Opinions Wanted How many hours are YOU in the shop??? May '09 Grumble Survey

[Mike Labbe]

How many hours per week are you personally in the shop?:kaffeetrinker_2:​

This is a survey for shop owners, and includes time spent in the business, as well as time spent doing business paperwork, deliveries, etc. (Typical/average)​

Monthly Survey & Discussion for May 2009
Results are anonymous​

Discussion Welcomed!​

RESULTS from previous TFG surveys: LINK TO RESULTS​

Grumble surveys are purely for entertainment value, and to stimulate healthy/friendly discussion. Since the results only represent a relatively small group of participants, use them with caution.

 

[Barb Pelton]

I'm generally here 7:30 am-4:30 pm M-F and Sat's vary.
If we're busy, Sat will be 6am-4pm.
If not, I'll take Sat off.
Often, it's a check in and then leave scenerio.

I often work an additional half hour-hour here and there via computer from home.
I also attend some evening/weekend events strictly to be out among the movers and shakers of the community. If I didn't own a business, I wouldn't attend those events nearly as often! Therefore, I count it as "work"!

Christmas was the above schedule plus return in the evenings for an additional 2 hours, 2 or 3 evengs a week. (We were busy!)

 

[wendy lang]

I take Tuesdays off to be with my 89 year old Mom. The old boss used to say to me to NEVER say he had the "day off" but to say that he was away on "errands."

I say: customers understand that you have a "day off." It's okay.

Of course, I am also often away on "errands!"

Wendy
The Art Corner
Salem, MA 01970
978-745-0524
artcornersalem@verizon.net
www.theartcorner.blogspot.com

 

[wendy lang]

Oh, and I am always on Saturdays by myself! Except for my framer, but he doesn't wait on customers.

Wendy

 

[Jay H]

60 - 70 hours?!?!?!?!?!

WOW!

 

[jframe]

I say: customers understand that you have a "day off." It's okay.

Ah, it's OK not to be a martyr? Yep. Better to show we are human and step down to the customer level. No offense intended to anyone. Being successful and spending a lot of time on a business is a wonderful thing, but it's a choice. Been there.

 

[Sister]

Before I hired someone to help with the labor, I would have hit the 86+++ mark. I was burned out, not having fun, not having a life outside of framing, and was ready to close shop. (I am actually retired and enjoy framing to supplement teacher retirement salary.)

If you are a one-person operation and working yourself silly, hire some help!!!

 

[PaulSF]

For much of my first year, I didn't think I could afford to close the shop for even a weekend. Then I finally did so -- I took a 3 day weekend of all things -- and when I came back, everything was fine. Now I'm much more casual about taking time off, and I even have people come back when I reopen to place their orders.

 

[MabSadie2]

I hover around the 50-55 hour mark. Sometimes less if the stars align with a slow week and open employee availability. (kids in daycare) I almost never get to take vacations, but I live in an area with an abundance of recreation, so it's kind of like vacation all the time.

Then again, when things are hopping, 60-65 is not unusual. It's self-inflicted usually. I like to build frames and clean my store when it's closed. This last x-mas, my full timer burnt her hands so badly I was pulling 12-14 hour days every day and that got OLD. I think that was only for two weeks but it was a miserable two weeks.

I think it's important to be here,but I'm not a control freak or anything. I have one customer that has some kind of knack for coming when I am at the doctor or running errands. She has the impression that I am never here when I have the impression that I never leave.

 

[Joe B]

I'm home based and by appointment only - though I have people walking in all the time. I work 40 hours a week at another job and close to 30 hours a week in the frame shop. I'm one of the lucky ones with a separate building from my home so people can come through the fence and walk through my door anytime I am there. All of my regular customers know my other job's hours and know every weekend, Sat & Sun, I spend framing so they come either after 4:00 pm or during the days and eves on the weekend. I will be retiring from my other job in 29 days so I will be have more regular hours then - also, I will do some advertising & putting together a web page. I know my shop hours will increase significantly after retirement.

 

[Dancinbaer]

My open hours posted are only 12 hours/ wk. But I'm in sometimes before my full time job, during my lunch and usually do bookwork at home.

 

[Lori Drugan]

The shop is open Monday-Thursday 10 to 6 and Friday & Saturday 10 to 5. I take off Thursday and we are closed on Sunday. That means I am by myself on Saturday and Ahlene is alone on Thursdays but I am yet a cell phone call away should she need me. I am greatful to afford a full time employee after listening to what some of the one man shops go through. If we have stuff to do personally sometimes one of leaves early.

Lori

 

[Black Iris]

I was a one-woman shop for two years--I did EVERYTHING alone--from cleaning the bathrooms and doing to the bookwork to designing, framing, marketing, Web site updating, EVERYTHING--now I have two part-time employees (one for the gallery, one for the frame shop), and I can't believe how much better life is! I can actually take a lunch break outside my shop now. I'm still here a lot, but it's much less stressful. Definitely worth the payroll costs. I should have done it sooner (my husband was right all along, and I even told him so!)

JoAnn

 

[HarryGMCPF]

41-46 hrs in the shop for me and about 4-6 a week outside the shop at varying other tasks...... Some weeks more, some less of course. With 3 young kids I need time at home and at the ball fields.... my wife, yah well, we haven't been out just the 2 of us in I cant tell you how long... she's a good girl for putting up with my schedule

I left a job working about 60+hrs a week and stressed beyond belief and started my own business. Of course everyone says, "you must work a million hours a week now". To which I respond, "No actully, I work fewer hours now and have more time for my family. Not to mention, I am a lot less likely to have a heart attack now. That was the objective in the first place."

As you all know, when your out making all the money we make, it's worth it. Right? Right. Right?

 

[Mike Labbe]

The results are IN, but discussion can continue.

The average grumbler works about 48 hrs per week, according to the survey results.

Opinions?