Perhaps one of the best business decisions I’ve ever made, was to consolidate the number of vendors that I purchase material from — It’s something I now refer to as “Whacking Vendors”. I spoke about this process in detail at a recent PPFA  talk that I gave in Louisville, Kentucky. Here’s an excerpt:

Whacking Vendors – by Matt Puchalski

This was the first time I had given a speech since graduating college and it proved to be a good challenge. I learned a lot about myself and my business, as the process of writing a speech forced me to really think about who I am and what I represent. Over the next month, I will release excerpts from my talk in hopes that other frame shop owners who were not at the seminar might also benefit.

Here’s the first excerpt:

Run the Gamut – by Matt Puchalski

* Special thanks to Nelson’s Moulding for organizing this event

We’ve been cranking out gallery wraps for the past eight years and have learned a few tips and tricks along the way. I created this short video tutorial that reveals some of our Photoshop secrets when preparing a digital photo for print. This tutorial assumes that you’re already somewhat familiar with using Adobe Photoshop. Enjoy!

PS: For more information on gallery wraps and custom imaging, check out my good friend Jared Davis’ article in the February ’12 issue of Picture Framing Magazine: Custom Imaging & Custom Framing – The Right Combination!

Now that I’m back from the 2012 WCAF, I’ve had a chance to reflect on my conversations with fellow framers in the industry. Looking back, I can recall two questions that were asked repeatidly as I bumped into friends and picture framing colleagues:

• “How many employees do you have?”
• “How many pictures do you frame every month?”

It seemed as if people were hoping to be impressed by a big number. For some reason, we judge the success of a frame shop by the number of employees on payroll or the number of frames a shop cranks out each month. The higher these numbers, the more impressive and successful we sound.

Here’s how I see it: I could care less how many people work for me and how many pictures my shop frames each month. I’m only focused on running a tight ship and keeping customers happy. A number that I love to use to analyze my business is my “profit per employee”. I’m always searching for ways to improve this number. For me, running a small, agile shop has many advantages over running a big shop and works best for my business.

I’d venture to guess that I’m not alone in my thinking. I’m sure there are plenty of frame shops with only a few employees that make more profit each year than the big guys in the industry. I’m also going out on a limb and betting they’re happier than many of the big guys.

Running a small business means less headaches. Why expand? Unless you’re looking to feed your ego, there is nothing wrong with finding the right size for your shop and staying there — even if it means that you only have two people on staff (like I do).

At Masterpiece Framing, we love selling stacked frames with suede mats and Museum Glass. An exquisite framing treatment makes art look awesome. We specialize in top-notch frame designs that utilize the latest archival framing materials and techniques. These type of frames make up a large chunk of our business.

However, not all art warrants high end framing. In fact, we hear from customers every day that say this phrase, “All I want is a basic black frame.” For this reason, we also specialize in basic framing treatments. Sometimes, all that is necessary is a simple clean-line black frame. Whether you’re framing a poster for your child’s bedroom or a modern oil painting for over the fireplace, a black frame might be the best solution. Black frames are timeless.

Recently, we launched a website called BasicBlackFrame.com to help accommodate our customers’ need for black frames and streamline the frame ordering process. You’re able to choose from one of three frame styles online, and we custom build it to your exact measurements—any size up to 32″ x 40″. We ship the completed frame and you insert your picture. It’s easy!

When it comes to frames, we definitely run the gamut at Masterpiece Framing. If you’re looking for a highly customized frame, it’s best to stop by our gallery and select a frame from our extensive collection of different frame finishes and styles. If you just want a basic black frame, why not order it from us online here?

I recently had the opportunity to write an article for the January issue of Picture Framing Magazine titled “The Future of Framing“. The article explored a vision for a direction that I feel the Picture Framing industry is headed. I based this vision on my own insights and experiences as well as interviewing other framers.

What initially seemed like a pretty straight forward article to write, turned out to be fairly challenging. The framing industry as a whole is very slow paced. It has not experienced the same technological jolts and advancements that other industries have. It is very “old school”. Many frame shops today are operating the exact same way they operated ten years ago. If they continue along this path, they might not survive another decade.

My article focused on getting with the times and embracing modern day technology when running your frame shop. This was deemed crucial for survival by the framers I spoke with when writing the article. These essential technologies include:

• Websites
• E-Mail Communications
• Custom Imaging / Digital Printing
• Visualization Software

I know what you’re thinking — These are obvious observations and predictions for the future! You probably already have a website and use email when talking to certain clients. You might even have visualization software and offer custom imaging services to your customers. I encourage you to ask yourself this question, “Am I using these technologies to their full capacity?” My answer is no and I’ll bet yours is too.

To survive into the future, you need to be firing on all cylinders. Your website should be pristine. You need to offer clients the option of choosing frame designs via email correspondences. You also need to offer your customers printing services that in turn lead to more frame sales.

I ended my article by publicly announcing one of my New Year’s resolutions (which happens to relate to technology). This blog post brings that resolution to fruition. Stay tuned as I explore all things framing, art and business related.

PS: Special thanks to Wojo Design for helping me conquer my New Year’s resolution.