Here is a published article I wrote called, The Used Car Dealer. Hope you enjoy it.

The Used Car Dealer
In the beginning of the automobile age, new car dealers would sell new cars and they would repair and sell the used cars they took in trade.
When vehicles were aged and it no longer made sense to the new car dealer to spend the money and time to fix the older cars, the used car dealer was born.
The used car dealer is a unique breed. The used dealer must be able to find a diamond in the rough and polish a rock
into a gem. To take someone else’s trash, and turn it into treasure.
Before the used car dealer even opens for business he must navigate city ordinances, be a DMV law expert, negotiate lease or purchase terms for a lot, learn that insurance is a 4 letter word, and figure out how to finance all of this.
The used car dealer must be a mechanic, detailer, janitor, receptionist, advertising executive, social media expert, researcher, accountant, I.t. Person, photographer, transporter, security expert, greeter, negotiator, salesperson, CEO and a mom or dad.
The used car dealer must fit 24 hours of work into a 12 plus hour day. His day off is spent at auctions, buying cars online and at the dealership getting cars ready for sale.
He must be motivated beyond reason and enthusiastic when he’s exhausted inside.
He must have the energy of a 4 year old on a sugar rush, when he’s had 4 hours sleep and has a 14 hour day ahead. He must smile and entertain a guest that has no intention of buying his car, when he has 8 projects waiting on his attention.
He must make money to stay open yet sell good quality at great prices.
He must balance family and work yet the scale always seems to tilt towards the dealership.
He has a high divorce rate, high blood pressure and even higher expectations for life.
He works when others would quit. He knows winners don’t quit and quitters don’t win. He considers 40 hrs a week a part time job.
He does all this for Many reasons. His internal drive, his goals, his plan, his vision, his community, his customer and his family.
Every month you are back to zero, or hero to zero as they say. Yet his motivation does not falter.
There will be failure, fear and falls in this learning curve.
But when the success’s finally tend to outweigh the failures, then he can say, yeah, I got this.
If you stop by your local used car dealer, shake his hand. If he’s a real car guy, that hand is likely sore and stained, but he will give you a firm hand with a sincere welcome.
For our excitement begins when that car pulls in our lot and Every time that phone rings. When you say I’ll take it, our heart surges, our adrenaline flows
And our process starts all over.
God I love being a used car dealer.
By Kenny Martin
Owner Competition Cars and Classics