What's your day job?

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Justin
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Re: What's your day job?

Post by Justin »

Do you run your business part/full time? I'd be interested to hear what job you do if not full-time.

I ran my business for a couple of years part-time before taking the plung and going full. I could only give myself a year to see how things went which was never going to be enough. I loved every minute of it but would do things very differently now!
Just before I set-up by myself I was offered a job working for Xpres in Tech. Support. I really wanted to do it but the pull of working for myself was just too hard.

My business was based in Nottingham, my home town. Had a little industrial unit and spent many happy hours tucked away in there.

I had to return to my 'fallback' career which is lorry driving. We moved to Shetland a couple of years ago for a better life. I fell into what I would say was a dream job soon after moving. A local company took me on to run the dye-sub side of the business. I got to use a 60" HP solvent printer amongst other large format equipment and worked on the sign making side as well. It was all going great until my boss pulled the rug from beneath me and announced he was about to make me redundant! That's a very long story, in a nutshell I got pretty much shafted.
I've since been offered a very similar role with the only other sign/print company in Shetland but they can't match the money......so here I am driving lorries again!

I have another idea to get me back into the industry. It'll take some hard graft but may be worth it in the end!

So...what's your story?

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Re: What's your day job?

Post by Stitch Up »

X copper now comms technician for the force.
Neoflex Direct to Garment Printer, Brother BAS-463 3 Head Embroidery Machine, Gerber Edge FX & 1, Gerber GS15Plus Plotter, Ricoh GX-7000 GelsPrinter, Adkins BETA Major Pneumatic Press, Graphtec CE5000-60 & Craft Robo, HTP616 Twinhead Mug Press & 2 Halogen Ovens.
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AJLA
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Re: What's your day job?

Post by AJLA »

I have a photo shop where I have been working for 17 years first employed by my brother and father, I could only work part time back then as a single mum with a poorly daughter.
My brother moved to Spain oooh over 10 years ago now and I then went into partnership with my father, he had much bigger fish to fry and then went his own way.

I enjoyed the shop tremendously for many years but since the digital era began it has become a chore and most of the enjoyment has gone ouut of it for me unfortunately.

About 4 years ago I joined my father with a few shares in his other company (filled my shop with staff) and enjoyed and still do selling and exporting minilabs to other dealers mainly in Eastern Europe etc..

This business has also changed dramatically where we once manufactured our own minilab equipment with a team of our own engineers by taking old and usless analogue minilabs, gutting them and replacing them with digital engines so in a nutshell they were ECO FRIENDLY machines by not going to landfill.
There is no demand for this now as many people are swithching to dry labs so the people needing to find a home the old to upgrade to new equipment ask us to sell it for them, great job but can be slow at certain times of the year.

Then.....I needed to perk up the slow shop had to get rid of some staff and we all moved back into the shop to run the two business from here.
In an odd enlightening moment during a circuit training class I came up with the idea of our Cornish t shirt factory. I first made a few for a local protest regarding Sainsburys coming to town, then got a little website, a big stand for the shop and started doing the fayres and agricultural shows and I must say that this is my new challenge. Very happy with the results. I'm just upgrading the site with Freestart and fingers crossed it will grow even more. We have a lot of tees going all over the world (sounds silly but i'm very proud of that) But it's not really the subli or personalised stuuf that goes for me so I concentrate on that locally. It's a bit slow at the mo but hopefully it will pick up for Christmas.

Anyway Phew!!! Sorry for the epic ...but you did ask :lol:
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AJLA
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Re: What's your day job?

Post by AJLA »

Oooops now I know you are sick of hearing about me me me but I did forget one important thing. I forgot to mention the subli side! Needing to try and pick things up and diversify a little I introduced the photogifts to the shop and although its slower than I would like i'm pleased that I did go that way too.

Ps when I started I had lots of great advice from you guys on the forum which really did help so thanks guys !
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Re: What's your day job?

Post by Stitch Up »

AJLA wrote:Oooops now I know you are sick of hearing about me me ....
Not at all, made for a very interesting read.

Good luck.
Neoflex Direct to Garment Printer, Brother BAS-463 3 Head Embroidery Machine, Gerber Edge FX & 1, Gerber GS15Plus Plotter, Ricoh GX-7000 GelsPrinter, Adkins BETA Major Pneumatic Press, Graphtec CE5000-60 & Craft Robo, HTP616 Twinhead Mug Press & 2 Halogen Ovens.
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Re: What's your day job?

Post by castlegategiftcreations »

I have been a swimming teacher for over 9 years now (have always been a swimmer myself and was selected for scotland esso youth swim team when i was 13).

2 years ago my now business partner and I were on a weekend trip to edinburgh and I wanted to buy a nice t shirt for my daughter but everywhere we went only sold t shirts with "scotland" on them - which wasn't needed as i am from scotland. Anyway - found a small shop which did printing and got a lovely kids t shirt with a "not very good" transfer print of greyfriars bobby which cost £10!!!

After we returned home I decided to start researching t shirt printing and came up with sublimation - did a bit more research, took a weekend trip to wales, bought the equipment and started up the business.

I am only doing it part time but would love to be able to do it full time. Have premises in the city centre (partner owns a greeting card shop so set up in there).

Look forward to hearing from more of you.
Julie-anne
Castlegate Gift Creations
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Justin
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Re: What's your day job?

Post by Justin »

It's great finding out more about everyone. We're all doing similar things but from so many different angles.

Justin :-)
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AJLA
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Re: What's your day job?

Post by AJLA »

Isn't it quite amazing how we all come up with various things to diversify, I often say i'll probably end up being a supermarket or something.

Is there anyone on here who relies on this only for a living or does it full time and its is your living. Would be very interested to hear your story.
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Re: What's your day job?

Post by castlegategiftcreations »

I only manage to do this part time at the moment but hopefully in the future will be able to stop teaching full time and concentrate on the business.
Julie-anne
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Re: What's your day job?

Post by JSR »

I would like enough work to come in to make this full time but, in truth, I also do consultancy work which keeps me going through the lean weeks.

Before this, I worked in a factory for about 15 years - constantly getting ground down while those with less talent got the promotions and the increased salaries. I left due to disillusionment. Today, I have no one to moan at except myself! :D
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