Shut up! You married Sandras sister so I don't know what your complaining about!!!:lol:

Builders? I'm ready to do your T-shirt lines!!!:unibrow: :lol:

John

This is what I've learned in the 10 years I've been in buisness for. 1. Most people dont understand how much money or time goes into building one of these cars. 2. You'll end up doing way more work for free if you building top notch cars, because you want them perfect to reflect on your workmanship. 3. The people with the most money (for the most part) have more money than you or us because they know how to screw people over and they'll have no problem screwing you over, I've been there trust me.
4. You'll sleep alot better working for someone else, I lay awake at night wondering how to get all the work out or wonder when the next job will come in. 5. So I've built magazine quality cars why do I have to jump through hoops to get any respect or make any money.
So the way the economy is I say stay away, do it on the side and see how it goes. I know some pretty serious shops with no work so keep your day job. Personally I'm out of the custom car building seen it's done nothing but made me not sleep and work for way to less of money than I'm worth so in my shop from now on we'll do the paint work but nothing else or stick with collision work because I know for sure their checks dont bounce. Good luck I wish you better fortune than me!!!!! Telly

I cannot say much more than what has already been said but here goes.

First,
I too worked as a mailman during the day and opened my business at night. I did that for almost two years. They forced me out because I would finish my 9 hour walking route in under 5 hours. They didn't like that so I was fired. Otherwise I would heave kept doing that for a little while longer.

Second, you can have all the greatest skill, tools and whatever, but if you don't get customers it means nothing. It just becomes an expensive hobby. If you are starting out and don't have a recognized name, you need to have something to showcase your talents, ie a built car of some sort. Well building that car will COST you money. It's a double edge sword.

In my experience, after 4 years of being in business, the thing I come back to is that you MUST have a product, something that you can sell that doesn't have to involve installation. Pushing products out the door keeps your cashflow up, maintains decent margins, and that will allow you to build cars, without relying on that as your staple.
Certainly, there are shops that only build cars, but there are a lot of mitigating factors there.

whats everyones take on advertising when your a new shop... even on a site like this,

is it effective? yes... very

BUT it cost alot.

So is it worth it to just let word of mouth do its job or scrape up some money for very expensive advertising.

As a new business if you plan to advertise, it's going to take a while before people want to call you and recongnize you logo and name. It's really no different than watching TV and seeing folgers coffee 25 times in 2 months. You go to the grocery store and it calls your name. It's really no different. The more TOUCHES you get the better. That being said, I wouldn't blow your bank roll on advertising. As a new shop you don't know your direction and you probably don't have the man power to handle the excess anyway. Somem of the most succesful vendors and shops are active on this and other sites. If you get involved with the in crowd and genuinely want to help, you will reap the benefits eventually. Of course you should become a paid sponsor of the site.

I, too, toyed with the idea of getting into the hot rod biz in some capacity (not building - I have no skills!) but realized I can do better and be more successful at other things, and that this foray might just ruin the hobby for me anyway. And actually, I am doing pretty well at ruining this hobby for myself as it is! :D


Oh come on, man. That is a bit ridiculous and bitter sounding don't ya think?

Just because the people with the money are generally better (or at least willing to try) at exploiting the various opportunities presented in the world, does not mean they "screwing everyone over".... :rolleyes:

Sorry....:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I started a screen printing and sign shop 8 months ago, so this thread really hits home for me. I started in the basement of a house, printing t-shirts for family friends and it snowballed for a while into a full-time business. Those who say it consumes your life are absolutely correct - I've never been as stressed or unhealthy as I've been this last year. Working 24 hour days, sleeping at the shop and printing out thousands of t-shirts alone at 5am gets old VERY fast. On the other hand, on the rare occasion that I can step back for a second and actually look at my life, I'm so happy that I made the decision to stop working as an auto mechanic and start my own business - I work for myself and only answer to my customers.

Am I making money yet? Absolutely not. Am I ready to quit and get another job? Hell no. It'll pay off eventually and through all of the stress and muscle aches, I know that I will never be able to go back to a 9-5 job again. I have a storefront now, in my own building, and I can get up every morning and unlock my own door, walk into my own office and make my own money, my way. I've had no social life and almost lost a relationship through it all, but when all's said and done there's nothing like it :thumbsup:

lol already lost 2 relationships due to the shop lol... its not easy

If they're really good chicks -- they stay with you through thick and thin... After 37 years of being together -- and there's a lifetime of good and bad... we're still together and going good. :thumbsup: