[Blind Squirrel]

To keep with the original theme of this thread, what advice would you give to anyone who approached you and asked you about getting into this business? Especially if that person might become a competitor?

I don't want this to seem like a trick question, which it could be, because the answers will vary greatly based on if you are in a large metropolitan area as opposed to a sparsely populated one.

It's only natural not to want to nurture your own competition. Living in Denver, with a population of over 2 million, I've never worried about competition because there is just too much work out there. I only care about the other guy being conscientious enough to care about the quality of their work and how they represent the industry. Nevermind that I have been the recipient recently of some good fortune relative to the others guys crappy work! More on that in another thread.

I will gladly help mentor anyone on the technical side of windshield repair, but I am a good deal more discretionary when it comes to marketing techniques. The reason for this is hard to explain. I think it is because I had to struggle in figuring out what works and what doesn't. Kind of like paying your dues. And, I've come to feel that a thing has no real value unless you pay a price for it. I've said this before, you can tell someone all they need to know to succeed but until they have actually gotten out on the street, and broken a sweat, and suffered rejection and pain, well, that's when I think the message hits it's mark.

For that matter, for anyone who has the patience and fortitude and, most importantly, the passion and desire, the threads on this forum have almost everything you need to know. At least to help someone determine if this is the right business for them.