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How Do You Become Successful?Posted 2/17/2003By Ned Tomarchio Who defines the word success? Each shop owner has his or her own idea of what success is. But for many shop owners, I am sad to say, it's staying one step ahead of their creditors and scratching out a meager existence. If this is your idea of success I want no part of it. Why risk everything for a meager living? Most of these shop owners would be better off if they still worked for their former employer. Think about it for a minute. If you had a job, you probably wouldn't be working more than 40 to 45 hours per week, you'd have paid vacation where you could relax without worrying, health benefits and even - possibly - a retirement plan. You could go home every evening without a care in the world and sleep soundly every night. The only bills you would have to contend with are the usual household bills. So why go into business? The response I get from many shop owners is they want more out of life than just a job. They want the independence that comes with having your own business. They want control over their destiny, as well as the opportunity to take the lid off of their income. But in reality, what actually happens is they become an indentured servant to their business. They forget that their business is to serve them, not them serve their business. This is usually the result of no practical business experience. But where do you get practical experience? A lucky few have learned from their families and relatives who have experienced all of the pitfalls, and benefited from their experiences. A lot of times this is not enough. If their family and relatives are running a marginal business, all they learn is how to run a marginal business. The people who have broken this cycle of running a marginal business usually have gone outside of the family circle for business management training. When you decide to leave the family circle to seek information, where do you go? Those who have the time and energy seek it through formal education. But formal education doesn't necessarily provide all of the answers because it deals in generalities and is usually not specific enough for your situation. Trying to apply these generalities takes time and is usually a trial and error method costing hundreds if not thousands of dollars. How much time and money can you afford to waste to develop the right business model? The only other alternative is to find someone who has "been there and done that." Successfully. Where do you find these people? Belonging to trade organizations like the Automotive Service Association is a step in the right direction. Its members are shop owners who have conquered the demons and challenges of owning an automotive repair business. Successful shop owners are often eager to share their experiences with you. They also can guide you to individuals or training companies that provided valuable information that helped them improve their own business. Remember the old saying, "the proof is in the pudding." Before choosing an individual or training company, make sure they have traveled in your footsteps. Anyone can dispense advice but it's only those who have traveled in your footsteps that truly understand the challenges you face every day. How can anyone who has never owned a repair shop dispense advice? These individuals are no different than the professors at your local colleges and universities; they know the theory but not how it applies to any specific business. Theory is not good enough if it doesn't apply to your specific needs.
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