<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type> <STYLE>.hmmessage P { PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-TOP: 0px } BODY.hmmessage { FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; FONT-SIZE: 10pt } </STYLE> <META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.19120"></HEAD> <BODY class=hmmessage bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Marshall,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">If you develop a business on quality work with the customer's best interests at heart, you will not know "recessions"!  This past year and last, a couple of times, I was down to five days a week instead of 6 days a week with work.  The customers that have money, which will be 95% of your customer base, will still keep their instruments up.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><BR>Ken Gerler</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px" dir=ltr> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=pianotune05@hotmail.com href="mailto:pianotune05@hotmail.com">Marshall Gisondi</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, September 02, 2011 7:29 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [pianotech] building a business</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT size=3 face=Arial>Hi Jer,</FONT><BR><FONT size=3 face=Arial>How many years did it take you to build up to that point?  Would you agree that the economy has an impact on how fast we build our businesses.  Is the short amount of time I've been doing this evidence as to why I'm not busy, or is it more the economy?  August was dead. This month is starting to pick up.  My concern is if I raise my price for tuning, will that cost me the customers I have in that I don't have a huge customer base, or would it still even out?  How does one have a good attitude when business is slow.  I'll be honest, I've been depressed the entire month of Agust, about drives my wife crazy when I get like this.  I get in this rut that I can't seem to get out of where motivation is shot. </FONT><BR><FONT size=3 face=Arial></FONT> <BR><FONT size=3 face=Arial>I do agree with those who mentioned the importance of joining the PTG.  It's definitely well worth it,but in my case money is just too tight. I don't agree with anyone who would say, "Well make it happen..."  I keep telling myself, if I could just get a windfall I could join and pay off other bills too.  When I left the school and moved to the Philly area, I immedietly met with Blind and  Visiual Services, and although I'm approved for services I finally received the word that I should be hearing from those who will assist in obtaining a new computer, my point being they also agreed to cover my dues for the PTG, and it's been how long now? I moved back here 2 years ago.  I wish the PTG had a payment plan a way to make it more affordable for those of us who just can't afford it but LOVE the organization.  I think the PTG is awesome!  One may say the price is worth it and in deed it is, but what does one do when the heart is willing but the bank account is weak?  So all of this money or lack therof just wears me out quite honestly, and I'm not sure how to rise above that rut</FONT><BR><FONT size=3 face=Arial></FONT> <BR><FONT size=3 face=Arial>Well that's my thoughts</FONT><BR><FONT size=3 face=Arial>Marshall</FONT><BR><BR><BR><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><FONT size=3><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Garamond,Times,Serif"><SPAN style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Marshall Gisondi Piano Technician</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></SPAN><BR><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><FONT size=3><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Garamond,Times,Serif"><SPAN style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Marshall's Piano Service</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></SPAN><BR><STRONG><EM><FONT size=3 face=Garamond>pianotune05@hotmail.com</FONT></EM></STRONG><BR><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><FONT size=3><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Garamond,Times,Serif"><SPAN style="FONT-STYLE: italic">215-510-9400</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></SPAN><BR><STRONG><EM><FONT size=3 face=Garamond><A href="http://www.phillytuner.com/" target=_blank>www.phillytuner.com</A> </FONT></EM></STRONG><BR><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><FONT size=3><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Garamond,Times,Serif"><SPAN style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Graduate of The School of Piano Technology for the Blind <A href="http://www.pianotuningschool.org/" target=_blank>www.pianotuningschool.org</A> Vancouver, WA<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></SPAN><SPAN style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><FONT size=3><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Garamond,Times,Serif"></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>