My First Blog Post! 4 Great Things About Running a Mobile Bike Shop
I had the hardest time coming up with a title for my first Bike Werks blog post because there’s a lot more than 4 things that are great, but I had to start somewhere. First of all, it wasn’t that long ago that I didn’t even know what a blog was. One year ago, when I came up with the vision of my mobile bike shop, I didn’t know a lot of things, but the whole journey has been very fulfilling. So, here’s the 4 great things in no special order from my first 7 months in business:
- Provide a needed service to the community
- Meet hundreds of neighbors who like to ride their bikes
- Fulfill a vision
- Apply my own creative ideas, being my own boss, and being optimistic about the future
Provide a needed service to the community
Bikes are mechanical vehicles with many moving parts. They get out of adjustment – tires go flat, cables break, wheels get bent, brakes don’t work, shifters don’t work things wear out, and things get broken. Many bikes are set aside with intentions of bringing them somewhere to be repaired – but too many times, they’re forgotten. Probably about half of the 200+ bikes I worked on over the summer were what I call, “garage rescues”. Bike Werks certainly isn’t the first mobile bike shop, but believe me, many folks have never heard of the idea. They credit me for such a great business idea, but I didn’t develop the business model. However, I’ve applied my own ideas, and have paid close attention to the needs of my customers to refine the business. Whether it’s dusty bikes in the garage, or bikes ridden every day, I’ve found that cyclists in Olney and the surrounding area appreciate the convenience of a well run mobile service.
Meet hundreds of neighbors who like to ride their bikes
I’ve enjoyed meeting each and every one of my customers. Many hang around while I fix their bikes and it gives me the chance to know them better. Sure, we talk about bikes, but that’s not all. I try to make the bike repair experience a good one, and that includes a comfortable atmosphere. I can talk bike tech with the best of them, but my byline is, “Your Friendly Mobile Bike Shop” and I joke that I’m the “Planet Fitness” of bike repair. The result – I get to see people at their best – friendly, relaxed and appreciative of the manner in which I run things.
Fulfill a Vision
It was October of 2016 when I started thinking about leaving my part time job at a bike shop, and do something different. It was around that time that a neighbor asked me where to take his bike to get fixed and I said, “Bring it on over – let’s have a look”. I can’t remember what all I did to the bike, but he hung out and we had a great time. He wanted to pay me, and after going back and forth, I charged him a six-pack. Afterwards, he said, “you know Carl, you should do this.” “Do what?”, “Go to peoples houses and fix their bikes”. That got me started (thanks Len). I drew up a logo, had a graphic artist friend refine it, made a website from scratch. I made lists of everything I need to have, and everything I needed to do. I wrote a business plan, and even though I’ve tweaked a few things based on over 115 appointments over the summer, the basic plan is exactly how I envisioned it.
Apply my own creative ideas, be my own boss and be optimistic about the future
I can’t take all the credit for setting up shop at the Olney Farmers and Artists Market, but I will anyway. I credit my booth at the market for reaching about 80% of my customers. My initial idea was to set up my mobile shop on the side of the road at a spot where cyclists tend to frequent. I figured I would need some sort of permit, so I stopped by the police station. The female officer I spoke to gave me some forms and some information and when I was about to leave, she said, “Why don’t you check out the Farmers Market?” It was a crazy idea, but Janet who runs the market liked the idea and the rest is history. Half way through the summer, I read a book called, “The 10% Entrepreneur” It was all about working a full time job while growing a part time business based on a hobby or a passion. That’s exactly what I do. It touched upon obstacles, familiar situations and importance of separating the two jobs. In my full time job, I sell to HVAC contractors of which many are entrepreneurs themselves. I can appreciate the challenges and long hours they invest pursuing the American Dream. With Bike Werks, I’ve experienced a taste of that Dream and am excited about what the future holds.
….. So that’s my first blog post. From here on, I’ll focus on things like bike maintenance, places to ride, cool accessories, bike culture etc…. I promise, I won’t be so wordy from now on also – it’s a no-no according to all the blog youtube videos I watched. Thanks for reading “Your Friendly Mobile Bike Blog” My goal is to post here every Sunday. For those who enjoy my “Feature Bike of the Week”, that’s not going to change – it’s another thing that I enjoy. Check it out on Bike Werks facebook page.