Need input - your opinions.

[Daryl Lane]

Will I am not getting any younger, and the wife and I want to try and do some more camping and visiting the kids. So I am thinking it may be time to close or pass on/sale my R/C venture, any thoughts?


Yes I mean Factory Works and A&L. Daryl

[klavy69]

You talkin about sellin out or just closing doors?

Either way I think that would be a bad idea from our end of the deal

Maybe you could scale back on some of the work or maybe just cut hours down to like maybe 3 days a week to be able to do more of what you want. I've seen alot of guys give up on ventures like you have and end up with major 'give in remorse'.

of course this is just my opinion and not knowing how old you are or what your $ situation is. What I do know is you gotta enjoy life at one point or another so maybe its your time. Good luck with your decision.

Todd

[Phin]

I'd suggest holding onto the A&L brand since it's got your name attached to it. You might end up regretting it if the next guy doesn't live up, and drags the brand through the mud. Also keeping it gives you something to come back to after the wife and kids get sick of having you around all the time.

Passing the business on under just the Factory Works brand might work, being as the name is more generic and a new owner could expand it on his or her own. Unfortunately, most of the people that venerate the A&L and FW logos are old codgers too, and like you we're getting to where we're looking to get out of business not start up a new one. Someone who picks up the business from you hoping to carry on the legacy will likely end up looking to retire and unload in a few years themselves.

Factory Works is a cool name for RC products though, so you might find some youngin' who wants to use the name for their own product line.


Lastly, if you're just looking to clear inventory with a fire sale the B/S/T forums will help you out.

[Daryl Lane]

Todd, Trust me I do not work hard at this now - I'm sure if I was still on fea-bay I would be busier. Actually I sorta want my garage empty and if anything were to happen to me I know my wife would not know what to do with everything and so in the trash it would go.

I agree that anyone who knows anything about A&L is about my age. As far as the name goes, life goes on and in 20 more years or so no one will remember A&L.

I would much rather it get passed on now so I can help with it then see it all end up at the dump.

Just in case anyone is thinking - doc says I'm healthy for now, this is not a health motivated decision.

Phin - I have way too much inventory for a fire sell to make a dent and then that means hours of pm's and trips to the port office.

Man do I sound lazy....

[R Cane]

If you really are looking to sell off some of your items, I bet there are some of our members in your area that you could make some kind of deal with, such as they would do the listing and shipping work, and you let them have an item or two from your inventory...everybody wins...

[Twister]

Hi Daryl
I recently bought a A&L tranny for my Kyosho Ultima for our vintagerace and i am very happy with it, there were also a comlete A&L ultima chassis running but with a thorp tranny. And it was ballistic!
So was my car but the driver was not
Your stuff is awesome! And i would really miss your brand if you shelf it..
But if your heart is not in it well.. Then its no good. Anyways if you decide to close let me know
I'm up for more great A&L stuff best regards/ Tony.

[Daryl Lane]

Thanks guys
My desire is to find someone to take it over (all) and carry on with it. I believe that someone that wanted to put in the hours could make some good side money to start with. I just do not have the desire to work on new things. Plus with the market the way it is the only way to make it worth the effort is to only sell direct to the end user - discounts are really deep in the hobby industry. If A7L parts were sold to hobby shops a lot of the retail prices I give would have to go up 50% or more not good for you the hobbyists in the came.

Anyway no real plans yet just putting it out there.

[TRX-1-3]

Daryl,

Don't do it dude. Keep it rolling. I have a bad feeling that it would just turn into a vintage parts grab frenzy. We've already seen it here in this very thread...B/S/T...."fire sale". You're Daryl Lane, man. The Daryl Lane. I am a Murphy's Law kinda guy though, so who knows. We will respect whatever decision you make. My opinion.

Mark

[Bormac]

I can appreciate where you are coming from Daryl. Life does go on and you no doubt want to spend more of your later years enjoying the spoils that your company has afforded you. That's only natural.

If I had the capital I'd gladly take over for you. I love all of your stuff.