What product lines would you carry?
What would make you different than the 'guys' down the street?
Would you open up in a retail zone (strip mall) or more like a tech center (single story building with cheaper rent and less traffic)?
What services would you offer?
What policies have you seen from dealers that you have enjoyed doing business with?

As you might have guessed I am contemplating a career change from a Sr level IT position to owner of a home theater dealer/designer. I currently have a good job that pays well with multi-national conglomerate. I am at a point in my life were I want to 'build something' and quite frankly I don't trust corporate America anymore.

I hope you don't mind the questions... they will be seriously listened to and hopefully sometime in the near future you can walk into the store and see and feel something special.

Thanks.

Elmer

Humm... go questions...

Product line: somthing that you cant buy at your typical retail chain store (so you dont need to start with price matching)

Differnce: Since your from the IT world (kinda like myself) Look into selling yourself as a SYSTEM INTEGRATOR. Get some training in programing IP systems, like Crestron.

Location: Stay away from retail unless you want to pay someone good money to represent you on a daily basis to people who like to dream and window shop. When i started i thought a show room was the way to go. I found out that a nice confernce room with some product installed is more productive than a showroom that needs to be updated ever 6 months...

Services: Depends on what you can offer. If you have a T or E license to pull cable than go that route. Other services would be programing the control systems. You would be amazed at all the Lutron, Vantage and Crestron programing thats out there.

Do yourself a favor. Make plans today to go to CEDIA in September. www.cedia.org. Great classes on both running your business as well as technical classes. If you are looking to jump in before then, try the EHexpo at the end of Feb. in Orlando. www.ehexpo.com. Education and a good shrink are esential in this business. Good luck, and stay out of Pittsburgh! :)

If I were a new dealer, I would set myself up with a manfacturer's rep that I could develop a good relationship with. Its the the people in this business that make the difference, not the brands. (ok there are a few killer products, but 9/10ths of this stuff is exactly the same.)

jcmitch

Thanks for all the input and suggestions.. I am lucky that my *shrink* doesn't care what industry I am in.... He still gets paid :)

I really don't want to do retail...only if I have too. I understand too many folks want only the best price I probably couldn't compete... I have idea's on how to sell product without all the hassles of being a dealer myself. I am sure this is nothing new or groundshaking to anyone already in the industry but I don't have that luxury as I am an outsider.

I do plan on going to CEDIA in the fall and I plan to make a few smaller automation shows and such... I have started subscribing to the obvious trade rags and I am building my sub-contractor lists now... electricians (hi and low voltage), carpenters, HVAC and such. I am thinking of engaging some of my programmer friends to get familiar with some automation languages and products.

Anyone care to mention what other specialists I might want to engage?

BTW, education is something I have plenty of... just in the wrong damn area!

All good questions I think.. About product lines.. That is up to the customer I think.. Sure you can use Marantz or Yamaha processors but for whole house audion and video maybe for one Customer Elan is the answer another may need Crestron.. Then there is automation. Stargate or HAI or core access. There is no cookie cutter aproach. thats what is great about this industry no two projects are alike

Where are you located? The best way is to just do it, your background is a plus not a minus. I think a lot of us would be glad to help, in the name of the industry, but it's hard to tell you exactly what to do. Send me some details at [email protected].

Getting a picture taken with Elvis is easier than obtaining a crestron dealership.

Unless you can bring in the big bucks....