Thinking of retiring?

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Puppyraiser

PFG, Picture Framing God
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Howards retired
I have been framing since 1979, and I am just plain tired and am really getting too old to do this work much longer. My hands hurt and the passion for it is fading.

Are you thinking of hanging up the old framing gun?

Or maybe this too, shall pass...
 
I was thinking of retiring.

I had it in my sights and I knew the date. But then I decided to quit my "career" and open a frame shop instead. Now retirement will be many, many years in the future, and long past the original date I had circled on my calendar.

I love what I am doing today, but I do still dream of retiring......
 
After 21+ years of framing, I too am at that point of wondering how much longer the body will be willing and the mind won't get too much weaker. I would love to travel for the next 10 years, maybe as a moulding/industry rep. and then maybe start all over again in a new town, just making frames with custom finishes and shapes, selling through a web site, no physical store front. I might even build a few pieces of furniture. I've set the date for December 2009 to make the change, unless something new comes along sooner, as I am looking.
 
I've been framing for 18 years now and I'm only 37. How much longer can I make it? At least the art changes with the times to keep it somewhat interesting. Sometimes I feel more like an accountant than a picture framer. I think accountants make more money than framers. Maybe I should change professions.
 
Yes. And it's only been 17 years for me. I'm coming off a year of overcommitment to a volunteer board position which became a nightmare, taking huge amounts of time and mental energy.

I tried to wiggle out of framing, but then rethought it---with the help of some psychological support from my SweetSpouse who didn't want me to retire from this wonderful profession.

I'm retooling my enthusiasm and finding that it might be okay after all. Hope you get some clear-cut feelings, one way or the other. :)
 
We (wife and I ) are both 65 now and ready to retire. We tried to sell the business, but with the economy like it is now we can't get much for it. We can sell the property for quite a sum, but feel if we hold out a couple more years we will do much better with the property and maybe the business. so we have pretty much decided to go 2 more years and enjoy the gallery and framing as long as the arthritus allows and unless someone comes along with an offer we can't refuse..any takers?
 
Ellen,
I had my first frame shop/gallery in 1975. Took a hiatus back into the software business from 1982 to 2000. In 2001 I "retired" and opened a very small custom picture framing business. I had fun getting back up to speed with the changes and setting the shop up the way I wanted it. I made my focus on what I liked best about the business and do only custom work. I don't have any employees. I work long hours. Currently am open six days a week until sometime in January. I've been "retired" now for almost seven years and enjoying it. You'd be amazed at what happens when you can focus onto the things you enjoy and let someone else do/sell the other stuff. :kaffeetrinker_2:
Good luck in whatever you decide to do.
 
I have papercuts that go back to 1973 when the business opened though I've only been at it full time since September of 1978. Been thinking of shutting down the retail storefront and taking my commercial accouints to a less conspicuous spot...home. The rental on the building I own would be almost as much as I can net out as a busy framer...if I could rent it. My wife has about 11 more years before she's elligible for retirement, and that'll probably be when I call it quits. Who knows, my employee has been making noise about wanting to take over the business eventually...who knows. I seem to find new challenges, and still enjoy being here.
 
The sad thing is my friend who is a UPS driver makes more than I do, has much better benefits than I do and has a full pension that he is now fully vested in. If I could only let myself do something mindless like that.
 
wpfay said:
... I seem to find new challenges, and still enjoy being here.
Click to expand...

THAT'S the key!

This IS my retirement -- sort of?!?! :icon9:

I was in high tech for 25 years and it just felt like playing pinball. You remember pinball? The better you got and the more points you got, the more you got to play.

Now, I'm making MUCH less money and finding new things to challenge me.

I know someone that had a clock and watch repair shop for 20 yrs. He "retired" into netwroking for a large company. He says, "it's like playing all day."

Add something to the business, take something away, Make it FUN, or find something that is.

Life's too short to not have fun!
 
I have been framing since 1983 and the shop owner since 1990. I am only 42 but am having trouble keeping the passion (see my passion thread from a few weeks ago). I would love to sell out and retire or move on to other intrests. But I don't see being able to sell the business for anything more then $.10 on the dollar for inventory & equipment. Hopefully things will be turning around in the next few years and I can move on before I am fifty. My wife is a bit older then me, and there are a lot of things we want to do before she gets to old for them.
 
The business side becomes more amd more challenging leaving less fun

If it weren't for some of the fun projects that I work on at PPFA, I'm not sure that I would still be here. Meeting and working with some pretty special people make a strong difference and almost outweigh some of the stupidity that we see too often on threads like the recent past

It's a balancing act that gets tipped back and forth

An Exit Strategy is always in the front, though
 
Ive been at it forty five or so years, I am slowing down a bit, the passion ain't what it was. I don't know if I want to completely retire or not.

I would like to get away from it for a few months and see how I feel about it. I would love to just take off in my little airplane and go airport hopping around the country, swap hanger lies with other, more adept liars than myself, maybe learn a few things.

My marshal arts friends want me to come back on board as a coach, they want me to learn Japanese, not so sure about that.

To completely retire, I would have to sell most everything, buy some annuities, if I want to enjoy the income I now have. I just can't figure out what the heck I really want, for whats left of, what has been, a great life so far.

I think what usually happens to folks like me is we just get hauled off on a gurney, then that's the end of it.

John
 
Bob Carter said:
The business side becomes more amd more challenging leaving less fun

If it weren't for some of the fun projects that I work on at PPFA, I'm not sure that I would still be here. Meeting and working with some pretty special people make a strong difference and almost outweigh some of the stupidity that we see too often on threads like the recent past

It's a balancing act that gets tipped back and forth

An Exit Strategy is always in the front, though
Click to expand...

Wow. Got any links?
 
Might as well throw in my 2 cents...

I've been framing since 1972 and still love it, and physically I'm holding up just fine. I also still love "business" - studying, marketing, and managing, but I am feeling a calling into a different field, and don't quite know how/where "business" will fit into it all.

We've developed a new focus for newmanvalley.com (don't bother looking for it online, it's not been added yet) but even with that, I'm not sure of what I need to be doing at this point.

Still seeking direction on that...
 
I worked for most of my working life in high tech engineering and really enjoyed it. Then after a few big companies crashed, I was jobless and at my age all the jobs were gone.

Getting into framing was the best career move I ever made. I just love it! Almost three years ago, I had a heart attack and now live on medication and live with the medication side effects too!

I'm pretty slow these days, I have diabetes, artharitis and things ain't getting any better, but the framing gives me the neccesary challenges and reasons to motivate myself. I think I'll stick with for a while yet, I still enjoy it to much!
 
EllenAtHowards said:
I have been framing since 1979, and I am just plain tired and am really getting too old to do this work much longer. My hands hurt and the passion for it is fading.

Are you thinking of hanging up the old framing gun?

Or maybe this too, shall pass...
Click to expand...

Possible the most successful Irish business and possible European business person in recent times died recently too young he was Tony Ryan who started Ryanair now one of the biggest airlines in the world and Boeings biggest commercial customer………….he is of legend sort of stuff.

He was asked a few years ago why with all his money he had not retired from business…………..his response was that he would rather “wear away than rust away”

Good luck with your plans….

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Ryan

On a personal level I’m in the position that I could retire if I wanted to (yep by Irish standards I have it made)………..but no way there are 3 possible 4 more business cycles in me (for me a business cycle is five years)

In the last two or three years I have gained great pleasure and drive by going back to further my business education ………I’m astounded by how out of date some of my business knowledge and thinking is …………and this was for a guy who got a great kick off in business years ago……..

I’m quite astonished the drive and energy I’m gaining from it………….my latest education program is “Project Management”

I would like to “wear away rather than rust away”
 
Wow Ellen, It's wild that you bring that up now. :kaffeetrinker_2:
I actually have my shop for sale. I've been framing for over 20 years off and on. I started my shop from scratch 7 years ago and it's growth has been great.

I am just physically tired! :faintthud:I LOVE the sales end of my job, but really don't enjoy the production end as much as I use to. I feel I am pretty good at sales too. So with that being said, that is what I plan to pursue, Sales! Maybe moulding, maybe something else.

My shop would be a great purchase for someone who wants to get started into the framing industry. It has everything a great frameshop needs and the rent is cheap and in a great location. It's a small space but very doable and so charming!

My mailing list alone is worth what I am asking!;)

But I have also added all of the up to date things like a POS, CMC, and Visualization system to make it a great buy.
I've done all the hard stuff to make a great little business. Oh and my gross sales are pretty good too!

I am now ready to move on and I am just waiting for the Lord to send me a buyer, and open new doors, just like He did when I first opened my doors in business.:popc:

But until all that happens, I choose to enjoy and make framing my focus and enjoy the time I have left in this business!:D I still really love the design process and dealing with my customers, and I want to get out before I don't enjoy that part anymore.

So Ellen, you are not alone!;)
 
Four years ago I closed a three store art material business that had a small but core custom framing business that had been started by my grandfather in 1911. In my young years I worked in the frame shop and took management control of the business in my late 20's and began 30 years of expansion. Several job offers followed the closing, but I felt a desire to continue the tradition.

Scaling back to just a one man framing business is somewhat like a retirement for me. Every day is a challenge. Every day I learn something new. Life is much simpler and I enjoy working with the same tools my grandfather used ...working with my hands and directly with the customers. Administration in the old business got old for me and framing is again fresh and exciting.

I'm young enough to expand and grow the new business but am taking my time to decide if that's really what I want to do. I enjoy the fact that I now only have to put out the fires I start and not deal with employee situations everyday. Life is slower paced and the wallet is considerably thinner but life is rich such that I'll likely follow in my grandfather's footsteps and work the day I die ...he framed into his mid eighties.
 
WOW!

We have 20+ year old shops, 7 year old shops and don't forget the one in advertisement section of a 5 year old shop bailing out. We have seen a few "industry leaders" scale back from retail to mass production. One powerhouse retailer bailed out just this year and I've heard rumors of others looking that direction. Bob is certainly not a cheerleader for the business these days!

In all fairness I too have started some things that I believe will actually side line framing also. I wouldn't call it retirement but more of a mutation.

This is all very telling!

Carry on.
 
I am going to retire in 2010 so I can stay home and teach artists how to draw and go back to teaching my class for artists at SDSU. The body is giving out and the travel is getting harder and harder to do, I've been doing the teaching and writing while being a framer since 1979.

I absolutely love teaching the classes, love teaching framers and will miss it horribly. Framers are such great people and I love teaching them. I hope I get to see lots of you between now and 2010 at shows and chapter events.
 
672 grumblers have read this thread in the last 24 hrs :smiley:

I think it has something to do with the header DO U WANT TO RETIRE?

:smileyshot22::shrug::help:

We are just returning after 3 years off, working from home now we have done the full circle :icon19:

I was all excited until I read all the threads :confused::confused:

no only kidding still excited
 
I thought about it...

In June, I did it! I don't know about the "retire" term, though. I'm 52 yrs. young and it feels funny when I call it that. I'm still liquidating on Ebay and grumbling so I still feel connected. I just wanted to say I wish everyone happiness and prosperity no matter what your decision - I love you guys! :thumbsup::beer:
 
stshof said:
In June, I did it! I don't know about the "retire" term, though. I'm 52 yrs. young and it feels funny when I call it that. I'm still liquidating on Ebay and grumbling so I still feel connected. I just wanted to say I wish everyone happiness and prosperity no matter what your decision - I love you guys! :thumbsup::beer:
Click to expand...

You “Retired” from “framing” to concentrate on other interests

I’m away in the morning till Monday to spend a few days with my wife and the children in Lisbon ……….see you next week……..

:-)
 
Since I moved back to this small town, strangers stop by and visit when I'm outside. (I think I went to high school with some of them.)

Inevitably, they ask what I do. I usually introduce myself as a retired pictured framer who commutes 100 miles every day to work in an unrelated field.

And I raise dogs.

It's not that easy to do something for 28 years and then let it go. We watch a lot of HGTV, since we expect to be remodeling this old house for the next 20 years, and I am very critical of some of the poor framing I see.

Those that don't do, critique.
 
I am fortunate that I have already retired twice.
Once from the Navy 1984 20 yrs
Once from corporate buy out 2002
Now we are enjoying what we are doing(most of the time)so I don't really consider this a job because it is something we want to do not have to do.
At going on 61 we are planing on buying a boat to live on and travel before the wind goes out of our sails.
But until then we will just enjoy our life style
:beer: :popc: :beer: :beer:
 
I just read this whole thread and am somewhat saddened. Many of us are older, have arthritis, are tired, and are not making a lot of money. Is this unique to the G or to frame shop owners in general? Is anyone having a whole lot of fun out there and making a lot of money?

I can't imagine a life without the business I founded 30 years ago. It still energizes me, I am still learning. I'm more interested in the marketing and web work and art photography these days, and in creative planning for the shop. And I enjoy the design aspect of sales. Right now I am lucky enough to have a good staff, with a couple of energetic managers who make my ideas reality. So that part is fun. Standing for hours on the weekend helping customers when my knees hurt is not.

Has anyone found long term management who run thier shops like an owner would? Is anyone semi-retired with the best of both worlds? This is my ideal plan after we "retire."

I am 60, Jeff will be next year. We have a daugher (20) who is in college and is not interested in the business and a son who might have been, but he started law school this year and we hope that will be a rewarding career for him. Because we don't own our building, and because small business is so capricious, I would not encourage either of our kids to take over the business. Yet, not keeping the business in the family makes me sad. We have spent 30 years building what we are told is a Berkeley institution, and the thought of one day not owning it is somewhat unbelievable.

It has not been an easy work life. Rewarding, yes, easy, no. It has been financially rewarding to an extent, but we are not rich. We have friends and family who are retired at our age and are doing very well. They were in the corporate world. I could not have done that. I needed my own brand of freedom.

We certainly plan to keep working for another 5 years, during which time I plan to build the business at an accelerated pace to the point where it can either be sold for a very good sum, or where it can be run by managers for us. But then you never retire, do you?

A smart exit strategy would be good to plan for, yet here we are at 60 still making plans to grow the business.

Meanwhile, every day is different, and I get to work in a profession that is rich with creativity. I get to handle beautiful art and meet and talk with a huge variety of people. On top of that, at this stage in business ownership I get to dream up ideas which others carry out for me, so there is immediate creative reward on a daily basis. I am lucky to have my husband and partner, Jeff, who works more than a 40 hours week and supervises the daily grind. I am lucky to choose my own hours, but I do work a good part of every day. And, I am never bored. I always have plans, ideas, and projects.

Finally, because of a relatively recent interest in the framing community , a few years of going to shows, and becasue of this engaging forum, I feel a new interest in all aspects of the business. And is that cool, or what? Thank you!

Retirement? I'm not a big hobby person. Owning The Framer's Workshop is what I do. Maybe that will change when there are grand children to visit.
 
Kirstie-You are not alone

Had I stayed in my "corporate" real world, i would be counting months to retirement with prepaid insurance, monthly annuity plus everything I have put away by myself

Do i regret my decision? Not a bit; we have had a lot of fum, met some wonderful people, worked on fun projects

But, I am trying hard to get my kids to find a better path
 
Perhaps that is what we have done, we traded a financially secure and early retirement, for a lifetime of freedom, and getting to be the boss of our own business's. I guess if you have done really well over the years, you still get the financial part of the retirement package, you darn sure don't get the early part of it though.

I remember the frustrations at my corporate job, trying to push ideas through. If it was a good idea, by the time everyone had figured a way to have their name associated with it, it was a watered down and pretty much useless idea. Then everyone glared at me because it didn't work. At least in my own business, I have been able to discover on my own, just how dumb some of my ideas can be.

Right now, at this stage of the game, I am convinced I have done the right thing with my life. All I can do now is wait and see if the whole thing hasn't been another one of my stupid ideas.

Whatever the outcome, it has been a great ride.

John
 
I think I am finally undestanding something.

I have read all your post and tried to compare my current position to see how i fit in. I unlike many of you AM retired from the framing world and from my former OTHER job( which is still paying my bills and needs today). The biggest differance is I choose to be a framer and the other positons I held where JOBS. by that I mean they paid well even when i disliked any or all things about them.

Framing on the other hand never paid well ( as i did it) but I loved the praise and feeling of accomp0lishment I got from turning out a creative product . That may sound like a good thing to some but it was a down fall to me as I am sure many of you more profitable framers realize. It isn't the good feelings or praise that keeps us in business but it did ME.

I also remeber my dad who was a carpenter for all of his life until he contracted TB and wasn't allowed around sawdust and definetly not out on the docks of the river front where he finally worked. He was miserable. Carpentry was all he knew. And sitting home rubbed him wrong.So I am very glad to hear unlike me manyof you have other EQUAL interest that can sustain their creative interst when they quit makeing FRAMES.

I also agree with Nona that I would love to be thought skillful enough to be a teacher and continue to perfect my skills and help others.That would be the ulimate WIN _WIN situation for me.

I didn't learn to be profitable when in business but I can assure you that I miss the h3ll out of the creative aspect and the Comaradery now that I no longer do what i WANTED to . maybe for some that isn't a problem and wont be missed and can be easily replaced.

I once was told by an educator in the needle art industry to "Never fall in love with our invetory" By that she meant we should look for things that others wanted and not what we liked since not everyone had the same taste as us. But if i may I'd like to paraphrase that a bit I think maybe we shouldn't fall in love with our OCCUPATION if we want to be profitable sine kudos and pride doesn'r always pay well. But it sure is missed when you give it up , from my point of view. and maybe even if you have some combiination of the two . I will never now know.LOL

Charles BUDDY Drago
 
Never say "never" Buddy...;)
I think it might make a difference when the choice is truly yours to make and not when you're backed up against a wall, too.
Life can be incredibly cruel but I'm still routing for you! You're an inspiration to a lot of us! :)
 
I AM retired!

JRB said:
Perhaps that is what we have done, we traded a financially secure and early retirement, for a lifetime of freedom, and getting to be the boss of our own business's.
Whatever the outcome, it has been a great ride.

John
Click to expand...

I think you've nailed it exactly, John. We've traded financial security for personal freedom and responsibility. It can be a costly bargain, no?

I turned 60 a little over a month ago, and I'm at the time in my life where I'm trying to decide how I want to spend this next stage of my life. The way I see it-this new shop IS my retirement.

As a liberal arts major, I flunked out of the corporate world many many years ago. (And-as a fine arts major, I was already used to being poor!) I wound up owning a frameshop almost by default.

I closed my first frame shop because of family needs in 1999. I then owned and operated a nice litte deli business for seven years before I sold it two years ago. After we turned over the keys, I walked around feeling completely lost. Three days later, I heard about the shop vacancy and rented it. Perhaps it wasn't the wisest financial decision to make-I could have invested the money from the sale of the deli and made more on interest than I have earned in the shop so far-but I doubt it would have been as personally fulfilling.

It has been a long haul, getting back up to speed after a 7-year absence from framing, but it's been worth it. The industry is changing so much. There are so many exciting new developments already--and so many new ideas coming out each day--I can hardly wait to see what's going to happen tomorrow! (And special thanks to the Grumble. This is one of the best new developments of all!)

What's going to happen when I'm physically unable to do the work? Well--like Nona, I think the idea of teaching is very appealing...And I'm figuring out how to grow the shop big enough so I can hire a fulltime manager in about 10 years--so I can take 4 days a week off to go travelling, throw a few new pots on my wheel, and figure out all the bells and whistles on my digital camera. This frame shop has given me a whole new burst of energy--the least I can do is give it back as much as I possibly can.
 
So, Mary M, you'll be 70 in about 10 years and you're thinking about retiring and teaching/travelling etc. then? You are an inspiration!
 
Bravo !

As usual I didn't say it well. LOL
But Mary M did for me . The only problem is I didn't sell my shop for anything so as to have an investment source to start with. That isn't a whine it is a caution. I would warn not to give up what you have unless you can either be sure you have no desire to come back or you have enough reserves to restart when you realize what you gave up.

Can you say ,"You don't miss your water till the well runs run dry." ? I can hear an instructor of Time management that I took in San Francisco Trade show some 18 years ago ( Mr. Horowitz and not Marty ) he suggested if things like your phone ringing annoyed you at your shop take it out. If you can't then it isn't a problem no matter how often it rings . In fact that may be a good thing depending on how you look at it.

While that may seem of the topic, think about how many have said they can't wait to get away from all the demands of the shop and PTA customers. Now think about what percentage of your total work load these annoyances really are and how many other GOOD things you will be walking away from. I guess it is sort of like something Charles may have quoted ( and I will ruin) in the Lyrics of a song that says "if the good times don't out way the bad I'll be on my way." But be sure you weigh them for your self. As Mary M said She feels RETIRED in her second framing shop and some want to go back to what I and others gave up to get to Framing for or IMO even less undersatndable to do little or nothing.

BUDDY
 
Be careful what you wish for

I am in my seventh major career cycle (custom framing) after 50 years of high tech employment and I feel that the freedom of self employment far outweighs the apparent security of employment by others.

Corporate life is where you too often cast pearls before swine. Your best efforts may go unappreciated.

I have found custom framing to be a place to find people who need and appreciate pearls. Custom framing lets me create wow products for extremely appreciative audiences.

There will always be money problems, but as a self-employed framer I can directly control my income, or lack of it. As an employee, I found that too often I was merely a commodity, essentially a hired pair of hands with a speaking part that was narrowly defined.

There are always risks and rewards. I find I am happiest when I have more responsibility for both.

Change the game if you must, but retain control of your time and your freedom and you will be happier in the long run.
 
If thoughts of retirement are running through your head, Ellen, it probably is time to give it serious thought.

I sold my last shop three years ago. I found the further away I got from the business, the less I missed it. I will admit to an occasional "maybe I'd like to frame again", but the feeling quickly passes. I don't think I could physically do framing again, anyway.

For 18 years, I loved my work (I was in business for 20). The last two were a grind. It got so I didn't want to go to work.

I am happier now than I was while I was working. I have new interests, gone back to told ones, and can spend more time on all my hobbies and pastimes. My circle of friends has expanded along with my interests.

For many years I called myself a "mole" because I spent so many hours in the backroom of my shop. I seldom saw daylight. Now, I spend all the time I can outdoors (maybe making up for lost time). I can't imagine going back to that life.
 
gemsmom said:
For many years I called myself a "mole" because I spent so many hours in the backroom of my shop. I seldom saw daylight.
Click to expand...

Ouch. I have a couple friends who call me "Molerie".

What happened to Summer?
 
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