Should I start my own car audio business
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=19651
Printed Date: October 31, 2024 at 7:03 PM
Topic: Should I start my own car audio business
Posted By: Deez_Nutz
Subject: Should I start my own car audio business
Date Posted: October 04, 2003 at 5:37 PM
I am 18 and looking into starting my own car audio business so tell me what you think of my install thanks https://members.cardomain.com/kwickymart
Replies:
Posted By: Velocity Motors
Date Posted: October 04, 2003 at 8:00 PM
Make sure you do a marketing survey to see if the area that your in will support a shop like the one that you want. When you first start off your business, there's nothing glorious about it as you will do alot of crappy little jobs, basic stereo installations & quick little installs to get your name out. Try to get more experience behind your name first and then consider trying a business venture.
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Jeff
Velocity Custom Home Theater
Mobile Audio/Video Specialist
Morden, Manitoba CANADA
Posted By: NowYaKnow
Date Posted: October 04, 2003 at 9:29 PM
I've never owned a business so I really can't be the judge but here's a couple tips:
1. Good installers don't necessarily make good businessmen.
2. I think you should find work at an established shop first and gain some experience. In the meantime you can continue doing side jobs and getting your name out there. Then when you feel your ready do all the research and give it a go.
Your really the only one who can say whether you should start one or not..I would say if your not sure, your not ready..
Anyway the pics you posted look pretty good nice job. Most look like unfinished pics have any of the final product? Anyway best of luck!
Posted By: IXJ159
Date Posted: October 05, 2003 at 8:44 PM
If you decide to open a car audio business you better know what you are doing or pray your have veteren installers who know what they are doing. Any fool can hook up a radio or amp, anybody can make boxes. But you have to realize 95% of your business is not car audio freaks, lots of people who want a video systems. Do you feel confident on hanging a TV in a $70K lexus? or putting remote starts on cars, have you ever tempted to do any of that work? I dont know where you live regionally, but if it gets cold nov-jan is starter season and you better know what you are doing. The shop I work at does about 100-130K in sales a month, and roughly $20-25K of that is labor. I bet we only build 1 box a month, we probably install 20=30 ($39 labor) cd players in a month, the rest if from alarms, remote starts, and video systems, and other weird stuff like neons, etc. You also have to be prepared for doing weird stuff like i never thought about, if you only knew how many ppl bring woofers back, amps, etc etc we have 1 employee that just does returns and inventory, etc etc and he always puts in 40 hours a week, sending stuff out to be repaired, etc etc.. you need to get in about 3 shops over the next 5 years to see how it need to be ran and see what you are getting into. I'd think twice, not for me. Eric
Posted By: NismaX
Date Posted: October 06, 2003 at 8:27 PM
I've been running my own shop solo now for a 8yrs. It hasn't been easy. The only downfall to the whole business is never having enough knowledge. It really is everything. At least working with other people you have a knowlege bank to draw ideas from. I turn to this forum quite frequently for ideas. And yes you can't be afraid to touch cars. You will get a brand new car that you know nothing about to work on. I just wonder what kind of future installers have. The cars are getting tougher to change. Radios are proprietary (in other words changing them will cause parts of the car to not work). The Chevy Malibu is available from GM with an autostarter. The factory is trying to give the customer all they want so that installers will be left with nothing to install.
Just my 2 cents
Jon
Posted By: SnomanF150
Date Posted: October 06, 2003 at 8:38 PM
As long as there are teenagers and twenty-somethings, we'll all have a job.. Don't see a Chevy Cavilier coming with 2 12s or 15s from the factory..
Posted By: waffalobill
Date Posted: October 07, 2003 at 2:32 AM
BUT you will see Chevy Cavaliers etc. with weaker and weaker electrical systems that will not handle the load. Be prepared to start changing harnesses to accommidate these improvments.
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I think I see Light!
Posted By: profuse007
Date Posted: October 07, 2003 at 2:55 AM
thesenuts,
it seems like youre pretty confident to come out and say you want to open a business. what make you think of this, am sure you got some reasons or background you havent told. tell us.
i think thosenutz thinking of opening a business with another installer not by himself, prolly with a veteran installer.
It seems like you work on cars and stuff and understand how the car works. since you only mention car audio and not car alarm and even if you never hook up an alarm, it will be easier for you to learn. actually nothing to learn about car alarm, just plug and chug. for most ppl to come out and say that installing this and that is hard, bullsh*t. if they can learn, anyone can learn it. it just takes time to build confident when take on a task.
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Houston,TX
"The two most common elements in the universe are H+ and stupidity" (Ellison).
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