Most successful self-made entrepreneurs were influenced by somebody important in one way or another. Many of them came up with an idea for a lucrative business when they were about to finish high school or college. Michael Vincent, on the other hand, had entrepreneurial blood running through his veins since he was a kid.
Vincent’s first sales experience at the age of 12 selling newspapers outside of restaurants on weekends. He also worked typical odd jobs throughout high school until he reached a turning point in his life. Vincent was about to graduate from high school when his parents presented him with three pivotal options to choose from. First, the possibility of going to college and choosing a career path after that, second working for the family’s plumbing business and going through an apprenticeship program, or third simply moving out of the house and finding his way in life. After much self-reflection, Vincent chose to work for his family’s plumbing company under his father and eventually start a commercial plumbing apprenticeship through The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC).
Vincent worked diligently under his father and uncle for three and a half years as a PHCC plumbing apprentice but with only 6 months remaining before graduating as a PHCC Journeyman Master Plumber, Vincent decided to leave the PHCC and take a job working for his other uncle’s union Plumbing & Heating business. The move required him to start his apprenticeship training and schooling all over again as part of the United Association (UA), a labor union representing workers in the plumbing and pipefitting industries in both the United States and Canada. After completing his 5-year union apprenticeship, Vincent was certified as UA Star Master Plumber and Journeyman.
To elevate his skills and career further, Vincent decided to pursue further studies after his two apprenticeships at Diablo Valley College (DVC) studying Construction Management and AutoCAD. Vincent’s goal at that time was to hopefully get into the Project Management, Plumbing/Mechanical Design, or the Project Estimating side for his uncle’s Company at the time. After 2 years at DVC College, Vincent convinced his Union (UA 342) to start a beta 3D AutoCAD Plumbing Detailing course to train him and a few other members he gathered interested in becoming 3D Plumbing/Piping Detailers & Designers. Vincent completed the 2 semesters 1-year beta course (which they still offer to this day) through his union ready to take his career to the next level. For the next two years, Vincent left his family’s plumbing businesses to work for the nation’s largest mechanical and plumbing contractor Southland Industries as a lead plumbing & piping detailer/designer. Vincent was a lead plumbing/piping 3D detailer/designer for Palo Alto Medical Office/Surgery Center in Mountain View California and UCSF Outpatient Building & Energy Center in San Francisco California. Though Vincent was accelerating into the management side in his career at this point, that season signaled a new beginning for Vincent as he took on the challenge of leaving the industry he grew up in and had 10 years of education to start his own business. An internet-based car dealership.
Even with no background in car sales or the auto industry, Vincent ventured into getting his car dealer’s license and started a used car dealership. What started as a small side business while working his full-time job with his good friend turned out to be a multi-million-dollar income-generating venture for him. When they started, Vincent purchased one $2,000 car at a local Manheim Dealers only auto auction to sell and grow the business from there. Vincent also leased a 400 sq. foot office with two official parking spots to accommodate potential buyers and meet state and local requirements to have a retail dealer’s license.
That same year, Vincent grew that one used car to ten or more in inventory at all times selling 8-10 cars a month. Vincent was able to reach $500,000 in sales in his first year in business. After Vincent’s first year in business armed with a little success and experience under his belt, he decided to seek out an outside investor to take the business to the next level. After months of meetings and negotiating with potential investors and business partners, Vincent found the right investor and business partner and formed Newell Auto Group. Newell Auto Group was a no-haggle, no negotiating online-based dealership specializing in pre-owned certified luxury vehicles. Vincent and his partner leased a 12 thousand sq ft. building in San Ramon California to operate the business and act as their showroom accommodating 30 to 35 luxury cars in inventory. Vincent was selling 15 to 20 units per month and generated about $5 million in sales their first year of the new business.
In Vincent’s second year of operation of Newell Auto Group, Vincent put together a deal to take over a recently closed Chrysler dealership about 20 miles north in Martinez California. This was a big jump for Vincent because, at the time, he nor the business could afford to fill the 150-car lot and or operate the service department. Vincent had to get creative with the owners of the property striking a long-term lease and subleasing out the service department to a local mechanic for his first 5 years while he grew his business to a point where the business could fill lot and run a service department.
Over the next 5 years, Vincent steadily grew Newell Auto Group by creating a Sales and Finance team, Marketing team, Service & Reconditioning Department, and growing the business to a staggering $20 million in sales.
Finally, in his seventh year of business, Vincent decided he wanted to sell the car dealership to return to his roots. The Commercial Plumbing construction business.
Today, Vincent is combining all his experiences in the Plumbing trade and car business and starting a Commercial Construction Design Build Plumbing business from scratch. Vincent is documenting every step of the process on his YouTube Channel The Leak TV so he can teach other entrepreneurs and tradesmen/women how to start and build a business too.
Vincent is showing his fellow tradesmen/women and entrepreneurs that success in any business can be achieved through constant learning and mentoring. By teaching others his tested and proven strategies that genuinely work, he is equipping them to experience the same degree of success that he too enjoyed. On this YouTube Channel, Vincent plans to discuss Entrepreneurship, Business Formation, Accounting, Sales, Online Marketing, Hiring and Firing Employees, and more in detail.
To get more info about Michael Vincent and follow his journey, please follow the links below.
Michaels Website Facebook Instagram The Leak TV YouTube Channel
Michael’s Personal YouTube Channel the Life of Michael Vincent
