Wie läuft mein Autohandel nach 3 Monaten?

Hagen Lauße

28 Jan 202412:28

Summary

TLDRIn this heartfelt video, the speaker shares a day in their life, focusing on the ins and outs of their van trading business. They detail the challenges and successes they've faced since renting an old company site three months ago, aggressively expanding their inventory to 60 vehicles at one point, and the decision to stabilize rather than expand further due to practicality. The narrative also covers a range of topics from specific vehicles in their stock, including a detailed description of a 2020 Sprinter and a 2016 S500 up for a giveaway, to personal reflections on work-life balance. The speaker candidly discusses the pressures of managing a growing business, the high operational costs, and the struggle to maintain personal well-being amidst the hustle. The video is both an update on their business ventures and a reflection on the personal cost of entrepreneurship.

Takeaways

😎 The speaker is enjoying a sunny Sunday and decides to make a video update during a walk, despite expecting fewer views due to the nice weather.
🚗 They discuss their venture into the transport vehicle trade, noting that there hasn't been much change in inventory and they've rented an old operational site to manage costs.
🔧 Mention of aggressive initial expansion to 60 vehicles, followed by advice received to keep the operation manageable with a smaller fleet, leading to a more cautious approach to inventory management.
💰 Sales of about 30-35 vehicles in three months have covered their costs, indicating satisfaction with the business's performance.
🔬 Highlights a shift in operational focus, with new hires to manage daily business, allowing the speaker to devote more time to YouTube and personal projects.
🚜 Shares details on a notable vehicle acquisition for potential conversion into a motorhome, showing adaptability and forward planning.
🛋‍♂️ Talks about a giveaway of a high-end S500 car as part of a promotional event, illustrating marketing strategies to engage with their audience.
💸 Discusses the challenges of managing a large property and finding suitable tenants, reflecting on the importance of compatibility and long-term relationships with business tenants.
🚨 Shares personal reflections on the pressures of constant work, the struggle with maintaining work-life balance, and the mental toll of managing high operational costs.
💬 Concludes with thoughts on finding a healthier mindset and balance, hinting at a forthcoming trip as a break from the routine, yet acknowledging ongoing work commitments.

Q & A

What type of business is the speaker involved in?
-The speaker is involved in a vehicle trading business, specifically dealing with transporters.
What recent change did the speaker make to their business operation?
-The speaker recently rented an old operating site from their father to expand their transporter trading business and to cover fixed costs like rent, mechanic's salary, and insurance.
How many vehicles did the speaker's inventory peak at after aggressively pushing for an increase?
-The inventory peaked at 60 vehicles.
What advice did Enrico give the speaker regarding the size of their vehicle inventory?
-Enrico advised that managing 30 vehicles max was feasible with one person in the office and one in the workshop, and that more would be unmanageable.
What types of vehicles does the speaker have in their inventory?
-The inventory includes various models from 2015 to 2019, including Caddys, Citroën, Traffics, Vivaros, and a 2017 CLA 180 with AMG package and panoramic view, but unfortunately with a manual transmission.
What special project did the speaker mention involving a 2020 Sprinter?
-The speaker plans to convert a 2020 Sprinter, which is extra long with a 316 CDI, automatic transmission, and other features, into a motorhome.
What type of giveaway is the speaker organizing?
-The speaker is organizing a giveaway where participants can win a 2016 S500 with a 4.7L V8 Biturbo engine, complete with an AMG facelift conversion, among other premium features.
What is the speaker's monthly fixed cost for running their business?
-The speaker's monthly fixed costs for running the business are around 30,000 EUR.
What personal challenges does the speaker express towards the end of the script?
-The speaker expresses feeling overwhelmed by the constant work, the pressure of managing high fixed costs, and a sense of not advancing personally due to the business's demands.
What does the speaker plan to do to potentially improve their mindset and work-life balance?
-The speaker plans to find a way to better handle the mental stress of the business costs and to reduce self-imposed pressure, mentioning an upcoming trip as a potential break to work on this.

Outlines

00:00

🚚 Transitioning to Van Trading

The video begins on a sunny Sunday, with the narrator deciding to take a leisurely walk and update viewers on the van trading business, which hasn't been discussed in a while due to a lack of significant changes. Three months prior, they started renting an old company site from their father to mitigate fixed costs associated with the business, such as rent, mechanic salaries, and insurance. The inventory was aggressively expanded to 60 vehicles at its peak, a strategy deemed unsustainable by a colleague named Enrico, prompting a shift to only purchase new vehicles as others sold. The fleet consists of vans from 2015 to 2019, including several models like Caddys and Citroëns, and even a 2017 CLA 180, which was taken as a trade-in. Despite initial apprehensions, the business sold about 30-35 vehicles in three months, covering costs and proving enjoyable. The narrator had hoped for more time for personal projects but found the business demanding, leading to the hiring of another mechanic to alleviate workload. A special mention is made of a 2020 Sprinter, acquired from deep in Bavaria, which the narrator considers converting into a camper van. Unfinished vehicles awaiting repair or certification are kept separate from sale-ready ones. A promotional mention is made of a giveaway for a 2016 S500, concluding with an update on property rental inquiries and the challenges of finding suitable tenants.

05:00

🔧 Expanding Services and Facing Challenges

The narrative continues with ongoing negotiations with potential tenants for the property, emphasizing the importance of selecting the right partners for a long-term relationship. The narrator then showcases new wheels for a Chevy Impala, a Bentley awaiting modifications for local regulations, and other project vehicles, including a Doblo ready for pickup and a Caddy fresh from detailing. The focus shifts to the narrator's personal collection and a 2010 Crafter that returned for a minor repair, highlighting a policy of selling mostly to businesses without warranty, which minimizes returns and complaints. The struggle with an insurance claim on a Passat and the sale of a problematic Transit are also mentioned. The fleet of ready-to-sell vehicles is discussed, noting a change in sales strategy due to the loss of the narrator's Instagram account to hackers, which has impacted business and personal connection to past content. The segment ends with a reflection on the heavy workload, including managing multiple vehicles, YouTube content creation, and the responsibilities of employing staff, leading to high fixed monthly costs and personal stress.

10:03

🤔 Personal Reflections and Future Outlook

In the final segment, the narrator reflects on the overwhelming workload brought on by the van trading business and other ventures, including clothing sales and YouTube video production. The increased responsibility, now involving five employees including family members and the significant financial burden of running the business, is weighing heavily on them. Despite recognizing the achievements and freedoms gained, the narrator admits to struggling with the mental pressure of ensuring the business's success. They discuss the need to adjust their mindset to cope with the stress and plan a trip to find some relief and perspective. The narrator hopes to reclaim their hacked Instagram account, lamenting the loss of personal and business memories. The video concludes with an appeal to viewers to participate in the S500 giveaway and a candid admission of the need to balance work with personal health and happiness.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Transporter trade

The transporter trade refers to the business of buying, selling, or trading transport vehicles, such as vans or trucks, which the speaker is involved in. This business activity is central to the video, as the speaker discusses the acquisition of a new lot for trading these vehicles, managing inventory, and strategies to cover fixed costs like rent and salaries. The mention of aggressively increasing the vehicle stock to 60 units within six weeks highlights the dynamic nature of this trade.

💡Fixed costs

Fixed costs are business expenses that remain constant regardless of the volume of business activity, such as rent, mechanic salaries, and insurance. In the video, the speaker discusses managing these costs through the transporter trade, illustrating the financial challenges of running a business and the necessity of generating sufficient revenue to cover these ongoing expenses.

💡Vehicle inventory

Vehicle inventory refers to the stock of vehicles a dealer has for sale. The speaker mentions having a consistent inventory of transporters from 2015 to 2019, including various models like caddies, Citroën Traffics, and Vivaros. Managing the inventory, including purchasing new vehicles only when existing ones are sold, is a key aspect of the speaker's business strategy.

💡Work-life balance

Work-life balance is the concept of having a healthy balance between professional responsibilities and personal life. The speaker reflects on their struggle to maintain this balance, admitting to working excessively, even on weekends, and the impact this has on their personal relationships and mental health. This topic is crucial to the video as it delves into the personal sacrifices and challenges behind entrepreneurship.

💡Conversion project

A conversion project in the context of the video refers to the speaker's plan to transform a 2020 Sprinter van into a motorhome. This project symbolizes the speaker's creative and entrepreneurial spirit, showing how business ventures can also stem from personal interests or needs. The project also reflects on the flexibility and adaptability required in business to explore new opportunities.

💡Raffle

The raffle discussed in the video is a marketing strategy used by the speaker to engage customers. By offering a chance to win a 2016 S500 car, the speaker incentivizes customers to make purchases in their shop, thereby driving sales and customer engagement. This strategy illustrates innovative approaches to business promotion and customer interaction.

💡Employee management

Employee management is highlighted when the speaker talks about hiring additional staff for the workshop to delegate daily business tasks. This management aspect involves organizing and coordinating staff to ensure the smooth operation of the business, reflecting the growth and complexity of the speaker's entrepreneurial ventures.

💡Mental health

Mental health is addressed towards the end of the video, where the speaker opens up about feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of running a business. This includes the stress of meeting financial obligations and managing work-life balance, showcasing the emotional and psychological challenges that entrepreneurs face.

💡Online presence

Online presence, particularly through platforms like Instagram and YouTube, is discussed as a crucial part of the speaker's business strategy for promoting vehicle sales and engaging with the community. The speaker's experience with losing access to an Instagram account underscores the importance and vulnerability of digital platforms in modern business operations.

💡Real estate management

Real estate management becomes relevant when the speaker discusses renting out parts of the newly acquired lot to other businesses. This aspect of the business involves finding and managing tenants, which adds another layer of complexity and opportunity to the speaker's entrepreneurial activities.

Highlights

The speaker discusses a Sunday stroll around a farm, updating on their commercial vehicle trade with no significant changes recently.

Rental of an old operating site from the speaker's father, pushing inventory aggressively to 60 vehicles at its peak.

Advisement against expanding the vehicle fleet beyond manageable levels, now focusing on replacing sold vehicles without increasing inventory.

Diverse range of commercial vehicles offered, including a 2017 CLA 180 with an AMG package taken in trade.

Approximately 30-35 vehicles sold in three months, covering costs and providing satisfaction and fun in the business.

Introduction of a new workshop employee to handle daily operations, allowing for more focus on YouTube content.

Mention of a 2020 Sprinter van, extra long with high-end features, potentially to be converted into a motorhome.

A promotional giveaway of a 2016 S500 with an AMG facelift package, aiming to drive engagement and sales.

Challenges and activities related to property rental, with all smaller units leased out and ongoing discussions with potential tenants.

Various personal and business projects mentioned, including car repairs and YouTube video production.

Reflection on the intense work schedule and its impact on personal life, expressing a desire to find balance.

The financial and emotional pressures of running a business with significant fixed costs and responsibilities.

The speaker's attempt to adjust mindset and manage the stress of business ownership while recognizing the achievements and freedoms it provides.

Plans for a trip to a sunny location, hinting at the importance of environment and mindset on well-being.

A call for viewers to appreciate the hard work behind the scenes and to participate in the giveaway for a chance to win a luxury car.