Times are changing

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Not much work coming in so I am praying about down sizing. But to what extent I humbly ask your prayers.

I am at a crossroads right now. I need to make a change in the business. I either have to close down one of the bays and figure out how in the world to dispose of the many pieces of furniture , a lot of which is junk and will be trashed a there are many pieces that will go to a auction. The auction dose not command much but at least I can get something.
The next idea would be to close down all together and start a new season in my life. Work out of a very small shop from home doing the gilding and conservation of art work, which right now not much is happening and take in small repair jobs and hand finishing jobs. The problem with working at a home shop there is only so much I can do which is legal for operating out of a residence.

I am seeking the Lord for guidance. I have been waiting on Him for a while now and I may be more scared of doing something wrong then doing nothing but doing nothing is not what the Lord would have me do. I guess I just need to have assurance that what I do is the path the Lord would have me take.

It's getting to the point where something has to happen soon so I want to

thank you for your prayers.
 
Consider it done. I'm a firm believer that, if you are on the path God wants you on, things will fall into place and the right doors will open at the right time. Just keep your eyes and ears and heart open.
 
I watched the movie Facing The Giants last week and I believe that as long as you honor God no matter what happens, it will all work out in the end. He can open doors that no one can shut.
 
Dave,
My phone isn't ringing as much as it used to but fortunatly I have the commision to do so I am still busy. I am just hoping that by the time I get done with it that things will pick up for the restoration work. I do have three chair to re-cane and a few other pieces to restore but no where near as much as I had. Sure am glad I don't have your overhead. I will keep you in my prayers. If I were in your shoes, I'd cut down the overhead until things improve.
 
Guys with all due respect, hoping something will happen aint a plan.

It saddens me immensely that you dont mention anything to do with a marketing or sales plan.

You cannot just wait for the phone to ring. Relying on previous suppliers of work to keep bringing it in.

Regardless of size a business needs more than technical skills in the area of chosen competence to survive. Especially in tough times.

There is no doubt in my mind that you guys have the technical skill to do the work.

What are you doing to get customers?

Most small businesses suffer from this predicament. Most will spend money on a new machine or tool or material but few spend money on marketing cause they cannot see it or touch it and after its spent they have nothing from it.

But that is their own fault. So many are suseptable to not measuring their marketing results to fine tune it just as we would a machine or process, to ensure that it works for the business. Then when work starts to come in they stop.

You need to see this as another process of your business just the same as say finishing. It goes on all the time.

You have no work now because you neglected the pipeline. Your pipeline should look like a funnel. At the top of the funnel is long term enquiries and possible candidates for your work.

At the middle are people or businesses looking for quotes and down near the neck of the pipeline are people placing orders.

If you let any single stage dry up you need to be aware that there will come a time when the neck will be empty.

Thats where you are now. Now is the time when you need to take drastic action and accelerate some of the work that would have been enquiries down to the closing stage.

Start to think of people that enquired but never fulfilled their order with you. Get in touch with them and offer them a special deal to do the work now.

Then if this source is dry consider the source for most of your work previously. That will give you a good idea of where your sweet spot is as far as the market is concerned.

Again here you should have been logging where people heard about you. Then you know who or what are the big influencers in you getting business.

I am sorry to hear the situation but you need to take comman like a general and act now. Dont wait.

Send me a pm if you to discuss. There is no need to close down. The world aint come to an end. Not with your skills.

If on the other hand you are tired of what you do and want a change make the change gradually and fully research the alternatives.

I am in that mode right now myself.

But i cannot emphasize in small business its about selling, marketing and more selling and marketing.

If you dont like the subject then get some help on the subject. Dont close the business because of it.
 
Rob - I know you are an expert in this and I would never attempt to put my business know-how up against yours. However (there's always a but), my post was not intended to say, "just sit back and wait." So, I should clarify. My intent was to say do what seems right, take the steps you see necessary and continue to work the business. Do things differently, follow a different path, seek work where you have not gone before. THEN, as things move on new opportunities may present themselves, new lines of work, new customers. These will be indications you have chosen the correct path.

Rob, you are right. No one's going to drop a bag on money in your lap. You still have to go out and turn over every stone, figure out what you do best, figure out how to make customers believe that you are the best answer to their problems. All I meant was, that as you do all these things, watch for the doors to open and adjust your course accordingly.

Hope that's a bit more clear.
 
Hey Rennie

I was not directing my comments to you. I apologize profusly if it came across that way.

I just wanted to stop another entrepreneur closing his doors and provide some idea of how to go about changing that direction.

There is nothing in this world that upsets me more than the unemployment and closing of companies.

Anything i can do to help in these areas i am always willing to do. I cannot offer money but hey some free advice based on hard learnt experience.

As they say you cannot give advice to entrepreneurs until you have walked on the coals yourself and got your own feet burnt. :D
 
No offense taken. Old saying: "If someone does not understand what you have said it is because you have failed in making yourself understandable". I felt I had failed to be "understandable" and was just trying to make my thoughts on the matter more clear.

BTW - Real sorry you won't be on the bus. Will miss your humor during the visit.

OK - Now, to return the thread to its initial purpose.....
 
Rob, that is excellent advice!!
Dave your situation hits close to home. Believe me that worst thing you can do is sit and worry about it. It just makes things worse.
While I am a true believer I think God gave us a mind and free will.
Do what you truly feel is the best thing for you and your family and have faith in your decisions.
 
I am not saying I am closing my doors I am just asking those who know the meaning of prayer to say one for me.
Rob, There are not many small shops who advertise as much as I do, I also have a great website that gets hit a lot and calls were coming in a lot in the last part of 09 so I know it's not for lack of what I do to make myself known.
Many shops are closing there doors. I am still getting work but not like before and no shop is working like we did 2 years ago. I down sizing and if I can build back up OK but for now dealing with the issue of profit and loss and keeping my head above water with racking up duet is my main goal.
 
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Dave I would echo Robs comments. He has some excellent ideas.

On the other hand, I hear you in your desire to seek God's input. One of the best things I do on a regular basis is to ask the Lord to give me divine knowledge regarding my job/ career. It is great fun to have his help and direction when facing a seemingly insurmountable or hard problem. Many times I've had co-workers ask me how I figured out a problem. i always tell them "I just asked the good Lord what to do" It's good to be smart and talented and all that, but it's better to have the supreme guy in your corner. :D

I'll send a few prayers your way.

Ask Him to show you new ways to market yourself.
 
Not much I can offer but a prayer ......well, that didn't come out right but you know what I meant. ;)

I have been self employed for a long time now. Things are really slow here too but I am still in business when a lot of competitors are not. I figure it is just time for the cream to rise tot he top and dump the rest. It may require some changes but you will be shown what to do.

I also chose to start a new business during this recession. Everyone would tell me it was the wrong time but I felt it was the right time. I started out smart using cash on a shoe string budget and knowing that this was the time. I mean it can't get worse than it is now.
 
I trust in the Lord that when my feet hit the ground running that they are on a track He has prepared and laid out before me.

Today I have a dumpster on the way that I will load with junk I've collected over the past 15 years and them most all good and desirable furniture to my original side. I have 2 bays side by side. Another friend suggest I lease out half so I don't totally get ride of the space. Right now I do not need it but when it kicks in I will. And if it dose not kick in it's taken care of.
 
Let me tell ya how the day went. A friend came by and said I am here to help. My son and Norbie and me cleared out one of the 2 gallies over 75 chairs, a few tables and chest of drawers and trashed the stuff not worth saving. We filled a 25'x4'x8' dumpster. Tomorrow the local auction guy will be by to talk about getting the stuff to his auction which is about 3 miles away. I still need to clean the galley but the worst is over getting the stuff down. Tomorrow is another day :)
1st pic is the galley 60' by 10'
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2nd pic lower lever where the cleaning is taking place
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3rd is the dumpster ready to be removed
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