Thundercat's Groooooooow

mnmobbin said:

Your glassware in the right location will take off like a wildfire bro it looks amazing. I’d love to get my hands on some of it. Maybe open a online store to sell glass? I’m not in a legal state so don’t quote me but it seems like the market is pretty flooded in most of them smoke wise. Maybe just invest some money into your room if it’s a possibility? Nobody will look out for your family’s well being like you will.

Click to expand...

I do sell online some, but there are 10k other glass blowers that do the same. I have stores in 11 states that sell my glass currently and it moves well they tell me. I just redid my wholesale catalog to send out to current accounts to try to get some fresh work, and to send to new shops. I would like to have work in all 50 states in the next 4 years. I've been putting lots of time into making it nicer and nicer the last few years. It sells great when people are buying, but glass is just like weed there is major ebbs and flows in the market. Most of my sales are wholesale to shops, and that only pays about 50%. I try to market myself online through social media, and etsy. Again though the market is pretty saturated, which is what pushes me towards wholesale accounts.

In the end glass work has MASSIVE overhead involved, and the best way to be profitable is to be fast. I'm not fast enough, and I don't know that I ever will be with my arm injury a few years back. So I want to keep pushing my glass forward but am hitting a wall with how much I can produce vs how much I can actually get paid to produce it - overhead.... Very seriously EVERYTHING I make sells, its just a case of finding a buyer, and being able to make enough in "x" amount of time to make it all happen and keep going.

I'm definitely trying to expand my room more. I'm heading to Michigan in a week or so to talk to a friend up there that grows and runs a compassion club. I wanna learn the ins and outs of the laws there, and see what if any opportunities exist as someone coming from the outside.

I really would like to sell everyone on here a pipe, the only way I can think to do it would be using a middle man that I know. However, I don't think I have anyone that I want to ask to do all that work without a decent cut to make it happen. At which point I might as well sell it wholesale. Unless I up charged people here for the middle man fee which I doubt people would appreciate. So you see the spot i'm in.

You are definitely deeper into the glass game than I gave you credit for kudos. You probably explained on some of this through your thread but I haven’t had the opportunity to read all of its glory.

mnmobbin said:

You are definitely deeper into the glass game than I gave you credit for kudos. You probably explained on some of this through your thread but I haven’t had the opportunity to read all of its glory.

Click to expand...

Hehe yeah, I'm trying to really make a go at this. Lots of time and money have been committed to learning to be a good glass blower, not just another glass blower. I'm not gonna throw that all away if I can help it. I really don't want to go back to retail management like I used to do. It's getting pretty old trying to feed my family with an empty fridge between sales though.

My wife is in college getting a psychology degree to get a good job and help eventually, but she still has 2 years left. I don't know frankly I've felt very defeated for a while now because of the constant struggle. It gets hard to tred water when you keep getting pulled under by the current.

All that being said, I'm about to smoke a blunt of some of this Platinum delight and it will all be a little better for the rest of tonight lol.

Post #10,000

Thanks for coming along for the ride I figured I should make this post in my own thread .

Beautiful glass work bro! Sorry to hear about the struggles. I’m sure you’ll do awesome in the end just keep up the hard work!

Way2-High said:

Beautiful glass work bro! Sorry to hear about the struggles. I’m sure you’ll do awesome in the end just keep up the hard work!

Click to expand...

lol thanks man, we will see if I survive this month.

So lots of people have said they want to buy some glass...

How much are you guys wanting to spend?

Anyone interested in investing in a wholesale order of glass that you could make money off of? I usually only offer wholesale pricing to shops, but if you think you can move some glass with your grass or to your collective or whoever, maybe we can talk.

Just noticed the date on first page. Oh my! Cool! The Bees' Knees! Groovy and Far Out!

hillbill said:

Just noticed the date on first page. Oh my! Cool! The Bees' Knees! Groovy and Far Out!

Click to expand...

lol I'll take that as a compliment I think. I've been around here for many years at this point. I've kept this same thread through all of it to have a journal of my journey. Its been a pretty awesome ride most of the way. There are some great contributors that have taught me a lot, and I think I have taught a few things to as well .

Certainly taught me plenty, cheers cat

jungle666 said:

Certainly taught me plenty, cheers cat

Click to expand...

Hell yeah man, glad I could help!

I’m hearing you bro! You’re in the front of my mind right now!
Seems like you’re positioned to be successful as the markets open in the industry. I’m also hearing you say that your production is at a bottle neck, have you thought of taking an apprentice to help with production? Just a thought? Lately I keep thinking of the opportunity of cbd production and what that startup might look like.

colocowboy said:

I’m hearing you bro! You’re in the front of my mind right now!
Seems like you’re positioned to be successful as the markets open in the industry. I’m also hearing you say that your production is at a bottle neck, have you thought of taking an apprentice to help with production? Just a thought? Lately I keep thinking of the opportunity of cbd production and what that startup might look like.

Click to expand...

Good ideas cowboy, I was thinking about the apprentice thing yesterday, but really I can't. I work in someone else's shop so I would have to pay the apprentice, and pay the shop owner for the over head of having another person working.

The CBD boom has been happening here but it's still illegal to grow hemp. There is one farm that I know of that got state licensed. I would be very open to working on a hemp farm, but I can't imagine any way for me to start up the process.

Thundercat said:

Hehe yeah, I'm trying to really make a go at this. Lots of time and money have been committed to learning to be a good glass blower, not just another glass blower. I'm not gonna throw that all away if I can help it. I really don't want to go back to retail management like I used to do. It's getting pretty old trying to feed my family with an empty fridge between sales though.

My wife is in college getting a psychology degree to get a good job and help eventually, but she still has 2 years left. I don't know frankly I've felt very defeated for a while now because of the constant struggle. It gets hard to tred water when you keep getting pulled under by the current.

Click to expand...

Bro I was sorry to read this. I understand. They say "may you live in interesting times" and I suppose that I can understand....but we live in a time when the lines on the map seem blurred to some extent. It is not clear where one starts a life in this country. Your effort has been commendable for honesty. Part of me would love to have a craft career. I failed to get into mushroom extracts....but that was on me. I am a Systems Programmer. Ugh. :0)

I would drop a couple of bills on a nice strong bong from you.

You could try seeing how easily you could make the basic beaker bong. I am thinking that you could make a $100 price point work.
(I fear that robots are going to win that one...)

Keep the shiny side up and you will think of something. Get to where your Lady is adding in....that will be cool. :0)

JD

We could all use a giant house garden. That is my kick these days. lol

Javadog said:

Bro I was sorry to read this. I understand. They say "may you live in interesting times" and I suppose that I can understand....but we live in a time when the lines on the map seem blurred to some extent. It is not clear where one starts a life in this country. Your effort has been commendable for honesty. Part of me would love to have a craft career. I failed to get into mushroom extracts....but that was on me. I am a Systems Programmer. Ugh. :0)

I would drop a couple of bills on a nice strong bong from you.

You could try seeing how easily you could make the basic beaker bong. I am thinking that you could make a $100 price point work.
(I fear that robots are going to win that one...)

Keep the shiny side up and you will think of something. Get to where your Lady is adding in....that will be cool. :0)

JD

We could all use a giant house garden. That is my kick these days. lol

Click to expand...

Thanks for the thoughts, and insights my friend! I have always appreciated your input, and experience you share. I'm definitely trying to stay "shiny" . Just taking one step at a time right now.

Sadly most basic bongs are made on lathes, which gives those guys a massive advantage. There are guys turning them out so fast they sell them for $50(sometimes less for smaller stuff) a piece so they can compete with import glass that gets bought for pennies on the dollar. Eventually I would REALLY REALLY like to get a lathe. I think it would help tremendously with my speed issues, since it would eliminate my messed up arm from the equation.

I've tried doing some basic cheap prodo work, but in the end I despise making anything that isn't properly shaped and made. It literally makes me upset. I was raised to do things right if you are gonna do them at all. There are thousands of other glass blowers out there constantly churning out totally garbage cheap work. Some stores and people buy it just because its cheap and they don't care. I try not to sell anything I wouldn't be willing to buy no matter what the price point.

I did a demo event at a brewery yesterday, and that went awesome. I do a lot of public demos, but this one ended up netting 2x any of the others. So I think I need to demo at more alcohol events . Drunk people buy way more glass then stoned people at the weed events we do.

Don't feel obligated to buy glass from me, but if you would like something made you know I will hook it up nice for you bud! I can't currently make what I would call a traditional bong(tall, straight, large) like I mentioned most of those are made on lathes. I can definitely make something awesome, very functional, stable and as strong as glass can be! I think I dm'd you my IG. Take a look at some of the water pieces I've done, and see if any of the styles catch your eye. Or I can come up with something totally custom just for you buddy!

I will take a look. It sounds like you are able to put on a neat show. I remember really
enjoying the glass blowers when I was a kid. Carry on!

Expanding market for glass and much more so with recreational weed. Be smart, work hard and use your skills to the max including invaluable retail experience and you’ll be fine. Eyes onthe Prize.

Javadog said:

I will take a look. It sounds like you are able to put on a neat show. I remember really
enjoying the glass blowers when I was a kid. Carry on!

Click to expand...

I'd like to think I give a decent show . I have always been pretty comfortable doing public speaking, so I try to explain a lot of what I'm doing. I talk about glass history and science, as well as some pretty terrrible jokes .

hillbill said:

Expanding market for glass and much more so with recreational weed. Be smart, work hard and use your skills to the max including invaluable retail experience and you’ll be fine. Eyes onthe Prize.

Click to expand...

Thanks man I'm trying for sure. There is a lot of competition, but I'm hoping continuously focusing on my quality levels and customer service is going to win out in the end.

Keeping customers happy is huge bro. It's not until a few are pissed that you really see the difference. Your last paragraph there is a solid business model. I'm sure you're going to be doing fine further down the road, it's just a bitch getting to that point. I'm in the same boat, lol.