Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Auto Fundamentals 4 Starting your own business can be a rewarding and profitable option if you are a highly skilled technician. However, in addition to mechanical and diagnostic ability, you need a certain type of personality and some business skills to operate your own shop suc- cessfully. You must be able to shoulder many responsibilities, handle problems, hire and maintain a staff of employees, and look for practical ways to increase business and make a profit. You must also create and maintain both long- and short-term plans and goals for your company. When you own a business, you are responsible for repairs, parts ordering, bookkeep- ing, debt collection, and all other problems. Starting your own business requires a large financial investment in tools, equipment, and workspace. If the money must be borrowed, you are responsible for paying it back. You must also strategize on how to compete for business with larger, nationwide auto repair shops with bigger advertising budgets and wider profit margins. However, many people enjoy the feeling of independence and value the ability to shape their own future through their decisions. If you have the personality and ability to deal with the problems and stress of owning a business, being your own boss can provide many benefits. Another possible method of self-employment is to obtain a franchise from a national chain. A franchise operation removes some of the headaches of being in busi- ness for yourself. Many muffler, tire, transmission, tune- up, oil change, and other nationally recognized chain businesses have local owners, Figure 1-3. They enjoy the advantages of the franchise affiliation, including national advertising, reliable parts supplies, and employee ben- efit programs. Disadvantages of a franchise include high franchise fees and start-up costs, lack of local advertising, and some loss of control of shop operations to the national headquarters. Collision Repair Technician Collision repair can be a lucrative career. The basic job of a collision repair technician is to straighten bent body panels fill damaged areas with plastic body filler and then file, grind, and sand the repaired surfaces. The tech- nician continues to refinish the repaired areas by applying a primer coat, sanding out any remaining imperfections, and applying a finish coat of paint, Figure 1-4. Other collision repair tasks include removing and replacing fenders, doors, or other vehicle body parts. Often other parts are removed to gain access to the vehi- cle parts requiring replacement. Some large shops have the equipment to straighten bent vehicle frames. Colli- sion repair technicians are usually accomplished welders, as welding metal is common in body shops. Some shops perform paintless dent removal, which is the removal of small dents without damaging the vehicle’s finish. Some collision repair technicians perform related mechanical repairs, such as replacing heating and air conditioning system parts, steering components, and suspension system parts that were damaged in a collision recharging air conditioners and aiming headlights. A few shops have their own wheel alignment equipment, and the collision repair technician may be trained to perform alignments. Ken Wolter/Shutterstock.com Figure 1-3. One option for self-employment in the automotive service industry is to become a franchise owner of an auto service facility that is part of a national chain. Alexandru Chiriac/Shutterstock.com Figure 1-4. A collision repair technician applies paint to the body panel of a vehicle. Before this can be done, steps must be taken to repair the surface and prepare it for finishing.