[marxjunk]

Ive been in the body business my whole life..im to a point, i am trying to help the next generation when i can, i help with job placement etc, and heres my best advice.

If your gonna get in the biz...you want to be an owner, not an employee, so long term, work towards being a bodyshop owner...owners make money, employees make a check...theres a huge diff..

you need a business degree..period...to become an owner...you need to know how to take care of your money, and to be competitive, you really need to understand that..its more important than you could ever imagine..

starting at the bottom is a blessing..do every job in the shop, from cleaning toilets to fixing cars..everything...understand what it takes to do every job..its important...new people want to go straight to the top..and short cut it.

i washed cars, swept floors and did everything no one else wanted, and i never complained..i did what was needed, and i advanced quickly

heres some hard love... learn this early..you have 2 eyes, and 2 ears, but only 1 mouth, you should be listening and watching twice as much as talking...trust me...ive helped 100s if young people work their way up the food chain...ive seen everything that could be done in a body shop and every type of personality too..be humble and listen to what your elders are telling you, and be respectful, because the elders will bring you along, you need them, they are critical to your success, nothing in the class room is as important as the guidance and mentor-ship you need from these people..

from the day i graduated with a assoc degree in auto body technology, to the day i realized i was a real journeyman was 10 years...at 10, i knew what it took to fix a car etc..and i thought i knew it earlier, but was still learning..i could fix anything in my stall with no help or guidance...dont get me wrong, i could fix cars at 3 or 4..but at 10, i knew i made it...

this business is full of crooks and cheats, and my theory is, they have money probs because they never learned what it took to run and finance the operation..and then they become desperate, and desperate people do desperate things...

find a successful person and model yourself after that person...you wanna be like Chip Foose? then you need to know Chip and model yourself like him..hell..Chips a super nice guy..go find him and ask for a job..

Scott Tiemann? apply for an apprenticeship..you can walk in his shop and probably talk to him....he's easy to find and is prob one of or the most respected restoration specialists on the planet...ya wanna be the best..learn from the best!!

as a young man..travel to the job if need be...make it work..do everything and anything it takes to be successful and be honest..theres no reason not to be..and learn when to cut people out and off, if they are dragging you down

never carry a grudge..if someone does ya wrong, forgive and move on..besides..if you carry that grudge..think of all the negative energy despising or hating a person..they take your glory and waste your time..

always be a professional period...be clean cut and responsible for your actions...what people see is what they believe..so if your always professional and courteous, thats what people belive you are..

and let me tell you this, and if you ignore the rest...this is important...relationships get you thru life..good relationships are the key to success..learn how to network

so theres what i have learned in 35 years in the business, spelled out in 5 minutes..hope it helps