Body Shop Business Opps

I recently was posting a list of body shops in Portland for my firm and was wondering what it took to start a body shop business.

What Are Some Body Shop Business Opps?

Your decision to start body shop business is without-a-doubt a good one. Let’s face it; the body shop business is among the most lucrative businesses around. For starters, the number of cars on our roads is always increasing. Secondly, people always want their cars to look good and function well at all times. Thirdly, accidents whether minor or major will always occur. Fourthly, the body shop industry is one of the fastest growing industries [1]. These are probably the key reasons that inspire you to

start or buy a body shop business. Nonetheless, similar to other trades, starting an auto body shop is also challenging. And to make the start smooth and less stressful you need to follow the steps below:

Step 1- Know Why You Are Starting the Business

People start auto body shops for various reasons. Some people are driven by passion; others fall into it by accident, why many view it as a quick way of making money. It is always important to have the right reason from the start. Yes, it is true that you can learn the trade and become quite good at it. However, a person who is driven more by passion than for monetary gains is more likely to succeed. In fact, the most successful businesses are run and managed by people who have always loved well-maintained and beautiful car bodies right from when they were young.

Step 2- Acquire Sufficient knowledge To Start A Body Shop Business

The auto body industry has greatly evolved. Long gone is the era when you only required basic skills and a simple structure to start the business. Nowadays, the cars have become more complicated, customers are more demanding, and technology is always changing. Before starting or scouting around for a business for sale, you first need to make sure you have the up-to-date skills. This entails taking an online course, enrolling in a technical or vocational program, or taking refresher courses from another auto repair shop. Good skills are key to your success [2].

Step 3- Start from Scratch or Buy Body Shops Businesses?

Starting an auto shop business sounds simple on paper. But, it is quite challenging in reality. You need to ascertain whether you are going to start the shop from scratch or buy an already-existing business. Starting from scratch requires more time, patience and involvement. However, it may cost less and allows you to grow and understand the business better. Buying an already-established auto body shop requires less time, is less stressful, and you also enjoy goodwill from the previous business. But, it can be quite costly. You need to look at the figures, time in your hands, and how soon you want to start.

Step 4 – Have a Business Plan: Building Body Shop Business

An auto body shop is no different from other businesses. And unless you have an idea of your expected income and expenses, you will most definitely end up blowing the budget or buying on impulse. When planning to start body shop business, you should be guided by a business plan. This is a schedule that lists the financial projections. For instance, approximate cost of setting up shop, buying equipment, paying salaries, as well as what you expect as income or revenue. Always leave a small margin for emergencies or unexpected expenses [3].

Step 5- Know the Cost of Launching a Body Shop Business

The cost of setting up or buying an auto shop is not carved in stone. It will vary with location, size, equipment needed, type of market and much more. A pre-cast building is more affordable than a brick building. Expect to pay approximately$50 per square feet. Land in rural or remote areas is much cheaper than the big towns. Customers are also fewer in small towns. Land costs in rural areas can be around $ 10,000 while it can cost more than $ 250,000 in the big towns. On average, a 3-acre land in metropolitan towns can cost $150,000 while a12, 000-square-foot building costs $600,000 [4].

Step 6- Funding the Business

This is arguably the most difficult part of starting an auto body business. Unless you are among the lucky few who have rich parents and uncles willing to fund you, or have some large sums of money stashed in the bank, you will most definitely have to look for finances elsewhere. You can seek a loan from the bank, credit society, or microfinance institution. Pursuing angel investors or venture capitalists who will in turn demand a share in the company is also another option. You can also look for a partner. It is important to work with investors or partners whom you share common goals.

Step 7 –Find a suitable Location For Body Shop Businesses

The location of the business will determine whether you make it or windup sooner-rather-than later. It makes no sense to setup a shop in the middle of nowhere just because you are buying an auto shop next to nothing. Also, you shouldn’t spend too much money on a shop that is centrally placed in town but you are yet to understand the trade. The best strategy is finding a strategic location that is easily accessible and highly visible. Ensure the shop is served by a number of bays and has ample space. Also look at the possibility of expanding the shop in future in case business booms.

Step 8 – Register Business and Buy Equipment: Owning A Body Shop Business

After identifying the right location, you need to complete the purchase. Thereafter, ensure the shop is properly registered with the relevant authorities. The next step is acquiring the equipment which is costly venture. The modern auto shop relies of sophisticated equipment that gives the car perfect finish. You may choose to buy new equipment which can cost as much as $ 500,000. Alternatively, you may buy used (second-hand) equipment or lease. Notable equipment includes; unibody equipment, frame platform, paint department, lift tools, computerized measuring, and other equipment.


The above are some of the main steps to starting an auto body shop. Like any other business, the beginning will be challenging since you have to penetrate the market. You also have to employ good marketing skills and make sure your employees are competent and reliable. Patience, persistence, and market knowledge is vital to helping you remain afloat. According to analysts, the future looks bright and positive [5]. You should therefore strive to start body shop business  soon.

Read more about how to start a body shop here.


References:

1. http://www.ibisworld.com/industry/default.aspx?indid=1694

2. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/start-autobody-shop-14445.html  

3. http://www.wikihow.com/Open-an-Auto-Body-Shop

4. http://www.bodyshopbusiness.com/smart-start-strategies-for-opening-a-shop/

5. http://www.anythingresearch.com/industry/Automotive-Body-Paint-Interior-Repair-Maintenance.htm

How To Increase Your Snapchat Score

What is Snapchat?

My 17 year old daughter uses Snapchat all the time and I was hearing stuff about it from time to time, but I had no idea really how it worked. I needed to learn about it for internet marketing so I did some research.The simplest definition of Snapchat is that it is a social media platform. That means it allows you to send and receive communication content in form of texts, images, stories, and videos. So, what makes it different from other social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram? Well, the main feature that makes Snapchat unique is its short-lived content. When you send or receive a photo, you have a few seconds to see it before it disappears into thin digital air.

However, just like most other social media platforms, it has a very simple sign up procedure. All you need to do is download the Snapchat app for free to your iOS or Android device, and fill in some few details (date of birth, username, email, phone number, and password). You must be at least 13 years old to use the app and once you have signed up, you cannot change your username; choose it wisely.

Some quick facts

1. Snapchat scores indicate the number of snaps that you have sent and received
2. Snaps are photos, videos, texts or stories
3. Snapchat is filled with multiple mysteries that are likely to excite you if you are a mystery-hunter
4. Just as other social media platforms have likes, comments and retweets among others, Snapchat has scores.
5. You can delete your Snapchat account if you feel you don’t need it anymore

Don’t Try To Understand It Completely

Snapchat is not for you if you are only excited by things that you can understand 100%. The app contains some features that are mysterious and others that do not make senses at all. For example, it has a score system that up to date, not a single person has been able to understand how it works. It also contains a snapchat 'best friends’ function which deliberately displays your best friends for the public to view. To make matters worse, Snapchat’s official website contains only vague explanations of these issues. However, if you like to explore and uncover one mystery at a time, you won’t be disappointed by this app; especially its Snapchat score.

What Is Snapchat Score?

According to Snapchat’s official website, "your Snapchat score is a special equation combining the number of Snaps you've sent and received, Stories you've posted, and other factors."
That definition could be a bit confusing and unclear; especially the 'special equation’ and 'other factors’ parts. Nobody has ever determined exactly what the 'special equation’ is and how it is used to compute scores. Furthermore, there are no explanations on the 'other factors’ that contribute to your score.
Your Snapchat score can be found on your profile page just below your name and to the right of your username. Snapchat’s official support page describes your Snapchat score as the total number of snaps that you have sent and received. Therefore, to get your score, simply add your sent and received snaps. However, according to some keen observers, that cannot be the case. There are some users who have points that add up to 700,000. That means such a user sends and receives a minimum of 1,000 snaps per day; which is practically impossible. Regardless of whether it is practical or not, one thing is for sure – you need Snapchat points as much as you need likes, comments and retweets on other social media platforms. Read on and you will learn how to increase Snapchat score.

So how do you earn scores?

You get a Snapchat point for every snap that you send and for every one that you receive. As mentioned already, the sum of your sent and received snaps should add up to your score but that is not usually the case because of the 'special equation’ and 'other factors’.
It is generally theorized that you also get an additional point for every story that you open. Another theory holds that you stand to get more points by sending a snap after a long time without being on. All in all, much as we are all interested in knowing how to increase Snapchat score, nobody really knows how the score is calculated in the first place. The whole thing has remained to be one of the biggest mysteries about the app and the Snapchat guys are not willing to reveal it.

Why Your Snapchat Score Matters

Why should you care about your Snapchat score? Well, for one, a high score shows that you are a serious Snapchat user. That should not come as a surprise because it is one of the pillars of social media platforms where you are judged based on the number of friends, followers, comments, views, likes and, in the case of Snapchat, score.
It can also be a platform for social media marketing. In this era of technology, marketing covers a very wide scope that includes social media. Companies are looking for individuals with a large following so that they can use the influence to market products. If you get a score of 5,000 plus on Snapchat, your chances of earning money through marketing are magnified.
Finally, the need to increase your Snapchat score can be influenced by something as simple as peer competition. You might be looking for ways of how to increase Snapchat score just so that you can have bragging rights of the highest score among your peers.

Tips to Increase Scores

The issue of how to increase snapchat score has been covered in so many platforms. Some people have even claimed that they can increase your score at a fee. Snapchat claims that nobody can hack the formula and such people are nothing but fraudsters. However, here are two sure ways by which you can increase your score.
1. Send as many snaps as possible. You can even send them to random celebrities who won’t bother to open
2. Open all your snaps. Opening a snap adds you a point

Latest introduction – Snapchat Trophies

After Snapchat users’ mass obsession with how to increase Snapchat score, the app developers have now introduced new features that are bound to attract equal attention and curiosity. One of them is 'Trophies’. The feature allows you to win a trophy for every milestone that you achieve. For example, you earn a trophy when you send your first video snap. As is typical with Snapchat, you can’t really know the trophy that you will earn or the kind of milestone that is required for you to earn a trophy.
In their default setting, the trophies are locked and it is up to you to earn as many as you can until the whole case is filled up. Although Snapchat's website is not explicit about the matter, there is a theory that suggests that trophies are directly related to your score. Whenever your score reaches a certain value, you get a trophy. For example, you get a glowing star as a trophy when your score hits 500 and a sparkle when you hit 1,000. Trophies are also related to the content you send. If you send a video, you get a videocassette tape and if you send fifty snaps in night mode you get a half-moon face. Those are just but a few tips on how you can earn trophies.

Conclusion

In sum, Snapchat is about experimenting. The more you experiment the more your chances of success at earning points and trophies. That is not to say that you should neglect all the guides and tips that have been proposed. After all the speculation and suggested tips are part of the mysteries that the app exciting.

references:

http://appamatix.com/get-points-snapchat-high-score/

http://www.snapptips.com/snapchat-score-meaning-explanation/

How To Watch TV For Free Online (Or Cheap Anyways)

Break Free From the Cable or Satellite Noose

Most people that currently have either cable or satellite television in their homes, would agree that the cost of the service can be pretty expensive. Not to mention the fact that most providers tend to pull the bait and switch. You're attracted to the specials that are being offered, then find yourself stuck in a vicious cycle of wasting money every month.



The thing is, most people don't utilize is the advancements made in technology. Due to the innovations in technology over the years, there are alternatives to cable service. Why continue to line the pockets of these overcharging vultures, when there are options? With today's high tech society, anyone can learn how to watch tv free online or at a fraction of the cost of cable or satellite. You don't even need a computer, as long as you have access to the internet, you have access to countless resources to view your favorite shows.

Cable offers a multitude of channel packages, which seem enticing at first. Then once you add on the additional features, you are paying over a hundred bucks a month for basic cable with a few extra channels. However, you are still able to break free from this vicious cycle, by understanding the secret of how to watch tv free online.

I cut the cord a few months ago. I was scared that I would miss out on shows but was happy to find I did not.My bill went from about $120 a month to about $15 a month. I will use that extra money to travel!

Watch TV For Free Online

Just google your favorite channel name to see if they have a free website with TV shows. Sometimes the shows only are up for a few weeks for free before they are taken down. Then you have to wait to rent the season from Netflix or you can buy it from Amazon video service for about $15 to $30 a season.

Channels that are free:
Comedy Central
NBC
Fox
FX
Bravo
AMC
Discovery
PBS
History Channel
Food Network


There are many different apps that you can download or stream for free or for cheap, for example:

1. Netflix- With this app, you can stream the latest movies or tv shows on multiple devices simultaneously, depending on the plan that you elect. You are also given the option of trying the service out for 30 days before committing yourself to a monthly plan. Netflix also has featured shows, that are only available on Netflix. The streaming version of Netflix is currently about $8 a month.  I already had streaming so there was no added charge for me.

2. Amazon Prime- Offers Prime video as a free service that is available to people that possess membership to Amazon Prime already for shipping. There is no additional cost to utilize the service as long as the show or movie is available under the prime video feature. Otherwise there is a minimal charge to watch. Prime video can be compared to Netflix with the many shows and movies that are available.  It is $99 a year. I personally already had Prime so it was free for me.

3. Hulu- This app is available in a couple different of formats. Just like many of the other sites or apps, Hulu comes with a free trial membership. After the free trial, you choose the plan that best suits your needs. Whether you want to have limited commercials or commercial free, the choice is yours. You will find the latest movies and TV shows featured on Hulu, similar to using a cable or satellite service provider. You have access to the same networks that you would pay 10 times the amount through cable.  This is free if you use it on your computer. I pay the $8 monthly charge to use it on my big screen but could easily stop.

Devices to Watch TV Online for Free

1. Roku - I personally use the first Roku and love it. There are more sophisticated ones but this one works fine. You get a HUGE selection of shows free with this device once you set it up. You just need to have wi fi. It is pretty idiot proof to set up too. I use the app on my phone or tablet to control Roku...way better than the remote that comes with it.

2. Chromecast- If you want to view your shows on your TV, Chromecast is a device that connects your electronic device, such as a game console, laptop or PC to play the media content straight to your TV.  I personally have not tried this.

3. Amazon Fire Stick - I don't know much about this service but I think it is like the Roku and Chromecast.

4. Apple TV - I had a friend who had this and was very impressed with it.

Here is a good review of Apple TV 5. Google TV

There are so many options that are accessible to you in order to show you how to watch TV free online, you just have to find what app works best for what your needs are. Most of these apps are quite similar, where they feature the same cable channels available to you on a free trial basis and then a minimal monthly charge. There are other sites that you can visit that  allow you to watch episodes of your favorite shows at no cost to you.
Some of the sites that fall into this category are:

A. TV.com

B. Yidio

C. Project Free TV

D. Crackle

The types of shows and networks that are available to you will depend on the app or site that you use. Of course by opting to pay a small monthly fee, you have a better chance of having a larger variety of shows, movies and networks within your reach. This means you can download the app on your smartphone, tablet, PC or laptop, and stream the videos anywhere. If you enroll in a monthly membership plan through a particular network, then you are limited to shows or movies that would normally be seen on that network, such as HBONow or CBS All Access. Then of course if you choose to use one of the free services, you are, limited to what is available, since most of the free services contain content downloaded by other users of the site.


Some shows you cannot find anywhere but on Amazon Video. For example, I like Drop Dead Diva from the Living channel and Worst Cooks in America from the Food network. I just have to buy the season and watch it on my Roku through Amazon video.  I can order directly from Roku with a code or can buy it on my desktop, laptop or tablet.

Your access to a wider selection of shows and movies can be found through the use of the apps. These days cable and satellite have a limited collection of media, in some cases the same that you will access on the various apps. With the ability to acquire many of the latest breakthrough's in technology, cutting the cord and freeing yourself from cable and satellite is just as easy said, as it is done. Obtaining information on what is available to you and what you would want access to is a very simple process. When you learn how to watch tv free online, the complicated process of installation is eliminated, as well as the high cost associated with cable. This is your chance, cut the cord and break yourself free.

Cancelling may not be easy

Just be aware that cancelling your cable or satellite service may not be easy. My husband got hung up on once before he was able to cancel!  They kept asking him why he wanted to cancel and would he take a lower rate. It was awful and he deals with difficult people for a living as a Portland OR car accident lawyer.

Moda Center (Rose Garden) Seating Chart: Aisle Seats

I am a little claustrophobic so I like to sit on the aisle when at a seated event.  I couldn't find any information online as to which seats at the Portland Oregon Rose Garden arena where aisle seats so I had to go down to the ticket office to ask.  The seating charts I found online where no help. Even the 3d seat viewer on the Rose Garden site only gave a view by row.

The ticket seller at the Rose Garden box office told me the aisle seats (at least in the 100 section) are:
Seat #1
and
Seat #16.

You can't always specify seats when using their online ticket purchasing system, so you have to hope the computer gives you an aisle selection. If not, I guess you have to drive down to the ticket office and purchase it in person.  The people there were very helpful and gave advice as to what would be a good seat for each show I purchased a ticket for.  They also told me if I lost the physical ticket, they could look it up by my credit card number which was a relief since I paid some serious cash for all those tickets.

The Rose Garden ticket office was open during a time when there was no event. Also there was free 15 minute parking up between the buildings right next to the office, so it was not as big a hassle as I had anticipated to buy them in person. Ticketmaster didn't sell the Rose Garden tickets anymore; they had gotten me aisle seats when buying them in person at Freddies in the past.