Exciting News From Your Friends At Shopsmith

organtechnology · Post by **organtechnology** » Mon May 31, 2010 2:32 pm

This is like a 'marketing patent'. insteadof Shopsmith Power Pro™ they get to use Shopsmith Power Pro®

Thomas

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon May 31, 2010 5:14 pm

organtechnology wrote:This is like a 'marketing patent'. insteadof Shopsmith Power Pro™ they get to use Shopsmith Power Pro®

Thomas

And the significant difference(s) is(are)?

bobw1953 · Post by **bobw1953** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 11:05 pm

Ok being the Principal Engineer for a highly successful 40 year old company with less than 100 employees in a niche market in the engine and compressor business, I find your analysis of Shopsmith's without merit or historical facts. Successful companies in a niche market like ours must rely on the loyalty of is current user base. Niche markets by definition are NOT mass markets. There will always be those that either can't afford your product or service, there will always be those within your loyal user base that some how think they could run the company better. You certainly are entitled to your opinion and I respect that, but I was moved by your negative view of what Shopsmith can or cant or will or will not do. Please take this criticism in the spirit intended.

I will anxiously await the announcement and as an advocate of SS and knowing their history of survival in a niche market will be pulling for their continued success.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sun Jun 06, 2010 11:27 pm

bobw1953 wrote:Ok being the Principal Engineer for a highly successful 40 year old company with less than 100 employees in a niche market in the engine and compressor business, I find your analysis of Shopsmith's without merit or historical facts. Successful companies in a niche market like ours must rely on the loyalty of is current user base. Niche markets by definition are NOT mass markets. There will always be those that either can't afford your product or service, there will always be those within your loyal user base that some how think they could run the company better. You certainly are entitled to your opinion and I respect that, but I was moved by your negative view of what Shopsmith can or cant or will or will not do. Please take this criticism in the spirit intended.

I will anxiously await the announcement and as an advocate of SS and knowing their history of survival in a niche market will be pulling for their continued success.

Who's critique are you disagreeing with?

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 3:43 am

Does it really matter? He disagrees with "those" who believe that Shopsmith can not, will not survive. If you read this and/or any of a dozen other threads you will soon know who amongst feels that Shopsmith management is making all of the wrong decisions.

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 10:50 am

bobw1953 wrote:Ok being the Principal Engineer for a highly successful 40 year old company with less than 100 employees in a niche market in the engine and compressor business, I find your analysis of Shopsmith's without merit or historical facts. Successful companies in a niche market like ours must rely on the loyalty of is current user base. Niche markets by definition are NOT mass markets. There will always be those that either can't afford your product or service, there will always be those within your loyal user base that some how think they could run the company better. You certainly are entitled to your opinion and I respect that, but I was moved by your negative view of what Shopsmith can or cant or will or will not do. Please take this criticism in the spirit intended.

I will anxiously await the announcement and as an advocate of SS and knowing their history of survival in a niche market will be pulling for their continued success.

While I lament a lot of changes like the closing of the factory store and discontinuing the demo's at shows and fairs etc. I do understand the need to make decisions from the drivers seat rather than the couch while watching the on-board camera.

Such decision making is why I generated this quote in some writing project not long ago.
"Those that espouse simple answers to complex problems seldom have real answers. Like gemstones most problems have many facets to consider..."
We operated our own enterprises for over 25 years (and still do to a lesser degree). We would be much better off today (we do OK) if many of our customers would have handed us a dollar instead of using those famous words:
"What you should do is..."

We all armchair quarterback now and then but it takes custody of a lot of facts to make valid decisions.

And sometimes we still make the wrong one.

Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 10:22 pm

I agree it is easy to arm chair quarterback and I'm probably guilty of doing too much of it. However there is also a saying that goes like this, "those that don't learn from history are destined to repeat it."

In this present economic situation there are many classic examples of companies repeating the history of other companies. Some learn and succeed and others fail to learn and don't succeed.

I believe Shopsmith has made some horrendous mistakes but I also believe they have made some most excellent decisions. What they have to do now is decide what worked and what didn't.

But they must do something different, to do today what you did yesterday and expect a different result has been proven to be crazy.

paulrussell · Post by **paulrussell** » Mon Jun 07, 2010 10:31 pm

It is easy.
All Shopsmith management has to do is make the right decisions. After all, everyone knows that making wrong decisions would be bad.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Jun 08, 2010 1:32 am

[quote="paulrussell"]It is easy.
All Shopsmith management has to do is make the right decisions. After all, everyone knows that making wrong decisions would be bad.
]
Yep! All ya gotta do is make the right decisions before the effects of those decisions become indicators of them being 'bad'!:rolleyes:

bobw1953 · Post by **bobw1953** » Sat Jun 12, 2010 4:23 pm

I was responding to several of the folks in the "Nostradamus" mode of predicting the end of the SS world due to perceived poor management.Sitting on the side lines thinking that Shopsmith can't price it right or deliver it right belies the fact that they have persisted in the consumer wood working tool business for many years, a testament to good management, good product, good product service.

Having been where they are making decisions that impact employees and customers negatively to keep the business afloat is neither for the timid or weak of will.

In this environment and in their market margins and cash flow are essential, and delivering new product innovations stresses both. It takes guts and vision to do this in uncertain times.

Ed in Tampa was the first of many comments in this thread that spawned my Opinion hope I haven't offended anyone, as it was certainly not my intent.

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