Peace and Harmony (I hope!!) #2: A lot of lessons learned!

Well, we’ve been in business since July 1, and it’s been quite an experience. I’ve learned a lot more about business than I thought.
First, there are not enough hours in a day. After we get back from appointments, there is the admin side: billing, sales calls, payroll, reports to write, and on and on.
Second, if you don’t market, you don’t sell. I have internet ads going, newspaper ads, postcard mailings, Chamber of Commerce appearances, vehicle signs, anything I can think of.
Third, the shop doesn’t clean itself. And an unorganized, dirty shop is inefficient and therefore expensive.
Fourth, cheap tools aren’t. It’s one thing to buy cheap when you’re a hobbyist, but as a pro, the equipment must be reliable and effective. Brands like Festool, Grex, Accuspray, and others of that high echelon have started to appear in my shop. Lesser brands cost too much in the long run.
And fifth, being in business for yourself is really, really scary. When you can no longer count on that fat corporate paycheck to pay the bills, a new sense of urgency appears, and it tends to dominate your thoughts. I have had to be careful to spend time with my family, and not let the business be all-consuming.

-- The days are long and the years are short...