A majority of individuals who complete auto mechanic school will look to work in an auto mechanic shop or similar environment. However, there is also the opportunity to start your own business. This will allow you to be your own boss and if the business is successful, provide something of continued value to you, your family and the community. You will also be able to employ others and grow your business when the time is right. Starting a business can be a lengthy process though, and it will be imperative that you follow the correct procedure. You also need to consider exactly what it is your business will do. Do you want to specialize in a specific aspect of vehicle repair, or will it be a general auto shop?

Your auto mechanic training equips you with all the knowledge you need to conduct repairs and maintenance on a majority of cars. So if you decide that you would like your business to specialize in a specific aspect, you have multiple options. You could look to focus specifically on engines, suspensions, or wheels. Focussing on specific parts will limit your market, but it could lead to people seeing you as the industry leader for these parts, therefore, bringing their car specifically to you. If you prefer to be a general mechanic, this means you will have a larger pool of users that may bring their car to you, but you will also have more competitors.

Want to discover the steps you need to take to start up your own auto mechanic shop after auto mechanic training? Check out this infographic!

Infographic - How To Start Your Own Business After Auto Mechanic School

[Infographics] How To Start Your Own Business After Auto Mechanic School

You Need to Thoroughly Plan Your Business

The key to success is good planning:

You need to understand the circumstances around you and do market research to find a gap in the market you can fulfill.
Your training provides many skills, so it should be possible to find your gap in the market after some research.
Research the ideal location to start your business and find out pricing details. Contact real estate agents and inquire about places to rent that are suitable for an auto mechanic shop.
Develop a business plan that highlights everything about the company, such as its name, the industry you will enter, any staff you intend to hire, competitors, where the business will be located, how much it will cost to start, and the type of business ownership.

Planning is the foundational step to starting your business successfully.

Get Creative With a Business Name

You can’t name your business whatever you like:

When deciding to name your business, it needs to be creative but also outline what it is that you will be doing.
If you plan on specializing in a specific auto mechanic aspect, be sure that it is mentioned in the name.
When you have a name, you need to ensure that the name is not taken elsewhere and this can be checked on registries and name searches.
From there, register the name of the business, and depending on the size of the business you intend to start, you may need a trading name.

A good business name will allow you to stand out and be recognizable.

Register Your Business With the Government

To keep the business legal, it needs to be registered:

Register the type of business you intend to open with the provinces you intend to work in.
Get a business number and tax accounts sorted, and apply for any licenses you may require.
You will likely want to be registered as a sole proprietor if you plan to be the sole owner of the business.
A partnership would involve you going into business with a friend or business partner, and would have to be registered as such.
A corporation is for larger businesses which intend to have multiple owners in association together, it is unlikely you will register your business as a corporation unless you have multiple partners.

It is important to follow the due legal processes required when starting a business.

Funding Is the Cornerstone of Starting Your Business

You need to have a capital to start your business:

If you have prior money that you can use and cover the funding required to start a business then this section is irrelevant.
For a business start-up in Ontario, it is possible to receive funding from the Canadian Government, or through Starter Company Plus, amongst other options.
It is also possible to receive funding from a bank in Canada.
To receive the funding, you need to present all of the preparation and planning that you have done so that they can validate your business concept and decide if it is profitable or not.
You need to know the cost of equipment, and any other expenses you may have, such as rent, and you need to have financial projections for the first few years.

Without funding, there is no business, so you need to focus on securing this before you start your business.

What to Do With the Funding

From this point onwards you are ready to get the business underway:

Once you have the funding, it is then time to start the business.
Purchase the equipment you require, hire any staff members that you need, and move into the premises you plan to work from.
If you need any other further guidance, the provincial government of Ontario also offers mentoring and training through their Start Company Plus initiative.

Getting the right equipment, tooling, staff members, and covering all the expenses associated with starting the business are where the funding will go.

Sources:

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/business/start.html

https://www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/start-buy-business/start-business/how-start-business-canada

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/business/start/register-with-gov/register-sole-prop-partner.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/business/start/choosing-a-business-name-1.html

https://www.ontario.ca/page/business/start/get-funding-or-more-help

https://www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/money-finance/get-financing/how-to-get-business-loan-canada