Spring is coming!

While a great deal of the country is creeping in and out of the polar vortex (sorry Al Gore...I'm not buying the whole "global warming" antic) spring is actually right around the corner. Many readers are experiencing the uptick in sales already! After all...tax money seems to come earlier and earlier every year!
Consumers, at least the automotive consumers, seem to want to buy when they have the money in hand...that means we need to be prepared...and that means having inventory on hand ready and waiting!! But how do you take advantage of early buying opportunities to be sure you have inventory at the best price when your cash flow is at it's lowest point? Consider a revenue based loan ...this type of borrowing is based on your revenue and is probably the best way to take advantage of the best early bird special pricing your vendors are going to offer...all year!
If you've got a great new idea...crowd funding might be an option, but this is generally reserved for a brand new idea or product.
As always...drop me a line (using the "contact us" box on the right side of the page) if you have any questions.

Drive fast!

Go Corporate or Go Rogue

This is the gist of the article I just read by Paul Rosenburg at www.freemansperspective.com, a newsletter I subscribe to for the sake of keeping up with some of the world’s issues. This particular article addresses the “end of the American middle class” which is certainly a topic worth a whole other discussion….alas…not today…and not here on this blog. I am NOT a doomsday preacher, and never will be.

What I am is a realist, I like to identify a problem and come up with a solution…and like George W. Bush, once I have committed to my solution, I am going to see it through…and again, Like GW, if I’m wrong…well…that’s on me…and YES…I’ve been wrong before…just ask my wife!

The article I am talking about struck a chord with me; having been a business owner myself (and lost that business), and currently working in a management capacity as an employee within a company, I felt this is an issue business owners will want to be aware of…mostly because we are (most of us) guilty….and yet…it’s extremely simple to remedy!

Among other things, the author goes on to say that the American middle class has been eroding for quite some time; it used to be that a manufacturing job was a very good place to be in the American society, but (and this number was quite surprising to me, not the fact…the number) back in 1977 there was about 20 million manufacturing jobs…now there are about 12 million and the population has increased since then…NOT decreased!!

So…the author’s point here is that the middle class has no other choice but to “Go corporate or go Rogue.” The corporate choice, he states, is to become a mindless corporate drone…so many are going rogue…which is where my point (going rogue) begins to present itself…finally! But going rogue requires considerable strength of character…and so far I’ve just been talking about an individual…now consider going rogue as a company!!

Going rogue simply means stepping out of the norm…being or doing something different…no longer obedient or conforming!

So here is my point…what are you doing, as a business owner, to “go rogue?” How is working for your company different (and I would suggest…more fun) from your competitors and/or other local area jobs? All I am suggesting here is that you take a step outside of the box and ask yourself…would I work for me? And LOVE it?

I’d love to hear your thoughts…

After the SEMA Show

Now that the SEMA Show 2013 is over....now what? I traveled to the Show and walked about 100 miles, took in all the sites, the new products section, business services and of course...the wheel section in the south hall as well as the truck and off-road accessories on the second floor of the south hall.

Suffice it to say....it is all a bit overwhelming...so much to see and so little time!!

But, the big question is...what to do with all that information? Which products do I want to represent and which ones do you want to carry in your store? Here are a few suggestions (drop me an email here if you would like more info on any of these lines):

DV8 Off-Road

*****Check out the LED Light-Bar and the line of winches*****

American Force

Hostile Truck Wheels

SEMA Show 2013...you going?

Chip Foose signing autographs

Every year at this time, we all make our plans for the SEMA Show and I continue to be amazed with how many make the trip, year after year, myself included!
It really is an event that should be visited every year, what with the rate at which this industry changes...you're going to tell me that you can afford to miss this show from time to time? Or that you only need to go once every couple of years...? Just wait 'til you see how many new items are displayed this year...and how many times I'll hear "what will they come out with next?"
Must see areas this year, at least from a business advisers point of view, are: (in order of importance)

1.) Business services- from banking fees to credit card processing charges, you know better than anyone, that you can't even count the ways in which you pay fees...no better time to take a quick assessment.
2.) Insurance - both business protection and liability insurance and the healthcare options you have to sort through...it can be mind boggling....there are several providers present at the Show.
3.) Technology - how old is the software you depend on to RUN your business? This is something that should be closely examined!! The wrong software can easily cost you more than getting the right software!
4.) New Products - what's hot and what's new and exciting? Great opportunity to get out in front of competitors.
5.) Wheels - if you are not in the wheel and tire business, skip this one, but if you are...wheels have become sooooo trendy, it's a must see...just to know what is going to be the next trend....who knew that a '90 Civic was going to be a big seller for wheels???
6.) Truck stuff - off road stuff for anything truck like is growing big time...from lift and leveling kits, to brush guards, steps and yup...wheels and tires!
7.) Diesel stuff - just about anything diesel...there's so much out there for diesel now you almost have to take a look at it...it's a huge profit center for many of my clients.
8.) Electronics - or should I say telematics? as crazy as it seems, in my opinion, technology is sometimes more frightening than the old fashioned way...but who am I...it's a big profit center! With healthy margins!
9.) The cars - yeah that's right...check out some of the hottest project cars in the world!
10.) The models - yup...I said it...'nuff said!

See you out there!
SEMA Show 2013...November 5th-8th

Are you going to the SEMA Show??

Will you be attending the SEMA Show in Las Vegas this November 5-8, 2013?
According to the SEMA Show web site, there will be more attendees this year than last years 60,000!!! That's a lot people of the course of 4 days.
If you are going...what's the most important aspect of the Show for you?

* Networking
* New products
* New innovations
* Celebrity appearances
* The vehicles
* Getting business done with existing customers/vendors
* Seeking out new customers/vendors
(I'd love to have your comments)

Whatever your reason for being there, make the best of it, enjoy the show and remember....whatever happens in Vegas...stays in Vegas!!! (So you'd better trust whomever you go carousing with!!)

Have fun out there!!

Radz

What does $135K buy you????

Check this out!!!

 

I've been following the folks at Icon 4x4 for a while now, and this bad-ass Jeep is just too cool NOT to promote it...YES!...It's for sale!! The dude that had all these mods done can't fit it in his garage....sucks for him...good for the buyer!!

This from their web site (hope you guys don't mind the free press):

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ICON Gen I FJ40

PRICE: $135,000.00

We just serviced and upgraded this ICON FJ40 for it's second owner. He received it, loves it, and now realizes it is too tall (6'9") for his garages at work and at home. Sad day for him. So it is available right now! It is located in Massachusetts. It is a 1963, and the ICON build was originally completed in 2008. It has been stored in an aircraft hangar ever since and only has run about 3,500 miles. We just finished combing through it and adding a few upgrades (current generation dash panels, ARB lockers, forward facing rear seat, car cover, scissor jack, fire extinguisher, LED headlights, and Power steps). Well equipped with the 5.3 350HP aluminum fuel injected V8, manual transmission, ceramic coated exhaust, Alpine audio system, iPod link, Chilewich textiles, heated front seats, and Warn winch. Please note that not all images below show the current rear seat configuration, as they were taken prior to that modification.

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Hey Icon...feel free to throw me bone if this sells this bad-ass rock crawler!! It looks too good to not pass it along.

Ride Rough,

Radz

New business service available

As part of our service, we don't always just run on about cool cars...we are about the business and there's a lot of money to be made out there. As a business owner, I hope you're good at it...making money! But are you good at SAVING money?
Some of what we do is to ferret out some of the best deals you can find and  the one I dug up today can really save you money on your credit card processing fees. If you're anything like me...you hate bank fees! BizPayPro is a credit card processing company where you can pay as little as ZERO percent...yes...0%!! This is NOT to say that it is free...it's not. But you will save money...NO QUESTION!!!
Visit www.bizpaypro.com to find out how...it's easy...it's not a scam...and it WILL save you money!

Here's to saving money!

Radz

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