Starting my own fab shop!
 

I still can't believe it!

Just secured a 1500 sq ft shop to start doing my fab work full time. I'm also going to be setting up an online store (which I will do myself).

I'm extremely excited, and obviously very nervous since it's my first time ever doing something like this.

My GF and her father are both going to be a big part of it, and will help with marketing and management.

I thought I'd post it in here because you guys have seen some of my previous threads and I know a lof of the guys on here.

Hope you guys think it's cool! https://honda-tech.com/forums/images...es/emsmile.gif


Panoramic shot :
https://i187.photobucket.com/albums/...c/merge_01.jpg

https://i187.photobucket.com/albums/...NewShop056.jpg

https://i187.photobucket.com/albums/...NewShop059.jpg

https://i187.photobucket.com/albums/...NewShop057.jpg

https://i187.photobucket.com/albums/...NewShop070.jpg

Thanks for reading! :D

Re: Starting my own fab shop! (Agtronic)
 

Looks like a great start, best of luck to you!

Re: Starting my own fab shop! (Agtronic)
 

pics of previous fab stuff?

Re: Starting my own fab shop! (manifoldmiketyson)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by manifoldmiketyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">pics of previous fab stuff?</TD></TR></TABLE>

he posted some a while ago and it was really nice, Agtronic good luck man https://honda-tech.com/forums/images/smilies/emthup.gif

edit: found his thread.

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=2013686

Re: Starting my own fab shop! (manifoldmiketyson)
 

Here's a 4-page thread with some of my work. Haven't updated it in a while since I've been busy at work.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3286968

Thanks for the encouragement!

Re: Starting my own fab shop! (manifoldmiketyson)
 

Looks like a nice start, pretty upscale compared to most startups I've seen. Whats with the supported I-beam - bridge crane? Be sure to get your wiring done to code, that stuff on the left wall looks a little iffy.

Re: Starting my own fab shop! (CRMB)
 

good luck, keep posting picks.

Re: Starting my own fab shop! (manifoldmiketyson)
 

good luck on the startup man. i hope to be in that exciting position someday. https://honda-tech.com/forums/images/smilies/emthup.gif

good luck with the shop https://honda-tech.com/forums/images/smilies/embeer.gif

good luck with the shop, i hope you make this a success!

Re: (boost_aholic97)
 

Wow...that's a pretty nice startup location.

Re: (RC000E)
 

Good luck!!!!

cool! looks good! just need a lift or two and your good to go!!

Re: Starting my own fab shop! (Agtronic)
 

i'm guessing you are renting, how much is your monthly rent for the space?

I like the logo https://honda-tech.com/forums/images/smilies/emthup.gif

very nice

Re: (mec. pedri)
 

Congrats, best of luck. Big step!!! https://honda-tech.com/forums/images/smilies/emthup.gif

Good Luck. That looks like a sweet location and a great start. Your fab don't look bad either. https://honda-tech.com/forums/images/smilies/emwink.gif

Re: (Dazed and Confused)
 

good luck....lookin good

a girlfriend and her father in the picture.... That spells failure! Sorry, but it's true.

Get those two out of deal, and you may have something going...

i beg to differ. my father in law is my business partner, and i wouldn't atempt it without him involved.

Re: (weiRtech)
 

Ah but you see that's a different story. When you're married and things come up, you know you have to work through them, it makes your relationship stronger, and the relationship with your father-in-law stays the same.

With just a girlfriend and conflicts come up, some people think it's easier just to end it, which could cause some bad breakup problems with the dad.....

Re: (Metal Head)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Metal Head &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">a girlfriend and her father in the picture.... That spells failure! Sorry, but it's true.

Get those two out of deal, and you may have something going...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Congrats on starting the dream but I gotta second that unless you are fronting all of the money. When I read this post I just assumed your girlfriends dad was in the picture to help with start up funds. If I'm wrong disregard what I am about to type. Assuming best case scenario and things go well and you make a decent profit. What happens if you break it off with your girlfriend? GF tells dad what a jerk you are and dad pulls his support for the business or wants payment for his share of the business so he can walk away. Now you have some surprise overhead to cover by yourself. Not to mention if you and the dad start bumping heads on business decisions and your gf sees that, who will she side with and now your relationship can go south because of it. Partnerships in general are very difficult to make work and you don't need any added complexity. Now if you actually marry the gf someday and he becomes your father in law then it could make family meals taste different if you know what I mean. Now if there are problems your wife is torn between siding with her dad and her husband. Obviously this works sometimes I'm certainly not saying that it isn't possible given the right personalities and a good business plan but why add more risk to an already risky field. If you absolutely insist on doing this with any partners get everything on paper through separate attorneys. Everyone should know up front what happens if one partner decides to quit through lack of interest or life tragedy forces them out. I have never crashed an burned a partnership, knock on wood but I've seen enough shops go under over the years and heard the horror stories of lost money and friendships.

Ok enough of the soap box speech and I do wish you success. This is a difficult thing you are doing and very rewarding potentially but even the best fab skills will not keep you in business for long if you don't run the business side of things well.

Re: (crx12)
 

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the support and advice! There's always so much to this. With regards to the partnership, I have been dating my GF for 3 and a half years, and I am very close to her father. He is the business type, and definitely doesn't mix personal / business. We have even discussed the unlikely event of a breakup and the plan would be to not let it affect the business. We've all agreed on this, and I know it would work that way. Either way, I'm not planning on losing her, she's a big part of my life and has given me the confidence I needed to start doing stuff myself. I mean, I do take everyone's advice seriously, and I thank you for saying it the way you have seen it, and I definitely trust everyone's own life experience, but I am confident I won't have to deal with a problem of this nature.

Thanks so much for the compliments and encouragement. I'm going to be busy for the next little while, trying to get the whole place set up!

Can't wait to have my gear moved to my new place!

So you guys have it, my web site is at : http://www.agtronicmotorsport.com I'm doing all graphics work and logos etc, since I am a web-designer / php coder. I'm hoping I can use this to help me in my quest!

Here's another pic for fun!

https://www.agtronicmotorsport.com/post/merge_02.jpg

Best of luck Markku, I've been impressed with your work for a long time. Keep up the good work, and you'll do fine.

Re: (96supercharged)
 

Good luck, we started ours last October. I started this business ( RCautoworks ) and called in a buddy to start working full time, then gave him a chance to be a partner. Its like a marriage, if your not open and honest it won't work. You really need that right person, I sit down every now and then and just realize what I have and can't believe I have a business partner like I do. Its hard to trust people now a days, my partner started off as a customer and just grew from there. Time to time we do sit down and put the friendship aside and if we are getting to close, we make sure we get right back on track.

Its going to be hard going in with a girlfriend of 3 years, well I guess it depends on the relationship you have. Hopefully it works out for you.

By the way whats the big square thing in the corner ?