Are you helping me move my workshop?
Donation protected
Will you help me move my workshop?
I run a small, one man business making custom trumpets and I was forced to move out of my current workshop space.
When I started this campaign a year ago I was expecting to be looking for a new rented facility. But a friend read the campaign and offered to help me to buy a facility. We succeeded in doing so and the new space is nearly ready. Very exciting, and also challenging!
Covid19 has robbed many artists from their income. This has happened to me as well. I missed out on nearly €20.000 on performing concerts. This has quite an impact of my financial situation. I managed to partially fill the covid19 gap with workshop activities. And luckily the workshop business future is looking good and healthy. But the extra costs after purchase of the new workshop (that I could buy thanks to all the people that already donated <3) are a challenge..
So I am now trying to gather money for setting up basics in the new space. Heating, lights, maybe some walls, a toilet, etc. So the next step is to try and find these funds. I kept the original crowfunder up to show how nice people have already been to me. I don’t like holding my hand up and this is not what I am trying to do here. I will repay in some way. I have my services to offer, etc. Most of the people that donated in the “first run” know about this and have experienced it already.
People that are interested to read more about how I have built up my business and my personal reasons to why I aim to make this step with the focus on workshop activities (whilst I could make a living as a professional player and teacher) can scroll all the way down to read more.
How does it work and why would you participate?
I must start with explaining that my goal is not to take advantage of anyone. What I am trying to do is secure an amount of money that gives me the guarantee that the transition to the new workshop close is possible without starting in minus. All donations are greatly appreciated and the money will be put directly into the work that needs to be done. People that know me also know that gift given to me is “not a gift”. I write down to who I owe time ;).
Background information
I have been working as a professional player and teacher for over 20 years. I played with very nice modern orchestras like the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Radio Symphony Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Schoenberg Ensemble, Ives Ensemble, trumpet ensemble of the Royal Concertgebouw, have played over 500 educational programs with a Brass Quintet setup, and since 2007 I have mainly been working as a historic specialist at the Dutch Bach Society (Nederlandse Bachvereniging) and the Orchestra of the 18th Century here in the Netherlands. Besides that I have been teaching trumpet from the age of 16. And I still do and still love it.
At some point around 2005 I got into mouthpiece making. Then I decided to move towards making trumpets. Every penny of profit I made with it went back into the business. Never any loans. Five years later in 2009 I started building my first trumpets. Then I got married. My workshop was the small shed behind the house. In 2014 the shed really became too small and I moved to a space triple the size. Our first son was born in the same year. Then in 2016, just after our second son was born I managed to move all of my stuff to my current workshop which was a lot bigger again. A few months later we also moved house because our little house became too small a family of four.
Around 2018 it became apparent that our second and youngest son, Oliver, was developing in a very different way than his older brother, William. It can be quite a challenge to keep up with Olivers pace and way of dealing with the world since according to the specialists he is on the autistic spectrum. We don’t know for sure if this is correct but what is sure is that the extra care and attention this asks from me, my wife and his bigger brother is clearly noticable. Over the last two years I have worked crazy hours. This his taking its toll on my and my wifes wellbeing. Now Oliver is growing older we see that he will continue to need extra care and attention. So I have decided to adjust my life to his and the families needs. Less touring abroad, more working close to home at steady work times whenever possible so I can support my wife. I feel blessed that I have the chance to do so and that is why I grasped this opportunity to own my own business property with both hands.
As I mentioned in the introduction above I didn’t count on the costs/time and especially energy of this big move and such a big purchase. So that is why I have set up this campaign. It will put my mind to rest knowing that the space is at least warm and lit.
Thank you in advance for your continuing support!
I run a small, one man business making custom trumpets and I was forced to move out of my current workshop space.
When I started this campaign a year ago I was expecting to be looking for a new rented facility. But a friend read the campaign and offered to help me to buy a facility. We succeeded in doing so and the new space is nearly ready. Very exciting, and also challenging!
Covid19 has robbed many artists from their income. This has happened to me as well. I missed out on nearly €20.000 on performing concerts. This has quite an impact of my financial situation. I managed to partially fill the covid19 gap with workshop activities. And luckily the workshop business future is looking good and healthy. But the extra costs after purchase of the new workshop (that I could buy thanks to all the people that already donated <3) are a challenge..
So I am now trying to gather money for setting up basics in the new space. Heating, lights, maybe some walls, a toilet, etc. So the next step is to try and find these funds. I kept the original crowfunder up to show how nice people have already been to me. I don’t like holding my hand up and this is not what I am trying to do here. I will repay in some way. I have my services to offer, etc. Most of the people that donated in the “first run” know about this and have experienced it already.
People that are interested to read more about how I have built up my business and my personal reasons to why I aim to make this step with the focus on workshop activities (whilst I could make a living as a professional player and teacher) can scroll all the way down to read more.
How does it work and why would you participate?
I must start with explaining that my goal is not to take advantage of anyone. What I am trying to do is secure an amount of money that gives me the guarantee that the transition to the new workshop close is possible without starting in minus. All donations are greatly appreciated and the money will be put directly into the work that needs to be done. People that know me also know that gift given to me is “not a gift”. I write down to who I owe time ;).
Background information
I have been working as a professional player and teacher for over 20 years. I played with very nice modern orchestras like the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Radio Symphony Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Schoenberg Ensemble, Ives Ensemble, trumpet ensemble of the Royal Concertgebouw, have played over 500 educational programs with a Brass Quintet setup, and since 2007 I have mainly been working as a historic specialist at the Dutch Bach Society (Nederlandse Bachvereniging) and the Orchestra of the 18th Century here in the Netherlands. Besides that I have been teaching trumpet from the age of 16. And I still do and still love it.
At some point around 2005 I got into mouthpiece making. Then I decided to move towards making trumpets. Every penny of profit I made with it went back into the business. Never any loans. Five years later in 2009 I started building my first trumpets. Then I got married. My workshop was the small shed behind the house. In 2014 the shed really became too small and I moved to a space triple the size. Our first son was born in the same year. Then in 2016, just after our second son was born I managed to move all of my stuff to my current workshop which was a lot bigger again. A few months later we also moved house because our little house became too small a family of four.
Around 2018 it became apparent that our second and youngest son, Oliver, was developing in a very different way than his older brother, William. It can be quite a challenge to keep up with Olivers pace and way of dealing with the world since according to the specialists he is on the autistic spectrum. We don’t know for sure if this is correct but what is sure is that the extra care and attention this asks from me, my wife and his bigger brother is clearly noticable. Over the last two years I have worked crazy hours. This his taking its toll on my and my wifes wellbeing. Now Oliver is growing older we see that he will continue to need extra care and attention. So I have decided to adjust my life to his and the families needs. Less touring abroad, more working close to home at steady work times whenever possible so I can support my wife. I feel blessed that I have the chance to do so and that is why I grasped this opportunity to own my own business property with both hands.
As I mentioned in the introduction above I didn’t count on the costs/time and especially energy of this big move and such a big purchase. So that is why I have set up this campaign. It will put my mind to rest knowing that the space is at least warm and lit.
Thank you in advance for your continuing support!
Organiser
Mark Geelen
Organiser
Wijk bij Duurstede, NL
