Top 7 Reasons Why Picture Framing Is The Ideal Retirement Business

Are you creative? Looking for a retirement business that offers profit potential, flexibility and fun? Well then, take a look around you. Chances are you're surrounded by walls, and the opportunity you’ve been looking for. To a custom picture framer, every wall represents a potential with profit margins of as much as 600%, or more. That’s many individuals, and couples, are discovering that custom picture framing could be their ideal retirement business. Let's look at the Top 7 Reasons Why .

1. The Profit Picture
   
   If you’ve ever purchased custom picture framing, you may have already figured out that the markups on custom framing were somewhere near outrageous. What you probably didn’t know was that with proper training and the right tools and equipment, the average framing order only takes about one hour to complete.
   
   
2. Flexible
   
   Picture framing may be one of the most flexible businesses you can find. You can work from home, open a retail store or art gallery, add framing to an existing business, or even put your frame shop on wheels and go directly to your customers. And by the way, those customers could be businesses as well as individuals. Picture framing can be a full time or part time business, giving you the flexibility to set your own hours.
   
   
3. Low Startup Costs
   Another reason why custom picture framing has become a popular choice as a retirement business is its relatively low startup costs. There’s only five major pieces of framing equipment. If you open a retail store, went first class, and bought all five pieces of equipment new, you’ll still only spend about $15,000 - $20,000. The best part is that you don’t need all five to get started. And, you don’t have to buy all new equipment, although certain items should be purchased new. You could actually get started with an equipment investment of less than $1000. Of course, if you want to maximize your profits, you’ll want to have all five pieces of equipment and you’ll want to learn how to use them correctly to produce professional results.
   
   
4. Easy to Learn
   
   Picture framing isn’t rocket surgery; anyone can learn to put four sticks together. However, in professional framing, the name of the game is quality and preservation. Professionally correct framing, often referred to as Archival Framing, not only beautifies, but preserves the art or other object being framed. You can learn how to do hobby-level framing by reading a book, but spending a few days at professional level school will give you the skills and knowledge you need to produce the kind of framing that customers are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for. You’ll also techniques for making money. Too many people think that if they just learn to put a frame together they will be successful. Not so. Making frames is easy, making money is more difficult. Even if you have business experience already, the nuances and uniqueness of the custom framing business is worth learning from a pro. Attending a 4-6 day school could well be the best investment you can make if you’re thinking about starting a framing business. You’ll not only learn the technical skills, but also a design system that will help you sell higher priced, upscale framing.
   
   
5. The Happy Business
   
   Customers are almost always thrilled when they see the finished product. Their first word is usually, “Wow.” That’s because professional framing produces a transformation that makes almost anything look terrific, whether it’s a poster, photograph or even your grandchild’s finger painting. You’d be hard pressed to find a business that’s more fun than framing; or one that has happier customers.
   
   
6. Low Stress
   
   If you’re currently in a high stress career, you’ll find that picture framing is at the opposite end of the stress spectrum. After all, there are very few emergency picture frames. The best retirement businesses are usually those that can be fun and profitable. Picture framing has the potential to provide both.
   
   
7. Great for Couples
   
   Custom picture frame can be a terrific business for couples. Frequently one person is better at the technical part of framing --- building frames, cutting mates, etc., while the other is better at the creative an interpersonal side of framing – working with customers, choosing colors and providing design advice. Some schools offer discounts for couples.

Paul Cascio is the Director of The American Picture Framing Academy (http://www.pictureframingschool.com), the professional picture framing industrys largest school. He also serves as a consultant to the industry. For more than 10 years, Mr. Cascio wrote a popular business advice column called The Guerrilla Framer for the industrys leading trade magazine. You can email him at .