Noone can argue that training and equipment are essential. And I have a
bench full of Sencore gear. And yes, I know how to use it well, tyvm. Of
course, the NTSC stuff will see progressively less use after NTSC is finally
history. Unfortunately, a well-equipped shop with well-trained techs still
sits idle where there is little interest from the population.

As for advertising, there's little value in it when you have virtually no
competition and everyone in the area either knows who and where you are or
can quickly find you in the yellow pages. All the advertising in the world
is simply not going to generate interest in some areas, short of "Free
repairs for everyone from now on!".
That's only a slight exaggeration. As pricing oneself out of business isn't
a viable option, what are the alternatives? Would u go door to door, get on
your hands and knees and beg them to let u repair their TV? uhm, no..

So pack up and move to where the income is, right? Good idea. Not only is
that pretty costly, I'm also dug in at the moment for various reasons, so..
not an option.
Of course, starting a new biz venture isn't necessarily inexpensive, either.

I'm glad for those who find it as profitable today as it was a decade ago.
I'd think it was just ME, something I'm doing terribly WRONG, and nobody
else is in the same situation... were it not for all the shops (and part
suppliers) I see going belly up.

Another point:
Customers expect miracles (in a miraculous time period) while at the same
time viewing shop owners like rip off artists. Incompetent techs and
unscrupulous shop owners have earned the industry so many black marks over
the years that customers don't think twice about mouthing off and treating
ya like dirt. That most often occurs on their first visit, before you prove
yourself, but these days people are persistently rude as hell to begin with,
which only makes them behave worse when they encounter you with a
preconceived notion that you're determined to rip them off.
To borrow from the Truth campaign, 'Is it worth it?' Perhaps it is, where
it's very lucrative... not so much where it isn't. In any case, it has a
way of detracting from the enjoyment of the work. I guess it probably IS
time to get out when ya start viewing your customers in the same vein as
cancer sticks. =o

So.. anybody want a few boxes of ES&T mags?? j/k (for now)