James Lown
I am retired after spending over 50 years in all levels of business, from owner of my own company for 18 years to Vice President of sales for 2 manor national companies. I have worked as a buyer for Walgreen Drug for 7 years and, because I have been both a seller and a buyer, my insight to the sale and marketing of goods and service is quite extensive. My first book, A Management Guide to Success for Auto Body Shops came after serving as Vice President of Sales for Mitchell Information Systems which is a publisher of auto repair information. My education centered on journalism and, with my business experience, made me decided to write my first business book on body shops management. This was a result of having visited hundreds of auto body shops and, while many are very sophisticated and well managed, many more poorly managed and lack most of the ingredients that make a business successful. The accolades I have received from body shop owners over the years has been extremely rewarding. My favorite story is about a body shop owner that recently ordered 3 of my auto body guides. Believing this to be an error, I called the owner and ask him if he did, indeed, wish to order 3 books. He explained that he had purchased the guide many years before (first published in 1989) and had taught his two sons the auto body business. They now own their own shops and he wanted them to have their own copy. He said he wanted a new one because his had become very greasy and torn. He then made a statement that was quite humbling. "I want a new copy because I read it regularly to be sure that I am staying on track. I call it my Body Shop Bible!" If you have any questions about my work, please feel free to contact me at lownguides@yahoo.com