Welding Tips and Tricks

Hey guys,

I've been welding for 14 years and looking to take things to the next level. For those of you who have, or have had, a business of your own what is the biggest problem that you faced getting started and how did you deal with it?

Stress.

It's a whole new game when you not only have to do the job but have to find and price the job too.
Be ready to have to deal with giant A$$H0LES and lots of sleepless nights worrying about how you're gonna
pay the bills at the end of the month. It ain't easy at the top.

The biggest problem we had was finding a suitable shop space for what we were able to pay at the time. It had to be big enough for what we were doing at the time, but even bigger so we could grow into it without having to move again for many years. It had to have good power, high ceilings, a loading bay, enough length for material storage, high ceilings, a cement floor, low property taxes and in a relatively low crime area. All for that for $500 a month!

Shop costs are a big part of any business, you don't want to be continually having to work just to pay the insurance and the taxes.

Good luck!!
Other Steve

Also, because you're just starting out, you'll discover a whole long list of people that will want to take advantage of you just because you're new in business. I guarantee that one day you'll get a phone call that will say "If you give me a good break on this job, they'll be plenty more work to follow"

Don't believe it for a minute! You'll eat your shirt to give that guy a good price in the hopes of plenty more work to follow and you'll never hear from them again. Plus it will be the biggest pain in the a$$ job you've ever done.

The correct response to any call like that is.....Pay the full rate this time, and when the "plenty of work" comes around, then we'll talk discount.

Other Steve

Great responses. Thanks