I'm pretty sure it helps, but it's just one of the factors. I can't speak for other builders, but the reasons I decided to try this were mostly because I love bikes. I love fixing bikes for people and helping them find the right bike. Working in a bike shop always felt like a temporary job, something to do on the way to bigger things. While I loved working in bike shops, I didn't always love dealing with the customer service requirements. Most customers don't value a skilled mechanic and think that shop prices are too high, it gets depressing. After 15 years of working in all aspects of a bike shop (shipping/ assembly/ sales/ service/ buyer) I was ready to try something a little more challenging. I know that making bikes will provide a lifetime of learning and if I keep trying to improve every part of it, I'll never have a shortage of things to do. The year that Nate and I decided to start Signal I was right on the fence about going back to school to try to get a degree in Industrial Design. I'm really glad I made the decision I did.
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