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by Ezer » 17 Sep 2005 21:54
I took out a loan Friday and ordered a bunch of tools so I can do lockouts and rekeyings, and I ordered a switch-blitz for doing keys. What all can I do before I have to get a business license and start worrying about taxes? For the moment all I'll be doing is making keys and master keying about 18 locks for my work. The keys I'll sell to them at a small profit. I'm doing the master keying for free to show them and others I can, because they've told me I could do rekeyings there before and ended up backing out. This time they can't back out though. All the locks I'm doing are being replaced, and I have the new ones locked up.
What I'm planning is after a few months learning the different methods and tools for doing auto lockouts maybe starting a night and weekend lockout and rekeying business. I know I'll definitely have to get a license and insurance and all that kind of stuff then, but until then what all kinds of work can I do at my current job and for others without having the IRS or anyone else coming after me?
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Ezer
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by vector40 » 18 Sep 2005 12:42
This may be more of a business and tax law question, and Varj does live in a different country, Ezer.
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by Ezer » 18 Sep 2005 20:43
I know, but I figured if Varj can't answer maybe one of the US lockies can or at least point me in the direction of the local official to talk to.
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by Varjeal » 11 Oct 2005 19:48
Technically speaking if you are charging for ANY work or services, you should have a business license. The volume of your expected business defines the sales tax part.
In short, your best bet is to not charge until you have licensing, etc. in place. Also, try to make friends with a good accountant who can keep you brushed up on what needs to be done taxwise. 
*insert witty comment here*
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by strangedream » 2 Feb 2006 11:15
I was thinking seriously of becoming a locksmith , but the problem is there are literally hundreds of locksmith schools in my local area.Whats more then that there are millions of on-line schools.There are some threads saying that Foley-Belsaw is good. But before I spend all the money on a course I wanted to ask the professionals on this site which ones they took.
thanks
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by Varjeal » 2 Feb 2006 11:22
In regards to correspondence courses, I actually took one from the now defunct NRI. It was o.k., showed me the basics, provided a few tools, but the apprenticeship program (4 years) I'm completing is far superior.
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by strangedream » 2 Feb 2006 11:47
When your trying to market and advertise your business what type of backround would a potential customer like to see?
I mean would it look better to them having worked with an apprentice or an on-line course?
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by Varjeal » 2 Feb 2006 18:41
Customers generally don't care as long as you can perform the work quickly and efficiently.
Some customers, such as the gov't, etc. may require that you have formal training of some type and generally a few years of experience. In regards to marketing, most choose to list the # of years they've been in business or years of experience. Advertising that you've got a CJL (if you have actually earned one) seems to have a little effect since most customers don't know what that means.
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Varjeal
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by strangedream » 4 Feb 2006 2:44
Varjeal wrote:Customers generally don't care as long as you can perform the work quickly and efficiently.
Some customers, such as the gov't, etc. may require that you have formal training of some type and generally a few years of experience. In regards to marketing, most choose to list the # of years they've been in business or years of experience. Advertising that you've got a CJL (if you have actually earned one) seems to have a little effect since most customers don't know what that means.
yeah I see what you mean, thanks for the advice Varjeal
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by Varjeal » 8 Feb 2006 1:12
No prob.

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by CapnCurry » 5 Mar 2006 16:48
Hey, all. I'm just starting a simple residential rekeying and residential/auto lockout service, and I need some advice. First, because I don't want to sound like one of the Drill Cowboys that Pinky so rightly discourages, I want to say that I've been doing my reading (Complete Book of Locks and Locksmithing, among others), I'm working through the Foley-Belsaw course, and I've got my complete Pro-Lok auto opening kit, as well as "The Best Car Opening Manual Period." I'm going in as prepared as I can be, I'll be taking every opportunity to learn more as I go, and I'll be turning down any job that I don't have confidence in my ability to perform.
That having been said, I was a little spooked when Varjeal mentioned that he got an under-the-window tool stuck in someone's door, and needed to remove the door panel to get it back out. Myself, I don't know how to remove a door panel. I'd have no idea what to do in that kind of situation, not for want of any knowledge about the lock or its mechanisms, but because I'm not much of an auto mechanic.
My question, with apologies for being long winded, boils down to this: no matter how prepared I am for a particular job, I know that there will be some times that something goes wrong that I won't exactly know how to recover from. What's the professional way to handle such a situation? Call another locksmith, or a specialist, and eat their fee? Make arrangments to have a tradesperson I can call, and have them try to walk me through it over the phone?
Thanks in advance for your help, all. I only want to be the best, most professional locksmith I can be. 
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by Shrub » 5 Mar 2006 17:18
Theres a few answers to that, one is you dont trade until you can cover most if not all problems and if that isnt possable of you do come accross somthing strange you have enough knowledge and skills to actually work it out on site.
If you dont have the mind to solve such problems along with the mechanical knowhow to go with it you are going for the wrong job.
Go spend a day with a local car stereo installer to find out how to remove various sorts of panels a week if possable im sure they wouldnt mind if you are not going to open a business in that area of expertise and dont charge for your work then go and spend as much time as possable in your local scrap yard playing with cars,
If you cant do cars 100% dont do them at all until you are confident and the same to a great extent goes for other locksmith work.
If you start calling others out to fix your problems then you then have 2 people who will tell all their freinds, the lockie and the customer, do that a few times and youll soon have a name for yourself as not being able to open anything and no-one will call you.
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by CapnCurry » 5 Mar 2006 20:21
Gotcha. That makes sense. The reason I was confused is that the kind of all-encompassing knowledge called for in locksmithing is all but impossible to attain in my current field (PC tech). I mean, it's one thing to know how to repair 95% of the problems you'll face right off the top of your head - but I suppose it's a far sight easier to recover from a mechanical hiccup when you're familiar with the equipment involved, than to figure out what an obscure hexadecimal error code is without an expert opinion.
The lesson I'm taking away here is that in order to properly service a car through the door linkage, I had better be familiar with the linkage and everything it's connected to. I'm off to the junkyard - and I thank you for your advice. 
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by Shrub » 6 Mar 2006 8:27
The most important lesson is not to run before you can walk, start as a lockie then move into vehicle or safes once your knowledge of locking mechs has grown by which time youll be on good terms with your local scrappy and have more idea what to do then start offering auto smith work.
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by Varjeal » 6 Mar 2006 11:31
You know what? It's rare that your always going to know the exact right answer to solve an unusual problem, that's why it's always good to keep a list of numbers for friends and other trades people. Especially those in the same business as you.
As a locksmith, it's always nice to have phone #'s for a couple of fellow lockies. That way if you do run into an unfamiliar situation, you have access to a knowledge pool that expands beyond your own.
By applying good mechanical skills with your previous experience and resources like other trades people, its generally a very short period of time before a solution can be found.
If you find yourself uncomfortable with finding a particular solution to an unusual problem, man up and get some help. You may have to eat the cost of the job, but you have now learnt a valuable lesson and should the situation arise again, you'll be able to handle it yourself.
This is why it's so important to get good training from the start. Don't let the idea of a possible difficult situation deter you though. No one knows it all from the start.
Shrub gives good advice, spending time in a local scrapyard can provide a good and relatively cheap training grounds for automotive situations, and you may find new avenues of work you can add to your business along the way.
Best of luck. 
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