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JFife

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Posts posted by JFife

  2. Posted · Report reply

    Are there any 'native' chicks on this island?

    Yes Dan, there are. But just like normal chics in the real world, they don't want to date any Dago guys because they are such emotional basketcases.......if they wanted someone that can go from loving to sad to excited to angry to 'sad crying" to 'happy crying' in a matter of minutes, they'd just become lesbians. :D

  5. Posted · Report reply

    I find things like that highly addictive. Like, not in a good way. Like, I dropped out of college one semester because I was hooked on a game. Seriously. I see the ads for those games during Southpark all the time, and I literally have to turn the channel...that sort of thing would wreak havoc on my life. I've even become obsessed with playing WordMole on my Blackberry.

  6. Posted · Report reply

    Personally I can't think of anything I need but

    morally I am going to stay away from Powerwashing politics for at least a year and just watch from afar how things transpire in this industry.

    Wait JohnT---that is a christmas present for everyone else!! You are supposed to say what YOU want for christmas!!:D J/K man, enjoy your holidays, FIFE

  8. Posted · Report reply

    You only want 14K for an '07 Ford? I was looking at a lot the other day, a Ford Lariat diesel was sticker'd at 60K. Crazy. I bought an '06 last year (same truck....lariat, diesel, 4x4, 4door) with 40K miles for 25K when diesel fuel was through the roof. Are you set on getting new?

  10. Posted · Report reply

    I remembered a post from last year where you mentioned your speed. I used to be fast. I was the leadoff hitter on my high school baseball team and set the school single season record for stolen bases at 27 in 16 games, which still stands to this day. That was in 1984. In 25 years, no kid has come along to break it. I think its the obesity plague of the current generation.

    That is interesting (major hijack coming). If you think back to '84, look at baseball: guys stealing 120 bases a year, home run leaders hitting 22 home runs per year. Now the numbers are almost reversed. Personally I think balls are harder, and that has caused the game to change.

  15. Posted · Report reply

    Oh come on, even I'll give you your ad is better than my yard sign - heck you did 3 mil in sales, and I did 30k. So that's a 100 fold difference, but then again if I put a hundred signs out like mine - who knows?

    Hahahaha:D I agree Dan, no way to know unless you try. 100 of your signs strategically placed in your town is honestly about the most awesome thing I could ever imagine. Are you two in the same town?

  16. Posted · Report reply

    Now we are getting somewhere ..... you have to have a mix to grow. Small commercial is very easy to get into. Very easy. Reading blue prints is very easy as well.

    ANd I do not think Res guys are just hobbyists. I know many very successful guys that are strictly res painters.

    Okay, just read this. But I'm assuming you do believe large comm/industrial, etc. is better. Why? Aside from larger jobs, what other benefits?

  17. Posted · Report reply

    Chris, I know about the bluebook - even met with those guys. But I don't have the know how to approach commercial work, first of all I would have to learn how to estimate from blueprints - and I'd rather not think about that now. Perhaps your perspective is correct that a true painting business is one that does commercial work, and the residential guys are just a bunch of hobbyists. I'd like a few years with a few reliable guys working for me before even thinking about commercial.

    Hello NEPS,

    Is this a correct statement as to your opinion, or is Dan off? I'm curious---not offended in the least bit. Would love to hear move if that is indeed your opinion. I've heard others say that of different trades....always intrigued by it.

    BTW, what is "Bluebook?"

  18. Posted · Report reply

    It is absolutely horrible out there. The job market Blows. I just did work for a regular client (high end recruiter )and her Biz is off 60%. Next year no better ! State , town and City budgets are being whacked ( no revenue steam) with layoffs to follow ! America doesn't make anything anymore . Ct has lost it's manufacturing base and were loosing all sorts of other type of jobs. The out look for jobs in Ct is maybe it should start to recover by 2012 ?

    Wall St and the other Exchanges do not reflect what is going is going on in BLUE COLLAR America any more.If they are doing well it's not reflected in our economy! Because American Corporations are Global and there profits are made outside of this country. It's sucks ! It all started with NIXON !!!

    A very good synopsis by Sir Diamond James. This is what I keep saying to you Dan.....Wall Street numbers don't reflect our ECONOMY. They reflect the stockmarket. If you disagree, then please get Obama to take credit for crashing our market down to 6400. The fact is, it is private industry and they are actually smart. They've hedged global. Things will continue to be sluggish until we get another Stimulus Package. Like, one that actually stimulates. As in, TAX CUTS for businesses. Otherwise, we'll continue downward, and the only stimulation we'll get is that which comes from the French Tickler that Obama and his power-hungry cronies (both sides) are wearing as they ream us.

  19. Posted · Report reply

    Since there are some new painter guys on here, I wanted to ask a random question. Can you guys point me to some good info--"biz in a box" type stuff? Not looking to buy a franchise or anything, just looking for start-up info kits, etc. I seem to remember from another board (PainterTalk or something) that the sort of thing was available. Do you guys know of any info packages I should look in to? Thanks,

  20. Posted · Report reply

    Who knew that Dan's threads on vehicle logos, percentage improvements, and high quality yard signage was actually his most intelligent material:D

    Messin' with you Dan----stop trying to change the subject on the other stuff though!! Get back to the other thread---maybe if you actually start paying some taxes some of these other retarded views will change!:D

  21. Posted · Edited by JFife · Report reply

    Again people, what are your closing rates? I looked at my numbers for the year, and I have been closing at the 60-70% this year - I doubt anyone beats that without being much much cheaper.

    POSITIVES:

    Dan, I always enjoy your posts, you know that. You can take more shots to the ballbag than anyone I know without taking one ounce of it personally. Commendable.

    You do great/thorough analysis. I don't always agree with your perception of your results, but at least you have your head in the game and know your numbers---you know your profitability or lack thereof.

    Tactically, you have good ideas and concepts.

    NEGATIVES:

    Many of your arguments are absurd! I don't care how much "percentage improvement" you've made. That alone does not mean IN ANY WAY that what you are doing is working. What if I went up to Tiger Woods and said, "Hey adulterer, my golf scores have improved by TEN STROKES this year!! How much have YOURS improved??" And then I go on to lecture him about things I'm doing to improve my game by 10%, and then tell him that the only thing that matters is improving my score again next year by a percentage amount, and that will make me successful.

    You have to look at the big picture. So you sell 60% of your jobs! Great!! How much did you gross, and of that gross, how much profit did you make? And how satisfied were your clients? And is your business sustainable? And are you happy? And do you have a growth plan? Etc, etc. etc.

    You can't pull one measure out of this "success list" and say that it is the only one from now on that care about. I care LESS if you sell 60%! I could come and crush you! I could sell 100%!! I'd do jobs for $1! Am I successful? Again, I don't care what your margins are either. So what if you make 80% margin if you are only doing 20K worth of work. Just like I'm not impressed by a guy doing 3Mil in work if he is only making 100K for himself.

    You've gotta see the whole picture.

    Lastly, if you've got something to say about Fenway Park, I'm all ears. If you can offer any type of proof that a low-class image is the path to riches, I'm all ears. Otherwise, to prove you wrong I'll challenge you to show me one *successful* biz of any kind that does not parlay a professional image. And no, I don't mean some painter guy that does 100K in biz a year. Show me companies over 1m. Or anything coorperate.

    And for the record, I'm not bashing your image. While I don't think the black rape van is the best thing, the most important thing BY FAR is to do the best with what you've got. If you waxed/buffed the rape van, polished the wheels/tires, put on some PROFESSIONAL looking logos, and kept it clean at all times.....I'd think that was admirable. You don't have to have the best---you just need to make the best of what you've got. For instance, your yard sign.:D I fully expected to read "PressurePros, Inc" and you can imagine my surprise to read the words, "Just Plain Painting":D Holy cow, that made my day.

    Seriously Dan, if you have some anedotal (or otherwise) proof to support that kind of an image, I'm longing to hear it.

  22. Posted · Report reply

    LOL, this IMO is the greatest thread ever!!! :)

    Like Topcoat, I never cease being amazed/amused with Dan. Dan, I think you decide on an opinion (like the appearance of your van doesn't matter) then work to try and prove that it holds true. The idea that you don't think your van appearance has any impact on your biz is lunacy. It might not be the *biggest* issue, but it IS affecting your sales.

  23. Posted · Report reply

    Dan----

    But would the pole sanding be good enough if the wall is textured? That is the thing that always bothers me about a flat sanding---if you have texture, it won't abraid/clean into the low spots of the texture. As well, seems it would "roll" the edges on the texture. (Sidebar: my spell check is showing that "abraid" is not a word? I thought it was?)

    JohnD-----IMO, this is the most important step in painting: If you do prime, MAKE SURE to tint your primer to the same color as your paint!! Otherwise, you'll paint 2-3 coats to cover the white primer.

    Dan---what do you think about Aura? I can't imagine anything going on to bare drywall and covering in one coat. So IMO, you are still left with two coats.....might as well just prime and do one coat of SuperSpec or something. Thoughts?

    Lastly (to all painters) have you ever seen a high-end paint that truly imparted a better IMMEDIATE appearance that a lesser paint? For instance, I painted my house last year.....some rooms have SuperSpec, and some have Regal. My parents built a new home last year and painted with SuperCraft. I honestly can't tell much difference in immediate appearance. I thought I could with the Regal....not sure though....so technically, I guess that means I can't tell any difference. Just curious what you guys look at visually to tell the difference between a high-end paint and low-end.

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