Getting into the biz?? (1 Viewer)

[Elmer Millikan]

I am strongly interested in getting into the Home Theater/Home Automation business here in Chicago. I have 12 years experience in Fortune 100 Information Techology shops doing things from network admistration and design to operations management and project management. While I make a decent living I am at the point in my life where I want to build something and have more contol over my future. I currently work full-time for the company that "Brings good things to life" and I attend graduate school at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL on Saturdays.

There seem to be three possible ways to get started....

1. Open a franchise.
2. Work with an successful existing company that wants to add Chicago to it's reach.
3. Start on my own and slowly develop a list of clients, referrals and know-how.

Option number 2 is the most attractive to me. How reasonable is it to expect this type of business relationship? Are business owners looking for these types of arrangements? I would love to have a business mentor/partner to assist in getting a shop up and running. There would be some type of sharing of the start-up expense, equity split and income split. Does anyone have any ideas on how to setup a fair partnership of this type?

I can open a franchise for about $150-200k. I will probably visit some of these franchises in the near future to see their retail format.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I love keeping up-to-date on HTF.com but I was wondering if there is a forum for installers that focuses on all things home theater. I have subscribed to some HT/Automation rags and I am absorbing knowledge daily.

Thanks.

Elmer

 

[Will Orth]

Well after doing My Ht Room i would forget the idea as it is way to time comsuming!!!!!!! i LOVE home theater but the shit you have to do is not as easy as you think.

I think i doubled my drinking habbits and it has been 3 months and i finaly got to watch Blade 2 last night i almost shit my pants! as the sound Knocked me on my ass!

Sorry for the bad language but it really did! my wife thought the police were going to come as the house was shaking so much the surround was better then i have ever heard from any movie theater, only thing missing is my screen size is 5 times smaller, but i really was freaked that my system was going to blow up on Blade 2, as i have watched a few other dvd's but that blade one had a BOOST!
THE FIRST 10 MINS IS ENOUGH FOR A DEMO!..
Anyways my system works , my site should be up in a week or 2 as i have 5 other websites to make for other clients.

Will

 

[Elmer Millikan]

Thanks for the great input!

 

[Jack Briggs]

All things considered, this thread belongs in After Hours.