Having a hard time
02-22-2006, 07:56 AM
#1
New Car Audio Shop - Suggestions/Advice Needed
For those of you that are into mobile entertainment.
I am in the process of writing a business plan to open up my shop on a larger scale.
Just wondering where you guys think would be a good place.
I personally am leaning towards Pickering since Perfect Audio has closed, there isn't a shop.
I'm just looking for some help in a location, and what you would like to see in products.
A little back ground on me;
26 yrs old
Been installing for about 11-12 years
Been doing remote starters and alarms for about 6 years.
Have worked at several shops over the last 5 years; Perfect Audio (Pickering), Ultimate Car Audio (Oshawa), and currently Audiowaves (Oshawa), Audio Heaven (Richmond Hill).
I have attended Mobile Dynamics.....Really didn't teach me much, but having my MECP Silver (First Class) that looks good on me.
I have been doing side jobs out of my gararge for years, but lately I have been to busy to do much.
Anything else you want to know? Please ask
I am in the process of writing a business plan to open up my shop on a larger scale.
Just wondering where you guys think would be a good place.
I personally am leaning towards Pickering since Perfect Audio has closed, there isn't a shop.
I'm just looking for some help in a location, and what you would like to see in products.
A little back ground on me;
26 yrs old
Been installing for about 11-12 years
Been doing remote starters and alarms for about 6 years.
Have worked at several shops over the last 5 years; Perfect Audio (Pickering), Ultimate Car Audio (Oshawa), and currently Audiowaves (Oshawa), Audio Heaven (Richmond Hill).
I have attended Mobile Dynamics.....Really didn't teach me much, but having my MECP Silver (First Class) that looks good on me.
I have been doing side jobs out of my gararge for years, but lately I have been to busy to do much.
Anything else you want to know? Please ask
Last edited by Sassmaster; 02-27-2006 at 06:05 AM. Reason: Toic starter request
02-27-2006, 04:47 AM
#6
I was talking with a couple of reps for the area for several different products.
One in particular is looking forward to doing business with me.
Products that I am currently thinking about:
Digital Designs
Macrom
Zapco
MB Quart
Bazooka
iConnect
Streetwires
Scoche
Nesa Vision
Lite Glow
Audiocontrol
Audison
Cascade
Pheonix Gold
Elemental Designs
Kaption
Resonant Engineering
Boston Acoustics
Eclipse
Quite the list. There are others but nothing really exciting
I'm still waiting for a few others to get back to me. I started sending emails and making phone calls on Monday.
Nothing is set in stone I'm just getting all the preliminary stuff done and getting numbers sent to me so i can have a better idea with numbers for my business plan.
I obviously won't be able to carry everything listed.
I would like some feedback from you guys as to what products you would like to see available. If its not on the list make a suggestion.
Thanks
One in particular is looking forward to doing business with me.
Products that I am currently thinking about:
Digital Designs
Macrom
Zapco
MB Quart
Bazooka
iConnect
Streetwires
Scoche
Nesa Vision
Lite Glow
Audiocontrol
Audison
Cascade
Pheonix Gold
Elemental Designs
Kaption
Resonant Engineering
Boston Acoustics
Eclipse
Quite the list. There are others but nothing really exciting
I'm still waiting for a few others to get back to me. I started sending emails and making phone calls on Monday.
Nothing is set in stone I'm just getting all the preliminary stuff done and getting numbers sent to me so i can have a better idea with numbers for my business plan.
I obviously won't be able to carry everything listed.
I would like some feedback from you guys as to what products you would like to see available. If its not on the list make a suggestion.
Thanks
02-27-2006, 07:19 PM
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Well, you will need more than just eclipse to carry a shop in head units. Dont get me wrong, but you will need some more "mainstream" product as well.
In the "biz" we like to think everyone is a high ender, but you will need to appeal to a broader audience.
(I guess I dont know anything about the market you are going into or you for that matter, but unless you are "extremely" special and talented, you will not survive on the brands you have listed. I bet that 75% of the people who walk through your door won't have even heard of half your lines. And of those, I bet will ask you how come your Zapco 50 Watt amp is 10 times more money than their Sony 650 watt Amp!
We all want to live the high-end car audio dream, but the sad truth is most of us end up doing starts and "decks & 2's" for the majority of our car audio careers. Quite often the margins are higher in the basic jobs too. How many of us have had a custom job go over budget and over schedule? And how many successfully got their customer to fork out the extra dough without pissing them off or making yourself look like a dillhole??)
What I would like to see is you stock a bunch of Macintosh, F1status, and other super cool ultra high end items. Then i would buy you dirtiest Eclipse head unit, and bridge it to my 15" XS Cargo subwoofers.
In the "biz" we like to think everyone is a high ender, but you will need to appeal to a broader audience.
(I guess I dont know anything about the market you are going into or you for that matter, but unless you are "extremely" special and talented, you will not survive on the brands you have listed. I bet that 75% of the people who walk through your door won't have even heard of half your lines. And of those, I bet will ask you how come your Zapco 50 Watt amp is 10 times more money than their Sony 650 watt Amp!
We all want to live the high-end car audio dream, but the sad truth is most of us end up doing starts and "decks & 2's" for the majority of our car audio careers. Quite often the margins are higher in the basic jobs too. How many of us have had a custom job go over budget and over schedule? And how many successfully got their customer to fork out the extra dough without pissing them off or making yourself look like a dillhole??)
What I would like to see is you stock a bunch of Macintosh, F1status, and other super cool ultra high end items. Then i would buy you dirtiest Eclipse head unit, and bridge it to my 15" XS Cargo subwoofers.
02-28-2006, 07:56 AM
#8
6x9's rule has a serious point. i do corporate finance for a living, meaning i get to see a business plan everyonce in a while. some really good, some not worth the paper they are written on. unless you already have a clientelle roster such as Kennedy HiFi or similart high end stores, you will indeed need more mainstream product diversity to keep you afloat at least until you establish a loyal following (keeping in mind loyal stereo buyers aren't the same as loyal grocery buyers... the return frequency can be rough!).
if you can get your hands on the monthly financials of some of the places you've worked for, why not do it and study their inventory and product turnover (while keeping an eye on the bottom line). that might give you a better idea of where to start. btw, do you have any of your own capital to invest in this venture?
if not, i would suggest staying away from the major banks and hitting the Business Development Bank of Canada.
if you can get your hands on the monthly financials of some of the places you've worked for, why not do it and study their inventory and product turnover (while keeping an eye on the bottom line). that might give you a better idea of where to start. btw, do you have any of your own capital to invest in this venture?
if not, i would suggest staying away from the major banks and hitting the Business Development Bank of Canada.
02-28-2006, 09:44 AM
#9
Guest
Posts: n/a
i disagree with 6x9, i think your list of products is very good and only missing 1 or 2 things that if done well could make a very successfull business. if you can nail down 8 or 9 of the lines you mentioned and 1 or 2 that you didnt you could do very well, by that i mean the gear you sell wouldnt make u fail
