Mixture of cabs for FOH

[Square]

Its appreciated. I used the "this will help provide if?" with my wife for quite a while until she just quit asking where the money from the gig was going. I really do believe that myself sometimes... lol on the inside!

I also used similar logic when explaining purchases to my wife, but eventually she has come to accept that for me, sound is simply a "self supporting" hobby (mostly self supporting, anyway). She now has her side business/hobby and since I don't ask her what she does with any of her money, she seldom asks about mine.

You could always offer to drop the sound hobby and replace it with one that dosen't make money at all....like restoring old cars..or hookers.

[Axisplayer]

Square, both of those hobbies might seem cheap by comparison. ;-)

[clayface74]

I think part of the problem for me is the idea that I "have to" book gigs. I really enjoy what we do. So far everything has suppoted itself and the initial $600 investment has compounded dramatically. Fortunately lighting is a strong point for us(50 par 64's, 20 56's...all dmx rack packs...(behringer packs that have served us very well I might add...fingers crossed!!) I feel like I am close. Just want to make the next move onto solid ground. The market in our area is not a hot bed, but there is room for one more I hope. I am not an undercutter, infact I charge what some in the area consider too much..(most wedding DJ for instance here charge $300-$350...Me $425) I consider us on another level and not so much a DJ as an entertainer. I want to do the same with live sound. I look at the SR companies here and they are on that next level...I want to be there.

[Square]

Square, both of those hobbies might seem cheap by comparison. ;-)

 

 

Indeed!

 

You have a PM.

[Square]

So far everything has suppoted itself and the initial $600 investment has compounded dramatically. ...... I look at the SR companies here and they are on that next level...I want to be there.

 

 

You have spent more than $600 on your rig so far, yes? Even if you have spent less than $5K, I would say, yes you are getting a good return!

 

To move to the "next level" where you are comfortable providing for "C" grade nationals will be a significant expense. I can easily see $15K in FOH boxes, amps & processing if you buy new. This assumes that you keep your 8 EV bottom boxes (and I see no reason for you not to at this point). If you are happy with your JBL tops, then I would keep them for your smaller work, sell the EV tops for what you can, and buy something scalable to go with your bottoms.

 

How big/scalable do you want the rig to be?

[W. M. Hellinger]

I look at the SR companies here and they are on that next level...I want to be there.

 

I've thought about how to word this response for a couple of days and I haven't come up with an eloquent way to say this so I'll just blurt it out:

 

Concerning that "next level": Personally, I don't believe current market conditions will generally support a part-time local sound contractor target marketing their services primarily toward B tour national acts. Let's pencil it out:

 

1) Figure $100K minimum gear investment to play in that league... I believe $250K is more realistic.

 

2) Hard costs (depreciation, warehouse, truck(s), insurance, utilities, etc...) will be at least $10K - $30K yearly, and that's if the company doesn't work a single show. Figure $200 - $1K/show addition expenses for labor, travel, additional wear, tear, and loss on the equipment, and out of pocket expenses.

 

3) I'd guesstimate that if a start-up company is reasonably successful in locking down some reasonable portion of the market... say 10% - 25%... that might yield 25 shows a year @ $1K - $3.5K/show and 25 shows a year at $500/show. A guesstimate on feasible gross yearly revenue could be estimated at maybe $50K - $75K.

 

Considering the above numbers, a good year might yield $10K - $25K net profit. A mediocre year... the company might break even. A bad year, the company might expect to loose $10K - $50K.

 

Why is the up-side potential so slim? I believe the reasons are many, but most influential might be that EVERYBODY wants to do it... it's sexy, it's cool, it's fun, and it's an ego trip.

 

I received some good advice years ago concerning small business ventures: "Find something that nobody wants to do, but there's a strong market for it, and then get really good at doing that." Being the local sound god doing all the cool local gigs is not were the money's at per-say. Doing the convention center AV gigs, installs, car lot sales promotions, sales, etc... all the boring, unsexy, low-ego builder stuff is where the money's at. Putting on the big show can be a good, or even excellent promo tool, but figure it to probably be a loss leader... and don't formulate your business plan as big shows being the cornerstone of the business, unless of-course you have local conditions or special talents or influence that would make that market plan viable. I

[clayface74]

Mark,

I thinlk that was more than eloquent! That is what my mind was dancing around but could not comprehend. I think that is the best advise I have gotten on this board ever! You mention the "Find something that nobody wants to do, but there's a strong market for it, and then get really good at doing that." I have gotten really good at weddings! The oter MC who works with me is Great! @ weddings...a true MC. You are correct that I see the big show and my ego says "I want to do that" but realisticly my ID knows better! I really hate the idea that I feel comfortable where we currently are. We have suitable equipment and experience, minimal investment and virtually no one else in the market.

THANKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[agedhorse]

This is where Mark and I agree completely.

Re-read what Mark posted, and there's even more information sitting there between the lines, implied and clearly understood by those of us who have been there and done that.

[W. M. Hellinger]

I have gotten really good at weddings! I really hate the idea that I feel comfortable where we currently are. We have suitable equipment and experience, minimal investment and virtually no one else in the market.

 

 

Actually, you might be in a good position to take it to the next level, IF you're looking for a good advertising platform. Working high profile public events, and doing them well, will bring a higher level of demand for your cash cow work... meaning your calender could be as full as you want and you'll be able to pick & choose more-so... assuming you're interested in locking down more of the cash cow work (weddings) at better pay and better conditions.

 

Since you already have an established and successful business in-place, chances are you're already paying for the basic business expenses (insurance, commercial vehicle(s), commercial book keeping, etc...), so diversifying the business into related lines of work could make sense... even if the related sideline of being one of the local sound gods / being the key man at the big town festival is not specifically profitable. Basically paying to play for the exposure and credibility of establishing your company as the "get er done right" sound dudes can make the over-all business more successful.

 

I suggest to do your research by investing about 2 years fielding riders to determine what is in demand to fill riders successfully for the level of acts you want to do, before you make further substancial investments in gear). You've gotta consider the work you're going to do very carefully. If your cash cow is working weddings (and I suggest you should be doing corporate entertainment as well)... then look at who's paying the bills. It's generally not the bride and groom. It's the in-laws. So... go be the sound god at shows where you can hit a home run out of the park where future in-laws are in attendence and will be impressed, i.e.: Blues & brews festivals, commedy acts, country & blue grass acts, classic rock, hippy music. I suggest not to work metal, hip-hop, raves, teenie bopper stuff. Then configure the rig to do a really good job doing sort of work you focus on. Chances are 10% - 25% of the time the act may supply a BE, and the rest of the time you'll be doing the mixing... and the band's BE will probably be 35 - 60 years old... so configure your rig to be suitable for the folks working with it. A 24ch. Verona board w/4 to 5 monitor mixes might be just the set-up for the job. You won't need 8 matching UHF wireless mic rigs... one or two good UHF wireless rigs might be all you need. Stay away from complex/sophisticated digital stuff and go with the tried and true mainstream analog type stuff. A PCM-70, Eventide 3000, and Rev 7 might be all the FX you need. If you specialize in doing a specific type of "next level work", you might be able to capitalize the right rig for $25 - $50K, where-as if you gear-up to do it all, the capitalization cost could be 5X to 10X ($100K to $250K+++)... involving a lot of specialized gear that rarely is REQUIRED, but absolutely is REQUIRED to cover a wide spectrum of work ($5K+ splitter snake for example).

 

But absolutely do not loose sight of WHY you've decided to diversify your business and are considering taking some portion of the business to "that next level". And be prepared to deal with success.

 

BTW: My main mixing console is a Soundcraft Venue 24. I purposely don't own a bigger board BECAUSE I don't want to deal with acts that would require more than 24ch. of inputs and 4 monitor mixes. Designing your rig so the tail isn't wagging the dog is very important, especially if your high profile public work is an advertising medium. I turn down a lot of work that would be FUN to do, and would be a feather in my cap, but I made a solid committment of where to draw the line, and I don't go past that line.

[agedhorse]

If 2 monitor mixes and 3 band eq would work for your needs, I've got a pro mixer available that's in excellent shape in an almost new roadcase on casters and matching PSU case. It would cost you a lot less than the $12,000 it went for new.