<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=text/html;charset=iso-8859-1 = http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content='"MSHTML 4.72.3110.7"' name=GENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>I sent for a copy of the Business = Resource Manual (PTG publication) and it just arrived today.  I haven't had = a chance to really sit down and read, but in just paging through, this little = snippet caught my attention, especially in light of Brian Lawson's earlier post.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>...According to the latest available = figures from the U.S. Department of Labor, average salaries for = tuners/technicians in 1990 were as follows:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>Employed by retail music stores....................$20,000</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>Self employed................................................$40,000</FONT></D= IV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="" size=2>I know the figures are 10 = years old, but there is something to be said in the numbers.  I suspect that the = average figures of both have gone up a bit, but in our local area, the ratio is = probably still pretty well on target. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Clyde Hollinger shared a few figures with me some = time back which you also might find of interest:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>1997 PTG survey = results:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>Fully half of it's members income........................ less than $20,000 (most likely, part timers)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>18% netted .........................................................$20,000 - $30,000</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>26% had a net income of....................................$30,000 or more.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>Clyde also made the statement that "...Highly successful and more experienced piano technicians may = earn more than $50,000 annually."</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>(Thank you Clyde, for taking the = time to assemble those figures.  I've referred to them a number of times.)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="" size=2>Good luck to you Brian = Lawson.  These decisions can be hard to nail down.  If you pick one, then = you always wonder what would have happened if you had picked the other...  = There are good points and bad points about either.  None of us can really = tell you where you'll fit in the best, but regardless, we'll be here to cheer you = on!  I have a feeling you'll do just fine, whatever you = choose.  Best of luck in all you do.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="" size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="" size=2>Brian Trout  (the = other Brian...)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="" size=2>Quarryville = Pa.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="" size=2><A href="mailto:btrout@desupernet.net">btrout@desupernet.net</A></FONT></D= IV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="" = size=2></FONT> </DIV></BODY></HTML>