The Dirt Under the Chrome: A Business Resource Guide With Checklists and Tools
The mistakes we made so you don’t have to.
We started two businesses: a custom motorcycle shop and a sod farm. They looked nothing alike, but the mistakes were almost the same.
The dirt is the farm, and the chrome is the motorcycle shop. The Dirt Under the Chrome is what we learned about the work behind the part people see.
The Dirt Under the Chrome is a business resource guide for anyone starting a business, or fixing the one they have. It puts more than two decades of lived experience into 18 short chapters. Each chapter has a story from our own businesses, what we would tell you, questions to ask yourself, and a checklist to finish before you move on.
It is not a business plan template and it is not a pep talk. It covers the practical things nobody tells you until they cost you money: how to check zoning and restrictions before you pay anything, what to ask before you sign a lease, what equipment really costs to own, how to price so that you pay yourself, how to get through the off season, which suppliers deserve your business, and how to build a business that can run without you.
The chapters cover choosing what you sell, knowing the industry from the inside, family and business, zoning and restrictions, licenses and permits, locations and leases, capital-heavy costs, financing and exit strategy, pricing, seasonal cash flow, suppliers and inventory, letting your numbers decide, insurance, seasonal labor, hiring and contractors, customers, advertising and sunk costs, and getting out of the one-person show.
Our work is rooted in the second half of life, but the lessons apply at any stage.
WHAT’S INSIDE
• A Start Here page: ten questions to answer before you spend a dollar, with a box to type each answer
• 18 chapters in five parts: before you choose, where and how, money, people and customers, and building something you can sell
• A story from our own businesses in each chapter, with a “What it cost us” line where a mistake had a price tag
• A checklist at the end of every chapter, plus a Master Checklist that puts them all in one place
• Two worksheets: what one job really costs, and an off-season cushion
• Three fill-in tools: a Startup Cost Worksheet, a Supplier Scorecard and a set of Lease Questions
• A 57 page fillable PDF you can type into, or print and complete by hand
HOW LONG IT TAKES
Plan on several sittings. We recommend reading the whole guide in order, from the first chapter to the last, then coming back to the checklists and tools as you make real decisions.
WHO IT’S FOR
Anyone starting a business, or fixing the one they have, at any stage of life: first-time owners, people starting a second act, owners who want to find the gaps they can still fix, and hands-on or capital-heavy businesses such as farms, shops, trades and service companies.
DISCLAIMER AND HOLD HARMLESS
The information in this guide comes from the personal experience and opinions of The Second Build Press. It is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not legal, tax, accounting, insurance, financial or other professional advice, and it does not create an attorney-client or any other professional relationship. Laws, rules and requirements are different in every state, county and city, and they change over time. Check the rules where you live, and talk with your own attorney, accountant, insurance agent and other qualified professionals before you make decisions.
The examples in this guide come from our own businesses. They are one family’s experience, and the ideas are meant to be applied to your own business as you see fit. They are not a promise or a prediction of results. Starting and running a business carries risk, including the loss of money.
You use this guide at your own risk. By using it, you agree that The Second Build Press and its owners, authors and contributors are not responsible for the decisions you make or the results you have, and you agree to hold them harmless from any claims related to your use of this guide.
Format & refund policy: This is a digital, fillable PDF delivered instantly after purchase — no physical product is shipped. Because of the nature of digital downloads, all sales are final. Please confirm your device and PDF reader (Adobe Acrobat Reader is recommended for full fillable-field support) can open and save fillable PDFs before purchasing. The Second Build Press is not responsible for display, saving, or compatibility issues caused by your device, operating system, or PDF viewer — the complete workbook content and printable structure are delivered as described regardless of any such issue.