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something different...1 location multiple services
35 car garage - 2500/month plus utilities. 2x 240v receptacles, multiple 120v outlets & lights. Successful auto repair business was held there for 34-35years and now its my turn. It is in a highly populated area.
Credentials: Comptia A+ certified (computer tech), ASE automotive engine repair & med/hvy duty trucks electrical/electronic systems, 2-3years welding mig/stick (not certified), fabricator & extremely quick learner
clientele: small at the moment but once business is open it will expand quickly
I am looking to take this location and split it into 2 businesses main focus auto repair. Other one will be computer repair. We will also be hosting a party once a month and a venue for bands to come and play once a month. The venue has a successful history & the promoter is a friend who is eager to take on the opportunity. For the parties we have an excellent dj who is known throughout the area.
Est. profit for parties will be: $800-$1000
Est. profit for venues will be: $650-$850
So 2 parties a month and I will have an est. $1500.
The venues will host 4bands and charge $10/person. Run from about 7:30-10:30pm. Parties dj and charge $15/guy and $20/guy if things are crowded.
Business will be run from monday thru friday. Friday we will clean up early in prep for parties & venues. No alcohol served at all. No food. Same way these guys have been doing it and been successful at it before.
Also will be starting up welding classes. Very small and private charging $25/hr and only having 1-2 students at a time. I will host the first class and then my employee will be there while they practice and guide them along. As they progress I will get them to the next level & employee will guide them along. I have a bunch of people who want to learn how to weld and startup for this is only $600 bucks to teach stick welding. This is going to be real hands on. Teach them how to scratch & run a bead, then get into detail on arc length & amperage, speed, electrode positioning, feel. Just let them practice this for a while. Metal will be free bc we will recycle it from other companies and just use it for these sessions. Only cost is electrode and electricity & gas to pick up metal.
Ok now to the actual business not what is going on behind the scenes.
Auto/Motorcycle Repair! NJ has a lot of auto businesses. Not a lot of places people actually recommend! We don't like going to dealers bc they are overpriced. Don't like bringing it to a new mechanic bc there is a trust factor. I have worked for about 3-4 companies who did mechanic work and have seen some sketchy things myself. Its so bad I get nervous when people do a damn oil change on my car. Watched the guy pulling on an AC line thinking it was the oil dipstick :-(. Couldn't open the oil filler cap on my car either. My clients - very small bc I don't have a location yet love my work. I fix their vehicle - charge a fair amount. Definitely not street prices but still save you at least 100-200 bucks from other repair places. Follow up calls and just keep in contact to make sure they are satisfied. I have about 4 people waiting for me to get some type of location to fix their motorcycle as well. They need some parts fabricated. Profit is $150+ for each person. Also have a transmission waiting to be done $200-$250 profit. Recently fixed a leaky coolant system along with a few other jobs, electrical and brakes. So I have a very very small clientele base but once the door opens it will spread like wild fire.
We will do tune ups, brakes, exhaust repair, electrical work, cooling system failures, headgaskets, transmissions, wheel bearings, struts/shocks (will need to get mounted elsewhere), radio/speaker installations, not sure if I want to do tints as well (probably not), diagnosing no starts/hard starts, fabrications for motorcycles (crash cages, 12 o clock bars, I know a lot of people in the stunt scene who need parts asap!) The fabricating will be done on weekends when there is no parties b.c. the profit per hour is going to be small (20-25/hr) in the beginning until we have templates to duplicate. Will also be selling these custom parts on ebay/craigslist. And also offer welding repair if someone comes in and asks but won't be a main part of business bc I don't see it in high demand. This is going to be managed and run from a friend who will be working for free until clientele is built up. Employee will also be promoting parties on spare time and will be making money from that for the first month.
Computer Service & Repair: high demand and only 12 computer repair shops in area. I remember working for a computer company driving an hour just to get to this location to fix a companies computer bc no one was local. Will offer spyware/virus removal, residential setups, small business networking, bsods fixes, partitioning setup, backups, etc. Everything will be on a drop off or pickup & deliver basis when we first start. No on-site work unless it fits into weekend schedule or at the moment I have time. But this will not be offered yet until things are booming and I hire someone.
Marketing: PARTIES AND VENUES! This is where they come into play. A minimum of 200 people per month will be receiving business cards & asked to drop off a business card in a box & home address & email address. Later research the company and write them a letter about what we offer if I see they might need computer service or a welder. The parties and venues will also be hosting some of our work done. Maybe some type of art work made from welding, a little go-kart, or neon lights/tints nice audio system installed in a car, to promote even further. I want these people to be active with my actual auto repair business. See what is actually going on. Also have some videos of people crashing their motorcycles and proving MY CAGES HOLD UP TOUGH playing on a big screen or projection.
Hand written envelopes will be sent to everyone & added to a list so we don't spam people & also emails sent. (Will budget this to x amount per month towards marketing so we don't go crazy with it.) Also will be promoting everywhere I go by word of mouth. See if any new businesses are opening and see if they need a computer tech. Call up construction companies, heavy duty equip. companies, auto repair places, etc. & send letters stating there is a welder in town if they need work with pictures of some work already done.
Marketing will also be done by internet on popular sites (no fees associated).
Goals for Month #1:Party and Venues - $1500 profit. Market to them. MARKETING..MARKETING MARKETING..welding classes. fabricate some crash cages
Goals for Month #2:Party and Venues - $1500 profit. Market from word of month and bring in $1000 in revenues
Month #3: $2000 in revenues
Month #4: $3000 in revenues
Month #5: $4000
Month #6: $5000
I will not be quitting my day job until I have 6-9months of rent/expenses saved. We will be running this like some poor dirty bastards. Making only economical investments.
I will be working my other job and will get to this business by 3:30pm every day and work til about 10pm. Hopefully things will get too busy and I will hire someone. I know a few good candidates already so that will not be a problem. Obviously during the day while at my job I will be handling some phone calls, etc. If I have to leave my job early that will not be a problem. My manager will be on location from 8-4:30 everyday or longer if needed working for free until business climbs. My other employee will also be working for free if needed on-call basis. Weekends I will be there to finish any work or marketing.
This is definitely a high-risk startup and something out of the wild. I understand I am asking a lot from myself and my employees with all these different services and venues going on, but this is just who I am. Ability to adopt and adapt to any situation makes me dangerous. Tired of working for businesses who you can see just aren't doing it right and always learning as much as I can from their positives. My manager is psyched about this opportunity, my party and venue promoters are psyched. By February we will have the funds to startup and would like advice. Don't hold back the fire ;-). We already have all the necessary tools for all the services I will offer. Laptop and monitor/keyboard to work on computers, etc. Close to 10k in tools to work on vehicles. I am just waiting for a call back for insurance. Small business insurance not property insurance. I am starting with minimal coverage (enough to cover my ass "just in case"). We will not be working on cars worth more than 40-50k so a small policy will suffice. Since they are working for free I don't have employees :-P. So its off the books once they are and later will work on changing that.
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