What Are Your Plans for 2013 ?

[Mojo]

This is a spin off of Doyle's thread.

I was wondering if any of you have plans for 2013 ?

Are any of you planning on making any new equipment purchases ?
Changing directions on your scope of our trade ?
Trying to increase sales ( or maybe cut back and decrease to slow down  ? )
Expanding your market ?
Trying anything different for more market penetration ?
Reducing costs through strategic changes in your production ?

I am always curious to see what others plan on doing as I can always learn from other members here.

Chris

[Mojo]

My plans for 2013 ?

1.) One major decision in which I got the owners approval on ( my boss - the wife unit ) is to build a brand new 1,800 sq ft shop out back of our house on our property. The majority will be my Up Shop and the other section will be my woodshop. Of course this probably wont happen till later in 2013. The agreement was to pay cash for the entire building and I need to dump our home in Bristol and some land in VA first.

2.) I am going to gauge sales and if I see a slow down then start making inroads into another association I have yet to tap. That would add more sales immediately but it is a delicate move because I could end up slammed with more business then I can handle.

3.) Equipment purchases - I am going to keep an eye out for a post bed and a surge machine. Mainly just for my wife and for me to screw around with. They intrigue me. I wont buy new and will buy used but thought they would be cool additions to the stable. Other then that I see no real need for anything else. I have my Chandler which is two years old and my back up machine the Juki.

4.) Contract Sewing - If and when I get the shop built I am considering bringing in a retired person a day or two a week as a contract sewer to help me. My sons corporate attorneys are looking into this for me as I do not want to get nailed by the IRS ( I have enough problems with those idiots ) nor do I want to get into an employee situation of having to pay SSI, workers comp and other benefits. I would prefer paying a high wage ( $ 20 per hour ) for a contract sewer instead who sews in my shop where I can control quality. To be honest I do not think it will be possible and will run afoul of IRS rules for contract employees. We shall see.

5.) Watch my costs and continue to make improvements in my production time and material purchases.

6.) My main goal is to stay alive, manage my chemo schedule better around my production schedule and continue to live a productive life. I still believe that the more active I am the longer I will live and be in a position to better fight my disease.

So what are your planned changes if any ?

Chris

[JDUpholstery]

"6.) My main goal is to stay alive, manage my chemo schedule better around my production schedule and continue to live a productive life. I still believe that the more active I am the longer I will live and be in a position to better fight my disease."

Think that should have been number one on your list! but other than that, good plan for the new year...

[baileyuph]

Chris, your past year performance, current, and plan for next year is admiral from at least two or three aspects.

Number one - you set goals for yourself, which I find works for me.

Number two - you believe in yourself and as a result have a can do attitude.

Number three - You are good at what you do but are always finding ways to improve.

That is quite a recipe for success, young man.

I was impressed to read that you find near term and strategic planning equally important.  Essentially, no matter where you are on the ladder, you consistantly insure your footing is safe while keeping an eye and a plan to go another rung.  

In short, these characteristics must make you enjoyable to be around and in spite of what you think, there has to be satisfaction personally gained.

I defintitely appreciate your goals for cost cutting and smart purchasing of materials, supplies, and equipment.  You decision to purchase on volume is very smart, logical, and profitable, but above all that it tells me something about the confidence you have in yourself.  This demonstrated confidence fact clealy illustrates a "can do attitude" and "will do the job right and as efficiently as possible".  Another key impression, you goal settings sets the tempo as someone who knows no matter how good you are or get; intuitively are always focused on the next step on the ladder, as aluded to above.

In a short word, all these attributes make you an exciting person to be around and one to appreciate your input, no doubt enhances the health factor.  

Keep it up!

Enjoy your trip, and I know you will.

Doyle

[Mike]

my main problem has been schedualing. In new Hampshire all my work came to my shop and most of it then was very quick and profitable cockpit covers done on land   ie

so customers knew they had to wait till there was room for there boat at my shop.
after moving to fl0rida it was totally different all work at the customers anf normaly harder covers on a boat lift all taking more time ands labor needing to be patterned first and travel time between patter and install. ie

so they don't see me at there house and wonder when ill start and ui end up doing two at once usualy trying to get as much done as I can like now I patterened 2 jobs before it got too cold and windy to do one  so I bite off more then I can and creates a lot of stress . I want to manage to do less work and get a premium price doing so do one at a time get a fair price to me and oass on it otherwise sometimes I have second guesed myself  if it sounded to high and I didn't want to loose the job. so I just want to work smart. buyi ng in bulk for me wouldn't work as I never kknow what color ill use next. aside from zipperswich I don't use a lot of as I used to with less enclosures  and small items. aside from the cost to have a large inventory I don't have much storage to have it

[Mojo]

Doyle:

Thank you very much for the kind words.

My background and experience has always been business and marketing/pr. It sure wasn't upholstery. That is a trade I am still learning. I just took my years of of experience in business consulting and marketing and applied it to Upholstery.

I had many clients who had no annual and 5 year goals. To be honest many of them had no planning for capital expenditures and the vast majority never looked at their costs or production routines. I can remember a client I consulted to in England. They brought me in to look over their entire production and sales departments to see what if any improvements should be made. They were shocked when I handed them my report which was a thick booklet. :)

The last thing you want to do is allow a business to run YOU. An owner has to have a clear vision and steer the ship.

Again I thank you for your kind words. The majority of what I do has been hammered into my head by my Godfather who was a self made millionaire. He started beating business principles into my head at the age of 14. Mix that with my OCD and it is a wonder I do not drive myself insane by nit picking my business to death. :)

Chris

[baileyuph]

You have an excellent experience combo Chris, with your background it is obvious you keep the bigger picture in perspective, something I have to remind myself often.  

I understand Mike's rationale on volume purchasing, recently my supply prices have soared.  I am being forced to look at buying rolls of certain materials, to keep cost down per unit.  

I am taking your business plan into consideration Chris, by focusing on certain type of markets, where one can specialize, it will pay me to buy certain items (materials and supplies) in bulk or volume (i.e. rolls), like you do.  To be honest, it will enable me to get more business, because like I said, prices have gone up this past year, (I.E. my vinyl needs have gone up by over 30%).  Sometimes, as you know Chris from your background, there is a point where the business owner can't just continue passing it on and still get the business, at least at a needed profit.  You have a somewhat suttle, maybe not suttle, asset in your business, your wife.  Her assistance and mental input has to be an asset.

Mike, I appreciated your technical point on sheduling boat work due primarily to how the job is worked.  I never thought of that, you are right about how customers react to our service time lines and when we show up to get started.

This is exactly what keeps me motivated, one never knows it all.

Doyle

[sofadoc]

Over the past few years, I have increased profits by buying in bulk, and equipping/arranging my shop in a way that I can "Work smarter......not harder".

But as far as marketing my business.......not really. I've stated my position here before:

1) I only have 2 hands, and I'm not interested in working more than 8 hours a day.
2) I have no desire to grow my business to the point where I would have to hire employees.

Given those 2 parameters, my potential for income is pretty much maxed out.

So MY plans for 2013?  Just keep on keepin' on.

[Polly ester]

Boy, 2012 was kinda tough,even though I was very busy.  There always seemed to be enough money  to pay my suppliers and my bills and the one employee that I have and all the other costs that having an employee takes but after that there wasn't too much left for me so...... here's what I am gonna do.
1. Get my little car lettered in a bold way!
2.  We have 2 phone books in our area and I am going to scale them back to just advertising my name, address and phone number and saying for any other info look at my website.
3.  I have been in business for almost 40 years.  I think its time to put my labour prices up!
4. Scale down my advertising in the various papers that I advertise in and drive my little car all over the place, advertising my website!
5.  Keeping my new website current and fun!
   I am sure that once I implement some of these ideas other ones will come to light....hopefully!

[sofadoc]

Polly: (or is it Ester? :D)

First, welcome to the forum. I see that you've been "lurking" for a while. Your first post is a good one.
I agree with all of your ideas. We've talked before that sometimes when business is sluggish, the initial reaction is to lower prices, or at least hold them down. But sometimes, raising prices actually creates a greater "perception of value".

We've also discussed how the old fashioned Yellow Pages seem to be deteriorating in effectiveness each year.
It may be too late, but if possible, have a website address that is synonymous with the name of your business.
Example: If the name of your shop is Main Street Upholstery, then ideally, just put a www in front, and a .com on the end. It's a lot easier for your regular customers to look up your website if they don't have to remember some "cutesy" name.

I like the lettered car idea. But don't go hog wild. When I see a car that is over-decaled, I tend to look right past it.
Even if you put your phone # in big bold letters, odds are they'll forget it before they get home. But they will remember a simple web address.

I also agree that these ideas that you have will evolve into more good ones........welcome again.

[byhammerandhand]

That's about where I'm at.   I've outlasted almost all my original local customers.   Will celebrate my 10 years in business next month.   I heard once that 10 years is about the optimum between learning and being over confident.

One thing I've started to do is to ask people who have found me on Angie's List to take the time to do a report.  Up to now, only about 10% of the people that have found me there bother to rate me.

Over the past few years, I have increased profits by buying in bulk, and equipping/arranging my shop in a way that I can "Work smarter......not harder".

But as far as marketing my business.......not really. I've stated my position here before:

1) I only have 2 hands, and I'm not interested in working more than 8 hours a day.
2) I have no desire to grow my business to the point where I would have to hire employees.

Given those 2 parameters, my potential for income is pretty much maxed out.

So MY plans for 2013?  Just keep on keepin' on.

[Mike]

Polly: (or is it Ester? :D)



I like the lettered car idea. But don't go hog wild. When I see a car that is over-decaled, I tend to look right past it.
Even if you put your phone # in big bold letters, odds are they'll forget it before they get home. But they will remember a simple web address.

speaking of over done there A SHOE SHOP HRTR THE GUY HAS A NIV
CE MERCEDEES COUPE WITH HUGE LETTERS ALL OVER IT RUINED THE CAR caps lock ???

on the phone number on the car ive gotten many calls going down the road from the car behind mwe or a call whime im having lunch somewhere from someone who saw me parked there

[JDUpholstery]

I have a subtle (in my opinion) lettering on my truck and have received many calls from it...I believe it is well worth the investment, but I would not overdo it...at 60 MPH they should not have to search the letters for what they want; the phone number



That cost me 100 bucks, worth every penny

[Mojo]

Doyle:

May I suggest that if your considering expanding your horizons please do consider the internet as a marketing and sales asset. I do over 95 % of my sales online. I have found that the vast majority of my customers find me through some type of internet medium - be it search engines or through RV forums.

There is alot of money to be made through internet sales. Obviously it is hard to do furniture on the internet but standard things could be done such as seat cover replacements, etc,.

Chris