Katie Bradford uses computer imaging to fabricate hard-to-design projects. by Sigrid Tornquist “We can take a photograph of a boat, create a computer model of it and add to it the virtual structure that we intend to build,” says Katie Bradford, MFC, IFM, owner of Custom Marine Canvas in Noank, Conn. “That way the customer [...]

Mistake-proof your business with free online tools Mistake-proof your business with free online tools By Jay Arthur Even if you’re the owner of a successful business, the recession might have you worried. So how can long-standing business owners and first-time entrepreneurs survive these tough times? There’s an easy way to mistake-proof any business—all it takes [...]

The IRS introduced a list of the top ten things every business owner should know about hiring people as independent contractors versus hiring them as employees. The list highlights the characteristics the IRS uses to determine the relationship between businesses and workers, as well as how to properly classify workers, avoiding higher tax bills and [...]

Your business lifeblood is sales leads. Here’s how to find them, develop them and keep from screwing them up. by Marc Hequet David Green gets sales. For one thing, when you call to ask him about it, he might say he can’t talk now because he’s with customers. That deft move has two effects: Customers [...]

A new report finds that economic prosperity increases with manufacturing. However, pro-growth policies are required to create jobs and remain globally competitive. The future of the boating industry is dependent on the acceleration and strengthening of manufacturing production in the United States. The report, “Manufacturing Resurgence—A Must for U.S. Prosperity,” was released on Jan. 21 [...]

Traditional tactics yield results, but so do the web and social media. By Marc Hequet Recession’s rough seas haven’t changed Jeri Perillo’s marketing approach: word of mouth is her best marketing tool—that and her website. Business is changing, but tried-and-true marketing tactics still work. “We’ve pretty much stuck to our plan and we’re doing pretty [...]

By Mark E. Battersby In the not so distant past, marine fabricators spent hundreds of hours or large amounts of money hiring a programmer to customize an accounting system for their shops. Fortunately, the days of cumbersome, manual systems are long past, and today there are a number of affordable and full-featured software packages that [...]

The quality of your estimates has an impact on your bottom line. By Shelby Gonzalez Estimating job costs is one of the cornerstone skills of running a successful marine fabrication business. The more accurately you can estimate the amount of labor and materials a given job will require, the better the job will go, and [...]

By William J. Lynott As a business owner, you’re fighting what seems like a losing battle against rising health care costs. While this problem isn’t likely to disappear, the Health Savings Account (HSA) legislation, signed into law in 2003, offers you the possibility of making a dramatic reduction in your costs. The law made HSAs [...]

Collapsing financial system got you worried? Now is the time to focus on making your marine fabrication business strong. Thriving shop owners from around the country share insights and tips for selling, upselling, expanding, retaining customers and getting new ones, even in a tough economy. Give your customers “comfort food” At Signature CanvasMakers in Hampton, [...]