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04-05.-2004, 03:36 PM
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#1 |
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Guest
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Starting from scratch
Hey... I'm trying to start a bicycle repair shop in St Petersburg FL.
I have my own tools, and I know how to use them. If I could get a job at a bike shop that needs a tech, email or reply to this thread. I'm looking forword to hearing from anyone with suggestions or ideas. Scott |
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05-05.-2004, 02:20 AM
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#2 |
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Guest
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Re: Starting from scratch
You could start a mobile bicycle repair / tune up in a panel van
greg  "Scott_Palacheck" <scott@palacheck.net> wrote in message news:82352fb0.0405032236.6728c8d2@posting.google.com... > Hey... I'm trying to start a bicycle repair shop in St Petersburg FL. > I have my own tools, and I know how to use them. If I could get a job > at a bike shop that needs a tech, email or reply to this thread. I'm > looking forword to hearing from anyone with suggestions or ideas. > > > Scott |
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05-05.-2004, 03:07 AM
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#3 |
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Guest
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Re: Starting from scratch
Scott Palacheck writes:
> Hey... I'm trying to start a bicycle repair shop in St Petersburg > FL. I have my own tools, and I know how to use them. If I could get > a job at a bike shop that needs a tech, email or reply to this > thread. I'm looking forward to hearing from anyone with suggestions > or ideas. Don't do it! Bicycle shops are not a great way to make money, especially if you know nothing about the business, and the business end is where most such shops go under, not in understanding the maintenance of the machine. Sales is where it's at as well as marketing. You'll find that a long term bicycle shop is competing against a bunch of short timers who don't know that they are in a "going out of business" mode. Repair shops are a necessary adjunct to a good retail shop but that isn't the main income. I think before making such a move, the question should be, as in many pursuits, "What is my contribution to the art and is there a demand?" Jobst Brandt jobst.brandt@stanfordalumni.org |
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05-05.-2004, 09:52 PM
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#4 |
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Guest
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Re: Starting from scratch
Jobst-<< and the business
end is where most such shops go under, not in understanding the maintenance of the machine. Sales is where it's at as well as marketing. >><BR><BR> I agree that business sense is where many LBS commit suicide but Knowledgable labor is a far higher margin than bicycle sales, which typically are the lowest margin of things 'sold' in a bike shop. Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302 (303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene" |
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06-05.-2004, 03:46 AM
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#5 |
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Guest
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Re: Starting from scratch
vecchio51@aol.com (Qui si parla Campagnolo ) wrote in message news:<20040505085210.07231.00000937@mb-m02.aol.com>...
> Jobst-<< and the business > end is where most such shops go under, not in understanding the > maintenance of the machine. Sales is where it's at as well as > marketing. >><BR><BR> > > I agree that business sense is where many LBS commit suicide but Knowledgable > labor is a far higher margin than bicycle sales, which typically are the lowest > margin of things 'sold' in a bike shop. > > Peter Chisholm Hmmm... can I agree with *both* of you? "Knowledgable Labor" is quite valuable... but communicating that to the public requires a high degree of sales skill, marketing, and political adroitness. Omitting any of these will be a handicap in making a successful new bicycle business. To the original poster: it's a noble pursuit, but that's not enough. Before you invest major chunks of cash, make sure you want to *run*a*business* first. As Jobst points out, the bicycle business is overstuffed with people who are willing to cut everything to the bone simply to stay involved in the "Bicycle Business". Either that, or people who are very successful in other arenas and are looking to burn off excess cash (I've seen both). My advice: do your homework. Figure out how much cash you're willing to lose. Make a business plan. Be prepared to make hard decisions and stick with them. Marry someone with lots of money. Jeff (A pretty good mechanic, fairly knowledgable, but lousy in the sales/marketing area. I married a beautiful, smart woman who earns lots of money and rides bikes, too.) |
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