Relocate ???

[alexwright]

Like I said lots of variables and they did not hold up their end of bargain so I, and my crew, have come home. Got in last night.

[alexwright]

Will be going tomorrow to have a meeting, probably be heading back to Arizona after the meeting. We'll see.

[NS'Creter]

Aaawww man! That's too bad, I hope you get it straightened out.

[alexwright]

OK, a little behind, need to catch up. Went back to Arizona and looked like everything was going to work out and then they started cutting hours. We came back and sorted everything out and figured out all the half info we were getting. Anyhow we called it quits for now on that but, they mentioned they have more work coming up in El Paso, Tex. and more on the Ariz. and New Mexico state line. I can understand why all the confusion on the payscale and so on. It's federal work and prevaling wages but it can get confusing with all the different pays. Anyhow its pretty dead out here and if they call me I just might go back until things pick up. We'll see come the middle of Dec. or begin of Jan. I came back a week ago Monday and then after Thanksgiving dinner we packed it up and went to Texas for a few days. We got in this morning! Long drive. It took us 21 hours going there. We stopped lots of times for our kids and they were long stops to walk around and let them play. I think it took us around 18 to get back. The timing when we came back was great because they slept most of the way. DVD players are the best. The one we had coming up started going bad so we went and bought another one before we came back. Actually we bought the "double" one. We have a 1 year old and a 3 year old. Anyhow we are back home and now we need to get things jumping again. Hi again to all and lets see what happens from here on.

[alexwright]

Oh yeah, I took my Mongoose to Texas and helped my brother cut a border and a Lone Star onto his front porch. He had already stained it. He is going to try to drum up some work for me, plus so is the rest of my family. Looks like I'll be doing some of my families houses whenever I go back but need some real paying jobs.

[NS'Creter]

Glad you're back Alex, you're havin' quite the experience with that outfit. It's cool that your family will promote your biz. Doing freebie work like that is good for practice and promotion. It usually pays off.

[alexwright]

Yeah, it's kind of crazy, but now that all is worked out it should be OK, it's guaranteed money in this economy. Just landed a small job yesterday and will be looking at a 6,000 sq ft job on Mon. for polishing. That would be nice to get. If it all pans out the way it looks, I should be busy in Jan. but, not counting my chickens before they hatch. If that company calls, I'm gone to make some sure money because things are pretty tight right now. I would love for my family to get me some work lined up because I could visit them more often but , we''l see.

[Lindy]

I would say, go to DC and stand in line for a small businessman bailout ... after all, the politians like to say that small businesses are the backbone of our Nation was built on ... but I know that your concerns and delimma is not something that can/or should be taken lightly.

This industry has always had hills and valleys, highs and lows; some driven by the economy, in which it becomes a matter of survival. It's hard to keep the faith that you will prevail, locking or lucking into, that one big job that will set the financially secure tone of your future, when you feel as if your ship is slowly sinking into the abyss, your bilge pump is just barely keeping your leakig ship afloat, and you only have a few gallons of gas left. Once depression sets in (which is considered an illness), regardless of what brings it about, it becomes a rain cloud over you head, making it more and more difficult for you to see a future in the business.

Trying to wear to many hats creates a great deal of stress ... especially if you must wear the sales/marketing one and creative/quality craftsmanship application one as well. Personally I believe you need to seriously consider recruting at least 1 professional salesperson. Pay them ONLY when the deal is sealed (contract or proposal is signed) ... either a percentage 10%, or a pre-agreed price per sq.ft. (depending on the scope of the work that was sold) ... example: standard acid stained surface would pay them less per sq.ft. for the job than a custom designed artistic/engraved one). Professional salespeople know what buttons to push to motivate customers to buy ... cars/trucks, furniture, windows & siding for homes, swimming pools and spas, real estate, etc./etc.

There are a probably 1000's of salespeople that are experiencing tough fiancial times just as you are right now (questioning how they are going to make ends meet and provide for their family); therefore, they are looking for opportunities to venture out into (supplimenting their other sales income). Why not place a "FREE" ad on Craigs List in "jobs" section to see who turns up. You may find that some of those that contract you in regards to a salesperson position could even be real estated agents that are feeling the economic crunch as well; they not only have clients and are professional salepeople, they also know where/and how to acquiring financing for home improvement projects.

You have NOTHING to lose by forming a mutually beneficial aliance with a professional salesperson (so long as you ONLY pay them when sale is closed; and it is an agreed to percentage of the sale or per sq.ft. price which could range from $.25 to $.50 per sq.ft. based on type of job and square footage of it). If you can remove the stress and time associated with acquring sales; focusing on getting the job scheduled and done, you will be able to remove the albatros from your neck.
On another note ... in times like these you sometimes need to focus on floors/surfaces that are required; instead of those that are decoratively desired. This means application of commercial/industrial coatings in public facilities, food preparation and storage areas, restaurant kitchens/bakeries/bottling plants, medical clinics, light/small industry floors, etc. These types of floors/surfaces REQUIRE seamless, non-porous, wear/abrasion and chemical resistant commercial/industrial floor coatings that meet FDA/USDA sanitary surfacing requirements and also are ADA compliant ... if their surfaces don't meet these requirements health departments will close them down; making them required surfaces not simply "I want that desired ones that a person may or many not opt to go for."

On another note, you have valuable/marketable decorative concrete hands-on skills, as evidenced by your portfolio, as well as all the tools of the trade and working knowledge as to their professional uses ... you might want to look into aligning yourself with one of the leading decorative concrete material manufacturers; many as actively seeking professional technical support technicians and/or those that could open new markets in areas of the country that they are not adequatedly represented. If you want to test the water in your region ... write up a resume, highlighting all your specialties, equipment you are knowledgeable in the use of, seminars and training you have attended over the years, enclose photos of your work, etc/etc. (in other words, ring your own bell as to how valuable your knowledge, creativity, and insights are). In doing so, you will be able to remain in the industry, in some cases they will allow you to continue to take on projects as well, and you will have steady income/salary (maybe even benefits) ... might even be able to lease your equipment/trailer package to them if you are going to perform training in your area for them.

Whatever happens ... keep you chin up and be proud of what you have accomplished (instead of focusing on what you have not been able to as of yet).

Happy trails.

Lindy

[alexwright]

Thanks Lindy. Thanks for all the tips. I am definitely not out of this business. Right now like alot of our fellow Americans, we are all in survival mode. By working in these other areas, I just see them as opportunities to learn something different. They are related to my business in some way in leadership areas as I have been Manager and Foreman and always in a leadership role and I am not one to be afraid to ask questions. I learn more that way. Apart from the administrative confusion we had for a while there at this resent job, it was alot of fun and challenging. Plus being a federal construction job I learned some new things and I am looking forward to going out again and working for this company if given the opportunity again. Plus I have a business partner /associate that is lining herself up for federal work and I'm her concrete guy. So I am getting some insight to government work. She worked for the government for years and is retired now but has started her own biz. Plus I have a close buddy that knows all the ins and outs in many areas of building and so on. He recently submitted a bid on a million(s) dollar casino project. Guess who would do all the concrete? I am surrounded by lots of people that are starting their own businesses and we have worked for others for years and just feel its our turn. The good thing is we share a common good biz interest and savvy in that we are open and honest and blunt in sharing our monies. It has been pleasant working with these two friends. One was recently in Arizona with me and we ran a pretty good show together and it showed me how it can be when things pick up. Improvising, but definitely not out. I'm excited about what the future holds, I just want it to hurry up and get here. Actually I'm out trying to make it happen. I'm out knocking on business doors and restaurants. Talking to biz owners and everyone I can.

[alexwright]

What I have noticed actually is that I'm making more contact with big companies and everyone likes what they see, yet we are all in this big economic hole that is hitting us hard especially here in Southern California. I'm just using this as a prep and spring board for what is to come. I am trying to wrap up some financial matters and so on so that it will be that much easier to get ahead when that time comes and making the right connections. God willing we want to be ready when that time comes.

[NS'Creter]

Lindy is always so good to share her thoughts and suggestions based on her experience. She's also a great "pep-talker"...thanx so much for that Lindy.
Seems like you're just on the edge of success Alex...makin' new contacts and workin' with existing connections. Sure seems promising and I hope that it comes together completely for you real soon.
I'm still pickin' away at Sobeys. They're a grocery and real estate giant that was founded and is still based right here. The decorative work, especially the custom stuff, sells itself practically it seems to me. The main thing for me to show these guys is how my work will save them money. Not just, or even at the initial investment but in an ongoing way. We all know how that works...it's in the durability and the maintenance. Just gotta make the big guys see it.

[Lindy]

Hope that your panning for gold at the grocery store pays off and they get off their rump soon. Commercial work can be quite rewarding and give you a chance to show it off to thousands.

I heard from a contractor I know in Virginia last week that a Super WalMart had 187,000 sq.ft. of their retail floor space in a new store acid stained and sealed. This would be a good thing ... if any of us could get our nails into a mega-chain like this ... however, in this case it is a bad thing! The floor is less than 6 months old and is already showing large wear spots (has appearance of no sealer being left on the surface a all in high traffic areas).

Don't know who did the job ... or what sealer they used ,,,who knows, some architect/engineer may have been wined and dined by a sealer manufacturer and thereby enticed to specified a particular sealer instead of taking the recommendation of the contractor that installed that floor as to what type of sealer should be used to withstand the 24 hour heavy/constant use. In any event, this has probably turned WalMart off now ... if there ever was a glimmer of hope that they might eliminate their standard manufactured flooring and make the change to a smooth/seamless decorative concrete surface throughout the store.

I could take the bull by the horns and try to jump in the arena with WalMart again ...as to offering them a long lasting solution to their retail flooring, incorporating a polyaspartic aliphatic polyurea for assured longevity/performance and maximum wear/abrasion resistance, that does not require waxing (cost of wax, labor to apply, nightly buffing, weekly burnishing, quarterly stripping and re-waxing, loss of surface use and inconvenience to customers while this is going on, etc ... but during my last rodeo with them a few years back, no matter how many hoops I jumped through with the corporate Gods on the hill there in Arkansas (making samples, matching their Wal-Mart colors, etc.) I never reaped any rewards from for all my efforts (in Texas we would call it a dry well). I just hate to hear of jobs like this that are rapidly turning into a eyesore, seen by thousands of people, not even considering the fact that someone managed to turn Wal-Mart on, but now this job will effectively turn them off. Oh well, guess that is the way the ball bounces sometimes.

Lindy

[NS'Creter]

Yes Lindy I share your frustration. Finally someone gets decorative 'crete accepted at a large level to be potentially seen by millions and it's a botched job. The floor in the new WalMart here is integral colored and buffed...looks like poop. Literally.

[Lindy]

Great ... two undesirable Wal-Mart jobs! One stained and sealed in Virginia and the one you have there integral colored and polished. In baseball it takes 3 strikes to be "out." If you and I know of 2 strikes, there are probably more at other Wal-Marts. Seems as if they wanted to test/evaluate various types of decorative concrete instead of their regular manufactured goods flooring (typically VCT tile here in Texas), but results have not set the stage for more.

Lindy A.

[NS'Creter]

Yep. You know and I know that price dictated who did those jobs and what they used. The WalMart project was one of the big reasons that I became involved with Increte. Apparently, WalMart specifies that Increte products and contractors be used where available. By the time I had that info the contracts had been awarded and it was too late for me to be involved. The project manager "didn't think" there was an Increte contractor anywhere near here and didn't call the 800 number to find out. If I hadta guess, I'd say that they used Quick Crete integral coloring 'cause I find their products to be inferior and cheap. The floor here is a text book example of what will happen with cheap products used wrong. It's dark in some areas and almost non-existant in others. Not thoroughly blended at all. However, if I were to go in with my 2500 and cut a tile pattern and apply a quality sealer it would look pretty good I think.