Replies

1. 
   S._Lykos | Dec 20, 2001 07:04am | #1

   *
   'Bout time you showed up here. Throw out specific questions and I'm sure you'll get a flood of replies from the guys.

   As they say on the Sopranos, "Ow ya doin, eh?"

1. 
   Ron_Teti | Dec 20, 2001 07:24am | #2

   *Welcome aboard....

1. 
   Tim_Thompson | Dec 20, 2001 11:57am | #3

   *Jim, welcome! As Sonny said ask some specific questions and most of us will be happy to offer our views.I have some general recommendations if you are trying to drum up work after a move to a new area.

1. 
   Peter_Koski | Dec 20, 2001 02:55pm | #4

   *Welcome to Georgia! I am guessing the Lake Burton area? It's extremely pretty up in the area that you are in. Small Town GA requires you getting accepted by the folk in the area. Gonna have to dive into the local scene and get involved. Churches, Volunteer FD, Blood Drives, all of that. They gotta learn to trust a ferner.Huge mistake to say "that aint the way we did it in ???? Blend in and when in NE Georgia Do as the NE Georgians do.Volunteer to help out at every oppty you can. Kindness is a magical elixir that helps in almost every situation.Anyhow, if you are in Athens ever and you would like to talk, give me a call.

1. 
   Boss_Hog | Dec 20, 2001 03:27pm | #5

   *Peter Koski Makes some good suggestions. Join the biggest organization in town - Like the Lion's club, or Rotary, or whatever they have there. Joining the Chamber of Commerce might help, depending on wether or not they're liked in the community. Whatever you do better be done well. Do a good job, and they'll tell 3 people. do a bad job, and the whole town will know about it in a couple of days. Once you get accepted by the community you'll have to start locking your truck during the summer. Othewrwise the locals will fill it up with zucchini.

2. 
   Peter_Koski | Dec 20, 2001 03:54pm | #6

   *Actually if you dont lock your car up in the summer it is filled with kudzu. If the south ever finds a good use for Kudzu our Economy will RIP!!Not sure Zucchini is ranked up there with black eyed peas and pole beans.

3. 
   Finish_it_Fast_(and_Perfectly_!) | Dec 20, 2001 05:05pm | #7

   *Thanks to all for the welcome! Tim, any general or otherwise suggestions are welcome. Peter, always very good suggestions. Ron , I agree with you whole heartedly as to the "word of mouth" factor in a small town. As I see it, it will make you or break you. As for the longevity factors, I may still be seen as an outsider by some but have been readily adopted by others. The common phrase up here is that good work is impossible to find. Been here almost two years and work is picking up even after 9/11. Seems that my competition is not as perfectionistic as I am, nor as timely. Business won seems to be business kept as the other available subs can't stay the long haul. My dilemma is in "staying covered up" as they say. I may be working several jobs at once for a period of up to six or eight weeks but then I get a slow down as the projects are done and I start hunting around for more. I could really use some labor/apprentice help right now but don't feel right about taking someone on untill I can keep them busy. Networking has been the key ie. word of mouth and brazen jobsite cold calls with GC's( always an "easy" task ..NOT!) Advertisement via papers, jobsite signs, and truck signs have helped.Local affiliations have also been quite beneficial. I am currently serving three counties,Stephens(Home), Rabun, and Habersham. Good work is just like the population up here, scattered and sometimes hard to find! But I never give up. I just re-aim and keep on plugging away! JIM

4. 
   Ron_Teti | Dec 20, 2001 08:00pm | #8

   *FIF,I imagine small town georgia is like small town Oregon. Its alot like the guys have said be nice show your face around town, talk to folks ya meet. Go to the local coffee shop talk to the folks. But one thing I do know is being new they are definately going to be checking you out. For example in Prairie city oregon where my bro lives there are 2 cabinet makers in the entire county. one has the rep of buy premade knock downs the other is custom shop made. My bro can tell me exactly who to go to in my price range. He can also tell me who the ripp offs are. They pretty much operate on rep and rumour. Also they do some work on the barter system. I helped him put a rof on a house once and that was part of a labor exchange for a nice freezer. I also know you have to be humble. Your an "outsider" no matter what you done n your life, no matter where you lived in your life, owned in your life , there is going to be a local who has done it better, owned if bigger and drove it faster. It will be that way until the next guy moves in then you'll be the local and he'll be the outsider. If that makes since. Its just what I found when I moved from So Cal to Washington State. It took a while and it still is kinda that way when I go back to visit( I lived there 8 years).

5. 
   Tim_Thompson | Dec 21, 2001 01:34pm | #9

   *Jim, Some of the general ideas have been mentioned. If your town has a respected Volunteer Fire Dept., join it. (Stay away if the town perception is of a bunch of guys getting drunk down at the fire hall.) The Lions club or the Rotary are also good organizations.Print up gift certificates for $25.00 or $50.00 towards labor on home improvement projects and give them to one or two local realtors. Have them give them to home buyers that are new to the area.Go down to the local coffeeshop and mingle with the early morning crowd. The older men that hang out there usually gossip as much or more than any group of women. They can point you to some good jobs.Above all keep your quality standards high. When we relocated to the coast of Georgia, we had people saying "Can't you do it cheaper?, It doesn't have to look that good." My standard answer was "Qaulity is not on a switch that I can just turn on and off."Build a reputation for being where you say you will be when you say you will be there. I hope this helps. Happy Holidays, Tim

6. 
   FredB | Dec 21, 2001 08:38pm | #10

   *Actually the only difference between Rural and anywhere else is that the locals are a bit more reluctant to "let you in". If you really jump into the community with both feet count on about a year before they really know you are there and plan to stay.After that you shouldn't have any trouble if you have followed the golden advise the others have given.

7. 
   Terry_Smiley | Dec 22, 2001 04:11am | #11

   *JimIt's a small world!Self respect is what a man does when no one is watching. Remember this and you'll suceed in Manhattan or Mann, North Dakota.It will just happen faster in N Dak.Terry

8. 
   Finish_it_Fast_(and_Perfectly_!) | Dec 23, 2001 03:52am | #12

   *Thanks to all for the welcome and the advice. Much of it has been followed already and is probably why I am still earning an income from it. Good advice from all. Thank you. JIM

9. 
   piffin_ | Dec 25, 2001 08:35pm | #13

   *Tim's suggestion of gift cerificates for newbies was great because then you are targeting the new people instead of fighting against ingrained relationships. You will always be new. but expand the gift ceetificates to the School fund raisinf auctions, raffles etc. That way they know you as someone willing to help their kids. It identifies you as being community involved.Find whoever is the town gossip and make sure that you get on her good side by discovering what polishes her apple. You can bet that she WILL be talikng, for good or bad.Most important, do good work at a fair price and it'll sell you by word of mouth.

10. 
    ANDY_C._CLIFFORD | Dec 31, 2001 03:18am | #14

    *Hey Sonny, Just remember when you quote Tony ya gotta throw at least two F&*#k's in a sentence. What kinda Italian are ya? My kid counted last week. They said it 77 times...Seein' if they beat it tonight...LOL. And Terry being a New Yorka we give a tremendous amount of respect to good workers...theres too many shotty guys out there and in New York, the greatest city on earth and probably the friendliest in spite of what you might hear, we know craftsmanship and self respect...Andy in New Yawk

11. 
    Terry_Smiley | Dec 31, 2001 05:46pm | #15

    *AndyThen you agree with me. Take your time and lay a good foundation and it will support a business. Thinking about it you're probably right, I wonder where it does work faster. I've heard great things about Nu Yawkers. They certainly love where they come from, and I respect that.Terry

2. 
   Finish_it_Fast_(and_Perfectly_!) | Dec 31, 2001 05:46pm | #16

   *
   I am new to posting here in FHB but have been "Lurking" and absorbing information for about 3-4 years now. Just wanted to say THANK-YOU! and see what advice some of you might have for a relocated ( from West Palm Beach, almost 2 yrs now) finish carpenter up in the hardwoods of NE Georgia. Have gotten some excellent advice and support from my friend Sonny over the last 2 years and am hopeful some more good advice might be tossed my way from a larger audience. Jim