How do marine type businesses start? Have you ever thought of turning a hobby into a business? Let me tell you a story of how I got into the Boat Detailing Business when I started our in the car cleaning business which grew into a franchise system. So often we read in business books to study markets and develop business plans when in reality it does not exactly work that way. Let me tell you a story of how sometimes the entrepreneur just falls into opportunity.
I met a guy who came to our web site to buy a Car Wash Guys franchise who had been detailing boats for ten years in Redding CA and later in Coeur D' Alene, ID. At the time we were getting about 600,000 hits on our website per month so that wasn't too surprising judging from the odds. He didn't have the money but we talked about the industry a lot for our franchisee fee or the equipment needed. www.carwashguys.com . He had some fabulous Ideas about boat washing however. I then was marketing up in WA state and ran across another Boat Detailing in Everett WA, who also detailed cars, really sharp Mormon kid previously from Salt Lake. Also really knew his stuff, attends boat shows and has established himself as a marine cleaning products guy. We hit is off and all decided to work together. I then met a guy in Newport Beach who details the interiors of Boats and designed the original equipment for Nauticare, an onsite, pontoon mounted oil change and bilge cleaning franchise. WOW. This would round out the knowledge I needed to put together The Boat Wash Guys.
http://www.carwashguys.com/boatlaunch.shtml
We sank the first pontoon prototype in Lake Mead; entrepreneurial disaster, total loss. o add insult to injury the local lake enforcement wanted to investigate and it cost $4,000 to recover the damn boat; back to the drawing board with safety in mind. We could not sell a franchise if the boats sank and that was our intention to set up franchises for boat cleaning. A sure way to sink any franchise. So we remembered that one of our franchisees in Lewiston ID has a brother who build boats and also jet boats and customized landing craft to haul cattle. The puzzle was coming together, but we had to figure a way to lower the weight of the boat so we could still carry 1800 Lbs of water without capsizing or tipping in big waves especially in ocean marinas. We put all of our heads together and our prototype now works. We knew the business worked since we had three independents who all made well over 150K per year and I have the marketing because people who get cars washed may own a boat and everyone calls in under one 1-800 number so we could use my existing customer base to also get boat customers. We decided to start by offering these boat franchises to existing franchisees of any other system we had to grow very fast very quick. Our goal was to set up and add 100 units the next year.
And here is the kicker, the pontoon manufacturer has a deal with a pleasure craft loan company and can finance the equipment, 1/2 franchise fee and boat for 15 years and the payments? $333.00 per month. Ha, that was all we needed to make it available for all of our team and anyone who really wants one. All this happened from a back burner project in less than a year. Then I wrote a 500+ page manual using all of our expertise. Nathan one of our friends in WA State washed Craig Mc Caws Boat; a 106-foot Yacht.
Sounds great right? Well not exactly, turns out insurance was tougher than we thought and the government regulators had attacked our companies based on competitor complaints and the whole thing got put on hold. No jobs were created, very few boats ever got cleaned and the whole project sank. This does not mean we could not start it up anytime we changed our minds, it just shows you that no matter how good you plans are as an entrepreneur you always have to watch out for the Tsunami of brain dead regulators in Washington DC. This project today sits on the back burner once again, with all the pieces ready to go. Entrepreneurs should be well advised to watch all the details before sinking $100,000 dollars into an idea without looking at all the details. Think about it.
"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.worldthinktank.net/wttbbs
green cleaning service Glencoe ..When working from home, it is usual to find that... Read More
Hew Hampshire car wash market. Well we have visited every... Read More
Do you operate your business as a series of projects,... Read More
Did you know that satisfaction is the number one emotion... Read More
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a... Read More
If you run a pressure washing company in a rural... Read More
The easiest way to lift profits is to cut the... Read More
What will your business look like a year from today?If... Read More
Do you need grant funding for your nonprofit organization? If... Read More
"What do you do?" It just might be one of... Read More
Why would you use an event pass?Event passes are often... Read More
In today's economic climate, the first priority for the small... Read More
Every business regardless of size needs a "Business Image Manual"... Read More
What is Business Valuation? The term business valuation is the... Read More
Many investors and business ethics professionals are calling for more... Read More
Most small businesses incorporated in 2005 will fail by the... Read More
To maximum potential profits and dollars in a mobile washing... Read More
I frequently give presentations at small business gatherings, providing me... Read More
You've heard marketing and advertising gurus quip, "Sell the sizzle,... Read More
In the first article we mentioned the main characteristics that... Read More
As long as you eat and breathe you will stay... Read More
How far can you go based on your relationship with... Read More
There are many choices when thinking about a small business... Read More
If you own a mobile service or home based franchise... Read More
The resume writing service serves an important role in the... Read More
house cleaning company Bannockburn ..Cash is the lifeblood of any business. As humans need... Read More
Many auto detailers fall short in their sales presentations. I... Read More
As a specialist in getting restaurants open, it is surprising... Read More
Nothing can drive a business down faster than customers who... Read More
If you are just starting your business, or if you... Read More
No matter how small your small business is, it is... Read More
Q: A friend told me that as a woman of... Read More
By outsourcing to skilled professionals you'll be able to grow... Read More
When is it a good thing to say no to... Read More
Top 3 Ways to Maximize Your Small Business Server Consulting... Read More
On June 8, 2004, the world witnessed what no one... Read More
You're a small business owner with a hot new product... Read More
The modern Franchise business model and the much different business... Read More
Seventy percent of US households use the web when shopping... Read More
Is it right for you?If you decide to advertise your... Read More
The Workers' Compensation situation in this country is unbelievable. Why,... Read More
Company mottos can easily be printed on a business card.Sometimes... Read More
Auto Detailing: Maintaining A Commercial Carpet ExtractorYou should drain your... Read More
Do you sometimes find yourself just going "through the motions"... Read More
Expanding your business requires you to take a good hard... Read More
The Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) is a program that... Read More
Does your small business have a banking and credit card... Read More
As small business managers, we juggle limited resources in a... Read More
1. Don't Spend Too Much Time PlanningWhen you are entering... Read More
There's been a recent rise in the number of elderly... Read More
Small Business |