For small town folks, I'd recommend looking into their high-school sports teams. Ours doesn't have any trademarks and doesn't mind us creating stuff for a very very loyal community. Custom slate projects with their kid's number and photo can generate a lot of money
Just came across you randomly, love your content and can really use the help as I just purchased my first laser... Subscribed immediately and looking forward to more of all the insight and advice you have to offer and share. Part 2 sounds great and starting a laser business from scratch would be an incredibly helpful series! Thank you!
Love this - I had a laser business in the UK that I closed down 2 years ago due to health issues - I am now fit and healthy again and looking to start again
Thank you 😊 I consider 3d print business but your advice on the planning for product placement and development, also the time allocation between the ready to produce and the custom make design orders, as well as the common sense for delegation of vector design work are JUST PURE GOLD! Thank you! ☺️
This video has some awesome general business advice. My laser cutter/engraver is just one machine in my shop full of CNC Mills and plasma cutters and other metal working equipment and seeing your channel has really opened my eyes to how I could use that to make some extra money
Starting a new company to show results is an excellent idea. Not to date myself but marketing/advertising for me initially was Phone Books and Gorrila marketing books. We cut ads in smaller cheap phone books to test pricing, and company names, drive new work that we were not sure we wanted to incorporate, etc. Much of that was incorporated into existing businesses, and some took off and sold as stand-alone companies later. Testing a new biz helps you refine the one you have without setting it on fire.
I've recently started and this made so much sense! Without realising I am already doing some of the things you mentioned, but others? Not so much, food for thought. Thank you.
I was just with my wife at the engraving shop on a military base and I got to thinking, this would be a great side hustle. I've been deep diving online and came across your videos. I would love to see a series of starting from scratch. I subscribed and I know how much goes into making a YT video, so I truly appreciate your time and effort.
Thanks Tony! Military related engraving especially memorial or achievement work is a big niche. People have side hustles or full businesses just doing that stuff alone. The money is out there!
Please run a business legally. Don't be some legit business's competition and not pay your share of taxes, because there is no such thing as a legal side hustle if you aren't registered with the state and paying your tax on sales. Doing it that way is dirty business. imho.
@@marcfeliz Why would you bring up doing the business legally? Side hustle isn’t synonymous with illegal activity. It’s making money outside of your 9-5.
@TonyVawnz Because I assure you, if you polled 100% of "home-based" laser owners, the majority of them would tell you "oh, I'm not in business, I only do this for fun money", or "I only do this for my friends and family", but they charge everyone for their work. So, I am confident in saying the majority who sell small quantities of products for a profit, do not establish an actual business and pay state taxes on sales. That is why I bring that up. IMHO of course.
@@marcfeliz Understood, I can agree that lots of people aren’t above board when it comes to taxes. Those people need to get educated on the tax benefits they’re giving up by not going the legit route.
These are great tips for anyone going into the (laser) business. A second part would be freat! Maybe you can talk a bit about different platforms for assets and the license subject? Funny, I was just browsing some websites to get a feeling what is allowed, and what is not allowed, when I decided to watch your video. And your garage is cozy, looks nice!
Dont overthink too much I suggest picking something that looks promising and focus on that at first. You'll just spin your wheels if you try to offer too much at once. Good luck!
Hi Justin. My husband and I just bought our laser machine to add products to my up and running Etsy shop! Wow!!! I am so glad I found you on You Tube !! I just hit the like and subscribe button to follow you and your fantastic ideas !!! Thank you. I was worried we spent $4000+ to make coasters and charcuterie boards all day long. Awesome info. Thanks again.
This was one of the best practical info videos I have watched in a long time. Although my main business is not laser products, I do make cigar box/custom guitars and use the laser for many things. Great job on this video and thanks so much for sharing. I would definitely like to see a part 2 video. I subscribed also.
Thats Tony really appreciate it. Cigar boxes and custom guitar stuff sounds like a great use of lasers. Being a lefty I know all too well about the need for custom guitar stuff haha.
Part 2 is a must. I want to see your new project (business) as it comes along. I could use the advice from someone that knows lasers. Sold my gun manufacturing business years back and now bored to death. Need a new chalenge and I picked this one. Good Luck and let's hit the ground running.
This was great, i have a decor business and i just bought a glowforge Pro because alot of our customers ask for custome wood and acrylic signs. I'm going to start with the signs as my Niche and then expand from there. The information you provided was great and i love the honesty about entering the laser business.
Justin Thank you so much for putting out this video. Your suggestions are very well thought out and I really appreciate it. I almost have all my laser equipment pieces and am really excited to get started. We all come from different backgrounds and each of us bring something to the table. Ideas are just floating around in my head all the time and watching this video will help me focus on the basics. Thank you and I look forward to seeing where you go with this from here. Have a great day 😁
Removing non-value-adding processes by subcontracting, adapting to the current market space, and strong organziation are all great enterprise systems strategies!
I just purchased my first laser engraver and starting up a side hustle with my partners. I would be very interested in a part two of you starting up a business from scratch! Subscribed!
Justin, I would LOVE to see such a new video. I feel I owe you so much just for being so open with so much of the knowledge you've gained through hard work over the years. I have ADD hampering my journey into this field with my creativity that's been on the boiler until I found Lasers so I'm so grateful for what you share and the quality of it and your delivery. Subbed ages ago!
Great video Justin. Not into laser printing myself currently as we mostly support online businesses, and not sure how I ended up on this video, but I watched the whole thing. There's a lot of value in what you've shared here. Well done and congratulations on your success!
Very informative. I'm a hoarder of vectors and fonts. I'd like to see pt. 2 and the business startup series. Perhaps even a showcase of other just starting businesses thrown in to help!
I'm completely new to laser engraving i got a machine the other day and just put it together i also would like to see a part 2 and the series on starting a laser business from scratch,
I stumbled across your channel last night by chance. After watching most of your content I’m now considering this as viable as I have to change to a new career path. Your start over idea is a great one and massively helpful. A few things I thought of you could maybe cover are: * I guess the choice of laser(s) you buy are determined by the nature of the work you hope to produce, space and budget. * Based on that if funds allow, a CO2 laser would offer the most options from day 1? * Would having the addition of a fibre laser cover the the vast majority of materials to offer customers and flexibility? * How important is a camera with a live preview? Useful to ensure you minimise wastage and setup calibration? * Do any lasers offer automated loading/unloading to run things in your absence? I saw the xtool P2 has a feed through option. * In your xtool review the anodised aluminium result was an eye-opener, so in your experience no CO2 laser has equalled that quality? * What about consumables. Wood veneers, plastics, merch, how would you go about sourcing, the nature of the material (thickness), things to look for and avoid. * I noticed in another video you mentioned buying consumables from Alibaba when volume dictates but would you ever buy a laser via that route? Would purchasing locally in country with the support be paramount? (many available on Alibaba are unbranded western models).
Great info! I think a lot of people get a machine and then try to figure out a plan. Niche product is a good idea. When we redid our kitchen last year, I saw a few design videos saying all those signs ("Home", "Family", "Welcome") are overdone and passe. And please, no more wooden ornaments!
I like the idea of finding new customers for existing: popular products. I'd like hear more about how to find "boring" products to make for B2B customers. (Similar to small interior door signage)
Theres a whole world of people that do government or industry specific contract work just laser marking metal things for compliance stuff. Cant imagine its very fun but at least those industries pay.
Loved this video! I'm currently a hobby woodworker, but have wanted to make it a side-hussle. Unfortunately, woodworking requires a lot of space and wood can be a fickle raw material to work with. So, I've been thinking that a CNC or Laser business might make sense. Plus, I work for a design agency that I could potentially even sell my services to. I just subscribed to your channel and plan on diving in to a bunch more of your videos. I would love it if you did the videos you suggested at the end - especially starting a brand new biz so we can see the whole process. That'd be invaluable. Next, I'm going to dig through your vids to find equipment advice, etc. Thanks for what you do!
I subbed about halfway through the video, it's excellent. Definitely would like to see Part 2. I've been thinking of lasers as a side hustle, and figured out what equipment I want, this is exactly what I need to make it work.
Definitely interested in seeing ground up approach. Just got my first laser, fiber. Later this week, getting my CO2. Got too many ideas flowing to sit still on this one. Subscribed, sir.
Great video Justin. My wife asked me why I wanted to get a laser cutter/engraver. It is a little expensive for a hobby thing. Now maybe I can do some side jobs to support my hobby habit.
Very well thought out and presented. I just bought a laser machine and would like to get into that “niche” market. Would love to see your idea of how to start a laser business - step by step. Thank you for sharing! 😀
I love your content. My journey is beginning with purchasing my first laser. I'm an exceptional graphic designer, I rum a POD store on ETSY, but I feel POD garbage compared to actual handmade products.
@@justinlaser haha that game didn’t go as I expected it. Thought it’d be closer. We had our own 3 game skid, so now is the time to have that, so you can fix any problems. Good luck in the playoffs 🍻
I have taken a different path and though we are renovating our building, we are capable to utilize different manufacturing techniques. I think laser is awesome but it can be an aspect of multiple other manufacturing such as CNC machining and hand carving. I like that you do leather work. I'm sure you can blend those together to make unique designs. Using a tool will get a job done but having other tools will put you ahead of the competition.
Great video. Just looking into starting a laser business of my own as a way to generate some side money and hopefully grow it into something I can do full time. Your video had some great things I hadn’t thought about. Thanks for the content.
Thanks! Id have to think about that part. I already have my legal done for my current business not sure how that works adding on to it. Will look into it though!
@@justinlaser I just found in craigslist, a Boss LS-1630, Gen V CO2 laser, still in the box (metal shipping band still attached). They are asking $5,800. I saw the starting price on the website for $6700.They claim to have went with upgraded units instead. I would appreciate any input.
This makes allot of sense. Ty. I find myself doing the same and see exactly what you mean between custom work and retail.. I was thinking of doing straight custom work and found the work is not always there. So I decided to offer a variety of premade products and use that as my filler. I've only been doing the laser business for about 6 months now and your advice really set allot of things straight. Ty and looking forward to part 2
