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In this interview we asked Dan to tell us about how he got into the body shop business. Dan has sacrificed a lot to achieve the level of success his auto body shop has today. It required long work days, very little time for friends or family and mistakes. With ten employees, things still get stressful and it requires adjustments, but relying on the team allows him more time with family.
Throughout his teens growing up in Massachusetts, Dan worked in construction and at a restaurant to pay his bills. Around this time, his father had started an auto body business in Florida and had offered him a job. Dan got married to the girl of his dreams, and made the move to Florida.
The business model was a mobile auto-body business. Meaning, the beautiful, year-round Florida weather allowed them to go to people’s driveways to fix minor scratches or bumper damage. Dan learned techniques and the business of running a shop.
Dan was confident he could find a good job back home. Which he did, but one morning after incorrectly preparing a bumper, Dan’s boss got angry and treated him disrespectfully. Dan subsequently quit, took his tools and ventured out to establish a business of his own.
Dan adopted his father’s business model from Florida, which worked perfectly during the summers, but not so much during the cold season.
In 2011, Dan established his own shop in partnership with his wife. Their primary was to provide each customer with an individualized, positive experience and excellent all-around service. They knew that word-of-mouth would be the best way to attract new customers. Today, they have clients ranging from car accidents to professional athletes personalizing their cars.
A collision repair technician fixes damage to cars. This requires years of hands-on experience. With time and certification classes, they are trained to analyze and assess the damage and come up with the best repair solution.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, new workers typically get hired to help an experienced repairer with basic tasks, from cleaning the shop to fix minor dents. As they gain knowledge and experience they get assigned more complex work. It is advantageous for candidates to attend programs and earn certifications which will usually result in higher pay.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
An increase of 4%.
Mostly due to the increase of vehicles on the road.
$41,000 per year.
This varies depending specialty, location and experience.
Business owners usually take 11% of total yearly earnings.
1-3 years on-hand experience.
One can usually start by cleaning the shop & proving a good work ethic.
High School diploma or equivalent.
I think I’ve made more bad decisions than right decisions.
Shop owners have to manage staff, clients, insurance agent and accounting. They don’t have time to deal with immaturity or inefficient staff. A candidate who is reliable and proficient will get hired in the industry, regardless if they have certifications that show their work experience or education. A lot of the technical skills are learned on the job.
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.
Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.
– Helen Keller
