News
Out with the old....
29/05/11 20:55
And in with the new!
This new website has been created as a home for any of my web-based activities for now.
It was a great shame that the Virtutek business never took off as I had hoped, but unfortunately a major core customer base for the business was Estate Agencies, who of course were hit hard during the recession when the housing market crashed so dramatically.
Without that core customer base, and repeat work, and with other markets drying up, making a living was almost impossible.
So it's onto pastures new for me now... working with some very cutting-edge software and technologies as a Software Support Technician - a totally new IT role for me, and one that I am really looking forward to getting to grips with.
I am indebted to my old mate; Mike Walker for letting me know about the position, and ensuring my CV was seen by the right people. Thanks Mike; Thike (fans of "Look Around You" might get that "joke"!).
It's a little daunting going back to "work" after being my own boss for the last three years, but I am sure it won't take long to get back into the swing of things again. One thing I won't miss is the uncertainty over earning a living wage, and seeing my savings dwindle month after month.
Some advice for budding photographers, or virtual tour photographers - it's not a full-time business!
If you want to try and earn money from it, then do it in your spare-time first. If you find that it's sucking up all of your spare-time, and you're earning plenty from it, then that's when you should look at going part-time, or even full-time with it as a business. Don't take the plunge without testing it first, as you'll find it an extremely difficult market place, with lots of people scrambling for the same jobs.
Virtual Tour photography is also no longer the niche market it once was. With cameras from the likes of Sony that can stitch a 360º picture together in the camera, and with 360º lenses available for the iPhone 4, it is now becoming more mainstream, and hitting the potential customer base, who find that they can now "do it themselves" - especially when there are websites that provide free virtual tour creation/hosting too!
Also a little word about franchises - I would offer some caution here.... the phrase: "Buyer Beware!" has never been more true than when dealing with franchises.
Do your research on them if you are considering joining one, and contact several people who are already part of the franchise to establish what they're like to work with, what the communications are like, what the support is like, and most importantly what the earning potential is like!
Not all franchises are bad, but unfortunately there are some out there that just survive on earning money from selling the franchises themselves. They will blind you with potential sales figures, and potential account work that will come your way, and you'll think that you're onto something really good that will earn you enough to keep you in the style you are accustomed to every month.
But once you've signed on the dotted line, and paid them your cash, you'll find that the "support" and "belonging" that you're meant to feel as being part of something bigger, just doesn't exist, and you'll be just as alone as you would be, if you were actually working alone! The only communications you'll get from them is when they re-adjust their pricing. They don't care about the individuals, just themselves, and feathering their own nests.
To be honest, you'd be better off working on your own, as you'll have the cash that you would have spent to join the franchise, and won't find yourself restricted to working in a specific area or region, where you might not have the business base to even earn a living. Why be held back to one area, when you can work anywhere you want?
Take the money you would have spent on a franchise and invest it in some good equipment, and training (specifically sales and marketing), and be totally independent!
Hindsight is such a wonderful thing! LOL!
Always willing to chat and help anyone who might be thinking of going into this business area, so feel free to Contact Us!
This new website has been created as a home for any of my web-based activities for now.
It was a great shame that the Virtutek business never took off as I had hoped, but unfortunately a major core customer base for the business was Estate Agencies, who of course were hit hard during the recession when the housing market crashed so dramatically.
Without that core customer base, and repeat work, and with other markets drying up, making a living was almost impossible.
So it's onto pastures new for me now... working with some very cutting-edge software and technologies as a Software Support Technician - a totally new IT role for me, and one that I am really looking forward to getting to grips with.
I am indebted to my old mate; Mike Walker for letting me know about the position, and ensuring my CV was seen by the right people. Thanks Mike; Thike (fans of "Look Around You" might get that "joke"!).
It's a little daunting going back to "work" after being my own boss for the last three years, but I am sure it won't take long to get back into the swing of things again. One thing I won't miss is the uncertainty over earning a living wage, and seeing my savings dwindle month after month.
Some advice for budding photographers, or virtual tour photographers - it's not a full-time business!
If you want to try and earn money from it, then do it in your spare-time first. If you find that it's sucking up all of your spare-time, and you're earning plenty from it, then that's when you should look at going part-time, or even full-time with it as a business. Don't take the plunge without testing it first, as you'll find it an extremely difficult market place, with lots of people scrambling for the same jobs.
Virtual Tour photography is also no longer the niche market it once was. With cameras from the likes of Sony that can stitch a 360º picture together in the camera, and with 360º lenses available for the iPhone 4, it is now becoming more mainstream, and hitting the potential customer base, who find that they can now "do it themselves" - especially when there are websites that provide free virtual tour creation/hosting too!
Also a little word about franchises - I would offer some caution here.... the phrase: "Buyer Beware!" has never been more true than when dealing with franchises.
Do your research on them if you are considering joining one, and contact several people who are already part of the franchise to establish what they're like to work with, what the communications are like, what the support is like, and most importantly what the earning potential is like!
Not all franchises are bad, but unfortunately there are some out there that just survive on earning money from selling the franchises themselves. They will blind you with potential sales figures, and potential account work that will come your way, and you'll think that you're onto something really good that will earn you enough to keep you in the style you are accustomed to every month.
But once you've signed on the dotted line, and paid them your cash, you'll find that the "support" and "belonging" that you're meant to feel as being part of something bigger, just doesn't exist, and you'll be just as alone as you would be, if you were actually working alone! The only communications you'll get from them is when they re-adjust their pricing. They don't care about the individuals, just themselves, and feathering their own nests.
To be honest, you'd be better off working on your own, as you'll have the cash that you would have spent to join the franchise, and won't find yourself restricted to working in a specific area or region, where you might not have the business base to even earn a living. Why be held back to one area, when you can work anywhere you want?
Take the money you would have spent on a franchise and invest it in some good equipment, and training (specifically sales and marketing), and be totally independent!
Hindsight is such a wonderful thing! LOL!
Always willing to chat and help anyone who might be thinking of going into this business area, so feel free to Contact Us!