BAM

MY BF DOING A HOW TO AND SHOWING OFF OUR LOGO

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I do realize that I made a post here, and that invited people to share their opinions, but I thought this was a place to learn, and become better in the industry, a place to ask questions and get advice and constructive criticism, the key words here are ADVICE and CONSTRUCTIVE !! Majority of the comments here cannot by any means be referred to as advice nor constructive criticism. Advice-guidance or recommendations concerning prudent future action. 

Prudent-acting with or showing care and thought for the futureConstructive criticism is the process of offering valid and well-reasoned opinions about the work of others, usually involving both positive and negative comments, in a friendly manner rather than an oppositional one. 

More key words to take notice of are PRUDENT, CARE, FRIENDLY.

And for those of you who said something worth reading, and helpful in some manner:  which looks to be only Mz SKEETER and npace, I do truly appreciate that!!

But I have to say, where I am living is a small town, and everybody here knows everybody else, our costumers are going to be people I already know on some personal basis, if they aren't a friend, or family member already. There is only one place that is our "competition" and they are a completely established business that has been doing this for years, and their work is truly spectacular, their equipment is beyond impressive, and my boyfriend and I hope to be as great as them one day. But for right now, we heading down a pretty great road to start out at becoming successful. 

We just got a partnership from a computer and phone repair shop, that wants us to make custom skins for phone, laptops, tablets, etc. and they looked up on YOUTUBE how the whole process for vinyl related services work, and they said that they wouldn't dream of touching that no matter how much extra money was coming in because it would be too much work and too time consuming. That's what made them so enthusiastic to give us a start. 

This video wasn't a serious look at the process we have working for us, I'll be honest some days we are slow working others we are super speedy, it just depends, as does the performance of any person at any job. 

But due to the fact that the bulk of my customer basis is friends, and relatives, a couple people who really enjoyed the work that we've done for them, requested to know HOW we could turn such a large, basic sheet of vinyl into this beautiful intricate design that they wanted made. So we made the video to show them, it was meant to be lighthearted, and honest. We like to take things slow and be really scrupulous about all of the details, it's something we enjoy doing, and it's not something that always needs to be rushed through. If we had a big job and a tight deadline we could work as fast as we needed, and it wouldn't be a problem. But this was nothing serious, we were excited about the design and logo we were working with, and we took a few minutes out of our day to put that together.

We aren't worried about someone thinking "the process is too easy" and "why am I paying for this?" there is the internet, and if we don't make a video and show them, they can still find it somewhere else all on their own. We have had no complaints about the amount of time it has taken us to do a job. And there really isn't anyone around here to compete with. Although, that would be a really good point, if we were in a different location.

And you know, you guys might refer to yourselves or each other as "pros" and some of you are probably deserving of that title I'm sure, but pro is just a shortened term for professional...professional- It is the practice of doing a better job than an amateur would. By so doing, you behave in a manner that enhances the reputation of your company. 

I would hardly call many of the comments on here professional, or things that would enhance the reputation of anybody, in order to be a professional you have to behave as one...

Besides, I highly doubt any of you that commented just to try and tear me down, because maybe you are bored or just unhappy with your life, were in the position that I am in right now as 19 years old. I am self supporting with no help from my family, or parents... I rent my own 3 bedroom house with no roommates, I pay all my own bills, I have a job, I graduated from high school early, I already have a college degree and am continuing for a higher one.

On top of that I am starting my own business and for that I own Flexi, a pretty decent 48 inch cutter, over 20 rolls of vinyl, not to mention almost one thousand 12in x24 in sheets of vinyl, a surface pro tablet, a laptop and a car. And every single one of those things was accomplished and purchased without the help of anybody not even my family or parents, and without loans.

I have all of that at BARELY 19 since August, because I am a hard working girl, and I try to hold high expectations for myself, and I enjoy learning, and trying to always be better. So, I am not going to be hurt by any of you that try to tear me down. The only reason I am bothered is because I just wasn't raised that way. I don't intentionally ever try to be rude or hurtful to anybody. I will be honest and blunt about what I think but I am sure to always present it in a manner that is HELPFUL.

I have a lot of positivity in my life, and I don't need the negative comments of any of you, I never post anything as a way to fish for compliments or brag or boast, I want true constructive criticism because I want to learn and become better, and I was trying to be involved with the community here. I have met a few select people through this forum that have actually been very helpful, and given me tips that really did make a difference, and I think I'll just continue talking to those people and ignoring those of you that choose to be negative all the time. Because carrying around all of that negativity can't make for a very enjoyable life, and that isn't the way I want to live. 

For those of you that have offered a helping hand, and given your advice THANKS A MILLION, especially you Paul, you truly have been the absolute best !! :D 

I am relatively new here, and a "noob" when it comes to vinyl. This may come across as harsh, but it needs to be said. You need to grow some thicker skin when it comes to comments being made here. Not everyone will respond in the manner that you think they should. This is the internet. To expect complete professionalism and everyone to adhere to proper social etiquette is not very realistic.

As far as your statement "I never post anything as a way to fish for compliments or brag or boast, I want true constructive criticism because I want to learn and become better". I call bs on this one. You mention your age often enough as though it actually matters. Your posts are often structured in a manner that appears like you want a pat on the back, or maybe a cookie for a job well done. Your actions speak louder than your words, so please get off the "holier than thou" kick.

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I am relatively new here, and a "noob" when it comes to vinyl. This may come across as harsh, but it needs to be said. You need to grow some thicker skin when it comes to comments being made here. Not everyone will respond in the manner that you think they should. This is the internet. To expect complete professionalism and everyone to adhere to proper social etiquette is not very realistic. As far as your statement "I never post anything as a way to fish for compliments or brag or boast, I want true constructive criticism because I want to learn and become better". I call bs on this one. You mention your age often enough as though it actually matters. Your posts are often structured in a manner that appears like you want a pat on the back, or maybe a cookie for a job well done. Your actions speak louder than your words, so please get off the "holier than thou" kick.

I've mentioned my age on maybe one other occasion and only because again people were being harsh with no level of help, and I simply stated that I was young and completely fresh to the business so give me a break. It was nothing like I just did. And I only did so now to make a point. 

And I don't need a pat on the back or to even be told good job nor am I ever asking for that; when I finish a project and I know I put good effort in that is something I'm going to be proud of, it makes me happy to try something new and whether that final piece of work is amazing or just rookie work is kind of beside the point. I'm not a pro, and I'm not trying to act as if I am. We all have to start somewhere and no one is going to walk into any business and automatically be the best that there is. Everyone has to learn. I might complete a project and feel I put good work in and the next time I do it I might realize that I didn't do something in the most efficient way, or I thought something was aligned and then I later saw that it wasn't. That makes me happy to find those things and make those realizations as well. Because then I know what I need to do differently the next go round, I know what changes I can make to become better.

If I post something here and ask for help it's because I realize there are people on here that have more experience and they've been through all of this. It is a given they are going to be more skilled, they are going to have a better eye for the flaws. I don't have any problem hearing those flaws. I want to hear that, I want to know, I want to get better at this. 

But telling someone something is awful and giving them no tips or ideas on what specifically was awful about it, and offering no ideas on things that could be done differently to make it better, is pointless. All that is going to do is make someone feel bad, and I definitely don't think I am better than anybody, but I won't lie and say I think people who put others down just because it's the internet and they can, are very good people. And I wouldn't do that to someone. If I absolutely HATED something that someone did, I would tell them what makes me hate it, and what they could do to make me love it. If they decide my opinion doesn't matter that's their choice, if they decide to take my advice and makes changes that is also their choice. And whatever they decide doesn't matter to me. 

I'm not EXPECTING everybody to be like that, but they same way that it's the internet and people are free to say whatever they want, I'm free to say that I don't think what they are doing is right. 

That's why the people who pretty much said, you were working too slow, and what is the point of this anyway, your customers and competition don't need to know your methods, those are comments I can work with, those are things I can take into consideration and decide if I need to make changes or not. But just straight up saying the video was bad does nothing for me, and what does that gain for the people saying it? What do those people and those comments get for anybody? Nothing. 

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but John, sometimes you have to step out to expand - I love all the forums for different reasons - I learn a lot there - first thing I learned was to keep my mouth shut unless I knew what I was talking about - no faking it there.  but peope like dan sawatzki (sp?) are on there and are incredibly talented.  This post started with a "How to" according to the title and think that is where it went a little sideways - nowhere near as bad as either of us have seen in the past but  I think the expectations were different with the "how to" and "showing off".  I hope Bam isn't discouraged but it might be a touch of forum etiquette - kinda like street etiquette on crack

Okay, I can see where my title may have been misleading, and maybe in the description I should have clarified, that it was just for fun, not really anything serious. The likeliness of me making a how to video and it teaching most of the people on here anything is slim. I know that. 

But I will say on the same token, the first decal I ever made, yeah, cutting it was easy, and although it is common sense HOW exactly to weed it, and tape it, and apply it, the fact that it was so simple and seemingly easy was something I wasn't sure how to do well. And I went to youtube and search for a video and watched something similar to the video I made, and I also watched a video made by someone who clearly knew more than well what they were doing, and it helped a lot. Both videos helped a lot. 

And maybe I do need to learn a little better forum etiquette, but others could learn how to be honest and keep a level of respect, I think forum etiquette would include not bashing someone or their work just because it's the internet. 

But I'm not discouraged, I am enjoying learning the ins and outs of this industry, and I'm so excited to continue doing jobs, and I'm even more excited to know that I'm learning, and that I'm going to get better (:

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I would let everything just roll off your back. From what you said in your last post, you have the right to be proud of yourself. Don't take anything posted here to heart. We all are here to help out the newbies. After all, we all were newbies. Stick around and learn from us!! 

Thank you, I appreciate that :D 

And I will stick around, sometimes it's just hard to okay with being told that you are doing something wrong but not be given tips on how to do better. But it's okay, I'm over it now!!

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Way to move forward Bam. I sometimes put my foot in my mouth and look back and wish I had just said less and read more. I stayed out of this one because I like your spunk and having 7 girls of my own, one about your age, I guess I am a proponent to successful women in any endeavor. Keep the spunk and keep up your spirits. It's tough to hear criticism when something just isn't what you thought it was but we can only improve with a little help.  You ARE young which there isn't a one of us who doesn't wish we knew then what we know now so in the end you'll probably have the last laugh either way. I probably had a read to post ratio of 95/5 when I was new and that has slightly changed over time as I have learned the ropes so to speak. I can speak from experience when I tell you that the folks on this forum are AT LEAST 200% nicer than the similar forum so be grateful that you found this one. Vinyl work is like some sort of clandestine art that is hard to break into and learn all the nitty-gritty details. This forum is kind of like that show that tells the magic trick secrets. LOL

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and some of us get busy and just turn into . . .  what was I called a few months ago that was fitting/ . .  . oh yeah a curmudgeon.   seriously it gets nicer and we get nicer if you was closer we would work together and you could learn quicker!

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Jaybird i dont think you have a mean bone in you...lol

 

In the long run Bam these people will help you.. That is why most of them are here and that is why i keep lingering around here... I to am a noob and have learned alot from this place.. 

 

So i say everyone in for a nice big group hug...lol

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Bam people you know as far as business is good But remember they can only get so much stuff ( or only need so much stuff) i ran off the same principle for a while the i started flying and got business cards and people started coming in from all over 

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