Entrepreneur.com, 8-10-2016 -- Working as a senior vice president for a Fortune 100 company and running IT Services for 48,000 end-users on a global scale was a tough job. It was long hours, lots of pressure and difficult customers. But, even so it was nothing compared to joining the ranks of the entrepreneurs and starting my own business. Here are 10 things I wish I had known before I started as it would have helped me be better prepared for the important first few years of my entrepreneurial life. 1. Don't create new products, solve problems. Forty-two percent of product launches fail because there is no need for the product. That's right 42 percent fail because nobody wants the product. So instead of trying to develop new and wonderful products to look for problems to solve. Where there's a problem, there is a need. 2. Forget about being an overnight success. Even the companies regarded as the quickest overnight successes, Amazon and Yahoo, took at least three years to get there, and the majority of companies take up to 10 years to really make it. So if you're the goal is to be the next billionaire start-up owner then you need to…

August Issue Feature, 8-10-2016 -- As an installer practicing in the 90s, Pacific Accessory Corporation was the name you knew for all the "little things" that made electronics integration work. Whether it was a timer, signal converter or turn-on delay, PAC had the solution. Today, they don't use the whole name anymore as the brand is now a division of a larger corporation, AAMP Global. It's simply called PAC. But despite the obsolete name, what is not lost is the 40 years of innovation the brand contributed to make the mobile electronics industry what it is today. As the anniversary number implies, PAC was started in 1976 by John Patterson, who saw a market opportunity to create a better antenna connection for CB radios. The package featured a hideaway antenna and slide mount adapter for the radio. Unfortunately, the window closed quickly as the government changed CB specs just as the units were being manufactured. Piggyback Ride to Big Boxes The company turned its attention to the burgeoning car stereo installation business, producing noise filters, crossovers, times and signal adapters for shops across the country. PAC developed strong ties with the specialist installation community and quickly became known for its…

Mobile Electronics August Issue, 8-2-2016 -- With inevitable constant change in the automotive sound industry, retailers must always explore creative new ways of keeping their businesses prosperous. Author Johnny Rich said, “The future is certain. It is just not known.” As new ways of meeting goals are examined, retailers shape their own futures. One way of doing this is via co-branding, which offers an option for financial security, among other benefits. Steve Beagelman of SMB Franchise Advisors has over 25 years of experience in the franchise industry. He is a Certified Franchise Executive and has worked with brands such as Rita’s Water Ice, Hollywood Tans and Saladworks. “You have to choose a partner who’s willing to be somewhat flexible,” he stated in regards to selecting a company to co-brand with. “If your brand is too strict and rigid, it’s hard to make a co-brand situation work. You need what I call two willing partners to work together.” Recently, one notable company within 12-volt has chosen to co-brand with franchising brand, Tint World. Such a decision can be a difficult one, and depends on whether such a relationship would be fruitful for both parties. What are the benefits—are there any downsides?…

July Issue Feature, 7/27/2016 -- It takes a lot of leg work to craft the perfect team. Some teams are assembled from a group of professionals who are also strangers. Other times, groups materialize naturally, from former colleagues searching for a place where they fit in. The film "Ocean's Eleven" tells the story of Danny Ocean, a natural leader who is planning the perfect casino heist. To achieve his goal he needs a top-notch team. First, he finds his number one, Rusty. Then he pursues role players for each part of the heist. Finding these players for someone new to the game might be tricky. Luckily, Ocean had something strong on his side: past connections. Jon Lackey  began his interest in 12-volt in middle school. After bouncing around to different companies over the years, Lackey became the Danny Ocean of 12-volt, acquiring allies without realizing he would one day call upon them as the A-team of his shop. "In eighth grade, my friend's brother had a stereo system inside the house. We were listening to it, he gave it to his brother, my best friend and we started  listening to it in his closet. That's when I first got interested in…