You’ve made it through class. You’re ready to get started. But what are the next steps to your success?

The period of time after class and before starting on production work is a very important one, and it’s very easy to put off getting going or to take up time dabbling with concrete. The longer you wait the more you’ll forget. Hands-on class time is extremely valuable, and continuing that hands-on experience quickly helps you to master the skills you’re investing in.

1. Acquire equipment and materials: 1-2 weeks

The first step is to equip yourself with the necessary tools and materials to get started. Ordering your tools and equipment takes time. Typically it takes students many weeks (or months) to find, source, order and obtain the things you’ll need to get going. Our Starter Kit makes it easy to get everything you’ll need, and because it’s all ordered at once you’ll get going much faster. The sooner you get started making concrete the better you’ll retain the knowledge you learned in class and the better you’ll become at producing a quality product.

2. Set up your space and make casting table(s): 1 week per table

Next, you’ll need space to make concrete. Now is a good time to clean out your garage or start looking for a shop. It’s better to start with what you already have (even though it may be small) than to run out and rent a big shop.

Maybe you have space already, but getting it cleaned and organized is important. You’ll need something to cast concrete on; casting tables are handy to have, and they are essential if you will be using conventional concrete (versus GFRC). Making your casting tables takes time; generally it takes about a week per table.

3. Make a practice piece: 1 week

The first concrete piece you’ll be making will be for practice. The concrete piece could be a small vanity or something similar. It’s not important that it be real. What you want to do is make a piece and take it through the entire process. This cements (pardon the pun) what you’ve learned and shows you the areas you are good at and areas that might need more practice. It also builds confidence. You should make your first practice piece within a week or two of getting your shop (as it is) set up. Once this is done you can start making samples and start marketing yourself.

4. Make color samples: 1 week

It’s important for you to develop your own color samples. The colors you make will reflect the influences of your local materials and also your tastes. Over time you’ll add more colors and find the ones that are more popular, but for now having a dozen or so colors is sufficient. Focus on earth tones and grays. It’s easy to make 3 to 6 shades of gray, including white and black. Have some samples with exposed aggregate and decorative glass. Maybe have one or two acid stained pieces. From these samples you’ll start to get an idea about what your market likes. Do remember that making samples can be fun and creative, but they are simply a tool. Don’t spend a lot of time making dozens and dozens of samples while you try out new colors, etc. Dedicate no more than one week for 10 to 12 samples. You can always add more gradually later on.

5. Market and sell: Ongoing

By now it’s been about a month, perhaps two, since class. You should have a website up or have one started, and you should also be calling designers and exploring other marketing avenues. It takes time to build a relationship and have it start to bear fruit. Don’t be surprised if you don’t get immediate sales from a designer.

If you are lucky enough to have jobs already lined up, focus on getting ready for those. Keep in mind you still need to practice before starting on those jobs. Don’t think that you can do a real job right after class. I strongly recommend that you do at least 1 or 2 more practice projects (the second bigger than the first) before starting a real paying project. Your own kitchen and bath, and those of your friends and family are great projects. Each project could take a few weeks (usually 2 to 3 weeks), and if you can’t do more than one project at a time in the space you have then you’re looking at another 4 to 6 weeks.

Coming to class was the first step in getting started. The steps immediately after class get you ready to take on real work. Keep in mind that it could take you 2 to 3 months to be ready to start a real project. The sooner you get going the sooner you’ll start making money.