Editor in Chief Bill | 29 Mar 2019 8:44 p.m. PST |
I've had some conversations lately with some of our manufacturers, and without naming any company in particular, I just wanted to say a few things about how this business can break your heart.
Imagine that you're a miniature wargamer, you love the hobby, but you've always had a dream of getting in on the business side. Launching your own line of figures. Hitting that historical niche, or showing off your unique vision. So you spend some of your "mad money," maybe you're a sculptor or maybe you hire someone, you get the initial line of figures ready to debut, you've set up a webpage, you're on social media, you make announcements on the hobby websites, you're in business! But the business doesn't take off the way you thought it would. Maybe you're more of an artist than a businessman. Maybe you're selling something too much like everything else. Or maybe your products are too niche. Maybe you need to invest more money than you have to make this thing a success. Maybe you're not a born salesman. You're discouraged. Maybe something in the rest of your life distracts you. You're still advertising your company, but you have no more releases, sales are declining. But it's your baby, you won't give it up… Finally, you realize you've got to cut your losses. You downsize to a cheaper website. You cancel your paid advertising. The orders slow to a trickle, and stop. Maybe you should find a buyer, but you don't want to abandon your dream. |
Thresher01 | 29 Mar 2019 9:04 p.m. PST |
I suspect that is the case with many sole proprietors, and/or small companies. Then they are gone, and people are saddened by their demise, and the loss of the ranges they sold. |
martin goddard | 29 Mar 2019 11:35 p.m. PST |
Our hobby is saturated by products at this time. This makes it a buyer's market. My own work started back in 1981. Much better customer to maker ratio. Many products are brought to market by passion not calculation. This is great for the hobby but not so good for the maker at times. Maybe some makers could "confederate" and share costs et al? At present , makers seem to be falling over themselves to make their product "tied in", 12 men a side, blow things up and very simple. Looks to be very successful. Thus; make a game with 28mm historical figures, preferably elite and match it with some very easy (history is not very important) rules. It will sell. Make sure folk do not just buy the rules and wander off to other ranges of figures/models. Make the basic game easy to buy into and then offer more expensive "game winner" additions .
Having said this I have not followed that model and drive a 20 year old Toyota. Surely my model must be better (sad face)? Got to get back to making some 95th rifleman to accompany my SAS and SS. |
HMS Exeter | 30 Mar 2019 1:18 a.m. PST |
The easiest way to learn to hate something is to take something you love and try to make a living from it. It's often said it's easy to make a small fortune in this field. All you need is to start with a large fortune. |
korsun0 | 30 Mar 2019 4:19 a.m. PST |
Yes, its a lot of work. Been there, did alright but you can't retire on it….. |
JimDuncanUK | 30 Mar 2019 5:05 a.m. PST |
I've been told by more than one wargames trader that if you want to have a business worth one million quid then start off with two million quid. |
whitphoto | 30 Mar 2019 5:23 a.m. PST |
Not just wargaming businesses. It took me way too long to accept that my photo business was no longer viable after the 2008 recession. |
Prince Rupert of the Rhine | 30 Mar 2019 5:59 a.m. PST |
I've never owned my own business but I did work for the Evil Empire for a time (trying convince parents to shell out a fortune on Warhammer) destroyed my love of the hobby for a while. It did convinced me that you need to keep your hobbies and work life separate if you want to enjoy your hobby. As soon as your hobby needs to pay the bills its no longer fun. |
HMS Exeter | 30 Mar 2019 6:09 a.m. PST |
"Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life." Bilge. Find a job that you can perform effortlessly, and pays well, THEN you'll never work a day in your life. That's they way you do it…You play the guitar on the MTV. |
Joerg Bender | 30 Mar 2019 6:19 a.m. PST |
Is that why King's Mountain left TMP? |
Lucius | 30 Mar 2019 6:35 a.m. PST |
You are catering to a hobby with a small, cheapskate base of customers, who sporadically buy products that have a thin profit margin. That's a heartbreak in any retail field. |
rustymusket | 30 Mar 2019 7:27 a.m. PST |
I came to realize the precariousness of the business as I got more into gaming. That is why I always am hoping when I start a new project that the figures will still be available when I go to order more. I have also limited the manufacturers that I buy from, mostly because of how I like the sculpts but also with thoughts that my buying all from one is better for the mfr than spreading my money so thin it means nothing to anyone. I hope in that way I am creating a mutually beneficial relationship that will last. |
Bede19002 | 30 Mar 2019 7:39 a.m. PST |
with a small, cheapskate base of customers, Describes historical wargamers to a "T". |
Vis Bellica | 30 Mar 2019 10:25 a.m. PST |
This is why I never worry about the size of my lead mountain. I see something I want (I only game in 15mm) and provided the price isn't extortionate, I buy it…because if I don't, it might not be there next time I look. |
Vis Bellica | 30 Mar 2019 10:26 a.m. PST |
I realise that my in-box is about to get flooded by e-mails from manufacturers going "shiny, shiny" to me…and I'll probably buy from them as well! |
Captain Gamma | 30 Mar 2019 10:27 a.m. PST |
A lot of great small companies have gone, Wargames Supply Dump, Barony Miniatures, Miniature Mojo are ones I miss in particular. I run my Killer B Games as a labour of love but it's costly. I only create and design the rule books and design the figures and their back story. I then have to utilise 3 different individuals for sculpting, mould making and casting and keep up stock levels. It all builds up. Also with my website chap disappearing my domain name got sold and now belongs to some Swedish blogger. I need to buckle down and sort out a new website but again it's costly. By the same token however, I could never see myself selling my creations onto anyone else. So I completely understand what makes my fellow small company owners "go dark". |
Vis Bellica | 30 Mar 2019 10:27 a.m. PST |
I am obviously neither small nor cheapskate! |
axabrax | 30 Mar 2019 10:41 a.m. PST |
I think Lucius has it right on. There's a strong resentment from some (usually the most vocal) gamers about having to spend money to support a company: Why can't I buy the rules without the figures? Why can't you make it in a scale that matches my old figures so I don't have to buy any new ones? Oh, but at the same time please match my individual wishlist of figures because they are what I want—not because they they make sense from a business standpoint. If you do I promise to buy a single pack of figures! |
robert piepenbrink | 30 Mar 2019 3:24 p.m. PST |
I have a lot of sympathy for the guys to try to add something to the hobby and then discover that small businesses are hard work and uncertain rewards. I have zero sympathy for the man who buys something already in production--usually a line of castings--discovers that running a miniatures business requires time and money, and just chucks the whole thing in a garage. Scrunts, Eureka teddy bears and TCS Terrain come immediately to mind, but it's a long list. As for the franchise thing--my rules, my figures my scenarios and if possible my paints and brushes--it's worked twice, but I think your odds are better in Las Vegas. |
robert piepenbrink | 30 Mar 2019 3:31 p.m. PST |
"Why can't I buy the rules without the figures? Why can't you make it in a scale that matches my old figures so I don't have to buy any new ones?" You know, axabrax, in Babbage's day, nuts and bolts were proprietary: a nut from one company wouldn't screw onto a bolt from another. I don't honestly think we've lost anything in hardware from the standardization, and I don't think miniature warfare would lose by having seven or eight compatible scales instead of the current 15 to 20. |
Bede19002 | 30 Mar 2019 3:51 p.m. PST |
. You know, axabrax, in Babbage's day, nuts and bolts were proprietary: a nut from one company wouldn't screw onto a bolt from another. I don't honestly think we've lost anything in hardware from the standardization, and I don't think miniature warfare would lose by having seven or eight compatible scales instead of the current 15 to 20. You just proved the guy's point….. |
MSU John | 30 Mar 2019 6:22 p.m. PST |
I'm with Vis Bellica. Buy when the opportunity presents itself. |
Editor in Chief Bill | 30 Mar 2019 9:15 p.m. PST |
Is that why King's Mountain left TMP? I deliberately did not mention any companies by name, and it is reckless for you to imply King's Mountain is in financial difficulty. |
IUsedToBeSomeone | 31 Mar 2019 4:01 a.m. PST |
Bill, The kind of company you are describing isn't really a business – there are a lot of people doing this as a hobby and they will never make a living at it. This is partly because they don't want to or don't have the time or the capital to create a large enough and sustainable business. I have been running Black Hat and (now) Imperial Miniatures since 2008 as my sole income… it is perfectly possible to earn a living making toy soldiers… Mike |
Pythagoras | 31 Mar 2019 7:01 a.m. PST |
No one wants to abandon their dream. However, reality is harsh and cold sometimes. There is room for only so many companies and the ones with the business sense are usually the ones to survive. Most business isn't a Field of Dreams. On a positive note, there is also guerrilla marketing. |
Oberlindes Sol LIC | 31 Mar 2019 11:24 a.m. PST |
Something like 80% of all small businesses fail. Many successful entrepreneurs have said that they had to have several businesses fail before they succeeded. So -- do your due diligence before you start any kind of business. |
Rudysnelson | 31 Mar 2019 7:21 p.m. PST |
A majority of the new businesses that fail are food industry oriented. Take them out of the mix and the success rate is better. One issue that hurts the miniatures industry is that molding and casting machines are regarded as jewelry in the bankers loan index. As a result loan rates are automatically higher. Another issue is how long does a company have to operate in order not to fall into the start up numbers. Five or seven years. So I have been in business since 1983, if I went out of business this year am I a failure? |
Mkultra99 | 01 Apr 2019 8:47 a.m. PST |
It's vastly more competitive than it was 'back in the day' and let's not forget the quality standards are a mile above where they were just a few years ago. So, if you come out with stuff that looks like a a hydroencaphalic Pillsbury dough man.. or, you are still trying to hustle the stuff sculpted 60 years ago… because, "nostalgia". You are digging your own grave. As an example, the "AW miniatures" guy that tried to get some 28mm ACW figures kickstarted… I mean, they were garbage.. maybe 20 years ago they would be acceptable.. but with Perrys and Sash&Sabre around? Come on. In the market now, you better have game.. or dont bother showing up. And if you are still trying to sell stuff that was sculpted by your nephew as an art class project 30 years ago… stop, close up shop, and take up model railroading or crochet. As an example of a single operator success, look at MetalKing/Relic blade. It can be done… |
BrigadeGames | 10 Apr 2019 12:07 p.m. PST |
There is a big difference between running a hobby business and running a business in the hobby industry. As with any business, making the leap requires planning and capital you can afford to lose. Just because you think something is a good idea does not mean others will too. Even if they do they might not want to pay for it. Building a brand takes time, effort and money. Ditto for building a following. Ditto for building a product catalog. No one should care about your business more than you. If you cannot make the necessary sacrifice in time, effort and money, don't bother trying to start your own business. Not everyone has what it takes to do so. That isn't a knock, just the truth. Just because you build it doesn't guarantee customers will come and return frequently. I frequently relate stories of new small brick and mortar businesses. I always take a critical look when I visit one. I size up the owner, the shop, any staff and the products. One thing I will always notice is that the ones that typically fail have owners who are not as attentive as they should or are in the back and they have hired a staff even though they just opened. If you just opened, you had better be at that business every minute it is open. Hiring a bunch of staff from the start is a disaster waiting to happen. Anyone can start a business. Making it profitable and a living is a whole different animal requiring blood, sweat and tears. If you aren't ready to do that then forget it. |
LeonAdler | 11 Apr 2019 9:57 a.m. PST |
Well Adler Miniatures will be celebrating its 35th birthday and I can tell you its tough making a living from this business. Too much stuff out there, when I started in 6mm there was only H&R ( and I think Irregular) now more competition than you can shake a stick at. Cake the same size as its always been ( though the 28mm fixation has probably got a bigger slice of the cake than it used to have) divided amongst a greater number of makers. Add that many of these are business's that are just run for 'pin money' and if you have to earn to pay the mortgage its tough to make it work. I imagine that my ranges will go out of production when I retire rather like MMS. L |
ced1106 | 14 Apr 2019 12:57 a.m. PST |
This post's going to be a bit of a rant, although it's more for RPG miniatures, not historical wargames. Ever since forever, even though RPG miniature companies have been around, I've yet to see an RPG manufacturer put out miniatures or 3D terrain for best-selling RPG or boardgames (ie. Gloomhaven). Wizards of the Coast even had a line of D&D miniatures, yet never released a set that had miniatures for its entry-level modules, and introductory adventures in its boxed sets. Yeah, that miniature looks real nice, but if I can't use it, why do you expect me to buy it? Hope gamers looking for historical miniatures don't face this problem! :/ |
Dadster | 17 Apr 2019 11:33 a.m. PST |
This is a great post. I am currently in the process of doing just that – starting a business, and a niche one at that. It is something I have wanted to do for years – and now I have the time to do it. This is a bucket list item – so,if it does well – terrific – if not I got to enjoy the experience – good or bad. I have had many conversations with other business owners and sometimes I don't get them. Prior to you selling the figure you create the figure – even on the simplest level the cost of the figure is not just the cost of the metal cast figure- but the cost of sculpting. So, my goal is to as soon as possible recoup the cost of the castings (perhaps the mold cost as well) and 40 – 50% of the sculpting cost. I am not including package material, paypal credit card fees, etc. I am of course poking around in the dark since I have no real experience – but I think it is reasonable. I was very fortunate to find a sculpter who charge me a very fair price and a caster who gave me a pretty good deal as well, but even with good deals the cost is mid x,xxx and I haven't sold a thing yet. If I can hit my goal I will consider it a success. The cost per sculpt will of course get less and less expensive the more figures that are cast. But, I have to sell them. And the costs will go up as I have to advertise in the most cost effective way possible. Wish me luck, success or failure it will be a learning experience and enjoyable. Any comments or word of advice – feel free to message me or post. |
Frontline Tim | 17 Apr 2019 11:57 a.m. PST |
A lot of these posts ring bells with me. In the 23 years I've been running Frontline fads have come and gone. Trying to get on the bandwagon can prove difficult, can't get a new product finished in time take advantage of that new rule set or period and you find there's no room left on the wagon. I'm not a business man by a long way but I managed to feed and clothe the kids over the years. While I don't see me retiring (what else would I do ). I have slowed down but that's down to life pushing me down that track. It all started as a dream and there has been some nightmares along the way but I won't call quits because I love what I do. |
Must Contain Minis | 20 Apr 2019 7:12 a.m. PST |
Thanks for this post. I found it really interesting to read through this. |