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This may not sound encouraging but I mean it to be - this is on you if you are in charge. Sounds like it is time to step back and work on your business instead of letting it grow out of control. Look at your processes and kill what is not working and try something new. Establish new process and standards and stick to them for at least 90 days and then reevaluate. Create a new business and marketing plan and go after markets you want with the clients you want and fire the rest. Create a new niche or develop a new product or style. Been there. Sold my last sign shop ten years ago for the same reason and then later realized all the mistakes I had made. Keep fine tuning and run your business, dont let it run you into the ground.

Anyone else suffering burn out? I am absolutely wore out, tired of the continuous hassles, customers that expect us to have it done done before they even know what they want. For the last 2 1/2 years we have worked 6 days a week, most every week, and have even worked a few 7 day weeks. My week's average at least 75 hours and I am getting too damn old for this, the last few weeks just dread getting up to go into work. Everyone expects immediate responses on everything. I get requests for quotes on new signs and structures at 4pm and they say they have to have it no later than 9am the next day. Customers expect same day service on service calls. It seems our society today thinks everything is like the internet, I can just push a button, and it magically appears. The ones that push the hardest to get it early and call you everyday until it is installed, suddenly can't answer the phone when it comes time to collect the balance on the invoice. Most customers are always trying to beat you up on price and there is always some asshole that doesn't have a clue what it cost him to operate, or uses absolute junk to build his signs is practically giving it away. Customers don't want to give you a budget, afraid you will consume it all. I get tired of the customer that wants 14 or 15 36" channel letters on a raceway, that after you give them a quote, says they only have $1500.00 budgeted for their sign. Why in the hell can't you tell me that up front, quit wasting my time quoting something you can't afford. I can get them a sign of some sort, but they are not going to get a lighted sign of any kind installed for $1500.00. Some days I just want to look the doors and say the hell with it. If I didn't have employees depending on me for a paycheck, I would have probably already done that. But I've got long term employees that are good, loyal employees and I would never do that to them. Okay, rant's over, back to work I must go. If you have any solutions, please send them my way.

I hear ya brother! Running a small shop is a bitch sometimes. I've gotten to the point I send the price mongers packin' and charge good money for the work I do. Found out a long time ago that the jobs you don't get because you are perceived as "too high" are the ones that would have been a pain in the ass, and would have caused you to miss a child's baseball game. Take time for family... there will always be other sign jobs, but you only get one life, so live it!!!!!

Thin out the deadbeats, cheap hunters (they will always be cheap and their referrals will expect cheap), favor seekers. You'd be surprised how much quality time is left for your good customers and personal life.

We have a graphtec - our designer hates it, says it misspells words and gets scales wrong... He had his own one man shop before he came here and has a summa and absolutely loves it.