Is it time to start my own lab? What kind of advice can u give?

[2thm8kr]

DUDE... have you looked at your avatar pic?

Question is, do you know who that is?

 

[Andrew Priddy]

no idea... something from land of the lost?

 

[2thm8kr]

This is important. Soak it up.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultraman

 

[Andrew Priddy]

oh boy.... that was before land-o-the lost

 

[Rick76]

I is always a good time, you just need to make sure you have back ups for the different depts you will have. I think you will of course need to be digital and rely on others to watch your back. You can work slow if needed and let me design some of your cases.

 

[Muntean Catalin]

Haha, not a printer fan? I must be lucky. I bought an Asiga pico about 3 years ago for 9k. At the time it was the smallest accurate printer on the market. It took a few weeks to get dialed in but i was designing and printing all my pfm and e.max then burning out and pressing/casting. The numbers i could get through increased about 3-4 fold depending on the work.
The thing is still going hard today and has probably paid itself of 15 times. I think if i was to start again today i would buy the same thing.
but if you are not tech keen i wouldn't worry about it. I'm a geek.

LABWA:
Hi, i would like to ask a bit more details about the Asiga pico, i am about to setup an digital dental lab in Romania, . At the moment i can not use pv messaging on the forum, can you give me an alternate email. Thank you

 

[Heidi]

So I've had my lab open a month, it has went really well! Lots of sleepless nights stressed out, lots of hours of work. One day I worked 16 hours. But it has all been worth it! I'm now averaging 10 units a day! Thanks for all the advice!

 

[2thm8kr]

Welcome to the club! Just wait until you do 10 of those 16 hour days in a row. That's when you earn the determined nut case merit badge.

 

[Heidi]

I'm afraid that next month will be like that until I can hire someone! hopefully I find someone pretty quick! I think I've been averaging about 90 hours a week so far. Which is sad for my 4 year old, but it won't be forever

 

[rkm rdt]

Good for you Heidi.
keep your 4 year old close,it goes by so fast.

 

[2thm8kr]

I'm afraid that next month will be like that until I can hire someone! hopefully I find someone pretty quick! I think I've been averaging about 90 hours a week so far. Which is sad for my 4 year old, but it won't be forever

Figure out how many units you can reasonably do per week and schedule your cases. Wax/design Monday, finish Tuesday, build Wednesday, etc. Do your model work for the next week Friday and Saturday. If you want to keep your sanity and have a somewhat normal life you have to get a handle the the work coming in. It was the only way for me to keep my quality where I wanted it and have a day or two off per week. In my hey day it wasn't uncommon to have work sitting in my lab that I wouldn't even get too for 4-6 weeks. I used to charge double and sometimes triple to keep the rush cases out of my lab.

 

[Yusuf_alibhai]

So I've had my lab open a month, it has went really well! Lots of sleepless nights stressed out, lots of hours of work. One day I worked 16 hours. But it has all been worth it! I'm now averaging 10 units a day! Thanks for all the advice!

Hey Heidi , I'm glad to hear that. I'm also just planning on opening up my lab within the course of the next month or so. I'm from Africa , I have sleepless nights too just thinking about opening up let alone working through it.

 

[docDeer]

I wish you all the best.I think attracting customers is the real challenge of running a new business. Well, the internet can give you a boost if you know how to do but on the other side, the web is also a place of thousands of competitors.

But I like to read that you have the drive to never give up!

 

[AJEL]

I really cant add anything Rob didn't, a old trick for pitbulls is make a cleaning appointment for a quadrant, you get to see 4 doctors per full cleaning. And write off cleanings as advertising. I had the cleanest teeth the first few years I still have one of those doctors to this date, (from 1979),have gone to several of those dds retirement parties, and a few other ceremonies.
Decide if you are racing to the top or racing to the bottom, there are lots at the bottom.

Just thought you might like a thought.

 

[AdrianB]

I've dreamed for years of starting my own lab, I have been in the business for over 10 years, I have done it all (except casting). I specialized in ceramics and implants over the years. I have found that I am very picky and usually more critical of my work than anyone. I have the money to start, the drive to never give up, I have lots of sales and marketing experience and I have a building to do so, I have accounts that have followed me in the past, I just am a little frightened about taking the final "jump" is there anyone who could maybe give me some advice, things they wish they had done when starting their lab? Mistakes they made? How many accounts would someone need to start? Or gross $? Thanks

Take that leap of faith. You'll learn the rest as it comes. You'll be fine. From what you said you have more than many people had before starting. Adrian.

 

[Scotts studio]

Make sure you don't grow to fast and get out of control, doing 8 - 10 good units is way better than 15 rushed. The first years are rough but family first ! You can do this

 

[Contraluz]

Make sure you don't grow to fast and get out of control, doing 8 - 10 good units is way better than 15 rushed. The first years are rough but family first ! You can do this

I agree with your assessment! However, you realize this thread is 5 years old?

 

[rkm rdt]

I agree with your assessment! However, you realize this thread is 5 years old?

So you're saying now may not be the best time to start a lab?

 

[Contraluz]

So you're saying now may not be the best time to start a lab?

Well... maybe not.

 

[JMN]

Well, you'd have little competition right now.