Restarting a business

[John Lillico, RPT]

>       Has any one had the experience of leaving the city in which one has 
>built up a successful tuning business and then moving back two to three years ater revive it? How much time does it take to get back up to the former level of business? I'm wondering how much I would be giving up if I decided to move away for a couple of years to pursue opportunites not available to me here. I think I have a well established reputation where I am. I just wonder if this asset could be easily reclaimed after a couple years absence.
>
>Thanks for any experiences you can share with me on this subject
>
>Russell Schmidt R.P.T. 

Russell,

My attempt to re-enter this field after a nine year layoff from piano servicing began in 1994. Only in the past three months have I come anywhere near a reasonable income level and I'VE NEVER LEFT TOWN.

In '85, I sold my service business in favour of retail, literally turning my back on loyal clients. Piano sales collapsed throughout the early '90's and by late 1994 I wa forced to scale down to a one room office at home awaiting the avalanche of piano service requests. Despite my successor's failure (by this time), I really found it more difficult to get rediscovered than it was to get started in the first place. Laden with a corporate debt burden from those retail days, it has been a real struggle.

As most of my work involves in-home service, I use a work/capacity ratio. If work equals 4x5=20 calls per week, then capacity is 100%. Only twice is the past three months has this been surpassed. In all, I'm likely at 50% presently. But, can you imagine those years from '95 to '98 when I might have seen a week at 35% at best!

I can't speak for Lexington, but here we are in a most competitive and transient market. The difference between 30 years ago and now is that I once had an abundance of institutional work, but today it is all private (the way I like it).

Loyalty is great, but people also generally have short memories. Just like when the piano was last tuned.... I thought we had our car serviced last summer but my wife found the most recent invoice from September, '98, so it's going in on Monday.

My advice is this. Take a mailing list with you. A month or two prior to your return, send a notice to your clientele with pertinent information. Should you plan NOT to return, send a postcard to me. My Canadian accent could be a big hit in Lexington.

All the best,

John Lillico, RPT,
Oakville, Ontario, Canada