--- In NORTHCOASTFACETING@yahoogroups.com, "Ernie Hawes" <erniehawes@...> wrote:
>
> Jon, you're too modest. Many, many faceters would disagree with you regarding
the "some jerk in a garage" bit.

I try to go the other way than many small businesses.

I recall years ago there was a small startup that had some pretentious name like
"Trans North American Global Electronics", and a classy business card.
So..you call them...
And hear babies crying and dishes rattling.

If I had five million in sales, I'd STILL call myself "Some jerk in a
garage".(It would just be a bigger garage.)
I think self-employed gemcutters would identify with it better.

One of the biggest protections I have for my products is simply that a "real"
business with 150% overhead and 45% G&A could not possibly make them and sell
them competitively. Look at the prices of laminated tin laps from the Big Guys
and see what standard accounting does to prices.

But the IRS says that a sole proprietor cannot deduct his time. In other words,
my time is financially worthless, so I can sell my products at attractive
prices, or at least fair ones.

And, what else would I be doing if I were not making laps?

I am terrible at Golf..it looks like rototilling. I am too restless to go
fishing, and I have a limited capacity for booze. Women can run faster than I
can.now, so I may as well make laps.