I’m currently on the fence about starting my own mobile tire service and could use some advice. I have about six years of experience as a tire technician and have been working as a mobile tire tech for the past three years, so I’m very familiar with the work itself.
I recently purchased a 2023 Ram ProMaster with 41k miles. I put roughly 65% down and currently owe about $10,000 on it. After the purchase, I still have around $70,000 in savings. To fully build out the van, I would need to invest another $10,000 to $15,000 for equipment like a tire changer, wheel balancer, generator, and air compressor.
Since buying the van, I’ve been feeling a lot of pressure and second-guessing the decision. I think it’s because I realize this would mean stepping into something serious with a lot of responsibility. On top of that, I don’t have an existing customer base, so I’d be starting from zero.
Right now I’m trying to decide if I should sell the van and stick with the stability of my current job, or move forward and commit to building the business.
Given my experience and financial position, would it be smarter to play it safe or take the risk and go for it?