First time on Forum

[GlassStarz]

So the guy was sold a bill of goods telling him about the pot of gold to be found we all have seen the ads telling folks about how easy it is to earn a living at this and truth be told a crap load of kits are out there on shelves in the garage not being used. This guy wandered in here and found a place that is supposed to exist to help people in the field make a better living and share ideas freely but rather than give some advice and help the guy some have been borderline rude have some forgotten why we are here? I realize we have had a dingaling element here that has set a tone of animosity and negativity here for awhile but it looks like the last tornado took him with dorothy and toto so lets see if we can get back to the purpose of the board and take a big breath when someone asks something we know to be a little off and instead of getting mean lets give advice and positive instruction?
In answer to Screens question yes they do tell them to just regster and the jobs will come rolling in

[starstruck]

Yeah, seems like people on here can be kinda harsh and and overly defensive. What's up with that? Just because many of you are experts doesn't mean you have to be harsh. And you can't place the blame on others for your own negativity. Kindness comes from within!

[screenman]

Come on guys this is a business forum and nobody got on in business without taking a bit of stick. Why should a newbie not be told the truth. OK the way I put things on paper may not agree with some of you, but surely it is best to be honest. If you read one of his posts he says I have been helpful.

[starstruck]

I've noticed that many on here seem to be a bit on edge when it comes to how they reply if they aren't in agreement with someone else. I think that sometimes it's just a matter of misinterpretation of others. The seasoned veterans of this forum need to keep in mind that there was a time when they were newbies looking for answers too. We all had to start somewhere. And the wealth of knowledge that many here have should be conveyed to others without coming across as if you are placing yourself above them. The finest example of how one should act on this forum is shown over and over again by Brent. He treats each and every thread and each and every member with understanding, sincerity, respect and friendliness. I think that if each of us took the time to think "how would Brent respond to this?" before typing in our replies, this forum would be a much friendlier place.

[Blind Squirrel]

Now if we can move past the etiquette debate, I too, was very "uninformed" when I started in windshield repair and had to learn many things the hard way. I stuck with it, mostly because failure was not an option, and researched, asked questions, fell down, got back up again, and learned what works (FOR ME) in this business.

It's been quite a while since I've seen anything on here about the importance of writing a realistic business plan.

I've never seen anything about the concept of "DUE DILLIGENCE".

Please understand, I was totally ignorant about both. I was however blessed with the understanding of and the ability to get out and knock doors. We have what may well be the simplest business concept. Just think about it. You walk around and look for windshields with "repairable" rock chips. You knock on or walk in a door and ask to speak to the owner of that vehicle and let them know that you can perform a 'preventive maintenance" repair that is guananteed to seal the damage and save their windshield from cracking out, and in most cases, (if your with the networks), the service is free.

It's almost as simple as when I was 12 years old, pushing a lawnmower down the street looking for lawns to mow. It's easy to look and see, that lawn needs mowing. knock, knock, oh! good morning Sir/Maam, I can mow and rake your yard for $3. This was in the late 50's, early 60's. Today's kids wouldn't do it for less than $20. But, I digress.

That, along with the fact that you've executed a complete transaction, from initial contact to getting paid in about 30 minutes makes this a fantastic business.

I think what I want to convey here is this, it's OK if you lack specific knowledge. What's not OK, and what will be the cause of your failure is an unwillingness to do whatever it takes to find answers.

So, Fender, go back to the beginning and consider what has happened so far.
My best advice is, question everything. Don't take anything at face value. Find what works for you.

I've always tried to take into consideration a number of factors when reading posts on this forum. Such as, what type of marketing is the person engaged in? (Retail, commercial, or a combination) What type of area? (urban or rural). What are the demographics? (high tech or service or industrial). What type of competition? (how are they servicing the market).

In regards to competition, you may have the "old timer" that's been around for 30 years and seems to have the market "cornered". But, I guarantee you, you can go in and get enough business to make a good living and Mr. Old Timer may never even know you are there. The reason is, he's sitting back waiting for his phone to ring, (and it does) but hasn't done any marketing/selling in a long time, meaning there are a lot of customers who haven't heard of him. Then there are some of his customers that would like to see a new face.

So, to make it official, your first blunder was to believe the hype of a company that just wanted to sell another windshield repair kit. But all is not lost. Stick around here and stick with your goals. In the words of The Commander in Galaxy Quest, "Never Give Up, Never Surrender!"

[harrellbenjamin]

Sorry guys (thinned skinned ones) but this forum is just an extension of the real business world.A person in this business (or any)that makes a living from it is going to tend to have very little patience for ignorance and presenting an amatuerish image of his industry.Just like the real world people are going to be short with you and not say things you want to hear.If you have a hard time dealing with the truth here just wait until you actually get out in the real world.............some people will thrive at a structured job but will fail miserable in a business due to lack of structure and motivation and the comfort net.If you get your feelings hurt easily and worry about what others say maybe a gut check is in order before you proceed.Read Read Read and reread these forums and get a picture of this business before you step off the cliff........JMHO

[screenman]

Nice or honest sometimes they do not go together. Am I the one on here being accused, which if so is a bit odd seeing as the guy said I helped him.

[Dave M]

Screenman,
Now I'm jealous because I agreed with you but it appears I was not being helpful. It must be me that these hurtful accusations are being flung at! Man, I was having such a great day!

[harrellbenjamin]

Originally Posted by screenman

Nice or honest sometimes they do not go together. Am I the one on here being accused, which if so is a bit odd seeing as the guy said I helped him.

Hey man............it's lonely at the top LOL.. just hope you can make an impression on him at least and help him along.You "bitch slapped" me several times into reality!! And I am greatfull and more knowledgeable for it too ......................Thanks for it and hopefully he will realise that this is the only place for real info and advice on W/Shield repair thats fair and aboveboard. And that actually has his success as a priority instead of selling him certain products instead.JMHO

[lordstanley13]

I have been in Lynx, Harmon, Gerber Database since 07. You will get very few if any jobs from Lynx at least for a year. Like everyone else has said on here. You need to get out and sell your services. If you wait for the referrals, you will starve, get your house and car repo'd, ect....