Early lesson in collecting my fee

[Dan Sawatzky]

Back when I first started painting window splashes I was only 15. The trouble was I looked like I was 13. ANd here I was trying to be a businessman. Not everyone took me seriously.

I remember approaching a business to do their windows for the Christmas season. The owner liked my designs and selected one for his store... it was to be my biggest window ever attempted! I wanted this job... but I also wanted to be paid what it was worth... I worked up my courage when pressed for a price... and quoted the enormous sum of $50... a fortune to a kid of only 15. This was way back in 1968.

The owner agreed, we shook hands and I set about painting the window. It didn't take me long, only a few hours, for I was quick, even back then. THe owner kept an eye on me... watching from a distance. And the window turned out great... I was pleased!

I cleaned up my paints, wiped up the stray drops of paint and wiped off the quick soap layout on the outside of the glass, making sure I had spelled it all right and not missed anything. I was proud of the window! Then I wrote up an invoice and went to the owner's office... seeking payment for the job.

The owner made a big show of inspecting the window, both inside and out. He then asked me if I worked for my dad or someone else. I told him no, the business was all mine. He then informed me that he thought a skinny little kid should NOT make THAT kind of money in THAT short a time. It wasn't right. He offered me $25 for the window, and said that even that amount was generous on his part. After all minimum wage WAS only $1 per hour back then.

I calmly asked him if he was happy with the job I had done. He was. I reminded him that we had agreed on $50 and even shook hands on the deal. He agreed with me but protested it was too much, now that he saw how quick I could do the job. He knew I was doing a couple other projects that same day for his neighbors.

I asked him for a damp rag, which he had one of his employees fetch for me. I was very angry and upset but I was also determined not to loose my cool. I then leaned on the window with the wet rag next to where the painting started and calmly told him I would happily give him the window for $25... but only after I took half of it off. He looked me in the eye and knew I wasn't bluffing.

He smiled and then opened the till and took out the money. He paid me in full. I signed the reciept and went out the door, happy, having learned a valuable lesson in doing business.

-grampa dan

[joe cieslowski]

Thanks Dan,

I really enjoyed the story (lots of lessons in there).......my teen years are a blur but I did start selling my carvings when I was 14. Carved my first signs then too.....with a dull "V" bit in a router. Some folks thought that I had a fire going .

Joe

[Raymond Chapman]

Good story there Mr. Sawatzky. You learned the secret very early in life.

I did a lot of those hand lettered jobs while in junior high and high school. I'm afraid that I never charged what the job was really worth and often buckled under those that pressured me to do the job for less. Because there were so few sign men that would share with others, I never really knew what they were charging for their work.

Thanks for sharing.