Hi

[ROBK]

Stumbled on this site a couple days ago and have been browsing the forum since then. This looks to be an excellent resource for ideas in the crazy world of running a repair shop. I opened up a 3 bay 2 lift garage in June of 2008. So far I am still a one man show, business has been slowly growing through word of mouth and I'm just now starting to get a little more consistent. Opening up on a shoe string budget I have not been able to do any real advertising, but have kept my expenses to a minimum. I feel my customer retention has been very good and am confident that my business will survive and grow. I look forward to posting here and will do my best to offer whatever input I can in the discussions while I take advantage of the experience and knowledge from those that have already been there done that in there businesses.

[xrac]

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[ROBK]

Good to have you! How about filling us in a little on what lead you to start your business.

 

It was either ambition or insanity. I guess there was a lot of factors that made me leave a good job with benefits making good money for a great boss who even offered me a lot more money and vacation time to stay. To open a shop, making just barely almost enough money to get by working 7 days, 70+ hours a week. I wanted to be in control of my own destiny, succeed or fail I wanted to be able to say I at least tried instead of reaching a day where I found myself asking what if? It was rough in the beginning, the money I was planning to use as my start up capitol was in the stock market.. in a company that lost $8 a share a couple days before I was planning on selling some to keep in the bank. I decided to hold on to see if it went up just a little while getting by on what I had, that was just before the bank collapse when it lost all value. I held on and it'll be 2 years in June. At this point I don't regret a thing, and am now in a process of reevaluating a lot of things that I have been doing this far and making some changes going from a get the job even if I don't get what the job is really worth mentality to feeling that now I'm established enough with enough steady business to let some of the nightmare jobs go to someone else.

[Alex]

Welcome aboard!

[xrac]

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[CARMandP]

Welcome from a fellow one man show. I have been going since May 08 so I know your pain I look forward to getting to hear from you and learn some great ideas. Please don't be a stranger.

[Gonzo]

Stumbled on this site a couple days ago and have been browsing the forum since then. This looks to be an excellent resource for ideas in the crazy world of running a repair shop. I opened up a 3 bay 2 lift garage in June of 2008. So far I am still a one man show, business has been slowly growing through word of mouth and I'm just now starting to get a little more consistent. Opening up on a shoe string budget I have not been able to do any real advertising, but have kept my expenses to a minimum. I feel my customer retention has been very good and am confident that my business will survive and grow. I look forward to posting here and will do my best to offer whatever input I can in the discussions while I take advantage of the experience and knowledge from those that have already been there done that in there businesses.

Nice to see ya here. I've ran a shop for over 27 years now. At times I've been by myself and at times I've had as many as 5 techs and several interns working at the same time. I'm not sure if it's the large number of techs that's important.....BUT.... do quality work, get to know your customers.... stand behind all that you do. Then again the most important thing is to enjoy what you do.... when the work isn't fun... it's work just to get up and go to work....

 

Need a laugh, need some advise, hang around here long enough you'll get both.

 

Right now I gotta get back to work.... trying install a helicopter landing pad on top of a Yugo.... dang customers... always wantin' somethin' Later Gonzo

Edited April 23, 2010 by Gonzo

[ROBK]

trying install a helicopter landing pad on top of a Yugo.... dang customers... always wantin' somethin' Later Gonzo

Let us know how that goes...... did you hear Yugo is coming back with a bigger better car, a minivan actually. There calling it the wego

[Gonzo]

Let us know how that goes...... did you hear Yugo is coming back with a bigger better car, a minivan actually. There calling it the wego

 

You'll fit right in.

If ya ever need a few laughs... go to my website. www.gonzostoolbox.com

[Joe Marconi]

Welcome aboard, ROBK. I'm happy you found us.

 

It seems like you started your shop the way a lot of us have.

 

Our goal is to help grow your business, so keep the questions comming and read through the forums. There is a wealth of inforamtion.