Were you the kind of kid that always had a thing for cars? Who couldn’t wait to get your license, and spent weekends helping your parents take care of the family vehicle? Maybe you spent Sundays rebuilding diesel engines in the garage, or always thought that mechanics were the coolest people around.
Well, if you are a car lover who also has an inner entrepreneur inside of you that is just dying to get out, you may be thinking of opening a small business focused on cars and mechanics. This is a great idea since it will combine your two passions, but what are the next steps you should take? How do you go from being an entrepreneur with a business idea to being a business owner? If these are the questions you find yourself asking, keep reading for some ways to approach this conundrum.
Learn more about diesel technology and automotive technology.
Even if you spent your summers shadowing a diesel mechanic at a local garage, there’s always more to learn. If you really want to be the kind of business owner that people take seriously, you need to prove your expertise in everything to do with diesel technology and automotive technology. Enrolling in an Automotive and Diesel Technology program can get you a handy certificate in just 60 hours, and you’ll find yourself answering clients’ questions about everything from electrical systems to mechanical systems. This extra confidence you exude will result in return customers. After all, no one wants to trust their car with a mechanic or technician who shows signs of being unsure when it comes to their engine troubles.
Don’t stop at a bachelor’s, go for a graduate degree.
If you’ve got your certificate, and even an undergraduate degree, it’s not a bad idea to take your education one step further and apply for an accelerated graduate business degree. After all, you won’t just be fixing brakes and diesel engines‚Äîyou’ll need to know about business administration and paperwork as well. Enrollment in an accelerated MBA program can mean the difference between being a successful business owner and seeing your financials tank as your small business crashes. A new owner, regardless of the type of business, can make good use of the information gained during an MBA‚Äîeven if it’s an online program. Don’t let the idea of professors and coursework make you nervous, you may even have a good time during an MBA program!
You may be the right buyer for someone else’s small business.
Did you know that many small businesses may be up for sale? If you don’t want to start from scratch, you may be able to work with a broker and a seller to figure out a business sale. Many small business owners have an exit strategy in mind when they’re filling out the paperwork to get their business launched. Then, once the business is up and running, it’s the right time to Google “How to sell my business” and contact a broker to figure out the details. The business broker will then look for prospective buyers interested in a business sale. Of course, you should always do your due diligence and make sure that the business’ financials are on the up and up. Nonetheless, once you’ve looked at recent tax returns and seen that the real estate looks sound, this can be a shortcut to being a business owner.
Find a mentor.
Different truck mechanics or diesel mechanics have different needs, depending on where they’re coming from in life. Despite the shared professional goals you and the other participants in your master’s program may have, you also differ in many ways. Maybe you had a hard time in high school, or come from a marginalized population. Don’t let your sexual orientation, national origin, or veteran status keep you from reaching the professional goals you have.
If you feel different from your peers, it can help to look for a mentor, someone with a similar background who can guide you on the path to success. Look out for instructors or professors during your certificate program or master’s program who seem like they might resonate with where you’re coming from. Remember, eligible students, are determined based on their passion for the industry and their GPA‚Äînot on their sexual orientation or national origin. Actually, when your business is up and running, you might consider making it a safe haven and employ truck mechanics or auto mechanics who have been similarly marginalized.
The paths to becoming a small business owner are many and varied, each with pros and cons. Consider the idea of graduate school and whether you’d like to spend time getting a certificate in a diesel program, or an accelerated MBA from a master’s program. Take the time to look into business sales and ask business brokers plenty of questions. Whatever happens, remember that your journey is your own travel.
