Greg and Sherri Sands, longtime automotive repair shop owners and operators, will serve as trainers for the first Automechanika Chicago event, the largest tradeshow and training summit for automotive service and collision repair shop owners. The event will be held at the McCormick Place West Convention Center April 24-26, 2015.
The Sands will lead the management session: Becoming a Successful Entrepreneur & Multi-Shop Owner & Operator on April 25 and April 26. The seminar will provide an overview of the entire business lifecycle, from how to determine whether a shop owner is ready to expand to helping that shop owner establish key exit strategies.
“It’s good for people who own one shop but are thinking of expanding, but it’s also good for people who own multiple shows and are thinking of divesting,” said Sherri Sands, CFO of SRSANDCO, LLC, the parent company of multiple auto repair brands.
Sherri will offer guidance on what a shop’s financials should look like before embarking on an expansion, the best routes to finance additional locations and how to sell your business for top dollar. Greg Sands will discuss choosing the right location for a new shop and will also educate shop owners about the various methods of expansion available.
“This has been our most-asked about topic and no one out there teaching this,” said Greg Sands, who provides educational webinars for shop owners through his direct mail firm, Mudlick Mail. “There is nowhere to go to get this information.”
Together, the Sands have built close to 90 stores. They currently own nearly 30 stores in three states and are in the process of opening six new locations.
“We’re not people who did this 10 years ago,” explained Greg. “We’re living it. We’re doing it right now as we speak.”
The Sands are part of a slate of high-profile trainers participating in the inaugural Automechanika Chicago event. The event will showcase the newest tools, equipment and products in the market and is expected to draw more than 8,500 attendees and more than 400 exhibitors. Automechanika is presented by Messe Frankfurt and Advanstar Communications, one of the largest tradeshow organizers and producer of 30 publications, including Motor Age magazine.
Headquartered outside Atlanta, SRSANDCO LLC owns and operates auto repair shops under a variety of brands in Colorado, Texas and Georgia. The company also owns Mudlick Mail, a direct mail provider with a focus in the auto repair industry.
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