PDA

View Full Version : Hello from cbscreative



cbscreative
08-06-2008, 12:20 PM
Hi everyone,

Many of you joining this board will know us fairly well from the old SBF, but here is where I get to share a few things you would have to dig deeper there to find out.

I began my first company back in 1986 as a 25 year old who looked 18; that's not exactly a great way to have everyone take you seriously as a business person, but many people did respect what I was doing and I did form some good relationships. My current company was started over 6 years ago, but the experience behind it goes back over 25 years.

One valuable lesson I learned with my first business, which was a sign company, is the very reason for my current company, Creative Business Services. I learned the hard way how important effective marketing is. Back in 1986, the only competition in signs was other talented sign painters, and there was plenty enough work out there for all of us. Within a few years, that changed dramatically, and talent was no longer enough.

What happened? The very tool that was designed to make our business easier, faster, and better opened us up to a situation we never had to face before. Computer sign making was a wonderful invention; however, it was also used by people who had no talent. That's no problem, we thought, nobody would buy that ugly stuff from people located in a strip mall who don't know what they're doing. But they had one thing they effectively used to their advantage. They knew how to market.

So, these days I do many of the same things I did years ago. If I design a sign or t-shirt graphic, I know how to set it up so it actually works (you'd be surprised how many "professional" designers don't). But at the heart of it is marketing. I don't just design nice looking graphics and web sites, I do "business services" so it helps business people market effectively.

I believe in small business. That's why I do what I do professionally to help them succeed. That's also why I believe this forum is so much needed as a resource where we can all learn from each other. And I'm glad it is now being run by people who share that same commitment.

Ad-Vice_Man
08-06-2008, 10:27 PM
Steve,

Thanks for sharing your story... and I couldn't agree with you more. Thanks for starting/restarting the forum... along with Vangogh of course.

cbscreative
08-06-2008, 10:35 PM
Thanks. I contacted vangogh about doing this and he rose to the occasion and hasn't slowed down since. He said in another place that he needs sleep, and I can understand why. That man is committed and the forum is blessed to have him. He's been working with the management back end of this forum, and I was joking in a PM with another member that I think he set up a cot in there.

orion_joel
08-06-2008, 11:11 PM
Hi Steve,

I do not think that i had seen much of your story before i read it here now, you may have shared it previously, but i look to have missed seeing it if you did.

If you and Vangogh had not picked up this ball and started running, i probably would have looked to try and get soemthing together, as i think i did mention i had all the things required i had just not had it in the current time scale of things that i am working on.

Anyway good show and glad to see things starting off well.

Coach Morse
08-07-2008, 12:50 PM
Hi Steve,
Thanks for your effort! :)