Turning the hobby into a job

[lono]

Cliffnotes before I find my flow
I'm quitting a secure, well paid job to start my own mini company and paint models for cash. I just feel like telling people who may understand a bit more than my non-hobby friends and family I suppose. They're being supportive, but they don't exactly 'get it'! Also, it will be interesting to gauge how crazy everyone thinks I am and bounce a few ideas around!

Why I'm doing it
It used to be my style to mostly plot, scheme, procrastinate and rant on this and various other forums. My actual hobby and painting output varied between minimum to none then vanished completely for a good few years. Finally I found myself back checking out painted models and viewing forums I'd not visited in an age. And somehow I've changed. I've got a focus, drive and work ethic I never expected to find in myself and I'm much calmer and less anger fueled too.

The majority of my posts are now pictures of miniatures that I've painted. Me! Seriously!! I'm not meant to finish minis, I just talk about them - something's gone very wrong!!!

It's a bold new direction for me and I'm enjoying it immensely, but the scheming never really goes away. To tell the truth, I've been doing lots of scheming, I've just kept it to myself until now.

Changing it up
By the start of 2012 I will no longer be in 'proper' employment. I'm quitting my (not really stressful, secure, good pension, decent paying) job and will be doing hobby stuff full-time. Up until then I'll be working part-time doing handover and part-time on hobby things. I'm excited, scared, impressed with myself and doubting my sanity all at the same time.

The plan
I just kinda feel like throwing some of my plans out there and seeing what people think, so, a bulleted list to cut down on rambling too much - I will be:

• Starting my own miniature company selling high quality resin models based on my ideas but not sculpted by me. I've already put a fair bit of my savings into commissioning some really good sculptors and stuff will go on sale from the start of next year.
• Painting new GW releases for Ebay to make money while my mini company builds up steam. I'm already doing this quite successfully and make a better hourly rate than I expected would be possible with a paint brush!
• Doing commission painting if required.
• Learning digital sculpting in ZBrush with the aim to be making sculpts good enough to sell by the end of 2012.

So yeah, that's going to be me. I even used headers and bullets to make that brainsplurge vaguely scanable. How pro am I?

Anyone have any thoughts or experiences of doing similar?

Cheers,
James

 

[TrystanGST]

My thoughts?

I have two.

The first is - you're crazy! Quitting a sure thing for something that may or may not pan out? Insane!

The second, and more important - good for you. Taking something you love and making a living doing it is hard, but can pay off immensely if you do it right. I'll be pulling for you.

 

[PegaZus]

I was going to do a two-part response, the first one along the lines of "omgwtf r u krazy" and the second part more Nike-ish (just do it). But looks like TrystanGST has it covered.

More seriously, I think we're (at least, the USA) heading back into recession. Taking my opinion from amateur economists that I trust. But, I've also heard that recessions can be a good time to get a new business off the ground, something like if you can make the company survive the hard times, you'll do gang busters when things improve.

But do have something to fall back on. I'm headed to a local game store's tax auction here in less than an hour. Things are rough man, wear a helmet.

 

[10 ball]

Sounds great. I take it that you have worked out all your finances, i.e.. mortgage, loans etc etc.
I'd love to do it but haven't got the guts really, plus I'm not that good to do commission work.
If I won the lottery I would like to buy a small shop and sell minis

 

[RuneBrush]

Hats off to you for taking the plunge. I think miniatures are one of the true hobbies that you can do as a job and keep the enjoyment going. I know I'm not brave enough to jack in my job to kick something off like you are

Recessions can indeed be a good thing for small companies, I know where I work has gone from strength to strength by just having the guts to expand and promote ourselves when larger companies have held back and the result is we've tripled in size in four years.

 

[Dragonsreach]

Cojones, James. Cojones!

I was going to put more or less what TrystanGST said but he got there first.
Anyhow I admire what you're going to do while you're still young enough to have a "recovery period", an old fart like me doesn't have enough luxury of time to go down that road.
I remember from a previous conversation that you've proved you have some willpower and have already made some drastic and affirmative steps once before, so I've got confidence that you'll be hitting this with 150% effort.

So how long do we resin addicts have to wait to see the initial pieces?

 

[supervike]

Being a guy who has always travelled the 'safe road' I'm amazed at your bravery.

Best of luck.

 

[CrookedEye]

I echo SuperV above. I've always been pretty conservative with my life's plans. Now with two young progeny dancing around and a wife staying home with them there really isn't any option for me, so...... I'll watch your progress with envy. Good on you and I hope it works out just as you've planned.

Zach
www.crookedeye.net

 

[Shawn R. L.]

Good for you for taking the plunge. This type of thing can be real exciting and rewarding, and rewarding not just monitarily.

A bit of a caution - When your hobby turns into your job, time to find a new hobby. Doing stuff for the demands of others can drain the fun out of a hobby. You may find that you will now need another hobby as a distraction/relief.

 

[Roger Bunting]

Good luck with this new direction. Looking forward to see what you produce.

 

[kathrynloch]

If you're gonna do it - don't do it half-ass.

Get a business plan! Determine marketing, talk to members here who have successful businesses. Don't leave it up to chance! Determine funding. Can you survive poor cash flow for a year? RESEARCH! RESEARCH! RESEARCH! Do you need a sales permit? Charge sales tax?

Most business fail because people don't do their homework!

Can you tell what I've been doing lately? lol!

If you are in the USA, here are two invaluable websites: SBA and myownbusiness.org these sites have TONS of info.

Good luck with your new venture!

 

[dogfacedboy uk1]

Good luck with this venture mate you are a brave man. I am lucky that my job is three days a week which gives me lots of time to do hobby stuff as well.

Just to give you a heads up Romain Van Der Boegart (guy who sculpted that popular Aviator bust for JMD along with a load of others they produce) has two new bust sculpts without producers - a wild troll and a hag. Might be worth investigating if busts are something you wish to have in your line!!

http://www.planetfigure.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39953

dfb

 

[lono]

So, the consensus seems to be that it's crazy, but go for it anyway. Goodo!

In all seriousness though, I've done tons of number crunching and planning, have savings to back me up, I've been into the hobby for 22 years, including working for GW, so have a fair bit of knowledge.

kathrynloch - The business plan is all worked out (for my own purposes rather than getting a loan) and I just have to talk over a few loose ends with my accountant and tie up getting the company fully registered.

I know there's risk involved, but I also recognise the opportunity. When I used to play tournament poker professionally I took great stock in the following - to truly live you have to be willing to die. There has to be some risk for great rewards, I'm ready to take that risk right now, but it's as calculated as it can be.

I don't have a lot of outgoings at the moment, no kids, a girlfriend who is as fiercely independent about her money as I am about mine, and I've not been in any kind of debt for a good few years. It's about the best circumstances I'll have to do this in.

Dragonsreach - I've got six models being worked on or about to be started. The sculptors are no slouches either - Ex-Rackham, skilled up-and-comers, DC/McFarlane creators, etc. So hopefully there will be plenty to get folks excited.

Greens and digital files are due through the tail end of this year. I'm so excited. The concept art's been done by Martin McKenna and if the models come out even half as good as his illustrations they are going to rock!

I should have my website up end of October, start of November, so I'll release loads more info and pics then. Think a Studio McVey and Kingdom Death style range, but set in my own little twisted world, eventually building up to make cohesive gangs. It's gonna be fun. And they'll probably sit nicely as alternative models for Malifaux and whatnot too.

Shawn - Already have a new hobby lined up assuming I have any free time, I'm going to start doing more filming and editing for music videos and stuff like that. Also, I still owe you payback for sculpting tools you very kindly shipped my way far too long ago. I'll be sending you the first few releases gratis. Apologies for being so pants in reciprocating your kindness and let me know if you've changed address recently or are planning to around the start of 2012!

DFB - Thanks for the heads up, but I actually have the first years worth of releases planned out and lots of sculptors lined up to do them. They all form a cohesive range so random busts won't really fit in, even though they are very nice.

 

[dogfacedboy uk1]

Well it sounds very cool that you have everything planned, ex rackham guy wouldn't be MIKH would it?? He's probably my favourite sculptor, always enjoy seeing his stuff.

dfb

 

[lono]

Well it sounds very cool that you have everything planned, ex rackham guy wouldn't be MIKH would it?? He's probably my favourite sculptor, always enjoy seeing his stuff.

dfb

Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies! And who says it's just one ex-Rackham sculptor?

 

[dogfacedboy uk1]

Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies! And who says it's just one ex-Rackham sculptor?

Haha!!!! I feel a vibration in the force, search my feelings I shall (I shall send him a message on Facebook and try and trick some info out of him lol!!!) I already spotted a slip up on Facebook by an artist (Ralph Horsely) who does the box cover art for the Talisman boardgame by Fantasy Flight Games. He didn't tell me what it was, but he accidently gave away what it wasn't lol (everyone is expecting The City expansion if you are familiar with the game).

Would Aragorn Marks be the other Rackham sculptor you have on board??? Look forward to whatever surprises you may have anyway lol!!

dfb

 

[TrystanGST]

Sounds like another mini company I'll be buying from. Cheers!

 

[Dragonsreach]

Sounds like another mini company I'll be buying from. Cheers!

There's an echo here.

James; once you get a few set-ups done HIT the UK Shows.
As much as it can be a FAFF it's a way to get lazy arses to look at the mini's IRL.
Salute might be too early for you, but Triples, Fiasco and lots of other shows do get spontaneous buyers (like me), plus its a talking point face to face with customers.

 

[uglybug]

So what a second, there is a job opening up where you use to work that pays well and has good benefits? Can you send me the info? What did you use to do?
Can't wait to see what you have coming out. Good luck

 

[generulpoleaxe]

All the best with the new start up bud

Just have a set date for evaluation to see if it's worth while continuing or wether it's better to close shop, too many people don't do this and just keep digging deeper when they would have been better closing shop and learning from the mistakes made (some of the wealthiest people in britain did exactly this and their second/third business succeeded because of this.)

And make sure you enjoy yourself, seven days a week just to survive isn't building a business if progress isn't being made.

Lastly, any way I can help just give me a shout.