You Want to Buy Your Own Station
You are a manager and
You Want to Buy Your Own Business?
I talk to my clients. I also talk to their seconds-in-command, important persons that I think of as my clients' lieutenants. I think about two things in particular when I am talking with my clients' lieutenants.
- My clients' success has much to do with how well their managers perform.
- Many of my clients started out as managers of former owners.
I also meet managers of company stores. Some of them ask me what they can do to get their own stations, often starting with little or no money. This is a brief outline of how some managers became owners.
- Get a management position with an independent dealer or a small jobber.
-
Ask yourself, “Is it possible for me to know the owner?”
-
If the answer is “No,” start looking for another employer.
- Do your homework:
-
Find out if you employer ever sold any of his stations.
-
Where and how did he get his station?
-
Has he talked about selling or retiring?
-
Learn about other independent dealers.
- Find out what are your resources:
-
How much money do you have?
-
Do you have any family money that you can use for investments?
-
Do you or your larger family know any investors who would either lend you money or invest their money in a business?
-
Talk to a bank about Small Business Administration and other government loans.
-
Send you resume to classified ads of people looking for a business for an investment.
-
If you are interested in a business, ask if the owner will owner-finance.
- Be patient and work at this every day. It is a process that will usually take several years.
-
Tell your employer you want to buy a business of your own. Ask him for advice.
-
Read classified ads.
-
Get to know business brokers and commercial real estate brokers.
-
Go visit stores that are for sale, or might be for sale, or that you would like to be for sale.
-
Learn the locations, their good and bad points.
-
You will learn much you will need to know when you do buy a station.
- My clients' success has much to do with how well their managers perform.
- Many of my clients started out as managers of former owners.
- Get a management position with an independent dealer or a small jobber.
- Ask yourself, “Is it possible for me to know the owner?”
- If the answer is “No,” start looking for another employer.
- Do your homework:
-
Find out if you employer ever sold any of his stations.
-
Where and how did he get his station?
-
Has he talked about selling or retiring?
- Learn about other independent dealers.
-
Find out if you employer ever sold any of his stations.
- Find out what are your resources:
-
How much money do you have?
-
Do you have any family money that you can use for investments?
-
Do you or your larger family know any investors who would either lend you money or invest their money in a business?
-
Talk to a bank about Small Business Administration and other government loans.
-
Send you resume to classified ads of people looking for a business for an investment.
- If you are interested in a business, ask if the owner will owner-finance.
-
How much money do you have?
- Be patient and work at this every day. It is a process that will usually take several years.
-
Tell your employer you want to buy a business of your own. Ask him for advice.
-
Read classified ads.
-
Get to know business brokers and commercial real estate brokers.
-
Go visit stores that are for sale, or might be for sale, or that you would like to be for sale.
-
Learn the locations, their good and bad points.
- You will learn much you will need to know when you do buy a station.
-
Tell your employer you want to buy a business of your own. Ask him for advice.