Where is the "Best Practices: Framebuilding Business" Thread?

[Lincoln Jamrog]

I am just a lurker, but it seems to me that there ought to be a thread focused on framebuilder business practices, questions, etc. Maybe there is one and I haven't found it. There is a lot of info on the topic on this board but it is spread all over the place. In reading through all the Smoked Out threads one can gather a lot of info, but I would think there could be a dedicated thread. Marketing, markup, overhead, insurance, tax issues, etc. Or maybe you pro's all hate that part so much you don't want to talk about it? Or is it peeling back the curtain a little too much? I did finally notice after years of reading bike websites there is no "business forums" anywhere that I could find. No one talks about wholesale costs of frames or parts or anything like that.

From what I have gathered, aside from any other factor, the most successful builders seem to be the ones who have been doing it the longest. Period. Everything else seems comes after that fact.

Thanks

[e-RICHIE]

Hey - welcome.
Ask a specific question and I'll take a stab at it.
No promises atmo.

[steve garro]

#1: Do what you say you are going to do.
- Garro.

[Eric Estlund]

No one talks about wholesale costs of frames or parts or anything like that.

My whole sale prices are the ones I list on my site.

the most successful builders seem to be the ones who have been doing it the longest. Period. Everything else seems comes after that fact.

I would think the "everything else" is part of what allows folks to stay around long enough to be good at what they do and to be successful in business. You can't just "wait it out"- being successful over the long term means actively working at it for the duration of the business.

[e-RICHIE]

Here's a chestnut from my Smoked Out thread atmo -

Hi Richard, thanks for doing SO. At the risk of sounding like a kiss ass I'd have to say that you were one of the inspirations that led me to pursue this craft and make it my trade.

If you had to distill your experiences in framebuilding into a single piece of advice for us younger builders, what would it be?

whoa atmo i am embarrassed to admit that i absolutely missed this post and apologize that it went unanswered.
here's a reply straight from the hip -
make what you use.
use what you know.
know what you use.
sell what you use.
and never look up to see what anyone else is doing.
no matter how wide the net is cast, all that matters is what you think.
if you ever second guess yourself, pause until you don't atmo.

[ron l edmiston]

Here's a chestnut from my Smoked Out thread atmo -



whoa atmo i am embarrassed to admit that i absolutely missed this post and apologize that it went unanswered.
here's a reply straight from the hip -
make what you use.
use what you know.
know what you use.
sell what you use.
and never look up to see what anyone else is doing.
no matter how wide the net is cast, all that matters is what you think.
if you ever second guess yourself, pause until you don't atmo.

-- maybe,
SBA needs to smile for/as associate criteria --- financial assistance/investment...

ronnie

[Dallas Tex]

IMHO

1) Be able to build bikes at a level that is worthy to be sold. This is different from the bikes you build yourself or your friends 6 months after UBI.
2) Be able to sell these bikes.
3) Be able to run a small business.

Obviously, 2 is contingent on 1, and 3 is contingent on 2. But this is a three legged stool, and you need all three legs to make it work. Many guys can build great bikes but can't sell'em. Many, many guys can't run a business and blow up.

[echelon_john]

The wisdom is all here. As it says on the outside of the How To Be A FramebuilderTM Box Set, "Some Assembly Required."

[shand]

Framebuilding as a business is no different from any other business. The pitfalls and gotchas that exist in this business exist in every business. I've seen too many examples of people get onto this game and assume there's some kind of special dispensation for framebuilders that allow them to operate outside of standard economic practices. You're making shit and selling shit. Same as the guy next door making air conditioning units. Treat the business side differently 'cause it's bikes, and bikes are cool ya know' then you will fail.

After doing this for 10 years I can honestly say building bikes is easy. Running a business where you try and sell those bikes to put food on the table is hard.