In my consulting practice, I talk shop with hundreds of gallery owners and framers around the world. Things are difficult in our current world, and the pressure and demands on small businesses are extreme. I am starting to see a global pattern everywhere: many of us are just treading water; our 'big picture' is usually just a snapshot of the next 48 hours. We mistake 'getting through the week' for a business strategy, focusing more on immediate deadlines than on our three-yea

When a friend opened a comic book shop around the corner and asked me to frame some "fan art," I initially thought she meant four-dollar comic books and Cheeto-dusted covers. I quickly learned that "comic art" is actually a world of high-level, high-value creativity. I decided to have some fun with it, using my CMC to decorate mats with Bat-Signals, logos, and special cuts. I lit brightly colored frames up with LED lights and even formulated luminescent silicone "slime" to le

"You just can’t find good help anymore…" "Nobody wants to work…" "My employees keep leaving…" If you spend any time scrolling through picture framer’s social media groups, you know this mournful chorus by heart. Honestly, my heart twinges a little whenever these posts pop up because I understand this struggle on two very different levels. On one level, as an owner and employer, I especially understand that especially in smaller, rural markets, finding a skilled, dedicated fra

We spend a lot of time, money, and energy chasing brand new customers, which is akin to a business dating app where we are endlessly...

We love our clients, we truly do. The joy of helping someone find the perfect frame to elevate cherished artwork or preserve a precious...

My first day in grad school, many years ago, I attended a course titled "Fundamentals of Marriage and Family Counseling." My professor...

Take a deep breath. This might sting a little, like getting a paper cut from a mat bevel. But someone needs to say it, so here goes... I...

The writer, poet, and rebel Dorothy Parker famously coined the phrase, “What fresh hell is this?” Lately, that's exactly how I feel when...