I own my own sign business. It seems to be picking up, but I've had 2 other "sign shops" open here in the last two years. I'm 3rd generation, so I'm not too worried about them. Just some yahoos that bought plotters on ebay and decided they knew how to lay out a sign.
As for pay, when it's all said and done, I doubt I'm taking home as much as I'm paying my worker-monkeys!

Ahhh....the joys of owning your own business! bills bills bills bills taxes bills bills taxes taxes bills bills bills day off, repeat.