Editing The Pen Addict 361/transcript (section)

== Pen Shows ==


'''Brad Dowdy:''' I'm excited for you. Good job.

'''Dan Smith:''' So, um, I definitely want to increase the number of shows I'm going to. Um, I want to hit all of them at some point, probably not in the same year because I think there's like 15 or something and that's just insane. Bad idea.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Terrible idea. Yeah. I don't care how old you are.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Especially because they don't happen throughout the year either. There's like a concentrated period of time. Like, because you wouldn't be going to like one a month. There would be like some months where you're going to like four, which is not a good idea.

'''Dan Smith:''' Yeah. Right. Exactly. Um, so I'm thinking maybe 10 at most. Um, you know, I've, I've definitely got to get to Dallas and Baltimore and Raleigh and, you know, shows like that. Um, but eventually I got to hit all of them.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah. Wow. Um, that's awesome. I'm super happy. I like, I, you're, you're right. I didn't know that was coming. So that is, that is super cool. So yeah, well, you, you blew me out of the water there. I don't, I don't even know what to say. Like, um, other than I've seen it coming, right? Like I, as an outsider and someone who follows this, you kind of get a feel for what's happening in the bigger industry. Um, you know, getting to at least some of the pen shows that I do, I can't do everything. I can't know everything, but when you get around a little bit, you can start to paint this picture. And there's this guy, Dan Smith with the backwards hat on over here. And he's got this table and he does really good work. And then I see Dan, you know, a year from now and he's got two tables and there's all these other pens on there. And then a year later, I see Dan and there's five tables and an online reservation system and employees. I'm really, I, I want to apologize for one of your employees, uh, Jacqueline. I mean, I love her to death, but you can do better than that, Dan.

'''Dan Smith:''' I'm taking suggestions.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' I'm teasing you, Jacqueline. I'm just saying that cause I know she's listening right now. Jacqueline's the best. She's one of my favorite people on the planet. Oh my God. She's great.

'''Dan Smith:''' I definitely couldn't do what I do at shows without her. That's for sure.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' I, just to give her some props, um, people will come to me. Like if I'm at a pen show, say like Atlanta where she's working for you and we'll just be carrying a general conversation. And they'll be like, Oh, they were so nice at, at, at the Nib Smith. And like, they wouldn't even be talking about you. They'd be talking about Jacqueline. So she's the best. So love you, Jacqueline. But I, I'm trying to figure out, I guess, is this scope and going into transitioning to full-time. Are you looking to bring in other brands? Are you looking to expand your online presence? Um, you know, what type of things are you going to do now that you've, uh, flipped the switch and, and gone to this full-time? Um, what's going to be different going forward? Or is there going to be, does there need to be anything different? Maybe not.

'''Dan Smith:''' There's going to be a little bit, uh, for sure. Um, there are still a few more brands I'd like to pick up. Of course. Um, I, it's not my goal to, you know, carry every brand under the sun. Um, I want to really carry and sell things that I'm comfortable buying myself, you know, and recommending to others. Um, so yeah, I'm thinking, you know, three or four more brands probably in the next year or so. And then I'll be focusing definitely on increasing my online presence. Um, there are just some things that are so time consuming, like photography and social media that it's, it's hard for me to do all that and still offer all the nib work. And I do want to start accepting mail order nib work again. Okay. Um, at some point, but I've, I still got lots of things I need to get set up before I can do that.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Okay. So right now your nib services are in person, right? At, if you find me at a pin show, we'll schedule an appointment. We'll do it there. We're not taking, taking in additional work because you offer when someone buys a pin from you, not just at a show online, you can get a nib grind from you then. Right. Right. Yeah, exactly.

'''Dan Smith:''' So everything I sell, um, online is available from their work. I'm just not accepting anything mail order network yet.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Gotcha. Gotcha. So when you buy a pin from you online, does it, is it a given that that's an option? Like how does that set up work? I just hit like an across the board type of thing. I actually don't know. So tell me about just, if I want to buy a pin from you, which I've done in the past, and I know I've been able to, you know, get a nib grind done, you know, as part of my purchase. But is that for every purchase? Are there limits, restrictions? How does that work just for a new customer? What would you tell them?

'''Dan Smith:''' Uh, so right now everything is available with, with a free nib adjustment. So whether it's a smoothing or ink flow adjustment, um, that's included free charge on, on all pens. And then at a certain price point, and it's usually about two 50, depending on some pens, a little bit higher, anything over that gets free custom grinds. Okay. And anything under that, um, have to pay additional for the service. And it's outlined right there in the dropdown menu, what the prices are. And if there's no price, then it's obviously free included in the service.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' So, yeah, I didn't want to bring up that dropdown menu just because my name is in there now. But I wanted to bring that up because my name is in there now. So thank you for that. Like, I thought you were totally joking and it's been in there for weeks now. It's like, it hadn't gone away yet. I guess it's going to stay.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Oh God. So that was, um, I bought a, the ocean sailor last year's, um, 1911, uh, no pro gear ocean from you. And I like fine Japanese nibs and I want them to have some type of line variation, like a stub or a cursive italic. And that's just one of those pens that came out so good. And I rave about it all the time. So people ask me all the time. So you and your wisdom, um, I'm not sure how wise it really was put my name on the nib grind. So thank you for that.

'''Dan Smith:''' I've only got one question about it. So it can't be that bad of a decision.