Hello all,
I have been reading these forums for a while but this is my first post. I appreciate all the help you give everyone. I really like the idea of you all taking the time out of you rbusy lives to help others.
Now I guess I am asking for some help too. I want to start a business selling and installing custom home theater and Automation. Mostly automation. Do you guys have any advice (other than dont do it)that would help me out? I only have experience with installing my own equipment along with friends,family and some friends of friends (actually got paid for those). I am somewhat knowledgable about the basics but I have much to learn. I have no experience but I do have the drive to do this. I am going to take the CEDIA courses I and II , get satellite certification, HAI Course etc. I learn quickly so that is not a problem. Please help I am ready for a Career change. Thanks guys
Ron

[Link: remotecentral.com]

I guess I was not very clear on what I was looking for. I will eventually have my own gig but what i need right now is knowledge. I dont know near enough to go out there and do the things you guys do.
I want to work for someone else and then get it together and go out on my own. Right now I am a master ASE auto tech and master diagnostic Toyota Tech specializing in electronics and hybrid diagnosis and repair, for 8 years now. I make good money but I am not the least bit interested in what I do.(read dont like working on cars and never did) I want to make a change and do Something I am interested in. Here are some straight Questions: How much can you expect to make starting out? How long on average would it take to get back to $60,000? What if any courses in addition to what I mentioned would you recommend? Thanks again
Hey Any one have a position in the houston/galveston area for an entry level installer?

This message was edited by ps2matrix on 07/01/04 20:56.

Don know your market real well, but in CHicago, that may take a while... Unless you work a LOT of overtime......

Have you gone to your local shops and applied yet? Make sure you talk to someone as to WHY your doing this as I would be real weary about hiring someone already established in a career....

Thanks, that is one thing I am worried about. Nobody hiring me because I will have to take a $30000 paycut. Ouch. I have talked to 3 companies that do custom work here and business is "great, we turn work away everyday" 1 guy whos truck I always work on is making a killing and all he does is prewires . There is a lot of new construction here right now but it will dry up eventually. But I cant convince him of that. He will find out the hard way once it dries up and he has to start finding work again.
Thanks again

I would probably work fo a company that does what you are wanting to do for a couple of years first before you decide to venture out on your own. It's always better to learn from others mistakes (just kidding). but all kidding aside, experience is the most valuable commodity. taking courses is a good thing also, but hands on and challenging situations willprepare you for starting your own businedss. For most people, you don't run the business, it rusn you.. so be prepared to work insane hours, and make a lot of sacrifices to keep it afloat.

It's the same old story.

The 9 to 5 guy with decent income wants his own business.

The guy with the business wants a year sabbatical from his bad hours and having everything and everyone on his shoulders - he's ready for the 9 to 5.

Right now? I'm pretty tired, don't ask...

LOL Ditto

You hit the nail on the head Tom! Right now I really need a sabbatical!

Keep reading this forum PS2. It's a great learning tool. There are guys here that install 3 automation systems a day, and are home by dinner, and still others that have a soon-to-be industry standard on pre-wire that will work for every occasion. And Q even figured out how to improve his plasma sales 3% just by his hanging method.

umm.. don't do it!

Lol

Do it! When you know the real and can appreciate the unreal, you will almost be there...

zmp loffomh. fifr/ Yjod od mpy rsdu dyigg/

Oh, man, I was so tired on that above sentence that all my fingers were moved over one key to the right on the keyboard and I didn't even know it.

I tried to say, No kidding, dude. This is not easy stuff.

Thanks to all who responded. I am going to get some experience and learn everything I can just as I did with the automotive thing. I may actually do better at this than working on cars since I am interested in it. I will take almost everyones advice and just work for someone a while. Learns the ropes and see if I actually want to run my own business. I know this is what I want to do just dont know about running the whole show myself.
Thanks again and I will keep reading and will go get a couple of those (way to short to learn much)courses to get me in the door.

This is a very tough industry for the long term, the vendors keep shifting gears from season to season and seem to be happy to loosen up distribution to achieve their sales goals.

The products you make a good living with one year are the bane of your existence the following year.

Mega price shifts in the middle of a big job are always fun... plasmas and projectors dropping by 30-50% in a few months was fun, especially since the margins are so tight to begin with.

This is a great hobby, even for most of the people who
consider themselves pros.

To stand the test of time, you will need a great business plan, a good accountant, and the charisma to get you foot in the door with that big builder or remodel contractor. After that, you will need good employee managing skills to keep the staff that you will spend tons of money training from lettering up their own vans and jumping ship, good technical shills (sounds like you definitely have this) to troubleshoot the day-to-day problems even though the manufacturers and reps told you that the bugs were wotked out on the latest software revision.

You will also need good business skills to keep cash flow on the positive side by managing your ordering, invoicing, and payables... Which is tough when every 3rd job takes a few extra hours of labor that you can't bill for, but still have to pay your guys for.

All that said, that is the upside...
It could all go south if Greenspan wants to raise interest rates any more and send the building boom to a screeching halt (we may be due, think early 80's and early 90's)....

Yep, when you can buy a product at 7 eleven, it's time to change product lines