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the good thing about this forum is that someone new to the business does not have to work in isolation as they/we had to in pre-internet times. So there is a good deal less likelyhood of learning it the hard way.
At the very worst the advice you get is well meaning, and if someone does mis-advise its soon put right, and the tips and advice is usually good or excellent.
Im think that most of us who regularly use the forum have managed to encourage each other, particularly in raising standards. I sometimes look at pictures people post of recent projects and I'm just blown away with the workmanship, or the ingenuity. Roboframer is a good example of this, demonstrating that you can have high standards, and high quality materials and be creative at the same time - and have plenty of work, and there are plenty of other examples.
Imagine if there were no place like this - we'd probably all still be chugging along framing things the way they were done in the 1980s.
The diversity of the types of framing and types of business here are amazing. It shows that almost every picture framers business is pretty unique. Thats probably why we all survived the last recession, and why we'll all survive this one. And also why it is a good time to start a business.
[quote="kev@frames"]the good thing about this forum is that someone new to the business does not have to work in isolation as they/we had to in pre-internet times. So there is a good deal less likelyhood of learning it the hard way. quote]
I remember those days. I'd just taken over my company in Mayfair. Would anyone give me a good recipe for cracked gesso? "Tell that to kids these days, they just look at you as if your mad"
I started framing when there was no internet ………getting information was like pulling teeth ………..it was dreadful ……….
In fact I got off to such a bad start that by the time I knew I had it so wrong I was just plain worn out…….and had to step back from the business…..
That said I did learn a lot, I have great confidence that I will get the business right this time…..
Two main things that will contribute to the success this time are, over the last four years I have bumped my business training up quite a bit, I’m a much more confident business person these days…..the second thing that will contribute is the wonderful support on this forum and others……
I also agree that this is a great time to start a framing business, if it can work under the current financial climate it simply means that the fundamentals of the business plan are good…..
Dermot wrote:I have great confidence that I will get the business right this time…..
There isn't a doubt in my mind but you will, Dermot! I'm so happy for you that you are returning to framing: the love you have for it oozes out of every pore! And you have your wonderful goldmine of framing knowledge to draw on this time around, too.
Go n-éirigh an tadh leat!
........Áine JGF SGF FTB .Briseann an dúchas trí shuiligh an chuit.
Yeah Dermot, go for it.
I bet half of us here have had those "sitting on the bed in the morning with your head in your hands moments" over some business or framing mistake that we'd never make again second time round.
kev@frames wrote:I bet half of us here have had those "sitting on the bed in the morning with your head in your hands moments" over some business or framing mistake that we'd never make again second time round.
Kindly remove your surveillance equipment immediately!
........Áine JGF SGF FTB .Briseann an dúchas trí shuiligh an chuit.
In true "Friday Night Bank Bashing" tradition, I received this from a friend of mine earlier, and I thought ye'd appreciate it!
---- Subject: Fw: THE TIMES - - Letter of the Year
A SENIOR MOMENT - An elderly lady actually wrote this letter to her bank. The bank manager thought it amusing enough to have it published in The Times and this newspaper thanks him most sincerely.
----
Dear Sir,
I am writing to thank you for bouncing my cheque with which I endeavoured to pay my plumber last month. By my calculations, three 'nanoseconds' must have elapsed between his presenting the cheque and the arrival in my account of the funds needed to honour it. I refer, of course, to the automatic monthly deposit of my Pension, an arrangement which, I admit, has been in place for only eight years. You are to be commended for seizing that brief window of opportunity, and also for debiting my account £30 by way of penalty for the inconvenience caused to your bank.
My thankfulness springs from the manner in which this incident has caused me to rethink my errant financial ways.
I noticed that whereas I personally attend to your telephone calls and letters, when I try to contact you, I am confronted by the impersonal,
overcharging, re-recorded, faceless entity which your bank has become. From now on, I, like you, choose only to deal with a flesh-and-blood person. My mortgage and loan payments will therefore and hereafter no longer be automatic, but will arrive at your bank by cheque, addressed personally and confidentially to an employee at your bank whom you must nominate.
Be aware that it is an offence under the Postal Act for any other person to open such an envelope.
Please find attached an Application Contact Status which I require your chosen employee to complete. I am sorry it runs to eight pages, but in order that I know as much about him or her as your bank knows about me, there is no alternative. Please note that all copies of his or her medical history must be countersigned by a Solicitor, and the mandatory details of his/her financial situation (income, debts, assets and liabilities) must be accompanied by documented proof.
In due course, I will issue your employee with a PIN number which he/she must quote in dealings with me. I regret that it cannot be shorter than 28 digits but, again, I have modelled it on the number of button presses required of me to access my account balance on your phone bank service.
As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Let me level the playing field even further. When you call me, press buttons as follows:
1-- To make an appointment to see me.
2-- To query a missing payment.
3-- To transfer the call to my living room in case I am there.
4-- To transfer the call to my bedroom in case I am sleeping.
5-- To transfer the call to my toilet in case I am attending to nature.
6-- To transfer the call to my mobile phone if I am not at home.
7-- To leave a message on my computer (a password to access my computer is required. A password will be communicated to you at a later date to the Authorised Contact.)
8-- To return to the main menu and to listen to options 1 through 8
9-- To make a general complaint or inquiry, the contact will then be put on hold, pending the attention of my automated answering service. While this may, on occasion, involve a lengthy wait, uplifting music will play for the duration of the call.
Regrettably, but again following your example, I must also levy an establishment fee to cover the setting up of this new arrangement. May I wish you a happy, if ever so slightly less prosperous, New Year.
Your Humble Client
-------
Addendum from The Editor:
IMPORTANT to REMEMBER that this letter was written by a lady who is a 98 year old woman.
DOESN'T SHE MAKE YOU PROUD!!!
........Áine JGF SGF FTB .Briseann an dúchas trí shuiligh an chuit.
As I keep telling my bank manager (whoever it is at the time), he/she is on a fixed income and I can earn as much as I like. And I will never make myself redundant.
In times past my bank was very helpful. Particually when I was starting out. Nowadays I get the immpression I am surviving not because of the bank but despite it. If I treated my customers the way they treat theirs, I wouldn't have any customers. The policy seems to be "lets screw as much cash out of businesses before they go bust". In the long run this attitude is going to backfire on them. If it isn't already.
We get squeezed every which way. Had a customer come in today (yes, today) to collect work she wanted done for Chrstimas Eve last year (11th hour jobbie, of course ). Could I send her threatening letters? Could I charge her interest? You tell me.
Instead, I was as gracious and understanding as I could be. For 6 months of last year, I was strongly of the belief that I'd never see her again. At the end of the day, she came good, was very happy with the work done, and no bad feelings.
But if she chooses to frame with me again: cash up front. Not negotiable.
........Áine JGF SGF FTB .Briseann an dúchas trí shuiligh an chuit.
yes prospero, a good post.
im thinking about my bank, and I'm coming to the conclusion that we get by despite them as well. Its a sentiment echoed by a lot of small business owners that I talk to.
I think its time to be ruthless, and review all the daft insurance policies and "annual service fees" we have with our bank. They dont do us any favours and they dont show us one iota of loyalty any more.
They dont give us that much grief, but they dont miss an opportunity to screw money out of us.
Yup, you are very right, nobody is ever going to make us redundant. and if any of us ever go bust we'd probably all be back in business wiser, sharper and raring to go after a three month rest and a weekend on ebay looking for Morsos.
Thats the thing to keep in mind - and thats what the banks wont ever understand.
One way of getting back at them is - on the basis of 'no win no fee' there are companies out there who will interrogate, going back years, any over charging the bank has made against you. Generally, if they find the bank has over-charged they will act to get the money back for you minus a 25% commission.
I can speak from experience I did the exercise 10 years ago and got just over £1000.00 back. I am thinking of doing it again, especially as we have been with a different bank since that last claim.
DEEPJOY wrote:One way of getting back at them is - on the basis of 'no win no fee' there are companies out there who will interrogate, going back years, any over charging the bank has made against you. Generally, if they find the bank has over-charged they will act to get the money back for you minus a 25% commission.
I can speak from experience I did the exercise 10 years ago and got just over £1000.00 back. I am thinking of doing it again, especially as we have been with a different bank since that last claim.
You cant get anything out of them at the mo due to ALL claims stayed in the courts. I'm starting to think this was planned as someone knew the big chill was about to hit the Bankers.
Anyhoo all of the personal claims for penalty charges where done through the unfair terms and conditions so this was used to put all claims on hold while that useless body the OFT "looked" into it~ still no movement there! Business accounts however were not subject to these terms so many people kept on claiming back the ILLEAGLE charges taken from their account. HOWEVER now the courts are starting to lump these cases in with the personal ones and no ones getting anywhere....apart from the banks that is... meanwhile, as the clock ticks if....IF the cases are allowed once more to proceed at least the additional 8% on top of monies owed by the banks to its CUSTOMERS will be an added bonus......if it happens..."Oh look whats that pink thing in the sky"?
ps as far as those companies who will do the work for you are concerned they are almost as bad as the banks If oyu go to the few decent web sites that handle these matters, who also have great forums like this where peolpe help one another. They will guide you through the court processes. you can do it yourself for the court costs only
(£35~70)
In the long run this attitude is going to backfire on them. If it isn't already. 
