I'M 16 YEARS OLD AND GOING INTO THE 11TH GRADE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT PATH TO TAKE IN LIFE.. I WANT TO DO SOMETHING ANYTHING WITH ATVS. THERE THE ONLY THING I LIKE OR HAVE ANY INTEREST IN. I WAS JUST WONDERING IF ANY OF YOU GUYS THAT WORK ON SELL OR ANYTHING ELSE WITH ATV'S. AND IF YOU WOULD TELL ME HOW YOU GOT STARTED INTO YOUR JOB. I WOULD LOVE TO ONE DAY HAVE MY OWN SHOP WHERE I COULD SELL AND WORK ON ATVS. I SEE SO MANY OF THE DEALERS IN MY AREA THAT HAVE THE LOCATION THE BIKES THE PEOPLE BUT THEY JUST DONT KNOW HOW TO USE IT. IF I COULD WORK MY WAY UP ONE DAY TO THERE STATUS I KNOW I WOULDN'T BE LONG BEFORE I WOULD HAVE A DEALERSHIP BASED ON THE PEOPLE AND THE BIKES THAT WOULD MAKE A GOOD INCOME BUT ALSO HAVE GOOD PRODUCTS AND SERVICE.. WELL THERES MY LIFE IN A NUTSHELL THANKS FOR READING.

If you want to have your own dealership (I agree with you, a very cool job), work at one for 4/5 years and THEN start thinking about getting your own. You will learn the ropes and see that it is trickier than it looks!

My view on getting a start at a dealer:

Mechanic: A tough spot to get - start visting shops NOW and asking for a traineeship. Ask if you can just help out on the weekend or something - for free! or to work for parts. Go with your guardian/parent and show you are legit. You need someone to give you a break.

Salesman: A bit easier spot to get because there is less risk/cost - the owner does not have to spend years on your training. You need no training. You could find some guy who will give you a start for commission only (you only get paid if you sell something) - but most dealers have a policy against that. Good step in is to get "sales" experience first - selling food, TV's (weekend work in stores is usually easier to get). You either have some sales "talent" or not, from my experience - give it a go...

Administration/manager: a big dealer will have a layer of people doing the accounts, ordering, invoices etc. Perhaps even a manager who works for owner. He/she will have either years and years of experience working at dealer (most likely) or they may be a business trained person (went to business school, or an accountant etc.) with just limited or even no experience at a dealer. Apart from manager, I would not advice you to get into accounts etc. - just too removed from the reason you want to get into it (you will never see a quad, only stacks of papers!).

My other advice:

It will make things much easier if you also push to go as far in your education as possible - high school, college etc. Since a dealer is a "business", my strong advise is to shoot to go to the best business school in your state (how are your grades?). I can promise you that any big dealer will then BEG YOU to work for them!

The other advice is when contacting/bothering dealers do it with a older family member. Try and get a family member who is old and a good talker - that way you get some respect, plus you will be amazed what some canny old grandfather (or whatever), revved up with your deams can talk people into!!

Euroraptor

if you aim for sky, you can always settle for the top of the trees

if you aim for the top of the trees, you will never get off the ground

sounz like you went through the same problems as me.....and its always other peoples guidance which is most important at this stage in life.......and its important you listen to it......reguardless how bad it sounz

i wanted to leave school and go farming when i was 17

now i 22......and just about finished my degree...(drunk too much!)

people say tertiary education is the deciding factor on what you want to do,......man.....i not that interested in farming any more.......(thats what my degree is)......if i did go farming, i think i would just end up farming to own machinery.......tertiary education is more just becoming a link in the chain to starting in a industry.....not starting in a high paid job!>......sooo......with nothing where will ya be?....

my advise.....listen to euroraptor.......

weekend work is all good
.....don't worry if you think you are missing a good business opportunity....cause.....once ya get out of the education......you will miss a whole lot more

stay in school.......bunk......be a nusance in class......what ever it takes to make it a little less painfull.....have a good time

one business avenue you haven't thought about is what to do with atv.......contract spraying,......lambing sheppards (sheep), tour operators, farming, life guard....like baywatch eh?....

just my 2 cents

In downtown chicago, the police officers ride quads on state street.

Just a thought,

Rainman

Yep, rainman's right... there were dozens of 'em down there on L.S.D. for Venetian night! They ride 'em around for all the block parties in the city too! It's a shame most city folks don't know what a quad is. They're too busy being locked up in their high rises. My friend and I went to look at a Pilot in the city and we were driving it up and down the ally's behind these $2mil condos. One guy kinda got ticked off 'cause we were going too fast but it sure was fun riding a quad in the heart of the Gold Coast.

Thank you all for the great suggestions!!! I know the first thing saturday morning ill be at the local dealership "with my dad" asking what I could do to help.