Starting a welding business
You like welding and you’re good at it. You may even take on small welding jobs to earn some extra money. But how do you know when you’re ready to make your hobby a side gig or full-time business?
We spoke to two experienced business owners who have successfully transitioned from hobbyists to full-time welding entrepreneurs. They share their tips on starting a welding business, what equipment to invest in and how to manage customer relationships.
Meet the business owners:
- Gregg Whitehall, owner of Metalsmoke Design in Milwaukee, WI
Gregg spent 40 years in manufacturing jobs, including as a machinist, a welder and a weld supervisor. He did welding gigs on the side before starting his own full-time shop five years ago.
- Missy Powell, owner of S.M.T. Metals in Arvada, CO
Missy worked in a fabrication shop and was doing welding work on the side before going full-time on her own about three years ago, specializing in custom welding fabrication and sculpture.
Q: Why did you decide to start your own welding business?
Gregg: The side hustle started about 20 years ago, and COVID actually put me in it full-time. The company I was working for went out of business, so that was an easy decision. I already had everything set up for welding on the side. A couple of clients came to me with pretty big jobs, and I knew I could live for months off those two welding jobs. Honestly, I should have done it years ago. I don’t know why I waited so long.
Missy: I was ready to have more control over my schedule and to be able to see my mom and my dad more. My dad is sick, so I wanted to be able to help my mom out a little bit more.
Q: What type of welding work do you do?
Gregg: I do a lot of bar and restaurant work. Some of that is under my business, Metalsmoke Design. But I also subcontract to a lot of design firms, so I’m basically the maker’s maker. I do commercial railings, furniture, ornamental sculpture pieces, back bars. I usually do three or four jobs a week.
Missy: I’m pretty much a one-woman show, so I can only do one project at a time, but I might have four or five things on the docket lined up. TIG stainless was my bread and butter for a long time. But now that I’m full-time with my own welding business, I do a lot more MIG welding. It makes more sense for production time. I work with a lot of major construction companies and interior designers. Right now, I’m doing a light fixture for one designer and a handrail and a custom wine fridge for another designer. We often sit down and come up with ideas together.
Q: What are some of the challenges of running your own welding business?
Gregg: There is the whole right brain, left brain thing of running a business. I’m not an accountant. But the industrial park where I’m located is very helpful to small businesses. They offer accounting services and training, which is great.
Missy: The biggest challenges for me are things on the business side. I spent 10 years learning to be a fabricator and I spent zero years learning to run a welding business. Handling both sides — the work in the shop and the work behind the desk — and burning the wick at both ends is challenging.
Q: What do you enjoy about owning your own business?
Gregg: I haven't woken up to an alarm clock in three years. I control my day and how slow or fast I work.
Missy: The freedom to have more control over who I work with, who I'm around. I used to not have any control over the people I spent 80% of my life with, which can beat your soul down after a decade.
Q: What welding equipment did you start with?
Gregg: At my job, I had extra money withheld from every paycheck. Then when I would get my tax return, I would buy a piece of equipment for my garage with that extra money. So when I decided to start this business, I had all my welding equipment. I have a TIG welder and a Multimatic® welder. When I started full-time, I did buy a CNC table. If you do it right, the CNC table does the work of a couple people.
Missy: I had my Multimatic 215 that I bought when I was still in my apprenticeship. I pretty much run my entire business off that machine.
Q: What tips would you give others thinking about striking out on their own business?
Gregg: Getting a customer base is important, and your location has a lot to do with it. I’m the only welder in this industrial park, and these commercial companies will come to me — I get work and don’t even have to leave. Don’t be reliant on any one industry. Diversify your customer base.
Missy: Take a business class. If you think you can weld and you want to start your own business, you’ve got to be able to run the business too. It’s a constant balance. I usually start and end my day doing office stuff.
Q: How do you differentiate yourself from competitors?
Gregg: I am diverse in my background. I am a toolmaker, I’ve got experience in welding, I’ve been on the design side, so I can talk with machinists, I can talk with engineers, I can talk with architects. I’ve also learned to be quick and have really fast turnarounds. With the bar and restaurant industry, especially the new construction bar industry, everything's behind schedule. I make myself available, stay there until the job's done, then be there so everything goes smoothly. Also, quality is key. Everyone compliments me on my work.
Missy: I have a very detail-oriented approach. I put a lot of energy into making sure it’s absolutely perfect. Also, when a customer calls, it’s my cell phone and they always get me. Pretty much my entire business is word of mouth, so I cannot have something go wrong. I just make sure the customer is happy.
Q: How do you find work?
Gregg: Everything has been word of mouth. I’ve built a customer base that is probably 80% repeat industrial customers. These are bar/restaurant groups that own three, four or five bars and restaurants, and they have a constant flow of projects. Now I only take on the higher-profile jobs. Being the maker’s maker and going through the back door to get work for these industrial and commercial businesses is just more efficient. When I get new commercial business, it’s often people who are checking out the new thing and they’ll ask, “Who made that?” That spawns the next big commercial job for me.
Missy: I’m really passionate about it and I'm also extroverted, so I'm able to hustle and find work by just talking to people. Then that leads to them telling someone else about me or someone will see me welding and it snowballs. Especially if people like what you do and you do a really good job for them, it ends up creating its own little path that starts branching out to all these little fingers everywhere.
Ready to ignite your welding business?
Choosing the right equipment is crucial, and with cutting-edge technology like the new Millermatic 211 PRO, there’s never been a better time to consider Miller products for your professional welding needs. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand, Miller has the tools and resources to help you succeed.
For more advice from these business owners, visit: https://www.millerwelds.com/resources/article-library/be-flexible-and-diversify-6-tips-to-grow-a-welding-business