LLC or Sole Proprietorship

Post your windshield repair tips, questions, advice! Note there is a sub-forum specifically for business development questions.
kentcrossfit
Junior Member
Posts: 45
Joined: April 22nd, 2014, 2:25 pm
Enter the middle number please (3): 3
Contact:

LLC or Sole Proprietorship

Post by kentcrossfit »

I'm way new to this. I've searched the forums for this question, but couldn't find it so I'm posting it here. I decided to do this literally yesterday. I'm not sure what steps I should really take. I have never repaired a windshield. However, I'm picking some up tomorrow from a replacement facility to practice. I just had a couple questions.

1: Should I go with a LLC or a Sole Proprietorship?
2: Is it best to just jump in the deep end and get the anniversary kit, or should I just buy whatever the main elements are?
3: How long before I will be able to do professional grade repairs? I tend to be very dedicated to things. So I can see myself working on this for a couple hours a day. I have summer coming up, and I won't be getting paid since I won't be going to school (GI Bill). So that is also my motivation. I literally have about 2 months before I don't get paid anymore.
4: Where should I go to look for fleets? I'm thinking that's what I want to focus on. Also, everyone says that they don't do insurance claims, and that they prefer fleets. Do fleets not utilize insurance for their chips?
5: Do I really need training? Because, I have no idea where they offer training around my location (riverside CA).

Nick
User avatar
Brent Deines
Moderator
Posts: 2449
Joined: September 24th, 2003, 7:54 am
Enter the middle number please (3): 5
Location: Eugene, OR
Contact:

Re: LLC or Sole Proprietorship

Post by Brent Deines »

Hi Nick,

Here is a link to another thread on this topic. It really comes down to your current business model and your plans for the future. I always recommend discussing this issue with a local CPA. viewtopic.php?f=7&t=7013&p=52544&hilit=sole#p52567

I always recommend buying everything you need from the start. My advice on this is the same whether you are buying from Delta Kits or from someone else as it will save you money in the long run. You can buy all the parts separately but you will get far less for the same $$$.

No way to know how long it will take "you" to learn to do professional quality repairs but training will shorten the learning curve significantly. Most people with no experience who attend our training classes walk away after one day doing better repairs than I see most of the so called professionals do and I suspect that is true of our competitors training classes as well. I hate to say it but more often than not those with the most experience do the worst repairs in training class. It's like my golf game, many bad habits that are very difficult to break.

Some fleets utilize insurance for their repairs but most of the larger ones do not, or at least that has been my experience. Trucking companies, city, county, state and federal government agencies, rental car agencies, sand and gravel companies, etc., the list goes on and on. When calling on fleets, think about how many miles their vehicles are driven each day. UPS for instance, may have a large fleet of local vehicles, but with the exception of their feeders (tractor trailers), they put very few miles on them and most are driven only in the city. By contrast, a long haul trucking firm with only a few vehicles may have a lot more rock chips to repair as they often drive thousands of miles every month. I could call on both of course, but I would spend more time soliciting fleets with vehicles that drive more than a few miles a day. Check out the GSA fleet in your area. I often find they are overlooked by most windshield repair technicians for some reason but they were always a good account for me.

I used to tell people they did not need training and for some I still believe that is true, but the more lousy repairs I see the more I think most people benefit greatly from training received from a credible source. Back to my golf analogy, if the person who teaches you how to golf does not play well you cannot expect to learn much of value from them. Trust me on this one, there are a lot of people who will "teach" you how to repair windshields who have not learned how to do it properly themselves. We are about 15 hours from you by car but only a couple of hours by plane if you decide to buy a Delta Kits system. I don't know if he is going to be providing a full blown training session anytime soon but I'll throw Kgobin under the bus and tell you he is only about 1.5 hours from you. If you take him some banana puddin' and some sweet tea you can probably sweet talk him into spending an hour or two with you. It has to be real sweet tea though, you'll get nothing out of him by dumping a couple of packets of sugar in a glass of unsweetened tea. He's a pretty cheap date but he does have his standards!

If you buy a competitor's system forget about our training and sign up for theirs. I think the mfg of the equipment is nearly always your best bet. All of the above is my completely biased opinion of course.
Brent Deines
Delta Kits, Inc.
Image
kentcrossfit
Junior Member
Posts: 45
Joined: April 22nd, 2014, 2:25 pm
Enter the middle number please (3): 3
Contact:

Re: LLC or Sole Proprietorship

Post by kentcrossfit »

Well I'm already convinced that Delta is the way to go. That would be awesome if Kgobin could show me the ropes for an hour or two. I'd really feel more comfortable getting shown the "tips and tricks" rather than figuring out them as I experience them. Do I contact him regarding this through here? I'm not sure taking a plane flight is in my schedule at the moment (school), and I need to get started asap making whatever move I'm going to make.

Yea I'll definitely focus on longer distance fleets. Am I incorrect in assuming their windshields are different? Like the windshields of 18 wheelers and whatnot. It just seems like standard windshields are thicker.

Sorry for such newb questions!

Nick
kentcrossfit
Junior Member
Posts: 45
Joined: April 22nd, 2014, 2:25 pm
Enter the middle number please (3): 3
Contact:

Re: LLC or Sole Proprietorship

Post by kentcrossfit »

I thought I had responded to this but maybe it didn't go through.

Thanks Brent for the info! I will definitely seek out kgobin for some training before I go forth. Also that's a good idea about the GSA fleet. I just don't see any contact information for them to get in direct contact other than email (which I don't trust with sales, I'm very much a face to face person). I'm thinking I'm going to buy a Delta kit. I really have no idea about how to set up everything so I'm going of the post you gave me and everything else I can find. I'm really looking forward to getting this venture going. I just need some slight guidance! I'm a business major so I know about business, it's just the logistics of everything that I'm new to.
Kgobin
Moderator
Posts: 1107
Joined: June 5th, 2008, 11:03 am
Enter the middle number please (3): 3
Location: Champaign, IL
Contact:

Re: LLC or Sole Proprietorship

Post by Kgobin »

I'm in the San Diego area so I'm willing to help you out anytime. Also, I emailed you my contact information.
Korey Gobin
Delta Kits, Inc.
Image
t4k
Senior Member
Posts: 1058
Joined: April 12th, 2008, 8:47 pm
Enter the middle number please (3): 5
Location: U.S.
Contact:

Re: LLC or Sole Proprietorship

Post by t4k »

kentcrossfit wrote: I'd really feel more comfortable getting shown the "tips and tricks" rather than figuring out them as I experience them. Nick
A practice w/s is the way to go. Learning from your mistakes is the BEST teacher! Experience is the best way.
h2oman
Junior Member
Posts: 38
Joined: April 6th, 2014, 4:55 pm
Enter the middle number please (3): 3
Contact:

Re: LLC or Sole Proprietorship

Post by h2oman »

I am not to far in front of you. However, I have repaired several windshields back in the 90's. I searched and spent a lot of time trying to make the right decision on where to start. My first step was to go with Delta and bought the anniversary kit. Second step was to go to a competitor who repairs but also replaces. After introducing my self, I told him I was in search for a reputable company to refer my replacements to (should you ever break one and I never have or some chips are a lot bigger than a customer says they are). Once he understood I would be sending him business, I ask him for an old windshield and he gladly gave me one. Since then I have started practicing again. I use a bb gun to make my chips.
I also have not chosen an exact market yet. I will use the shotgun approach and go after the one that feeds me the best. I got licensed with the city. Got a federal id#. Registered with the state, opened up a new bank account, designed a new logo and ordered business cards, invoices, a few hats and shirts. Contacted the 3 major insurance folks and my website should be up by the end of this month.
My website will bring in the direct public business. I may use insurance here or may not but if I need to I can. I will also go after the big dealerships and the small lots as well. As for the fleet business, I will open every door that I can. Competition is out there but there is enough business for us all.
As earlier stated by Brent, be sure to talk with your CPA to fully decide on LLC or Sole Proprietorship. As for myself I have one business that is LLC and one that is Sole Proprietorship. Each one has it's own place. Good luck my friend!
kentcrossfit
Junior Member
Posts: 45
Joined: April 22nd, 2014, 2:25 pm
Enter the middle number please (3): 3
Contact:

Re: LLC or Sole Proprietorship

Post by kentcrossfit »

Got it Kgobin. I'll be contacting you soon. Another thing. One of the reasons I don't want to do a LLC is because california charges $800 tax regardless of how much you make.
kentcrossfit
Junior Member
Posts: 45
Joined: April 22nd, 2014, 2:25 pm
Enter the middle number please (3): 3
Contact:

Re: LLC or Sole Proprietorship

Post by kentcrossfit »

If anyone has a way around that $800 annual fee I am all ears.
User avatar
Brent Deines
Moderator
Posts: 2449
Joined: September 24th, 2003, 7:54 am
Enter the middle number please (3): 5
Location: Eugene, OR
Contact:

Re: LLC or Sole Proprietorship

Post by Brent Deines »

kentcrossfit wrote: ...Yea I'll definitely focus on longer distance fleets. Am I incorrect in assuming their windshields are different? Like the windshields of 18 wheelers and whatnot. It just seems like standard windshields are thicker.

Sorry for such newb questions!

Nick
Some windshields are slightly thicker than others but the repair process is the same. The main difference between an 18 wheeler and a car is the windshield is typically more vertical on a truck of that type. Again, the repair process is basically the same with only a slightly different adjustment when setting up the bridge. Some people don't like doing the big trucks but they were always a big part of my business and I had some great over the road fleet accounts.
Brent Deines
Delta Kits, Inc.
Image
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 31 guests