Need Advice and Help on a business plan.
 

Hello members. I am new to Canadian Car Audio so if i did anything wrong in this post i apologize in advance. Anyways.

I want to run a car audio shop through my home, not an internet shop, but i plan on using my garage as a shop to do installs as well as use the room in my basement as storage for inventory. I wouldn't have a huge amount of inventory but a good sum of inventory. I would also do installs at peoples home if they wanted, give that convenience, they can be at home watching tv and i'd be outside working on their car for them. I even have learned how to do repairs on subwoofers, bringing them back to live so to speak. I am learning all i can in repairs so that can be a service i can provide.

I have worked at carstar back in 2004-06 so i can also do custom body work as well, and in 07-present i have been working in a car audio shop in my town, nobody can give me any help in terms of what i would need to start a business like i've described through my home. I would consider myself a car audio contractor, but theres no contractors licenses for that, i have a business plan made and already have money ready to be invested, i know i need to register my business and get a tax id, but as for my business licence, which one would best suit me? Also is there anything else i would need? i was considering getting a noise permit, if there is any help and advice that anyone can give me, i would greatly appreciate it. This has been a dream of mine for quite some time, and i believe its time i achieve it.

Thanks in advance everyone.

if you apply for a buisiness liscense the city WILL come out
and inspect the working enviroment....



just be carefull...I got shut down at my Salmon Arm Location
because the garage did not meet any of the requiered standards
and wasn't zoned for it

I suggest you learn how to crawl, then walk..then run...
First may I suggest running adds in local papers, craiglist, kijiji as an installer... get a word of mouth reputation. Do some great custom installs for your friends and show them off at local shows. This is great advertisement... Dont set up a formal business yet...You probably wont be allowed to do this in your garage.
Once you are busy as an installer, then see what small local locations you can rent. You may not need *garage* license as you dont do any oil changes. welding...antifreeze or tranny fluid changes.. in other words you dont need all the invironmental clearances, nor do you need hydrawlic or electric jacks... so no safety licenses.
And btw.. I had a store with an install bay in back in a strip mall and I had no special garage license.
The only thing I did have as part of my store insurance was liability insurance for the installs.. Just in case something happens!

You will also need suppliers! contact every brand you can find anywhere and find out what it takes to be a reseller...Dont expect to get a contract to resell the big names immediately! but it may happen!
Most have minimum order requirements for you to get free shipping.. otherwise shipping fees will bite into your margins.
Think of what kind of inventory you will need... Start by how many installs you are busy doing and extrapolate from there... Decks speakers, amps. subs, boxes.. wire,,,dash kits... OEM integration kits etc...

But most important is decide what you want to be? do you want to run after any and all business no matter how cheap? do you want to do high end custom installs? Something in between?

Have fun!