How's Business?

[RiverDave]

Cobra.

Sold to new owners..

I think Essex is still under original owners and management..

I’m not nearly as good as @twocents at naming them all off.. but the only two that come to my mind is Essex and shockwave.. everyone else has sold or has new management etc?

 

[NicPaus]

Sold to new owners..

I think Essex is still under original owners and management..

I’m not nearly as good as @twocents at naming them all off.. but the only two that come to my mind is Essex and shockwave.. everyone else has sold or has new management etc?

He still owns the building and like most sales. Is still involved for a time period.

I have heard good things about the new owners. But they do have another successful business. So if boat building slows down. It won't kill them.

 

[hallett21]

Short answer is no not really.. well For v drives at least..

They could turn out high end I/O boats..

For the v drives there just isn’t too many people around that know how to set them up for one.. but the main problem is all those 800 pieces of metal that goes into them are all typically hand machined. As in most of those boats don’t even share parts from one to the next, each one is custom. All these high end boat companies build one hell of a product.. but they aren’t anything like a v drive.

The mile kings, Stan’s, bob Teague’s of the world are getting fewer and fewer anymore.

Then there’s a whole ton of other things I’m not gonna put online for a variety of reasons.. but the days of v drive cruisers are in fact numbered, it isn’t if it’s how long..


RD

Could someone make 150k plus a year filling that role?

 

[boat527]

Trophy Husband business is stronger than ever!

Grads..you have monster balls , well maybe shrunkin' a bit, to even post that..

Im going with the shrunk ones...

 

[GRADZ]

Grads..you have monster balls , well maybe shrunkin' a bit, to even post that..

Im going with the shrunk ones...

You don't stay a trophy husband for 15 years and running unless you got something big down there.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

You don't stay a trophy husband for 15 years and running unless you got something big down there.

So you didn’t get the hernia looked at?

 

[dezrtracer]

Entertainment industry- TV, Camera department..

The writers strike is really hurting so many people right now, it's sad. From the rumblings I hear the writers were offered quite a bit, but they turned it down. They want a lot... The writers have a history for long strikes in the industry.. I would feel so bad refusing deals while families are losing their homes and most certainly won't qualify for their health benefits due to lack of hours to qualify. Producers and networks are very greedy... So it looks like the strike will continue. This will hurt the networks also btw, eventually they will start to run out of content. Most scripted shows are being put on hold.

As far as my situation personally, I have two major genres I work in TV.. 1-Sitcom/Multicamera shows and 2-Live TV and non-scripted shows.. , Sitcoms are a big part of my income. That's all on hold, I had "How I met your Father" ready to go for another season, It just got cancelled. I have "That 90's Show", it's on hold. I have "Frasier", it's on hold. These Sitcom's/mulitcamera shows are great for union hours, they count for health benefits and my pension. All is on hold because of the strike. Dang, we were just recovering from Covid.

Most of my income is coming from Live TV and non-scripted shows at this moment. It's been sparse, but I'm making it work. I have camera gear that I rent out to the studios and I'm able to keep chugging along with that so far. I'm currently working on "Masked Singer", it's a total grind, 16 hour day on set yesterday. I have a few jobs lined up that should put me in a decent situation for the rest of the year, hopefully by then the strike will be over, who knows...

All in all, I would say that I'm doing fine and I'm very grateful for the jobs I still have. I fill my days off easily with riding my motorcycles all over and also playing in my Eagles tribute band, which also pays.

I work some TV but , mostly rig features Local 80 . Business has been dead for me since Sag walked . Lucky I've stayed real busy the last 22 years and save for situations like this ( got lucky last WGA strike and worked right through it ) . I know a lot of people that don't save and are hurting now and others that just work enough to get by and are losing their health benefits . I'm with you about WGA asking for a bit too much . Let's hope this ends soon . Glad you're staying afloat .

 

[Markus]

In addition to the crazy pricing, it's interesting how several companies did away with the smaller, entry level models. Much of the West Coast performance boat industry left the middle class market in the dust. Curious how that will work for them in the long run. I don't know if it's ego or what, but why you would abandon an entire market that got you where you are is beyond me.

There are used boats for that market segment.

 

[RiverDave]

Could someone make 150k plus a year filling that role?

I would think that or more.. but it would take some years to learn it.. and more to be proficient at it.

 

[TPC]

Wifes hospital is slammed with cancer in-patients. She's either there, on the phone with the hospital or laptop on line with her work hospital. She gets paid premium for that.

Constant request to come in on days off and hold over off a 12 hour shift.
They have the latest and greatest treatments might be part of it.
1 outta 5 stage 4 lung cancers cured for example. That's epic and word travels fast. Rebuilding cancerous bladders,, it's a new era.

I find no need to make reservations at hotels or dealer service depts.
Just roll up and they take us, work done immediately.
Our GMC's, Kia, Mazda and the Nissan and they NOW wash our cars and trucks too.
Wifes EV6 rolled out detailed.

Favorite poker bars in Vegas very slow. Video poker has been significantly tightened up in the locals bars goes the tales and it's true. No question.
Business climate is changing in the Southwest.

 

[D19]

There are used boats for that market segment.

Apples to oranges.

 

[LazyLavey]

Trophy Husband business is stronger than ever!

You best prepare for a big lay off!

 

[Member: 71]

We're 4 pages in, and this thread has been a better indicator on the direction we're headed versus the dozen others posted.

 

[Sportin' Wood]

There are used boats for that market segment.

Maybe not. Financing plays a role in that market. I've not seen many smaller used performance boats value-priced built after 2008 on the market. New seemed a better value than used for anything that would be financed.

 

[702sandman]

Wifes hospital is slammed with cancer in-patients. She's either there, on the phone with the hospital or laptop on line with her work hospital. She gets paid premium for that.

Constant request to come in on days off and hold over off a 12 hour shift.
They have the latest and greatest treatments might be part of it.
1 outta 5 stage 4 lung cancers cured for example. That's epic and word travels fast. Rebuilding cancerous bladders,, it's a new era.

I find no need to make reservations at hotels or dealer service depts.
Just roll up and they take us, work done immediately.
Our GMC's, Kia, Mazda and the Nissan and they NOW wash our cars and trucks too.
Wifes EV6 rolled out detailed.

Favorite poker bars in Vegas very slow. Video poker has been significantly tightened up in the locals bars goes the tales and it's true. No question.
Business climate is changing in the Southwest.

here in vegas thats one small indicator I have noticed for awhile, a year ago reservations the day before were hard to get anything before 9pm for the following day. Now we can walk in anywhere and no need for reservation. Definitely less dining out

 

[Orange Juice]

What free money?

You need to up your game….thats the best kind of money. Better than gold coins I hear.

 

[Markus]

Apples to oranges.

No.

Since boats last for decades, there are plenty of used boats to choose from. New boats cannot compete for rational buyers who need to think before they spend.

What is left for the boat building industry is the high-end segment where the buyer doesn’t need to think before spending.

It is not like boat builders abandoned the middle class. The middle class abandoned the boat builders.

It is the same for boat builders in Europe.

 

[Markus]

Maybe not. Financing plays a role in that market. I've not seen many smaller used performance boats value-priced built after 2008 on the market.

There haven’t been many built after 2008, because no one has been buying them.

Skater’s best selling model is the 388.

 

[Markus]

Wifes hospital is slammed with cancer in-patients.

Unlike, say, the propensity to buy an RV, the propensity to get cancer is quite independent of the business cycle.

 

[LuckyStrike]

my business Sucks...Havent seen it this bad since 84

 

[wash11]

Raising/finishing high quality beef. Sales are decent for now, but I expect some of my families are in for the pinch and might need to head back to Walmart to weather the storm. Fuel, feed and quality yearlings have never cost us more than right now. We're running the lowest margins ever which means working extra hours for less money, desperately waiting for input prices to level out (which they will) just so we don't price long time customers out of good beef. If I don't get a break by January, I have to back off the number of steers we're running in our program to just enough to cover our regular customers.

Mentally, we're preparing for a rough couple of years ahead. The reality is, we're survivors and always find a way to cover the bills and enjoy what we do. Lots of little farm enterprises available to us to make up the slack.

 

[Vib]

Two companies to run:

The RV park is doing about double last year for revenue. But since this is only our second year that is meaningless except that from what we see and research most other rv parks are down 30-50% YOY. At least we are past breakeven operationally at this point.

The commercial real estate brokerage in Denver sucked for the first 6 months of this year but recently has gone crazy. We are having to get creative and work a lot more to get deals closed, but business is very good.

If I had to choose one or the other right now I would sell the rv park and move back to Denver and hire more brokers. I just can't handle living in such a liberal or large city like that anymore at this point in life.

I hope everyone here does well and comes through these times in better condition than before.

 

[PaPaG]

Raising/finishing high quality beef. Sales are decent for now, but I expect some of my families are in for the pinch and might need to head back to Walmart to weather the storm. Fuel, feed and quality yearlings have never cost us more than right now. We're running the lowest margins ever which means working extra hours for less money, desperately waiting for input prices to level out (which they will) just so we don't price long time customers out of good beef. If I don't get a break by January, I have to back off the number of steers we're running in our program to just enough to cover our regular customers.

Mentally, we're preparing for a rough couple of years ahead. The reality is, we're survivors and always find a way to cover the bills and enjoy what we do. Lots of little farm enterprises available to us to make up the slack.

OK OK I will have to have more BBQs since it is cooling off and we can grill more often, You got us addicted like crack addicts to your products, so worth it to pay a bit more for excellent product.

 

[n2otoofast4u]

Moved back to AZ and Started a new job back in May (Pencomsf.com). We make specialty fasteners, do custom manufacturing and inventory management. A lot of it is OEM, aerospace, medical and contract manufacturing. We are ISO 9001 & ITAR Registered REACH RoHS Compliant.

It's been slow. Like others have said... Manufactures stocked up and have a surplus. I am hitting up everyone, anyone and grinding it out.

Didn’t you just move to East coast?

 

[kevin1988]

I own a business that operates a fast food restaurant and manage one of my parent's fast food restaurants.

Sales have been up since Feb but increased cost of labor and product is making profit the same as last year.

This month so far has been good, both stores up more than 10% over last year.

Generally this is the time of year we slow down until March. Summer is always busier than the rest of the year for us.

As with every business, employees are the biggest headache.

 

[YoPengo]

Didn’t you just move to East coast?

Lived in Mooresville, NC for 6 years.

 

[Boozer]

Software

After building a large expansion sales team
for almost 2 years I was laid off in May of 2022. My entire team was laid off. We were making our numbers but the bean counters saw the writing on the wall and made huge cut backs. Half of our CX group was laid off as well.

I struggled to find a Software job since being laid off.

Telecom.

After almost a year of being unemployed in the software industry I went back to the Telco industry.

Telco has slowed down substantially. Revenues are down significantly for my employer and our stock price is in the toilet. I haven’t seen lay offs to front line employees but there have been huge cuts at the leadership level with more expected to come. There are rumors that up to 50% of the sales force may be eliminated by EOY due to our revenue performance and the expected recession.

My previous employer in the Telco industry has been laying off at all levels for the past year. I’ve got tons of friends who work for or worked for that company, the ones who haven’t been laid off are expecting to be laid off at the EOY. Rumor has it the company plans to reduce their total workforce by 30%, mind you this is a company with over 200K employees.

I worked in Telco through the Great Recession. I saw very few lay offs, sales teams went through occasional hiring freezes but we never saw big lay offs. It’s very different right now, to make things worse, the companies that are hiring recognize the market shift and the jobs being posted today don’t pay as well as the jobs posted a couple years ago.

I’m happy to have a job right now. Hopefully I’ll still have my job at the start of the new year.

 

[RaceTec]

I would think that or more.. but it would take some years to learn it.. and more to be proficient at it.

I would love that job! I love one off projects and variety...

 

[MPHSystems]

A customer hit the breaks on what was a massive project for me. I had to lay off 4 people.

 

[Brian]

Automotive and marine aftermarket for me is flat for the last 1.5 years. I see it getting worse with gas prices going up. Until there is a change there, we're in trouble.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

Commercial HVAC in greater LA area is going nuts for us. Real hard time finding qualified field leadership though which has been putting a large strain on my time since I am expected to help fill that gap, yet average about 30 jobs a month in my normal role of Sales/Estimating/Engineering/PM.

I am a little concerned for the mid-term future. We're seeing a lot of smaller projects coming in for pricing that are from now (can't man them) to 3 month from now starts, but very very beyond that and any large projects are being sent in for budgeting and asking for that to be broken out. Signs that they are seeing what, if any, scope they have the financing for.

 

[Englewood]

This may seem like a very weak indicator, but I ate out at 2 restaurants in the last few days that are normally packed. They were absolute ghost towns. Maybe 5-10 total people @ 6pm dinner time.

I'm not sure we are even in the first inning of this game yet. I've been liquidating to ensure that I'm liquid should the deals pop up. I'm holding off on any big purchases for the foreseeable future.

 

[hallett21]

This may seem like a very weak indicator, but I ate out at 2 restaurants in the last few days that are normally packed. They were absolute ghost towns. maybe 5-10 total people @ 6pm dinner time.

I'm not sure we are even in the first inning of this game yet. I've been liquidating to ensure that I'm liquid should the deals pop up.

Finneys in Westlake Village is packed right now lol.

But everyone keeps talking about them being closed yesterday lol.

I think we got another 6-18 months before we see how this plays out.

 

[Done-it-again]

This may seem like a very weak indicator, but I ate out at 2 restaurants in the last few days that are normally packed. They were absolute ghost towns. Maybe 5-10 total people @ 6pm dinner time.

I'm not sure we are even in the first inning of this game yet. I've been liquidating to ensure that I'm liquid should the deals pop up. I'm holding off on any big purchases for the foreseeable future.

I was at Flemings last night for a Business dinner and it WAS packed, even had to pull the magnum card holder to get a rez.

Wall to wall people like giving food away. Was pretty surprised.

 

[RVRKID]

I was at Flemings last night for a Business dinner and it WAS packed, even had to pull the magnum card holder to get a rez.

Wall to wall people like giving food away. Was pretty surprised.

Funny we went to Longhorn 2 Weds ago and had a wait at 5:45 and every table was sat, we were like what the hell are they giving away?

 

[Dan Lorenze]

Finneys in Westlake Village is packed right now lol.

But everyone keeps talking about them being closed yesterday lol.

I think we got another 6-18 months before we see how this plays out.

It's always a challenge getting a seat in the bar area. I dig that place, good food and really nice staff. I think the area is what keeps Finney's Westlake going. Not a lot of poor folks in Westlake Village.

 

[Done-it-again]

Funny we went to Longhorn 2 Weds ago and had a wait at 5:45 and every table was sat, we were like what the hell are they giving away?

Longhorn in Rancho? I have to be honest, the steak at longhorn is better, taking value and taste into consideration

 

[Englewood]

I was at Flemings last night for a Business dinner and it WAS packed, even had to pull the magnum card holder to get a rez.

Wall to wall people like giving food away. Was pretty surprised.

Must’ve got lucky. Seemed very odd to be that empty where I went. Maybe I eat at the peasant places lol

 

[shintoooo]

Finneys in Westlake Village is packed right now lol.

But everyone keeps talking about them being closed yesterday lol.

I think we got another 6-18 months before we see how this plays out.

I love Finneys. That place is so reasonably priced I'm always surprised by the bill at the end. Food is always good there.

 

[RVRKID]

Longhorn in Rancho? I have to be honest, the steak at longhorn is better, taking value and taste into consideration

Yea I like their steaks and sides and if you sign up for their club you get your pick of a free desert on your Birthday.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

This may seem like a very weak indicator, but I ate out at 2 restaurants in the last few days that are normally packed. They were absolute ghost towns. Maybe 5-10 total people @ 6pm dinner time.

I'm not sure we are even in the first inning of this game yet. I've been liquidating to ensure that I'm liquid should the deals pop up. I'm holding off on any big purchases for the foreseeable future.

Invest in a hot tub to wait out innings 2-9 in.

 

[RiverDave]

Raising/finishing high quality beef. Sales are decent for now, but I expect some of my families are in for the pinch and might need to head back to Walmart to weather the storm. Fuel, feed and quality yearlings have never cost us more than right now. We're running the lowest margins ever which means working extra hours for less money, desperately waiting for input prices to level out (which they will) just so we don't price long time customers out of good beef. If I don't get a break by January, I have to back off the number of steers we're running in our program to just enough to cover our regular customers.

Mentally, we're preparing for a rough couple of years ahead. The reality is, we're survivors and always find a way to cover the bills and enjoy what we do. Lots of little farm enterprises available to us to make up the slack.

Raise your prices. People will still buy

 

[Englewood]

Invest in a hot tub to wait out innings 2-9 in.

That’s the plan…but that whole world is a lot to learn.

 

[wash11]

Raise your prices. People will still buy

I get what you're saying. That's coming, no doubt. It's a calculated balance that is in motion for 10-12 months at a time. If sales slowdown I'm still feeding out living things that have an expiration date due to butcher appointments scheduled a year in advance. I'm not set up to sit on perishable inventory so reducing the number of steers in my program will come first, followed by a price bump to get my margins back in line.

 

[ChumpChange]

Raise your prices. People will still buy

Whoa whoa whoa. Stay in your lane there buddy. lol

 

[Meaney77]

Finneys in Westlake Village is packed right now lol.

But everyone keeps talking about them being closed yesterday lol.

I think we got another 6-18 months before we see how this plays out.

It's always a challenge getting a seat in the bar area. I dig that place, good food and really nice staff. I think the area is what keeps Finney's Westlake going. Not a lot of poor folks in Westlake Village.

I love Finneys. That place is so reasonably priced I'm always surprised by the bill at the end. Food is always good there.

They have a great Happy Hour too....

 

[Dan Lorenze]

They have a great Happy Hour too....

And no shortage of nice looking ladies in Yoga Pants..

 

[ridebig]

I manufacture concrete block in Albuquerque New Mexico and we are currently slammed and can’t hire anyone worth a damn. Unfortunately the profit margin is not what it should be.

 

[hallett21]

I get what you're saying. That's coming, no doubt. It's a calculated balance that is in motion for 10-12 months at a time. If sales slowdown I'm still feeding out living things that have an expiration date due to butcher appointments scheduled a year in advance. I'm not set up to sit on perishable inventory so reducing the number of steers in my program will come first, followed by a price bump to get my margins back in line.

You’ve built a genuine following. I wouldn’t lose faith in your value, if anything I’d double down on it.

 

[Done-it-again]

I manufacture concrete block in Albuquerque New Mexico and we are currently slammed and can’t hire anyone worth a damn. Unfortunately the profit margin is not what it should be.

I have family members tied to Paragon building products and Mohave block.

Been super slammed for years.