My life has been full of thoughts like, "what the heck am I doing". Most of
the time when I say that to myself I am on the verge of something big.
Sometimes the situations are good, sometimes they are bad. Sometimes they
are life changing, and sometimes I only think they are life changing.
Getting married to my wife was one of these situations. Even though I was
scared, I knew she was my soul mate. It was the best decision I have made to
date. Once again I am in that familiar "what the heck" place. This decision
is life changing, scary, and it is going to take myself, my family and
my best friends on a wild ride we will never forget.
A little over 2 years ago Chris and I hatched a plan. We wanted to open a
bike shop. In our minds that was the end all best scenario for our future.
We wanted to be involved with bikes and nothing was going to stop us. We
have learned a lot in the last 2 years and from that initial idea we have
molded our dream into an all too real reality. If anyone were to tell you
opening a small business is easy, they would be a blatant liar. There is a lot of this business I can't take responsibility for, but I can tell you
that it is far more difficult than anyone can imagine. There are so many
things to consider like insurance, dealers, products to carry, colors to paint
the walls, how to display products, a shop location, and eight thousand
other things that you can’t plan for. It has been a second job with no pay
and lousy hours. With the support of our friends and loved ones we have been
given the strength and the encouragement to lead us to where we are today.
Our dream is almost realized.
I have learned a lot in the last 6 months of setting up this business. I am
still new to this and have very limited experience. Having said that there
are some things you should know if you are thinking of a similar endeavor.
These are 5 things I think are important. Take them or leave them. They are
things I wish I knew 6 months ago!
First, you will always encounter negative thinking. We still get a lot of
negative comments regarding our vision. The key word there is OUR vision.
It is hard to explain your dream to someone that does not understand. So
always keep your head up and take everything with a grain of salt. If you
work hard and keep your vision on the trail ahead- you are going to succeed
in accomplishing your goal.
Second, It will cost you about 3 times more than you can budget for. We are
lucky to be in a situation where we are well funded. The best advice I have
is to plan ahead for everything! That’s including the paper towels you are
using to wipe your greasy pizza hands after a long night of painting.
Third, call in favors! No matter what business you may want to open, you
will have a valuable resource that is cheap to employ. It will work late
hours with you, and it only requires pizza and beverages to keep it going.
What is this mystery tool? Your buddies! Studies have shown that friends
help friends start businesses. We have leaned extensively on our friends and
family. Many of the things we have accomplished would never have been
possible without our friends and family.
Fourth, NETWORK! I happen to think this is one of my best attributes. Never
underestimate the power of meeting people. The guy buying a cup of coffee in
front of you at Starbucks may be an investor, a graphic designer, a lawyer,
or an accountant. These are all valuable assets that you can use in any
startup business. Keep your eyes and ears open. Talk to friends and ask if
they know people that can help. Chances are if you are starting something
local they will want to help in exchange for products services or
discounts.
Fifth, support is key. Friends and family can provide you the boost you need
when your feeling down. Things happen, and sometimes you will be blindsided
by unforeseen circumstances. Lean on the people you care about. If they care
about you they will boost you back up and make sure you get back on track.
Plan on this happening to you more than once. That is what friends are for!
As the time to open the doors to the public draws near, my anticipation
grows. So do my nerves, and my realization that we will never get everything
done in time for a grand opening. In just a few short weeks I will be
helping to run a new bike shop. It is surreal and scary. But it will be the
fulfillment of a dream. I feel like I should insert some quote about
reaching for the stars, or climbing a mountain. I will keep that to myself
for now.
My life has taken some turns and this is one I did not see ahead. But
this "what the heck am I doing" moment has been a awesome ride. I can’t wait
to see what happens when we actually open. I hope this can help someone out
there in cyberspace looking to open a small business. It does not have to be
a bike shop. My five points of advice can apply to any small business. But
if you are looking to open a bike shop give me a call. I am sure I will have
more than a few more bits of advice to give you by the time you read this.
I think I would be wrong if I did not thank some of the people that have
helped me along the way. The future looks bright for us. And without our
family and friends Chris and I would be nowhere. This blog has gone all
over the place. Thanks for sticking around till the end!
Thanks to:
My wife and little girl for supporting me. Letting me be gone long nights to
paint and ready the shop. And for letting me follow all of my dreams, you
are my heart!
To my family for supporting my ideas and always standing behind me!
My friends for the help, the strong backs and the advice. For promoting our
little shop, our vision and our dream.
The Jeremy and Eric at Airborne Bikes. Thanks for the advice and support.
You may not know it but you guys helped shape some of our decisions! You
guys rock!
To the Flight Crew for the support and the positive feedback when I need it.
Jason at Kali Protective’s for giving a small time shop a chance. And for
believing in our vision!
Chris and Flick at KHS. 99% of big name company’s would not give us the time
of day. You guys gave us the boost we needed when we were getting worried
about a brand. Thanks for the support. We can’t wait to work with you in the
future.
To Blue Ridge Gravity for letting us be a part of the scene with you. Good
luck in 2012. Keep it Fast and Loose!
To Roanoke city and the Grandin village for welcoming us into your
community!
Please check us out on Facebook and keep an eye out for all the new and
crazy things we have planned for this year! Please let us know what we can
do for you!
Now go ride a bike!
Dan Lucas
UnderDog Bikes
