5 Things I've Learned After 3 Years In Business | Maker Fabricator Educator
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ก.ค. 2024
- Its been 3 years since I opened my doors here at Make Everything and after a ton of hard work I can say that I couldn't be happier with where things are. I can't thank my friends and family enough for all their help over the years. I wouldn't be here without you all. And thank you so much to the youtube audience for receiving me and giving me this amazing support and feedback.
Thank you also to my sponsors:
www.lincolnelectric.com
www.pferdabrasives.com
www.weldtables.net
www.brodbeckironworks.com
www.inventables.com
www.woodpeck.com
Check out the Lincoln Electric Power Mig 140MP, great for the home shop, Mig, TIG, and Stick in 1 machine!
→ bit.ly/pm140_mp_ycz
Thank you to Pferd abrasives for supporting my shop and my channel. For links to some of the grinding discs I use most see below:
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
→ Flap disc:
amzn.to/2Myxozi
→ Inside corner disc (AMAZING):
amzn.to/2WoYM2q
→ Wire Wheel:
amzn.to/31k15rx
Thanks for watching! Be careful, know the limits of your skills and your tools! Don't try this stuff at home!
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/ makeeverythingshop
To help support Make Everything and this channel become a Patron:
/ makeeverything
For Make Everything T-shirts, hats and other products check out our website:
makeeverythingshop.com/store/
We teach classes in woodworking and welding here at the shop, if your interested see the current schedule here.
makeeverythingshop.com/events/
For PDFs of some of our project check out our profile on Instructables:
www.instructables.com/member/...
Below are some links to tools I use in the shop on a daily basis.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
→ Bosch Miter Saw ( My Favorite miter saw)
amzn.to/2BeBulk
→ Sawstop Table Saw:
amzn.to/2DuAYVy
→ Wen Tabletop Metalcutting Bandsaw
amzn.to/2DrS7zf
→ Articulated Vise:
amzn.to/2FXKw9V
→ Bosch Portable Bandsaw ( 18V)
amzn.to/2mQdUq4
→ Porter Cable Restorer:
amzn.to/2BeWrfU
→ Lincoln 120V Welder ( good for a home shop)
amzn.to/2Dly6qV
→ The Camera I use:
amzn.to/2DqG325
→ The Tripod I use:
amzn.to/2rnEqfO
This has quickly become my favorite TH-cam channel. As a retiree, and having the benefit of a pension, you have inspired me so much in pursuing my aspiration of woodworking and fabricating. I’m so sick of hearing “the younger generation” belittled and demeaned. You are a talented young man, a craftsman, and an inspiration to an old guy like me. Blessings to you and your work.
Thank you so much for this comment James!
I think we need MORE videos about business. I'm happy to learn from others since I don't have it all figured out.
Rex Krueger he is answering the exact questions I want to ask someone like him, I love this. Oh and I’m a big fan of your videos as well, long time subscriber to you, this is my first time seeing this guy!
Congrats brother great to watch your growth ✊🏻
You are speaking the truth, says the guy who FINALLY built a small shop behind his house at 53, and 3 years later FINALLY will be the first year it pays back everything I put in. Whew!
Good luck to you. It certainly takes a lot of time and money to set up a business. I've been in business for 35 years. Sometimes its been very, very hard. But I wouldn't go back working for somebody else. I have learned many things over the years but a few things come to mind, that i think helped me. #1. "Always, always call customers back." Even if its bad news,there's nothing more annoying to a customer, than not calling them back. Plus when you do, they remember your a man of your word and reliable. #2. "Do whats on the bench" It's easy to get overwhelmed with everything you need to do in a day. Concentrate on whats in front of you with a step by step approach and you can't go far wrong. #3 Your only as good as your last Job. It's easy when you have done a great Job for a customer that turned out great. But that soon gets forgotten if you screw up the next:):) Again good luck to you.
Very good points! I can especially relate to that first one. There are companies that I wouldn't do business with even if they were the only one in the area simply because they won't return calls! Its so ridiculous and irritating! I really don't know how they stay in business.
You got one foot and one foot out... best and hardest thing I ever did was give myself no way out but to sink or swim...
Great video! I’m one year in next week. I did quit my day job, and haven’t looked back. I’ve been fortunate with work and I have little overhead. My shop is in my basement. I have thought about working part time to build up my savings but haven’t had the time yet. Keep it up and thanks!!
the American dream is alive and well!
Zep, congrats on 3 years! I met you in October 2017 at the first Diresta Axe Class with Bastionhead, since that time I have not missed a single one of your YT videos or IG stories. I wish you continued success.
I'm working on setting up my own shop in my first house and It really makes me happy to see it all come together I cant wait to transition from setting up shop to bringing ideas in my head to life.
Lesson 6: Do not grab any steel in a blacksmith or metal shop.
Great lessons! Having been in the same boat over the years, I couldn't agree with you more!
Spot on! Whether it's a bathroom remodel or starting a business, everything is going to be more than you think. Double the money and triple the time - that's been my experience.
Really appreciate your videos, especially after putting together my own. A lot goes into creating content and you do a great job. Keep it coming!
Chris, you do a great job in everything you do. You are one of my favorite makers that I follow. Definitely top 3, right along with Jimmy. Keep up the good work.
This is an important video, thank you for sharing your experience.
Thanks for being so open and honest about your experiences Chris. Great to ride along on the maker train with you and seeing you develop and grow from strength to strength, great energy and talent, cheers 🍻
I would say No. 5 is the best advice. I did smithy work for 50 + years and never quit my day job. Retired from it all now.. You Will do good, you have a level head.. Peace
Congrats on your success Chris!! You're a talented person and I'm sure you will do well.
As a guy that works three jobs, this is a great video and that last point really drove home how much respect you have for your work, and what it takes to reach out on your own and how hard it is
Thanks Chris for the great advice and motivation. Definitely agree with the don't quit your job. Congratulations on the three year mark!
Thanks for your perspective and best of luck! Keep the videos coming! 👍
Thank you for doing this. As a business owner and a one man operation I can say, you are right.
You are doing a great job.
Very timely lessons and the unrealized perspective. Thanks and keep making!
Great segment man. Thank you. I'm starting my fabrication shop and really relate to most of what you are talking about. From teaching, to learning as we go, to working a seperate job to help take the pressure off financially. Keep the dream alive brother!
Congrats on the 3 year mark brother! Only more great things to come
Nice honest words. Thanks for posting this up for helping others consider all the challenges.
Congrats and thanks for the pointers!
One of the best channels on TH-cam
So much respect for you.. All the way from New Zealand.. hope you’re safe and sound during this testing times of Covid-19.. much respect..
Great, honest video! Appreciated it.
You really provided a tremendous amount of valuable advice. Well done. Sharing both the ups & downs + the reality of starting a self-sustaining business is very, very difficult. Utilizing the knowledge & help of friends & experts in the industry is very very smart. You have a bright future of your own making. Tremendous video!
This channel and young man are such a breath of fresh air. He really shows you what hard work and dedication are required to succeed in business. Keep up the great work!
I appreciate the comment!! ❤️
I just found your channel and watched this video- thank you for your extremely helpful advice. I am where you were (4 years ago now) and many of the things you brought up are the thoughts and concerns I have been having as I consider starting a business of my own. You have a very common sense, work extremely hard approach that I can appreciate. Thanks for your life/work lessons and you have a new subscriber!
You are wise beyond your years. I wish you continued success.
Great video, thanks for sharing!
Love it man, and congratulations on year 3!
first time viewing for me - really honest and helpful well done.
And here's the fun part; once you are in a position to quit you day job and concentrate full time on your side hustle, you get to work the same if not more hours! The difference is however, it's your gig and your art. You'll be fine, you have the right motor. Much success, looking forward to taking a class or two.
Exactly! I have worked for myself for 38 years now, but I bet if I broke that down in 40 hour weeks it would amount to 138 Years!
Great video! Congrats on 3 years! ⚔️⚔️⚔️
Spot on mate 👍 people have no idea how scary it can get. When you've not got the money but just have to find it. I quit the day job and went in deep, it's brilliant but also the most time-consuming stressful thing I've ever done. Great video 👍
Thanks for sharing. Much respect!
With yr attitude + hard work, success shall come in the longer run. Congrats.
Good to hear honest business situations. I deal with some of the same. Awesome vid.
Thanks for making this video! it's really helpful for me in my shop
Very dedicated and amazing. Great job
Great video, thanks for the advice and hope you keep doing this amazing dreams come true
Great advice man, thank you. Best of luck!
Great advice. Thanks for sharing! Love your channel.
Great video man. Cool to share your school of hard knocks. Sounds like you are smart, hard working snd persistent. Best ingredients to being a business owner
Great video and spot on advice! The accountant nerd in me likes hearing real people give real advice!!
I really appreciate the insight and honesty! The way I make my shop work is it's in the backyard of a rental house I own. The house covers the mortgage, so I only have to pay my electric & water bill. Best, @HoneyOnWales
Love the honesty! So many videos are (I don't think deliberately) misleading, leading people to think that making money in a particular line of work and creating content is easy and lucrative.
Chris Great video, great insight into what it takes to be in business. I saw your Dad twice in the video, coincidence? I say no there are no coincidences. Looking into the future I see greatness on your Horizon. Stay well my friend .. You need a guy who gets buckets of hardware. hahaha. You're always Welcome to come and shop, never a price.
Many years ago I rented equipment and space from a guy that wasn't really utilizing it much. He got a flat 30% of the gross of whatever I did. He needed a lot of work done for his business so I contracted that, and brought in a lot of work of my own. Everything went fine until the payment for the work I did for him started getting slow. I was basically helping support his business and then he was making more and more noise about wanting more of a percentage. It didn't last long after that.
I had made enough money to build a garage and buy some equipment so I started doing it at home. Then the work from my best customer dried up. Luckily everything was paid for and I still worked a day job so it didn't affect me very much, I just had to find new customers.
I went to machine shops that were very busy thinking I could do their excess work, that was true except for the fact that they basically wanted me to work for wages. I could actually make more working for my current employer with benefits and all.
Getting work from the big places is where you will get the best paying jobs, other than that you can find yourself arguing with a farmer over $15. The big places generally don't want to put work out to part time garage people so you have to have a connection or personal contact with someone in a position to job out work at a fair price. Keep in mind my best week I grossed $5,600 and that was back in the late 80's, then the work dried up.
Making product/parts is one thing, you also have to have the sales experience or connections too. A salesman from a industrial supply place told me once that more businesses are started when someone's brother-in-law or relative gets a job in the purchasing dept. of a big business than anything else.
I don't want to sound discouraging but if you can't make enough to prosper, then all you have done is purchase your own job. It can be done, you just have to know what you're up against.
Well said
To summarize Michael Gerber in the E-Myth, there is a big difference in a business and owning a job. I am attempting a re-launch which is what got me watching this video, and I have listened to the E-Myth many times. In my own words: "The ability to make cool things, and the ability to make money making cool things, are two entirely different things".
You open many threads and thanks for the book tip. Years ago when I had an entrepreneurial seizure, I did "market analysis". What that consisted of was me talking to a few people, who told me what I wanted to hear, which just fueled the delusion and me convincing myself it was a good idea.
I still don't know how to do legit market analysis. What I am doing is starting small with minimal investment, yet working out system of production that I can sustain as a one man operation. If it actually blows up beyond what I can sanely manage, the next step is not working full time, but I have clear earnings benchmarks over specific periods of time, before taking such steps.
Back to the video and business. I have thought about craft shop concept a few times. Have classes on "Build a whatever", or just a place to come make things and have all the tools and materials available with instruction. Active Army bases typically have car repair shop where you rent a bay and work on your own car. Since that was military provided for military personnel, I don't think they were charging what it would take to run such an operation in real world. Be it car or carpentry, what would volume need be to run as a bona fide legit business and be profitable?
I appreciate your human spirit! I am looking to do this on a smaller scale when I am fully retired . I have made my kids a lot of things and gotten some jobs from that.
Fantastic! January will be the end of my first year. Good advise on keeping your day job. I still work 40 + hours a week and play in my shop when I get home. But I am almost 60 years old and don't want to grow into anything big. Just get so I cam make a little extra once I can retire. Good luck in the future.
A lot of great info. Thanks for sharing!👍
I really enjoyed this video.
I know that experience of the $$ not being there and getting in a corner looking for options. Keep strong and keep moving forward, man.
Thanks for the info! God bless
Great job!
Great video! Glad to here you have been working hard! keep it up, just subscribed!
Thanks for these advice
Great tips! Thanks
Great very informative video, keep up the awesome work
Great information 🔥 thank you sir. I’m in the same position with HVAC except I have done some sheet metal work and working with the company I work at to do commercial sheet metal.
Great insight you rock man. Hope to have a shop too one day
Great info!👍👍👍👍 Congratulations!!
Congratulations on 3 years! That went fast! The next three should be much easier... =)
I needed this
Great informative video Bro. Keep up the good work...👍👍
.When I started my home business a few years ago, I was spending money hand over fist on lathes tooling and material not to mention the money I had already spent on other tools in the past. Yea I do understand what your talking bout.
It is expensive in Long Island because there's a lot of money there. A LOT of money. It can't be overstated.
New sub here. Good topic for sure! I’m 50 and have been thinking of quitting my job and going full time in furniture restoration. Just now getting my new shop set up and it’s just a small garage in my home. Love this kinda of advise tho!
Great video! Thanks for the inspiration. My wife and I are in the process of buying our first home. Future plan is to build a small shop and begin fabricating / wood working on the side. You have a new subscriber.
This is an amazing video!! I've been working on this for the last 10...well 2 years with serious consideration and 20+ years in the hobby. I've gone into this with a 10yr plan though. My youtube channel has been mostly low effort videos of projects I've worked on in hopes that I'll slowly improve over time. My projects have mostly been self inflicted projects for things I want to have or processes I want to learn. I have a day job in IT making good money but am getting close to 50 and know I wont be competitive in it for ever. With no desire to go into management for my day job (oops i'm kind of already there but unlikely to develop the skills to improve on it) I'd really like to build up my shop to the point where I can have it as a retirement "job" only taking work I'd like to do and just making enough money to pad the rest of my retirement income.
Great advice, thanks. It's cool to see how you built up the business. Have you ever done art fabrication? It seems natural based on your background and problem solving skills.
Good video, I m setting up a shop same as you, still working full time but it is a good way to get in. Cheers from nz
Best of luck!
Thanks for your time and making his video. I have a ruler of doubling, double the cost and double the time and you’ll be pretty close…
Fine, I'll subscribe. LOL Great information for the uninitiated! I remember being young, have fun and go hard buddy. AND YES, under capitalization is the end of so many start ups. Cash-flow is king.
It’s always nice having multiple streams of income.
Thx man for this honest video👍 i believe every word you said and congratulations to what you have archieved in these 3 years! As a new subscriber to this channel i was wondering what your day job was? Best regards, marcel
nice vid mate...
Cheers,
Duane.
Best of luck
Great video brother wish you nothing but success. HogOn
I love the “ToolNut” sticker.
Alright, we lose and are somehow just watching this now... but you did a great job covering a lot of fantastic points here. We get asked a lot of business-related questions and are trying to figure out how we want to present the info in videos.
Good luck
Great video, subscribed. Im in the same place with you. Took interest in fabricating wood and metals in 2021, after contemplating whether I am gonna retire in banking industry or not. Now i have just built an outbuilding on my backyard (lucky me). Took a lot of savings, broke my bank. But I'm not quitting my day job until the shop's profit beat my full year salary. Its really hard to find time between day job, family, and my own downtime. Wish me luck!
Just found your channe;. really like what you do. When I came back from Viet Nam war. I went t o welding school and worked in fab shops for 10 years/ I started painting houses and buildings and now I am retired so I''m starting up a metal and woodworking shop. My main reason to get it going is to get my grandson acquainted with all I can teach him to have a trade. We adopted him at 3 years even though we go t have him from birth. He's a good kid with a big heart and I wast t make sure I teach him every skill I know before I get too old. There is a huge shortage of blue collar career fields out there. and I specialized in Structural welding with some pipe, HVAC/Rk and also a commercial electrician. I built a 36 by 36 with 10 by 36 upstairs. I inherited some woodworking tools Raiial arm saw big wood lathe, metal chop saw jointer planere shaper band saw. metal band saw, metal grinders and power jhqme tools. Stell have to get rid of junk puut up shelves, and put in electric;al and lights , add some other tool better welder that will operate 110 and 220 with stick, tig, and mig. I've also got tourches
Starting a business is not easy and takes an extreme amount of work. My father and I started a Printing company many many years ago. We worked at night after our day job, ran deliveries on our lunch hours, whatever it took. Eventually we had a business that was supporting us both. We have since sold the company and my father passed but I still remember working with him and wouldn't trade it for anything.
I quit my corporate 30 year career to live full time in an RV and travel, and now we are RV you tubers. when we stop full time RVing I want to set up a maker shop where I can do videos about making and inventing stuff, more additive and subtractive manufacturing than metal working. I want to make a space where people can come from all walks of life to learn and create. Like you said in this video, i will be very difficult to make this idea financially self sustaining. I will start small with an out building on a rural cheap property, adding machines and equipment as it grows. I wont be doing it for money, i will be doing it to be around people who want to create and learn like me, but the money has to come from somewhere, that’s the problem I will work on for the next couple of years as we continue to travel full time in our RV. I have learned a lot about youtube on our RV channel, hopefully I can transfer those skills to a maker shop channel in the future. Thanks for this video, it was very helpful. Larry
Great 👍
Where I'm at now is where you were at 3yrs ago. Want to do similar projects like you, but focus on the artistic side of welding.
Homestead Fabricator start making stuff and don’t stop!!! You will succeed!
@@MakeEverything, I'll be plenty busy for a while just making stuff for the shop to keep me busy. Chop saw stand/bench, sheet/plate metal cutting stand, and tons of sculpture ideas.
Thanks for the pointers, I have a shop in Port Jeff ,starting small but hope to be full time as well. Do you know of any shows on long island for people who make things out of wood ,metal etc.
Would love to find such a shop for both schooling for for small shops. Nice.
If you are the owner of your shop building then having renewable solar or wind generation on-site with battery backups for your shop needs overall will be a great upgrade to get every month electricity bill reduced to basically become zero altogether you do seem to have very high power consumption for all your tools and machines to speak off but for your whole setup pay about 90% of the hole installation and material costs upfront with the remaining 10% be payable in about a One year time period.
If you have the building on rent then having at least battery backup and a gas generator will be great but you need to have both simultaneously since the generator fuel cost could screw you up if it needs to be On for power generation 24/7 for days on end with a good enough capacity battery backup you may get solar panels on portable units you can supplement your energy needs with and avoid generator noise and being screwed due to running out of fuel but have the generator around if you are working on through the day into the night and don have the weather for the panels to help you out.
After all the last thing you need on a busy day with a crazy close time crunch on a project is to get close to completing the project but then run out of power in the shop while you are about to finish it [due to any maintenance or bad weather that caused a power cut while working].
Get an intern in there, someone who wants to learn about what you do. You won’t have to pay them anything, and their free help will be enormously helpful to you. Take some time to make it worth their while, and set fixed hours (not full time), don’t feel bad about making them do stuff you don’t want to do (take out the trash, go to the post office, whatever, organize your stuff, etc.). Advertise the opportunity on Craigslist, through an area community college, etc. Women might be interested, too. Are you using any of the software that tells you how to price other types of projects, like construction software, etc.? Use Google to get info on how much to price things. Websites like Houzz and others will offer info to homeowners on how much they can expect to pay for all kinds of projects. That’ll help you, too. Just some thoughts.
I'm starting a furniture company. I have no access to shop space anywhere, not even a garage. I have found local machine shops that want to help me. They are honest about slightly personal motivations. They want me to use them to outsource some production once I'm underway. That can work, or so it seems at this very beginning.
I have a luxury of being very specific in what I'm making. Once I open my shop, I will do the furniture I intended to do, and nothing else. I think I can be successful in the basis of focus, not over diversifying and diluting my efforts.
I'm hoping to make furniture, then quickly upscale to mass production.
Only the future can say if I'm correct in my meathods.
My dream to own my own shop one day
Love your little Devil Forge DFSW2 back there. Can't tell on the video, but is that ceramic wool coated? If not you should really get something to coat it with (you can even use Kiln wash which is extremely cheap) so that you don't have burnt ceramic fibers floating around getting inhaled by people, which is really bad.