starting my own shop

[defo26]

I was thinking about starting a small shop in my garage. I will do minor work for now like oil change, tire change, jetting, installing of parts. Right now i'm in a class teaching on how to rebuild 4 stroke engines and 2 stroke. So probably i would be able to do revalves too. Like any business that got started you have to start out small somewhere. Do you think its a good idea?

 

[stumanarama]

hell yeah it is, ive always wanted to start charging my brothers and his friends for fixing all their cars but ive never had the heart to do it, and steve wozniak and steve jobs started apple in their garage

 

[IndyMX]

I was thinking about starting a small shop in my garage. I will do minor work for now like oil change, tire change, jetting, installing of parts. Right now i'm in a class teaching on how to rebuild 4 stroke engines and 2 stroke. So probably i would be able to do revalves too. Like any business that got started you have to start out small somewhere. Do you think its a good idea?

Don't take this wrong, but I'd never pay to have a 16 year old kid work on my bike.

Unless you were freakin good!! And had a seriously good reputation..

It'll be very difficult to get customers. But, good luck.

 

[RM_guy]

You are on the right track. When I was 16 a friend and I did the exact same thing for a couple of years. Our problem was we didn't have the money or support to take to the next level but we learned a lot and made some good money along the way. The trick is to get a good reputation and it will grow. Honesty, quality work and service after the sale are the keys to a good reputation. Think of businesses that you use that you consider "good" and emulate them.

Start small and don't expect to set the world on fire right away. You could be the next Mitch Payton or you could end up working at McDonald's...the future is in your hands.

 

[defo26]

Thanks a lot guys, and yeah I go to a school for 4 stroke and 2 stroke engines so I'm pretty good with them. Also I have been working on bikes with my cousin since i was 10. I'm pretty good with them now.

 

[XRpredator]

The only (well not the *only*) problem with turning your hobby into a job is that now your hobby *is* a job. I know a lot of guys who quit doing what they loved to do because they turned what they used to do for fun into something they did for a living, and that made it no fun anymore.

Best of luck, though.

 

[HAYSHAKER170]

I think you should do it. Do you think Bill Gates and Steve Jobs asked for peoples opinions first? No, they just did it. So follow your instincts and just do it. Learn everything you can. Worst case scenario: you fail to make a profit and you learn what not to do next time and you try again at 18. Good luck bro!

 

[ecy063]

Two things I would like to tell you. First try to specalize in a repair area that you feel comfortable in. Second be patient and keep at it. Do you know why old mechanics have such good eyesight? Because they are standing high on top of a huge pile of broken parts. Good luck.