I Meant To Do That, A History Of Unintentional Intentions
No one handed me a blueprint on how to run a window tinting business.
While I knew how some very successful people ran their businesses there was really no way to compare a new start-up to a long running highly successful enterprise. Plus you have to remember that was 5 years ago when times were much better economically.
Several influential people I respect advised me to do something else entirely. A few suggested that I work for a 3M window film dealer. (Most of these advisers were 3M Window Film dealers, so I had to take that advice with a grain of salt!)
And can you ever imagine me working for a 3M Window Film dealer??
Add to the mix a declining economy (who in their right mind would start a company at the very moment the recession hit?
And get this- -not one hurricane in Florida since Wilma in 2005!
Of course there's my ego and that obsessive streak that courses through my veins. I don't just compete with my various competitors, that would be too "normal". Not me, buddy. .
Oh. .I knew I really couldn't lose against any other company mano a mano. That's still a given*.
*You may be thinking "how obnoxious, how conceited?" No problem, you are entitled to that opinion but you've never seen me rip through my competition have you?
Still- -You have to be in the game in order to win; and that my friends is always the challenge.
I didn't have my 3M logo, which required tossing away an entire wardrobe of shirts, jackets, hats and sweaters. I kept the plaques, awards, 30 year watch and a variety of pictures of me aging a lifetime from 1974 through 2007.
I wouldn't stoop to the level of showing a heat lamp with a BTU meter since I knew that was a trick, and you really have to draw the line somewhere!*
*Yet that trickery is truly eye catching and it's small wonder they keep doing their phony magic tricks at Home Depot and at Home Shows. It's really persuasive. Pretending that a film like prestige 70 with just over 50% heat rejection can out do a silver 20 or limo 5%. The temerity of continuing such an outrageous falsehood is almost admirable. Kind of like the Jet's coach that tripped that player running down the field.
The reality is the constant battle between false perception versus reality.
Win with facts!
Win with truth!
To hell with that. . .
So off I went trying to grab response from my glare, heat, UV and Sun ravaged potential clients.
I jumped on the ad wagon spending a small fortune on the St. Pete Times.
I was in such a rush that our ad went out before we could open our doors.
I had misjudged the amount of time my contractor would take for the build out. In other words; I actually believed his promise date!
Folks were calling me to get car tint quotes and I'd be heard offering them a price for a tint job that we unfortunately couldn't do for at least 30 days.
Then I ran ads in Sarasota and Bradenton with a 941 telephone number that was supposed to automatically link to our home office. The key words are "supposed to."
Nice ad, really!
Unfortunately Verizon screwed that up and our ads ran with that number telling potential clients that "the number they were dialing was no longer in service"
Then I ran a brilliant radio ad campaign that cost me a small fortune and we received all of three leads.
Oh. . . I'd listen to that oldies station just to hear my ad. I imagined people driving in their cars scrambling for a pen and note pad trying to remember my toll free number.
Raising the volume I'd hush everyone around me like we were listening to Neil Armstrong's first steps on the Moon.
"That's one small tint for man. . ."
I'd have called me for sure!
Unfortunately no one else did!
As we begin our 5th year of freedom with no one looking over my shoulder, no corporate meetings, no empty suit telling me what I should be doing, no butt to kiss; it's all worked its way out.
While I knew how some very successful people ran their businesses there was really no way to compare a new start-up to a long running highly successful enterprise. Plus you have to remember that was 5 years ago when times were much better economically.
Several influential people I respect advised me to do something else entirely. A few suggested that I work for a 3M window film dealer. (Most of these advisers were 3M Window Film dealers, so I had to take that advice with a grain of salt!)
And can you ever imagine me working for a 3M Window Film dealer??
Add to the mix a declining economy (who in their right mind would start a company at the very moment the recession hit?
And get this- -not one hurricane in Florida since Wilma in 2005!
Of course there's my ego and that obsessive streak that courses through my veins. I don't just compete with my various competitors, that would be too "normal". Not me, buddy. .
Oh. .I knew I really couldn't lose against any other company mano a mano. That's still a given*.
*You may be thinking "how obnoxious, how conceited?" No problem, you are entitled to that opinion but you've never seen me rip through my competition have you?
Still- -You have to be in the game in order to win; and that my friends is always the challenge.
I didn't have my 3M logo, which required tossing away an entire wardrobe of shirts, jackets, hats and sweaters. I kept the plaques, awards, 30 year watch and a variety of pictures of me aging a lifetime from 1974 through 2007.
Hell I have one picture in my drawer at the office where I am literally the same age as my son is now.
I'd say I was better looking, but no one else seems to agree!
I'd say I was better looking, but no one else seems to agree!
I wouldn't stoop to the level of showing a heat lamp with a BTU meter since I knew that was a trick, and you really have to draw the line somewhere!*
*Yet that trickery is truly eye catching and it's small wonder they keep doing their phony magic tricks at Home Depot and at Home Shows. It's really persuasive. Pretending that a film like prestige 70 with just over 50% heat rejection can out do a silver 20 or limo 5%. The temerity of continuing such an outrageous falsehood is almost admirable. Kind of like the Jet's coach that tripped that player running down the field.
The reality is the constant battle between false perception versus reality.
Win with facts!
Win with truth!
To hell with that. . .
Just Win!
So off I went trying to grab response from my glare, heat, UV and Sun ravaged potential clients.
I jumped on the ad wagon spending a small fortune on the St. Pete Times.
I was in such a rush that our ad went out before we could open our doors.
I had misjudged the amount of time my contractor would take for the build out. In other words; I actually believed his promise date!
Folks were calling me to get car tint quotes and I'd be heard offering them a price for a tint job that we unfortunately couldn't do for at least 30 days.
(I meant to do that?)
Then I ran ads in Sarasota and Bradenton with a 941 telephone number that was supposed to automatically link to our home office. The key words are "supposed to."
Nice ad, really!
Unfortunately Verizon screwed that up and our ads ran with that number telling potential clients that "the number they were dialing was no longer in service"
(No leads- a total waste. I meant to do that?)
Then I ran a brilliant radio ad campaign that cost me a small fortune and we received all of three leads.
Oh. . . I'd listen to that oldies station just to hear my ad. I imagined people driving in their cars scrambling for a pen and note pad trying to remember my toll free number.
Raising the volume I'd hush everyone around me like we were listening to Neil Armstrong's first steps on the Moon.
"That's one small tint for man. . ."
I'd have called me for sure!
Unfortunately no one else did!
(I meant to do that?)
As we begin our 5th year of freedom with no one looking over my shoulder, no corporate meetings, no empty suit telling me what I should be doing, no butt to kiss; it's all worked its way out.
And that's what I meant to do!
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