The Crazy World

Now that I scraped my print shop of 4 years and owe $20,000 in loans to buy everything. I getting calls from people that didn’t want to do business with me.
One woman a Wedding Planner that shop was just 4 doors from me told me after seeing my Kwikprint Hot Foil Embossing Stamping Machine I just purchased told me she would never do business with someone that has out of date equipment. So, I junked the machine a few weeks later due to my depression, email me yesterday to do some Hot Stamp work.

My brother that wouldn’t do business with for the past 4 years, who has a major advertising agency, called to ask me to do a publication for him.

I reminded him that I scraped my shop two months ago. So, he said can you buy some equipment to do my job?

I have no shop, no equipment, now people are calling me.

Do people not care, when you need them?

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no matter what you are equipped for, designers want something “different” it is the name of their game. last week, a customer of 6 years, asked for a 5th quote for laminated sheets, which she knows i don’t do. She wants another quote from me anyways. Another wants a 2600 consecutive numbering job, in foil no less…. i just don’t know what to be ready for anymore

Don’t waste your knowledge for running press and such. There has to be someone looking for help with what you know.

Do other have these type of customers?

I had two customers, they would NOT write or email me the information. What they would ask is I come to their office, which I would, and just start talking about the sales book information, or trucks fill out inspection form.

I would ask them to write down the wording and I would design the to form. Both would reply I just gave you the information, now show me a proof so I sign off on it.

Also, both would be talking to their customers on the phone as they talked to me.

It was hard to listen to them, and make notes on a pad while they talked to others.

Is what the printing industry has come to?

Old Letterpress Man,

As someone that is familiar with your history, here is the key point:

“…due to my depression…”

I think you’re caught up in a bit of a catch 22:

1. Happy Old Letterpress Man wants to print
2. Happy Old Letterpress Man spends a bunch of money on equipment and spends even more money renting space to hold it
3. Happy Old Letterpress Man has to work longer hours at the day job to support the letterpress operation
4. Not having time to do what he loves, happy Old Letterpress Man becomes depressed Old Letterpress Man
5. Nobody want to do business with depressed Old Letterpress Man, because he’s generally miserable
6. Depressed Old Letterpress Man unloads his letterpress operation
7. Depressed Old Letterpress Man becomes Happy Old Letterpress Man

Why not set yourself up with a tabletop press of some sort so you can do what you love without having to go into debt over it?

Hi Old Letterpress Man,

I’m sorry you’re feeling that way. What’s important is that you try to rise above it. Trying is good enough to start with.

Companies usually demand more than couples who are to wed. They want their stuff done the quickest way possible without down payments and even unsure of what they want. So yes, sometimes the world can get crazy.

Just keep trying to improve on what we do and they’ll (clients) soon come to you.

Cheer up. :)

Bought a press yesterday and the guy gave me two flats of type and stuff. Inspecting it this morning I found a letter in the stuff reminding him to take his psychoactive medication—-maybe there is a hidden meaning here.