MAKING MONEY IN A LASER BUSINESS

Making money in a laser business can be a lucrative opportunity as long as you understand what is required to get your business up and running. In this video I will walk you through some of the basic steps you need to take to start using your laser to create your own successful cutting and engraving business.
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►►►► Contents of this video
0:00 Introduction
1:37 Find Four Motivation
4:42 Create a Business Plan
8:13 Equipment and Materials
11:46 Create a Web Presence
14:04 Start Selling
18:54 Bonus Tips
FTC Legal Disclaimer - Some links found in the description box of my videos may be affiliate links, meaning I will make commission on sales you make through my link. This is at no extra cost to you to use my links/codes, it's just one more way to support me and my channel
► MY MAKER SPACE
3D Printers
Sliced-Pi ]|[ CoreXY (self-designed)
Sliced-Pi ][ CoreXY - self-designed
Prusa I3Mk3 with MMU 2
Creality CR-10 (massively upgraded)
Creality Ender 3 V2 (New!) amzn.to/34wuUeg
AnyCubic Photon S SLA Resin Printer amzn.to/3wtSVvo
Laser Cutter
Full Spectrum Laser Muse 3D
CNC Router
Genmitsu 3018 Pro amzn.to/3vgAeLb
► SOFTWARE I USE
DaVinci Resolve 17 www.blackmagicdesign.com
Autocad Fusion 360 www.autodesk.com/products/fus...
Inkscape inkscape.org
Gimp gimp.org
► MUSIC
Intro Track:
Bit Bit Loop by Kevin MacLeod licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license, creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Source: freepd.com/electronic.php

[@racer67]

I have literally been talking about starting a laser rust removal business im currently saveing money for the 9 thousand dollar portable laser there quite expensive and i am paying a mortgage among other things but i am tired of working 60 hours a week n liveing paycheck to paycheck just to survive. Thanks for the video.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Good luck with your quest. I gave up the full time gig a couple years ago and my stress level dropped a lot. I enjoy waking up in the morning 😁

[@Jrood1989]

I run a laser at my current job. I finally took the leap and bought a 155W CO2 laser to try and start my own business. I have a main niche product I want to be making. But plan on kind of "throwing anything at the wall" and see what sticks.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Nice starting laser 😁. Yes, your goal is the right one. I like to focus on sign making but because I try new things all the time, other projects are taking off. So making signs is becoming a less significant part of my revenue

[@tecisme4753]

Your absolutely right. Finding time to keep doing your side hustle and maintaining your commitment to your main job (which lets you pays your bills) and family can be quite a balancing act. Glad you touched on that. Great content, keep them coming.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

This balance is important. Get you family involved then there’s no problem 😁

[@Brandi.Nicole]

Drooling over the black ❤ I absolutely love the rustic type lighting. Not exactly conducive for what I do but I absolutely love it!

[@SteveMakesEverything]

I like it too

[@mydmiller123]

This was very helpful! Think I'll watch it two or three times. Thank you, Steve!

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Happy it was helpful

[@donacianoc.sandoval2587]

Solid advice for anyone starting out in the laser community. Please keep making the videos, it helps us all out in learning :D

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Thanks, will do!

[@douglasjones6248]

Yes, please do more videos on the business side of things. You are right it is hard if for no other reason than there are hundreds or thousands with the same idea. Your points about a business plan and goals really resonated with me. Something I need to do for my hobby business if I want to move to the nest level.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

You got it! Anything specific you'd like covered?

[@bobby4339]

Thank you. Great info.

[@64ssmalibu]

Thank you Steve, this was a informative lesson. I am one of those who would like to make a go at a business. Getting the ball rolling seems to be the hard part . come hell or high water I'm gonna make it happen. Keep up the great vids.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Well if there are business topics you'd like to see I'm happy to cover things.

[@jeteemetro6169]

Thank you Steve for sharing your experience. IMHO, you nailed it (again)! :) I enjoy the business topic, and would enjoy other episodes. Btw, got my Muse 3D a few weeks back (adapted it to 220V supply) and it is great fun.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Awesome, thank you! Glad this is helpful. If there are specific business topics you want to see covered just let me know either here or by email. Happy your laser made if safely to Europe.😀

[@BobTSquirrel]

Thanks for the business focus Steve. It was researching my Muse 3D (awaiting despatch!) for the side hustle that pointed me to your videos originally. Great tips!

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Glad it was helpful!

[@krissyjohnson2246]

Great video! Thank you!

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Hope it helps

[@elchaya22]

Thanks for the tips!

[@SteveMakesEverything]

You bet!

[@tillwohlfarth6920]

Great Tips ❤ thanks

[@SteveMakesEverything]

You are so welcome!

[@anthonyvoight4606]

Thank you Steve

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Any time!

[@sherryleggett1612]

That’s some great info Steve. I have been planning my laser business as a side hustle for my retirement but I really need to think of it as a business first with the potential to give me a great retirement. I need to start planning for how I will eventually sell this as a going concern rather than just selling off the equipment when I don’t want to do it anymore. I have to think of it as a business rather than as a hobby that provides a bit of pocket money. Thanks for this video that came at just the right time for a course correction before I head down the wrong path.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Hope it helps. The key to business success is to keep looking for thing of value that no one else is doing - possibly because no one has thought of it, or possibly because it takes more effort. Things that are easy to do will flood the market. I provide the coaster market and even the engraved tumbler market as evidence. These thing have no intellectual requirement so there is no barrier to entry. As a result there are thousands of people making these and making Pennie’s of profit on each one (or possibly losing money of each one). My advice: Never make a coaster unless you’re doing it for a business who will pay a premium to work with a reputable maker.

[@madr8b]

Thank for this amazing video. I too am thinking of trying my hand at a laser engraving business. I just received the Xtool D1 and I am feeling my way around this rather large learning curve. I am hoping that I can pick up this art and eventually obtain a Muse. They appear to be the best for my budget and seem to be fairly easy to operate. Thanks again for the video, I love what you do. Dan

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Glad it was helpful! I would like to do a few reviews of some of the entry level diode lasers - just need to find a manufacturer who has one to ship to me. Apparently supply chain issues are a real thing.

[@stuartwalsh4974]

Steve, you are a legend. I am within a couple of weeks of my laser business launch and you offered some really sound advice. I have a diode laser and a 40w CO2 laser (such was the way I could spend my meager budget), however, I have upgraded the board on the CO2 so now both units will run Lightburn. I cannot praise Lightburn enough as it has already transformed my workflow. Please make more videos on the business side and perhaps share examples of products that may have worked for you. I am in the UK and strongly driven to create beautiful, personalised products. Any advice from you or your subscribers would be gratefullly accepted. Many thanks, Stu

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Yes lightburn is awesome. The next video will be business focused. Specifically to dress the challenges of figuring out what to build and who to sell it to for profit when you’re just getting your business going

[@rm3rockymountainmysticman109]

Thank you so much for this video. Please make more about the business side. You had some awesome advice for a first time laser business owner and I am highly interested in learning more from you. Thanks again!!

[@SteveMakesEverything]

I like the business aspect. Anything is particular you would like to see?

[@catnippetsitting]

Stellar advice

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Hope it helps

[@g-paj5430]

Excellent Steve. Just starting to do laser engraving research and found this, and many of your vids, to be outstanding. I know that was done last year but hope I find more and you do more as well. Thanks! JH

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Thanks. I’m just trying to be helpful. The most recent video is also about the maker business relating to product pricing

[@g-paj5430]

@@SteveMakesEverything very helpful for sure. I am stepping though your videos as I have time. Thanks again!

[@itsnotlevel2]

Finding customers is THE hard part.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Yes, though many fail to discover how much work it takes to build a customer base

[@valnaturegreen2290]

Thanks for all details about that business. I just clicked Read More and a nice list of things/address where I can get it. You are so organized. Thanks a lot!

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Glad it was helpful!

[@valnaturegreen2290]

You made me laugh. I am beginner who loves making crafts and I want to work on that during my retirement life. Thanks a lot!

[@SteveMakesEverything]

We are clearly on the same path. I plan on making things in my workshop until they find my lying on the floor. 😉

[@embtroop]

A-1 presentation Steve! Yours is also some of the best business advice I have seen yet. Muse needs to give you something for your efforts as well. Thanks brother and stay strong!

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Wow, thanks! I'd love to do more hardware reviews and I've asked FSL if they have units for reviewers, but so far the answer is no. I'll keep my fingers crossed though since understanding the hardware out there is pretty important for most viewers.

[@embtroop]

@@SteveMakesEverything I have to scan your videos more. Do you have a comparison to diode and fiber types? I want to etch and cut wood for crafts, fabric for embroidery applique, and the rotary add-on seems like a must have. Thanks again!

[@SteveMakesEverything]

@@embtroop If you want to cut materials, then a CO2 laser is your laser of choice. You can do rudimentary cutting with a diode laser but it wont be clean. Fibre lasers are more targeted to engraving as well. Both will arguably engrave some materials better than a CO2 laser but neither will cut as well.

[@embtroop]

@@SteveMakesEverything Ok. Diode is the go-to for etching mostly then. I have an Ioline cutter that won't be going away soon in that case. The most interesting low end (diode) I've seen is SparkMaker LaserPro as reviewd by Make or Break Shop. The self adjusting cutter was awesome. I liked it but I think the time would be better spent in the mid range. If purchasing were more straightforward on their site, I think I'd have bought it yesterday! It looks like someone is asleep at the wheel. Muse still leads the pack. I need a real list to start the laser journey and advice on upgrading if I start with the basic model. 45W upgrade seems reasonable but the internal/external fan box, filters and water cooling stuff is a little confusing.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

@@embtroop I'm not sure I would call a diode laser the go-to for engraving since both fibre and CO2 lasers are great as well, though if you want to put a photo on a piece of wood it is far easier with a diode laser. This has to do with its lower energy density to some degree. However, if you are comparing engraving capability vs price then a diode laser wins easily. Most are fairly inexpensive compared to $5K CO2 laser or an $8K fibre laser.

[@FamousHec]

Like the thumbnail 😎 Thanks for the great info Steve 👍

[@SteveMakesEverything]

😀Sweet! I was trying out a different thumbnail style. Thanks for the feedback

[@FamousHec]

@@SteveMakesEverything question.. Do you use your home address to ship your products? Or do you use a virtual address?

[@SteveMakesEverything]

@@FamousHec Well my shop is in the same place as my house so they are one and the same. As I move more into volume sales I will probably get a post office box to further separate my business from the rest of the my life

[@caneloANDRETTi]

Steve, because of your videos along with Dad build Dad. I just ordered a Core. Your videos have been very helpful and I hope you continue to do more business videos.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

I was thinking it’s time to add to the business video collection. Any subjects you specifically want covered?

[@caneloANDRETTi]

@@SteveMakesEverything What about a video covering loses within the business. For example, if you get an engraving job and for some reason the engraving messed up and now you have to replace the item.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

@@caneloANDRETTi 😀 What's to know? Sometimes you just screw things up really bad and you either eat the cost to keep a customer happy or you make them unhappy. It's really never good to do the latter, so sometimes you just take a loss. In one of the business focused videos I did, I cover cost estimation and how to quote to mitigate the added cost of making a mistake.

[@caneloANDRETTi]

@@SteveMakesEverything well what about engraving rare parts. The reason I'm asking is that if this takes off. My plans are to get a muse galvo and start engraving wedding rings, guns, and other items of high sentimental value and just value in general. What's your thoughts on this?

[@SteveMakesEverything]

@@caneloANDRETTi If you plan to engrave anything that is of significant value then you will need to protect yourself. First, incorporate so that if you really make a huge mistake, it's a company getting sued rather than you personally. Second, see if you can find insurance to cover this. Finally you would probably also want customers to understand the risks and sign some sort of waiver. This business would be all about protecting yourself because no matter how long you've been engraving things, mistakes can happen.

[@samchannon533]

Love the video, I have been running on etsy but should i change to shopify?? or do both?

[@SteveMakesEverything]

I'm Etsy only because it's a well-understood brand for the types of things we can build and sell. I should use Shopify since I should be supporting a Canadian company, but when I looked at it, it seemed harder to use and it wasn't clear it was going to be better or cheaper. Instead I fired up my own on-line store and web site. Anyone else have any experience around this?

[@radsan3006]

One of my biggest worries is, lets say I figure out something unique to create, then turn around and start selling it on Etsy or wherever, only to have others start creating that same thing. So much for me making a decent buck selling something that was rare.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Unfortunately Etsy is a feeding ground for this sort of behavior and unless you’re willing to have lawyers start chasing people you’re kind of stuck. This is the main reason I prefer to do custom work rather than putting a bunch of my best efforts on Etsy. All you can really do is get Etsy to provide a takedown on people but that isn’t easy either.

[@radsan3006]

@@SteveMakesEverything Thanks for the input Steve.

[@tanyagarland7099]

I've been binge watching your videos, such great info! Have you ever done anything on shipping product? I'm going from apparel and small gifts to engraving and larger items and there's very limited info. How to safely and cost efficiently package and ship.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

I’ve thought about doing something on shipping but this is very country specific so I’m not sure how to make it generic for everyone

[@tanyagarland7099]

@@SteveMakesEverything I guess I was thinking more the packaging for safe shipping.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

@@tanyagarland7099 Use lots of bubble wrap ;-) Seriously though, one of the projects that's been on my list for a while is custom packaging. If you have your own products, how would you create a customer box for it. I tend to make a lot of my own boxes - mostly to get rid of the endless sea of cardboard I seem to collect. I try to avoid throwing it into a landfill or even recycling if can, so I make my own boxes.

[@duckmcnutty]

Thanks for the excellent video. One question; what is the earning potential for a business like this? Thanks again.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Naturally there is no reasonable answer I could provide. It really depends on your time and commitment as well as what you sell. A number of people have asked me this question so I think maybe I'll put together another video in the business series to answer it (or at least provide my opinion).

[@valnaturegreen2290]

Steve, is FSL Muse 3D Autofocus Desktop CO2 Laser Cutter a good started? Code Disc. Thanks.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

In spite of the creative advertising your might see, don't assume there is a huge difference between different CO2 lasers for the home/small business market. Most of them use the same parts (though quality grades may vary) and provide similar software to use them. Some will be easier to use but that usually means you're sacrificing something that your might want later (e.g. No rotary attachment for a Glowforge). The one caution I usually try to make for all new users is that you can't assume a laser is as simple as a toaster. These are precision scientific/industrial instruments and will require frequent routine maintenance (e.g. cleaning and aligning) if you want them to run at their peak, so be prepared to learn things and tinker a bit. So is a Muse right for you? That depends. If you want the closest thing to a turnkey laser then probably not. In fact if that's the case then you'd probably be looking at a Glowforge. But if you want flexibility to expand capabilities as you grow, such as engraving tumblers or changing your lens so you can engrave a very tall item then the Muse 3D might be.

[@squidskunk]

i just found your channle... more on the business side please..?

[@SteveMakesEverything]

I was actually just thinking about a couple of business videos. Do you have a favorite topic you want to see covered?

[@squidskunk]

@@SteveMakesEverything marketing/self promotion

[@guilouie]

Hey Steve is there anyway that you can enhance your toolbar for better visualizations. I really can’t see it very well. Thks Hamlet

[@SteveMakesEverything]

Which toolbar are you referring to? Always willing to improve things of course.

[@guilouie]

@@SteveMakesEverything UP TOP AND ON THE SIDES THEY ARE TO LIGHT AND NOT BIG ENOUGH TO SEE THE ICONS. I am surprised that they do not send a basic booklet everything nowadays is all electronic.

[@SteveMakesEverything]

​ @Joe Hamlet Ah I see why I was confused. I told you I wasn't FSL Support, but in reality I'm not FSL anything, so I can't do much about those toolbars. However it's probably worth sending them a support request to have their software people consider this. Not everyone has the vision of a falcon

[@guilouie]

@@SteveMakesEverything Yeah bifocals stink!

[@jeffalbrecht1]

This is about starting a business in general. It's clickbate to say the focus is a laser business!

[@SteveMakesEverything]

I don’t do clickbate. The principles of business apply regardless of your product. Making money selling laser products is no different than selling cars.

[@jeffalbrecht1]

@@SteveMakesEverything BS pal. After starting 15 businesses myself I can tell you need general and specific knowledge and passion in your new chosen business endeavor. Cars and laser strippers have a totally different market segment and personality type. If you are giving general knowledge, then state that in your thumbnail!

[@SteveMakesEverything]

@@jeffalbrecht1 Well we could debate this, but I've sold a couple of my own tech companies over the years too and I can assure you that I use the same techniques now that served me well then. Sure cars and lasers (or laser products) are in wildly different market segments, but there is a common element in all businesses - you are selling to people, and they don't change regardless of what market they happen to be looking in.