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So, this is a post that I made on a local forum. It was in regards to someone opening a Subaru shop, but applies to anyone who is thinking of doing such a silly thing. They used the word Subaru as part of their company name (just so you know why I am discussing the marketing myopia thing). I think that over time I will make a whole series of these blogs. Running a shop and all of it's woes is the thing I am most an expert on. So heeeeeere we go!

1. 2 words—marketing myopia. You should not use Subaru in your name. I'm sure you know how long we have been in business and we started off servicing Supras only. It wasn't long before we decided we needed to open up our market a little to make ends meet. Not to mention, it is way more fun working on a few different cars, although I can see where you could call yourselves "specialists".

2. A shop in this economy is going to be hard to hold together. Especially if you aren't established. I know you guys have dealership experience, but there is a crap ton of overhead when it comes to owning your own shop and certain buy-ins are a must if you want to be able to compete with parts prices. Just something to keep in mind. We are lucky to be nationally established (especially in hard times like this) and we have customers that come in from all over the US, but it took us YEARS and TONS of money to get there.

3. This industry is very fickle. People love you today and hate you tomorrow. Owning your own business is so hard and then add a fickle clientele and you have a lot of stress on your hands.

4. You absolutely need a lawyer to draw up your invoices and agreements—you have to protect yourself from everyone who reads the Internet and can work on cars from their computer. In other words, the know-it-alls who work on their own cars then want you to fix their mistakes for cheap only to blame it on you when you can't. CYOA. That is short for cover your own ass because this example is just one of the million things that you have to address when you own your own shop. There is a LOT of liability on your hands. Performance is THEE worst when it comes to that. You can make a car all nice nice and built beautifully, but you have no control over the boost controller once the customer leaves the shop with his car.

5. Just because you have "friends" in the Subaru community doesn't mean they will always come to your shop. The first second someone is cheaper or cooler or better or closer, they will be done with you, so something to keep in mind. Don't pigeon hole yourself and make decisions based on the people you know for now—chances are, they won't be around forever. Kind of goes along with both the fickle thing and the marketing myopia thing.

6. Be careful who you let work for you and represent your shop. Your front desk is a very important job, so don't overlook it. That being said, be very careful who you choose. It's nice to have a car person there to make the incoming callers feel like you are competent to work on your cars, but usually those type of people are out for themselves. BUT if the front desk person doesn't have an interest in car stuff, they are there just to do a job rather than be a cool guy who works at a shop. This has been one of our biggest issues once I left the shop 2 years ago. I'm not the nicest person in the world, per say, but I only had the shops interest in mind....not my own agenda. If you don't have the right person at the front desk, you can get robbed blind of contacts, money and ideas.

7. Insurance is a bitch.

8. Your shop is not a playground—it is a business, so treat it as such or else you will get walked all over by your customers and friends. This was a hard lesson for us to learn and probably why most people don't like me. I have always had the role of enforcer...and my policy oriented way comes from losing our insurance once for something stupid (having someone back in the shop when the insurance guy came by). It was not easy to get back and most people don't believe when you talk about insurance, but trust me—it is easy to lose if you aren't REAL careful.

9. Also, just know that everyone knows you are the end all be all decision maker at the shop. For example: They KNOW you can do it for cheaper if you WANT to. They will whine and cry and stomp their feet, but if you have policies in place and you stick by them...then no one can act brand new.

Stay tuned for more related points in upcoming posts.