I want to get started but need A LOT of help

[DJLoco 0]

I guess this is the best board to post this question - if not, direct me to the right one - thanks.

In the next 3 to 5 years, my plan is to own a small sign and graphic business. I have NO experience in this industry, but have 30 years of business experience which will hopefully help. My immediate plan is to experiment with truck lettering and boat names - at least I've installed both of these. The only other work I've done is helping with a car wrap, which I quickly realized I'll have to gain some experience before diving into that. I've looked into cutters and printers which is making my head spin. I don't want to short change myself, but also don't want to buy something that in 3 to 5 years is obsolete. My thought is a 24" cutter, a laminator, and a printer - maybe 15" or 24", this is where I get very confused.

I would appreciate any suggestions.

[jeremySI 18]

starting from no experience at all i would say 3-5 years for a full sign shop is pretty unrealistic. if you have that goal in mind though why waste the money on such small equipment when you would just have to upgrade later. and no solvent printer is that small that i know of. 54+ cutter and printer would be my suggestion. but then be prepared to drop many thousands on something you havent even done.

do you have experience with graphic editing? it takes some people 3-5 years just to get decent at that stuff. but hey i would love to own my sign shop though someday, work towards it and if 5 years comes and still nothing just keep trying. also maybe there are some places in your area that are hiring and you can get a job there to gain experience. just dont tell them you plan on starting your own business one day or else i doubt they will want to hire you

[tshirtn00b 12]

Since you don't know much about the industry I would suggest you start there.  Learn about the different types of vinyl and how it can be used (removable, cast, intermediate, heat press, etc).  After you've done some research I'd start with a business plan, at least a skeleton of one.  There are a LOT of variables that need to be considered.  What business are your 30 years of experience in?

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

starting from no experience at all i would say 3-5 years for a full sign shop is pretty unrealistic. if you have that goal in mind though why waste the money on such small equipment when you would just have to upgrade later. and no solvent printer is that small that i know of. 54+ cutter and printer would be my suggestion. but then be prepared to drop many thousands on something you havent even done.

do you have experience with graphic editing? it takes some people 3-5 years just to get decent at that stuff. but hey i would love to own my sign shop though someday, work towards it and if 5 years comes and still nothing just keep trying. also maybe there are some places in your area that are hiring and you can get a job there to gain experience. just dont tell them you plan on starting your own business one day or else i doubt they will want to hire you

+1

[HazzCoDaisy 1]

I started my business 12 years ago with absolutely zero experience.  It was a much different business climate back then though. I am very lucky that a self taught redneck like myself was able to make an impression on the customers I rely on still today.

Its a hard business to make a living at.

Buying equipment that will not be obsolete in 5 years is a pretty tall order.  Start out with a simple plotter.  You can do plenty with solid 24" plotter, a knack for design, and some good software.  Make it a hobby for awhile first before you try and decide if you can make a living at it. 

You do have one thing going for you .. initial start-up equipment costs are staggeringly low compared to what it was when i "got in".

Good luck.  I hope your dream comes true for you!

[DJLoco 0]

WOW! The response is great and suggestions helpful, thanks!

Before I comment on your suggestions, I should apologize if I made my "3-5 year plan" sound like I was minimizing the complexity of this industry. I think there are a lot of levels I need to understand and all are very involved. So, to clarify the initial 3-5 years I mentioned, that time would be used to learn the software, understand the materials, and learn the industry. During that time I would concentrate on lettering my trucks (I own 12 which I currently pay to be lettered), and boat names since I have strong connections in the boating/fishing industry. Beyond the 5 years, I would hope I've learned enough to only begin to charge for things on a small scale, like banners for local events, simple lettering, boat names, etc. By no means did I mean to say I would have "mastered" the trade, so if it came across that way, again, sorry.

Since my initial plan will produce limited work, I'd still like to have the equipment to work with. I figure I could almost pay for a cutter with my own work. I'd rather not invest 20K for a 54" printer that will never be used, but would like to produce boat names, so I'm looking for something along that line if it exists.

As far as my back ground, I've done very well in the building trade industry, mostly in marketing, advertising, and overseeing operations, which I will continue to do. The sign business idea is for a future move with no firm date determined.

Thanks again for all your comments!

[rrc1962 0]

Since my initial plan will produce limited work, I'd still like to have the equipment to work with. I figure I could almost pay for a cutter with my own work. I'd rather not invest 20K for a 54" printer that will never be used, but would like to produce boat names, so I'm looking for something along that line if it exists.

There are print houses out there who do nothing but print vinyl 24/7.  Since it is what they do exclusively, they do it cheap.  So cheap that unless you are doing some volume, it's hardly worth owning an expensive printer.

[hockeygirl 30]

I know you're not looking to spend a lot, but if you're serious about doing any type of outdoor printing, you'll need a solvent printer. And the smallest printer on the market will probably be around 30", and that'll still run you over $10k, and you'll need a bigger one before you know it. The resale value of the smaller printer is not as good as the larger ones since you can't really do much car wraps with the smaller printer.

What you should get started with, all depends on your budget. If you're doing it commercially, I would caution you against the "cheap" cutters, since they're meant to be a craft cutter. Look for something like a Graphtec or Roland, or at the minimum a Copam. They do cost more, but they'll also last a lot longer. Good Luck with you venture.