Interesting article in the NYTimes about a guy who owns and runsa small motorbike repair shop.

This article was tweeted, I read it and found it intersting... you may
too

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24labor-t.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

 

Even more interesting if you can see a way that your own labour and applied
intelligence can make a decent quid.

Knew a guy some time ago that ended up selling photocopiers, on commission,
and the rates were low and the work dull.

Until he figured out that all copiers that get used a lot are very high
maintenance and the best return from his time was in servicing them (never
ending cash flow) as opposed to selling them which was tedious and always
under someone else's thumb.

Its sort of why independent service places for either bikes or cars are
usually much better to deal with than the manufacturer controlled places.

Best, Andrew

 

In aus.motorcycles on Mon, 25 May 2009 05:52:13 +1000

But you have to pick your clientele.

THe biggest problem independent places have is that many clients have
no idea how long it takes to do the job.

So they go spare when presented with the bill.

People with older bikes, even older European bikes, are bad like this
because they figure "it's an old bike, so it must be easy". If it
is, work on it yourself...

Running a shop is a long hours, low wage, deal with idiots, sort of
job.

Zebee
- who knows 3 independent mechanics and they all sing the same tune

 

Yeah business must be good, there are six pages of this waffle!