How Should I Deal With This?

[UKRay]

This month has been something of a watershed for me. I have to make some tough decisions. Let me give you the background: 6 months ago I decided to drop my day-job and go it alone with the leatherwork. Okay, I had the cushion of some occasional well paid writing/training work coming in, but essentially I had to make a living beating leather. To cut a long story short, it seems to have worked. In fact it has worked so well that I'm now in a confusion and would appreciate some good advice.

Like most people, I have a workshop at home. Over the past year this has spread to cover approximately 400 square foot of space in three rooms on three floors. The heavy machines are in what used to be my old garage, The office and stores is a separate room and the main workshop used to be a spare bedroom. I'm very lucky to have the space but feel it is time to expand even further as I have a number of machines that I can't use because they are currently inaccessible and effectively in store. I simply don't have enough space to set them up ready for use. The main workshop is very cramped and I would like a much bigger cutting table, a larger space for dyeing and a proper leather storage area.

In addition to a fairly successful on-line business, I'm also facing an upsurge in larger orders that are hard to work on with limited space to store components, leather and finished goods. I have also run a couple of successful booths at local shows and found that the public like what I make. In fact, my inventory was so depleted by the last event that it will take me a while to replenish stocks.

Essentially, I feel it is time to expand but don't know what the next move should be. I could get an industrial unit, but I don't really want to become a 'full-on' manufacturer. I could get a 'store-front' and use the space to create a great workshop with a small retail capability. I could head for the retail sector,employ staff to make the leathergoods and sell direct to the public (not my favorite choice) or I could continue to struggle along in extremely cramped conditions that cost me nothing to run, making a reasonable living.

What have I missed?

Any thoughts? What would you do?

Ray

[Jordan]

I would thank God that business is booming and I still love the work.Then I would build a new shop with all the features I have dreamed about and hire an apprentice. Sadly my leatherworking has taken a backseat to life for the past year.

[Stewart]

Ray,

If you were over rhere In the U.S.A. Your problem would be a lot easer to solve.

There is a lot of good places to lease. Well here goes. Being and retired for a company that sold truck parts

for 30 years from one branch to 5 branches than to (after being sold ) too 182 branches. Having the

capital is the first importait detail- second the down time and added expence in moving ( no time to finish jobs ).

Customers will follow most of the time ( remember what is a good location to you may not be to the customer)

Moiving does not happen iin a week.As my father has always told me sleep on it and make the decision,don,t

keep going over it. After the desision draw up plans (on paper) than if it is you desision is a little off it should show up.

Having help open new branches before all parts are running is a pain What ever goes wrong will, thats a nother list

to look after. Good planning is the thing. If you an,t bleeding your all right

I had a child hood neighbor parents tell me when I was laid off and retired I would be all right and so I am for now,but

I keep opitions open for problems. Retreit is not a bad statement at the right time.

Joe

Ps rolling down hill and not spilling your wine and messing up the cheese is a good thing to learn

[iwannabeacowboy]

Ray-It seems your in a position to make a change (I wish I had this problem). Is there any way you can rebuild your garage by adding another level to it? This would help with the extra room to set up your machines and build a large cutting area which could double as the work in progress section. Leather storage I've solved by building overhead storage with lighting mounted under it. An apprentice fresh out of school(cheap) that would want to learn the trade isn't a bad idea. You get some help and they get some experience.

" I could get a 'store-front' and use the space to create a great workshop with a small retail capability." this also sounds like a good idea if something is available around your area. Although with working out of your home your saving money, and have a tax write off. If you hire a trainee, I think you'll get your money's worth out of them by saving your time for more productive things. I've been laid up with 3 shoulder surgeries this past year, and will be returning to work on Aug 9th. Haven't been able to do any leather work at all for the past year. By this time I was hoping to have an on line business going, but will have to work on it this coming year. I also work out of a spare bedroom that is to small for me. Maybe in a year or two I'll have a problem like you have, but till then I continue to struggle with limited work space. I hope you find a solution that works out for you.

charlie

[JLSleather]

You're the only one kin answer that, really. What do you WANT to do? Why did you get interested in leather in the first place?

I personally don't know what I want to end up with. I have reason right now to NOT have the web site up and running (actually pays me to have it OFF), but I bought the domain anyway because of the propensity for jerks to see my work and create that domain name for THEM.

But I do leatherwork because I LIKE leatherwork. I like doing it, I like seeing what others have done, and I like coming up with new stuff. I like to make money with it, but really don't NEED to. Thus, there are things I can afford to NOT do because I don't want to. Just as example, I have never done skulls and / or flames - and I'm not going to. There's no reason to come to my place and count your money, because if you want skulls & flames you don't have enough. In fact, in the event that someone didn't know that and asked for that type of thing I'd refer them HERE and someone else could do it. Not to be the rude jerk, one more example. There were TWO items we had quite a few posts on, that most will remember seeing this year. One guy made that "evil clown" seat, and the other guy made that "tappedero" lamp. Lots of pictures and talk about both. Neither is really "my thing", and I don't personally want one OR want to make one. Still, there was talent evident in BOTH - so if I talked with someone looking for those things I would send them HERE.

So, without going on about how this "cowboy gear" is in fact from SPAIN and was brought to the US by some marauders who were actively slaughtering Aztec indians - the question for JEFF is ... do I want to grow cows, or do I just want the steak?

[rdb]

There's a fine line between expanding when you WANT to, and expanding when you NEED to.

There is a great deal of expenses to maintain a larger facility or retail store. And when, what was once extra cash is now the rent, it hurts more than you planned on. The only person making money at that point is the landlord.

I want to expand everyday! But I'm holding back. I'll work on the floor cutting sides, until there's two of me having to do that....

[wareagle]

The choice is yours and yours alone(except for maybe the one who holds the purse strings)!

I work out of my home(two bedroom apartment) also and I have the tools set up in the spare bedroom along with the cat box and storage. I have it set up where I have movable carts for the large tools and move them around when I need to use them.. as to cutting it is done on a sheet of Masonite on the floor.

Things to consider if you decide to relocate expense wise are signage, insurance, rent, security services, utilities, advertising, internet, taxes, loss due to shrinkage(shop lifting, theft), trash services, phone etc.

[UKRay]

Plenty of good helpful stuff there, folks. Many thanks. I think your point is very valid, Dave. There is a fine line between moving because you want to and because you need to. Given all the reasons why I shouldn't move yadda yadda yadda I'm starting to look around for ways to stay here a while longer. I can't lift the garage roof as it is built into my house, Charlie, but the ceiling is high so I can use it for storage. Lots of stuff like that is going to be needed to make enough room to work. How do you guys fit everything into the space you have? Any tips or suggestions?

Thanks again for your contributions.

Ray

[js5972]

A cost/benefit analysis would be my first order of business. Could your productivity be increased enough to cover your added occupancy costs? Is your order volume and backlog sufficient to sustain the necessary increase in productivity? Here in the USA, this is an ideal time to nail down low cost industrial or retail space, Similar economics in th UK?

[Suze]

lifting stuff to the rafters is easy Ray

rope and pully

learned that from a model Rail Roader - his whole set up was on plywood sheets that lifted to the celing.

and had legs that folded up underneath when it was in the air.

maybe you could make a cutting table that could do this or storage units.