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tintme69

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tintme69

tintme69

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Hey guys! I haven't been on this site for a while, but I used to be very active a few years ago. I owned my own retail shop for about 6 years then a local dealership that owned 3 lots, started  begging me to come start an in house shop for them. I was very leery of getting in bed with a car dealership, especially going from charging $200-$500 a car to $75 (they provided everything except tools). Anyway, the thought of having year round, steady work drew me in. So Jan. 1, 2012, I started the shop tinting strictly for them. Things went good, it was a huge adjustment learning all the ways of a dealership, but it grew. We had to pick the cars up and drive them across town because that's where the shop they provided, which sucked, but I did it. I started out with just me and a prep guy doing about 125 cars / month and it grew to 3 other tinters and a prep guy tinting about 250-300 cars a month. I continually bent over backwards for them: every policy change or demand, I met, with a fake smile on my face ?. Then a new Mngr came in and everything went south from there. Because my shop was set up by the old Mngr., it became the ugly step child. First they took away the used cars, then I lost one of the 3 dealerships (bc of politics and egos) and I walked on egg shells for months, but kept doing the best job I could. Well, Wed., the 1st, they came in, changed the locks and told me it had been an "executive decision" that they were going to tint out of the wash bay at the Toyota dealership with an hourly pay tinter. After 4+ years of catoring to them, I've been kicked out of my shop and lost my job; not only my job, but my 3 other employees lost theirs to. Just like that. It's over. I'm not an official "employee", so no severance pkg or anything, lol. So, at the age of 40, recently divorced (wife cheated with a manager at the dealership) I'm having to start from scratch. I don't know where I'm going to go, wether I'm going to open another shop or just try a whole new carrier. This is all I've ever done: Tint, car audio, managing a business, that's it. So any advice would be appreciated as I take the next step down the crossroads I'm currently at. I'm trying to stay positive, so please keep any negativity to yourself. Thanks for reading guys. And if you have a good shop, be thankful for what you have. You never know when it could be all gone.  

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no ma'am

no ma'am

Posted
Posted

Wow, that sucks in the biggest way. Sorry brother. My thoughts are double down and do it bigger, if you have to relocate, do it. If you can take back the territory, definitely do that. Stick it back to the man twice as hard. F%%% car dealers!

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highplains

highplains

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:yeah I have a very similar set up to what you were doing, just on a smaller scale, and I worry about the same thing. I think personally I would be looking to open my own shop and carve that territory back out for myself. Beat them with quality, how good of a job do you think an hourly tinter working in a wash bay is going to do? Certainly not very good to start with.

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Stewy

Stewy

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First thing that you should do is look for a consultation with a lawyer and see if you have any legal actions on your end (there might not be any but consultation is free.) Second thing that you should do is enjoy life. Do something outrageous for the next month and find the inner you. You will figure out what to do after that month. Good luck bud and have fun!

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TTS

TTS

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If you can afford to take some time off do it and get out of town for a couple weeks...

 

If not order a couple rolls of film and build your empire....   Fortunately tint is one of those things that you can ask just about anyone if they would like it on their car and most people enthusiastically say yes!  

 

Just accept you had a good run and now its time to move on... 

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sunstopwindowtinting

sunstopwindowtinting

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22 hours ago, tintme69 said:

Hey guys! I haven't been on this site for a while, but I used to be very active a few years ago. I owned my own retail shop for about 6 years then a local dealership that owned 3 lots, started  begging me to come start an in house shop for them. I was very leery of getting in bed with a car dealership, especially going from charging $200-$500 a car to $75 (they provided everything except tools). Anyway, the thought of having year round, steady work drew me in. So Jan. 1, 2012, I started the shop tinting strictly for them. Things went good, it was a huge adjustment learning all the ways of a dealership, but it grew. We had to pick the cars up and drive them across town because that's where the shop they provided, which sucked, but I did it. I started out with just me and a prep guy doing about 125 cars / month and it grew to 3 other tinters and a prep guy tinting about 250-300 cars a month. I continually bent over backwards for them: every policy change or demand, I met, with a fake smile on my face ?. Then a new Mngr came in and everything went south from there. Because my shop was set up by the old Mngr., it became the ugly step child. First they took away the used cars, then I lost one of the 3 dealerships (bc of politics and egos) and I walked on egg shells for months, but kept doing the best job I could. Well, Wed., the 1st, they came in, changed the locks and told me it had been an "executive decision" that they were going to tint out of the wash bay at the Toyota dealership with an hourly pay tinter. After 4+ years of catoring to them, I've been kicked out of my shop and lost my job; not only my job, but my 3 other employees lost theirs to. Just like that. It's over. I'm not an official "employee", so no severance pkg or anything, lol. So, at the age of 40, recently divorced (wife cheated with a manager at the dealership) I'm having to start from scratch. I don't know where I'm going to go, wether I'm going to open another shop or just try a whole new carrier. This is all I've ever done: Tint, car audio, managing a business, that's it. So any advice would be appreciated as I take the next step down the crossroads I'm currently at. I'm trying to stay positive, so please keep any negativity to yourself. Thanks for reading guys. And if you have a good shop, be thankful for what you have. You never know when it could be all gone.  

 

Come to Arkansas and tint!! We will definitely need somebody around summer time! ?

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tintme69

tintme69

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Guys, you've been great. Thank you so much for your support, suggestions and feedback. This is such a great community. Honestly, I have no clue what I'm going to do. There's only a couple decent shops for rent right now. What's crazy is: that dealership gig ruined a 18 yr marriage, but I was so dedicated to my job (and the money, I won't lie) I stuck with it.  Part of me wants to take a job tinting on the coast somewhere, living out of a small cot or trailer and live the rest of my life on the beach. I've done this for so long. I've been so anal and picky and uptight. I guess it's just a crossroad in my life I've got to discern. Thanks for everything guys. I'll let you know what happens next ......

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jh812

jh812

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Posted

That second plan sounds amazing to me. Hoping one day the wife and I can get an rv or something she's a nurse so she could travel and maybe bounce from shop to shop. Of course this is down the road but a guy can dream. Good luck in your venture. 

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