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PPFA Connect Newsletter

Newbie introduction and question....

G

Gail Poshepny

Well-known member
Messages
82
Loc
Carson City, NV
Company
Sierra Custom Picture Framing
Hello there! Signed up here a long time ago but haven't come on board yet.

I've been framing off and on for about 6 years now. I cut my teeth at a BF-esque type of store, where I fell in love with the framing industry and learned sooooo much of what NOT to do! Since then, I have read a ton, gone to WCAF two years now, taking all the classes that I could possibly fit in, helped out (tried to anyway) a "real" framer in town and have been framing out of my house in between.

I've been wanting to open up my own shop for 3-4 years now but haven't because of the economy tanking. Now, I'm happy to say (actually, terrified to say) that life's circumstances seem to be pushing me into doing this soon - very soon.

Now for the question part...
I'm in the process of writing my business plan and am having trouble getting the "Custom Framing Report" that is on the PPFA website. Do any of you know if this is still available? I've tried contacting Nick Shaver twice via the link provided on the web page but never received a response. I also tried my chapter president and no response there either. Is there anyone who has access to this or any other source for current statistical industry related material that I would be able to go to?

Thank you in advance, for any help you can give me with this. And thank you for letting me introduce myself to you. It's been a pleasure getting to know some of you while lurking on here!

Take good care!
 
Gail,

I don't personally have access to the current report, but I'm sure someone will get back to you when the wheels start turning this morning at PPFA.

However, I'd like to welcome you to the forum and congratulate you on your first post!

Best of luck with the new venture. We're here if you have any general questions about vnailers, CMCs, POS systems, etc. (in the tech forum or here)

Mike
 
Gail Poshepny said:
...I've been wanting to open up my own shop for 3-4 years now but haven't because of the economy tanking. Now, I'm happy to say (actually, terrified to say) that life's circumstances seem to be pushing me into doing this soon - very soon...
Click to expand...

Hi Gail,

Welcome to the Framers Corner... Great source for you in your new venture.

Your comment about timing in the recession is perhaps not 100% true. Having expanded our business in Oct 2009 in the first 18 months of the recession, I can give you 3 good reasons why it is a GREAT time to open your business...

1) Interest rates are excellent - If you don't have the funding to do all that you need for your business, you will need to borrow. Don't do without the inventory, fixtures and marketing tools to make sure you succeed! Money is cheap at the moment.

2) Rents are reduced or at realistic rates in many areas. Those empty buildings will benefit the landlord more if occupied at a lower rent than sitting empty. Many now get this and can offer you attractive rates IF you are willing to sign a longer lease...at least 5 years. Otherwise, if things turn around and greed prevails, and you have a 2-3 year lease, you don't need a spike in your costs to cause havoc with your growth plan.

3) You have only one way to go....UP! Opening a business and running it profitable in 2004-2007 was easy. If you can do it now, and the economy slowly recovers, you will be in clover.

Welcome aboard,

John
 
Welcome to the Framers' Corner! I hope we can be of help when the need arises!

I thought I had a soft copy of the report, but can't seem to find it.
I have my hard copy. Nick should be able to get the soft copy for you.

A couple of my recent emails to Nick have been unanswered and he's usually very good at getting back quickly.
Either he's having some email trouble, or he might not be into work for some reason.

Call. You'll either get him on the phone or you can leave a message.

If that doesn't work, I'll make copies and drop it in the mail to you.
Let's try the soft copy route first though.
 
Hi, Gail. Welcome to the Framers Corner. John is right, starting business during a down turn is not always as bad as you might think. I started during a bad patch, and business has grown every year.

I no longer have my copy of the report. Staff have been out of the office a lot for shows & meetings, so a phone call will probably be the most effective way of getting the report on its way to you.
 
Hello Gail and welcome to the Corner.
I have opened shop in September last year from scratch and learnt a few things in the process in addition to the ones I already knew.

- When starting out you need to advertise more than an existing business. Budget for this. Start advertising locally to build up a local custom-base, then expand outward. Deliver a good product with good service and customers will tell this to others. This is free advertising.

- Be prepared for lean weeks and know how to overcome them financially and mentally. Lean weeks are normal, because customers have other bills to pay and wait to have framing done as these are not as essential as paying tax.
During lean weeks make sales-frames, re-organize the workshop etc.

- Be prepared to make long hours in the evening or weekend to work your way thru a pile of work when it suddenly gets busy. There is nothing worse than telling customers the work will be ready in two weeks, while it actually takes one month without putting in the long hours.

- During the first year a new business will make a loss, the second it will break even, while in the third it may make a profit.
 
Thank you all!

Thank you all for your nice welcomes and advise.

Nick had Jennifer from PPFA, e-mail the report to me this morning. Thank you both for that. I always think that sometimes website links don't work on my computer. And really... I just NOW noticed the phone number on the top of this page.

Thank you all again, for your well-wishes. It is a comfort to know that I'm not in this alone. This has been a long time coming and I knew that I would know when the time is right. It will be a bare-bones start but I have a really good and solid game plan for slow growth. Since I am by myself, that's the only way I see this going... slow growth.

And John... I DO like clover!

You all have a wonderful weekend!
Gail
 
Most of us have been in your situation, and we all have found our way through the startup trials and tribulations. You will, too.

You're right to invest whatever time and energy it takes to write a thorough business plan. When I did that in 1987, I visited over 100 frames shops and galleries in several states (they were on every block in those days). I thought the research would go quickly, but it turned into a 6-month quest, because every time I found an answer, two more questions came around. The resulting business plan was a small book, but I got the SBA loan I wanted, built up my confidence in the decision-making process, and got off to a great start. Few surprises.
 
Welcome! We are glad you are hanging out at the Corner!

Here's some of what I learned when I started out.

1. Don't get corners from many vendors. The subminimums will kill you. Stick with 3 or 4, at least until you get a handle on costs.

2. Buy used. Frame shops are going out of business. Get their stuff, but don't buy too much. You don't need a lot of stuff to begin with.

3. When we started out, we paid ourselves a percent of the gross (about 20%, if memory serves). If you have a good week, so does your wallet. If no one comes in, dig out the jar of peanut butter and live through it. Going into debt because you think you can't have two bad weeks in a row is one of the many paths I wandered down...

4. Print up about a billion business cards. Give them out at the bank, at the hairdresser, at the grocery store, at church. There are potential customers everywhere!

You will love this business. It is the most fun! And full of really nice colleagues.
 
Again, thank you all so much. I am very willing to read any advise anyone has to give me.

Jim, my business plan started out similar to yours. I found a loan to apply for (suggested by SBA) and they only want a short business plan - no more than 10 pages. 10 pages, really.... MAJOR editing going on. I am saving the bigger one for myself as a guide though. I believe that it's a good tool.

Ellen, thank you for your advise. I have been collecting equipment (yes, used) and supplies for over 3 years. I got some incredible deals on some - so much that if they only last a few years, I'll be happy. I just need to get started. I have enough right now to start a small shop. Just need lighting, insurance and moulding samples (good thought on limiting them to start). My design table just might be a 6 foot banquet table with a cloth over it for the first few months but that OK with me... LOL..

Take good care,
Gail
 
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