A bit back my mom saw a facebook post from someone asking for clock repair in the area, and ended up replying on my dad and I's behalf. This is sort of the exact thing we need right now--everything's all ready in the shop, and we've got orders from Bruce coming in for the rest of time, but it's not like you can get by on acquaintance favors forever, right?
So today she sent a bunch of screenshots of the messages she's gotten, and we've got five people interested! five!!! maybe that doesn't seem like a lot, but like, clock repair isn't a cheap thing; At the very cheapest rate we would do for the most basic clock cleaning (no overhaul or part feels or delivery) we would still only need to do 20 jobs a month for me to make the same amount I do at my job now. And ok, that doesn't include taxes or anything, and every clock can have a crazy turnaround, so all that money isn't up front and it's still a lot of labor--but also, these people aren't coming with mantle clocks in need of 6 month maintenance; They're coming with grandfathers that mean house call charges and goddamn cuckoos and the whole works.
Already we've gotten that beautiful thing of a person saying they got a clock from their parents or grandparents, and know it isn't worth all that much, but just want it to work again. "Sentimental value" is the whole reason the trade lives on. It feels really good to be able to do that for a person, you know? Especially since there's no one left in town who's up for it.
I'm getting way ahead of myself, of course! It makes me sort of sick to think about, just this--oh, yeah, i'm really doing this. i'm finally fucking doing this. it's really gonna happen.
So I made a business facebook page and whatever, and I'm telling my mom to forward the messages to me, which means I have to, like, reply to them like a professional with a business. Which is terrifying--I don't know how to do any of that. We're barely wading and I feel like I'm in over my head.
I should come up with some kinda Reigen Arataka business persona. I mean, if I feel this much like a fraud, I should just make a game out of it, right? Anyway, I have complete faith in our service, because my dad will fix any shit I fuck up. He doesn't want to deal with finances or customer service, so those are the only things I actually have to get down. I really am glad to have worked the job I've worked for the last year--I actually have enough front of house skills now that I probably won't blow any of this too drastically.
As for the actual shop stuff--well, a couple weeks ago when we went to Bruce's on delivery, I literally dropped three machine screws down one of her vents Somehow. When I tell y'all I am comedically bad at this, I really mean it. But what can you do besides keep doing it? I've got over a hundred days to get it together a little, and if my dad gets sick of it I guess I can go apprentice in Manhatten or something.