Submitted by John C on 12/10/99. ( taxidermist118@hotmail.com ) 204.180.103.16
It does not mater where your at it is going to take a few years to get your cliental base established. Maybe your work is the best thing since sliced cheese. IT Will not happen over night, few get enough work the first few years to pay their bills.
I have advised several inexperienced taxidermist.
Look at the advise that has been posted relating to business in the past, research the archives for it.
As a partimer your already on OVERTIME doing this work.
Do you have a six month back log doing this part-time?
Well remember once you QUIT YOUR DAY JOB your onto a 50 hour a week job, and that work will be done in a couple months!
Freind Jim is at 25 deerheads in his 2nd year, and still getting fish in. Did he quit the day job? No he still has it, but maybe next year he can. Another friend jumped in after taxidermy school, put up a building, quit the day job (this well known school told him he could make it) well after working and starving for a year, he has decided he could make more money farming.
The key is dont let others success in another location/area influence you.
You know your speed, you know what your taking in work wise. Have you done your homework? Do yo have the prices where you need to have them?
People we older taxidermist are not B.Sing you on prices, when we advise you on where they should be, really thats where they should be! Another taxidermist has closed their doors, the family had money to put into the shop and did!!!!! But it just did not work for the tax. now they are back to their day job.
Several article have been written on this, DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO LAST YOU TWO (yes 2) YEARS???? Should the answer be NO, you are not ready to go full time.
Here a little advise, is your work better than say George Roof's or John C's or any of the others down the street, if its not at lest some better, the customer will go with who they KNOW.
If your prices are dirt cheap you will still starve to death, undercutting on prices will not bring you that much extra business, it just will not do it!
Have you taken some business courses at your local community college? Vo tech school?
Are you seeing a tread now?
State associations have trained great taxidermist, BUT WHERE HAS THE BUSINESS SEMINARS GONE??????????
Not the how do you get the best clients, but how do you add 2 plus 2, to figure out what your real prices should be!
I know this has possibly touch a sore spot or two, but its real and hopefully a wake up call for you.
Its going to take about five years of being in business to get enough work to last you six months full-time. Yes tere are many whom have done it quicker, this is not the norm!
REMEMBER this is a slow turn business, LABOR INTENSE.
Videos have made a lot of hackidermist appear around the country, is that the way the public is perceiving your work? Just another street corner fly by night hack.
That is another reason to join your state and and a higher level taxidermy assoc. Get the education not only on TAXIDERMY but BUSINESS TOO. You have to! You want the best for your FAMILY, DON'T YOU?
I do wish each and everyone the best. You must do your homework. This is not a easy business to grow in anymore.
Best wishes, John C
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