1000th post... thank you!

have waited.. and thought seriously about what to post for my 1000th... but it all came down to thank yous

thank you to the owner... to the moderators. to the members...

you all have made this a place to share information without all the bullying or negativity. thanks!

don't get me wrong.. I am VERY opinionated... but having done this successfully for 26 years I feel I kinda know what I know. which is why I appreciate this forum for allowing me to speak... you know out of 1000 posts. only ONCE.. .in october of 2008 did I ever talk about my business in a way that could be considered marketing... all of the other posts hopefully have come across as helpfull? helping? answering a question?

Think about it... I ONLY do digitizing... yes I have managed embroidery shops in the past.. 250 heads is the most I have managed... but I also have made over 1,000,000 in one year ONLY digitizing. 14 first place awards in competitions.. ect... Impressions magazine... Stitches... EMB... been there, done that.. written articles been written about. done US ARMY. Medic WEST POINT... YEP... look it up

BUT what is important now?

You are... this industry has changed.. when I started in San Antonio there were 9 embroidery shops listed in the yellow pages (dated I know!) today there are 148 on Yelp! back then they were all large shops.. because the cost to get into the industry was pretty high..NOW the cost of entry has been decimated... so anyone with a kitchen table or spare bedroom is in the game. I think this is GREAT... the problem is no one seems to be helping these people? If we want to survive WE need to help these people.

So here we are 1000 posts. what to do? two things...

1. Open to any questions.. please ask.. If I don't know the answer I will say so.. but I bet I know someone who will know the answer. we will figure out whatever you need. I promise

2. my business partner thinks we should offer 1 free design to everyone. as a thank you. maybe you are a digitizer and just want to see a different take on a design.. maybe you are a table top embroiderer... whatever. any hat or left chest design.. free. period. you can email to designs@volant-tech.com or you can call me directly 210 287 4428 if you like... Our website wants you to enter a cc... which is not cool for a free design or quote.. which is why I have given these other options..

Please dont think of this as advertising.. I am thinking more as educational... for example. I have a client right now.. design is not working for Their client... well one town away we get an order for the SAME design...guess what it was accepted! same digitizing... what is different? the embroiderer... it goes both ways... embroidery , digitizing.. is a marriage.

thank you! seriously.