Time to wind it down.
After Umpteen years I've decided it is time to wind it down. As many of you know I operate a custom cabinet shop and in an effort to reduce the stress I downsized from a pretty big plant with a bunch of employees that was a far commute from home to a smaller place close to home with only a couple men 2 years ago.
The "less stress" plan has not worked out so well. The difference in producing with a large number of employees, of which most were semi-skilled in one or more areas, but few were true cabinetmakers in the middle of an industrial area to needing to have at least one good reliable true cabinetmaker in a less industrial area and the lack of craftsmen in the labor pool has been much more daunting than I anticipated. As a result, I've been working even more hours, and instead of being less involved physically with the "heavy lifting", I have had to be even more into production while also handling the rest of the admin since the company is now too small to justify an Office Manager/Bookkeeper. So jobs have taken longer than they should to get built and deadlines are harder and harder to make. Even my oldest clients I considered friends have reacted by ignoring the many years of good service they have received, and instead simply demand more product produced quicker.
At 65, I'm still in pretty good shape, but the years are starting to tell with little things like hands that are starting to shake a little, endurance reduced, and the enjoyment level sinking.
As of now, I am still booked with projects that will take most of the rest of the year to complete, so there is some time to come up with a good "what's next" plan and my wife and I have begun exploring that.
For sure though, this aspect of my professional life is targeted for completion.
For any of you out there that would like to discuss a takeover or buy-out get in touch. The cabinet market is actually pretty good around here and much of my company issues can likely be attributed to my getting worn down with the years. Many companies around me are expanding, and I expect that, if I had more interest in it, I could modify a few things and continue on. I'm just ready for more of a semi-retirement gig and the overhead on this much of a shop won't allow that. Note that no tools will be sold prior to current projects being delivered, but if someone wants to discuss a takeover the schedule can be accelerated with the understanding that they take over existing projects (I'll be glad to make arrangements to assist on an interim basis)
Dave
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