This will probably be a few years but I have an idea. I've been on the business/marketing path for about 7-8 yrs now. I started in high school and it continued in college toward a career. After stupidly taking a couple years off after my associates I got a job working for a university that pays for my school. For the sole reason of finishing my bachelors. I've actually got a good job right now making about $14 bucks an hour, absolutely great benefits(everything included,medical,dental,optical,etc), and my school paid for no matter what classes I want to take. I've been taking more marketing/management classes to finish up but I'm not done yet. I've considered taking some of the automotive classes my university supplies just for kicks and giggles, since they're free. A couple of my friends made suggestion(from what I've spoke of before) that maybe I should take as many classes in the automotive program I can(especially the performance engineering part) and get a degree in that, along with my marketing degree. Then someday use my business/marketing knowledge to start a business, and use my automotive experience and just plain love for auto's and have that be my focus. Like some kind of performance shop or something, more than likely to be determined specifically, but basically that's it. My best friend is an ASE certified mechanic, another is a backyard certified mechanic(knows a ton about all cars) and have several several other friends/people I know that have as much knowledge and love for cars that I do. So I'd have a fairly good investor/skills base to start with. Anyone think this is a good idea? Also what are some things to consider, demographics to consider, etc. Gotta go so I'm cutting this short, but you get the idea. Please give me some input. Thanks

 

There are already too many and most new shops don't make it thru the first year. Go into the aftermarket parts market. Give scamchargers some competition.

 

That's probably a good idea, then I wouldn't have to get so dirty when I go to work

 

Mike, do you every do anything besides bash where I and a few others here work?

 

I think either of those ideas are great (shop or store, heck have both under one roof!!). While it is definatly hard to get the business to stick, if its your dream, and can make a good buisness case, I say go for it. Even the biggest/ most successful business started small somewhere/ sometime.

 

All I'm thinking is to start small. A couple mechanics/fabricators doing simple things. Heads/cam installs, gears, power adders, performance mods, etc. None of the actual machining yet, just the things that can be done with simple hand tools. Get a good client base with things like that then move on if things work well. Possibly not even carry any of the parts, just be a distributer for a few manufacturers. The problem I have is demographics. I can't think of anywhere around where I live besides Grand Rapids that would have enough people with cars that would want things done to them. If word of mouth got around and people from my area started coming in, things would be different. But I think getting customers would be my hardest trial. I know so many people with performance cars from all years and all makes, not to mention the thousands apon thousands I've just seen around. I'm sure a lot of those people do their own work, but a good shop with quality employees and a great rep can get some serious business. I just need to figure out how to get that business and keep it coming.

 

I suggest you start small, with just you. Find a garage that you can work in, with lots of lighting. Invest in tools you'll use forever, a MIG/TIG welder, and some tuning tools. These are things you'd get if you were seriously in as a performance hobbyist, anyway.

Then, sponsor a couple of successful race cars by building them for free labor. Market your shop at the cruises! Use your car as a rolling test bed. Don't hire anyone until you are working at least 60 hours a week for fifty bucks an hour, and another 12 hours for just keeping the place clean and the acounting done. Then it'll be time to add some staff and move into a 4000 square foot office at the local industrial complex!

Go to http://www.spohn.net and see how Steve Spohn did it. He did it this very way. He and his dad built stuff out of his pole barn until business had them both working from morning until night. Then they began adding staff to make it successful. I bought my stuff from him back in mid-1999, when he was just starting out.

 

Thanks for the tips, those are great ideas. I actually know where I can get two seperate lifts cheap, I've got about 5 grand worth of tools but I get a 50% discount off tools if I do the auto classes I talk about. Also I have arc & mig welders cause I'm welding certified from back in highschool. Now I just need to find a shop.

 

If you're baiting the hook waiting for me to bite Dave, think again. I'm not going to get into why your place of employment sucks or why you have to question why it sucks. I think Ramchargers time has come to get some local competition. The only real reason Ramchargers even makes it here is because there is no competition. Don't you think that if there were only CVS Pharmacies in MI that people would only be able to go to CVS? Now enter Rite Aid to the picture. Prices drop and customer service goes up becuase now those stores both have to actually work at getting their customers. Something I have been saying for a long time is that Ramchargers doesn't have to work for its customers. So Dave if you have anything else to add please keep it to a PM and not screw up this guys post.

 

PM on the way..

 

I would be cool for shure But it seems to me the west side of the state only has a 1/3 of the performance cars the east side has, so that is why the east side has most of the shops around, I know when the time comes to get my car tuned I will most likley have to go over to the east side to find a good shop (unless there is a good one around GR that I don't know of and can trust)

 

I dont think it is so much that the cars dont exist on this side of the state. I just believe that this side of the state dosent have the orginaization that the east side has. A shop, with the right business plan, and the right person running it could work. This I truly believe. But you would need a tuner to help out...........Hey Phil ya busy

Q