If you are like most of the stone shop owners I know, you probably started your stone career with wild expectations of how much money you can make.

When properly equipped with today’s technology, small fabrication shops can produce the same amount with less manpower, and it is possible to profitably operate a “microshop” with just an owner and a helper.

The concept for this article began with a sales call to a well-qualified client. We had done the granite in his neighbor’s house and came highly recommended. I had made two trips to the client’s house and had everything ironed out. He also wanted to replace his cabinets, and I recommended several of the cabinet shops that we work closely with. He assured me that after he had nailed down his cabinet situation the next week, he would go forward with the granite order. I considered it a done deal.