Real World Retail

At the start of the pandemic, one-man shop Seismic Autosound seized the opportunity to change course in search of ideal clients and a better work-life balance.

Marty Barry (pictured at left) and Bryon Jankow chose to merge their businesses when it became clear that the one-man shop approach wasn’tworking for either of them any longer. They have been business partnersfor a little over a year.

Marty Barry (pictured at left) and Bryon Jankow chose to merge their businesses when it became clear that the one-man shop approach wasn’tworking for either of them any longer. They have been business partnersfor a little over a year.

FAST FACTS

Main Location: Novato, Calif.

Number of Locations: ONE

Square Footage: 4,000

Type: BOUTIQUE

Number of Employees: TWO

MAIN FOCUS: 40% Radar 40% CAR AUDIO 10% SAFETY 10% Expeditor / Dealership

KEY STAFF: Owner: Bryon Jankow and Marty Barry

Seismic Autosound has partnered with Custom Mobile Electronics in Novato, Calif., merging the two businesses into one. Bryon Jankow, owner of Seismic Autosound, and Marty Barry of Custom Mobile Electronics discussed their respective situations and arrived at the same conclusion: The one-man shop approach wasn’t working for either of them anymore, and they wanted a better work-life balance. Becoming business partners made the most sense.

“I was working alone. So was he. It was 70 to 80 hours a week, non-stop, and that takes its toll after a while,” Jankow said. “Marty’s shop already had the type of clients I wanted to attract. It was a no-brainer for us to team up and take stress off each other, and move forward from there.”

Seismic Autosound moved from Concord to Novato, to Barry’s location, which has been well-established in the area for the past 20 years, and together, they expanded to about 4,000 square feet. Now, the shop is open five days a week and they both have time to enjoy a personal life again.

Jankow recalled the Bay Area going into lockdown for COVID-19 just as his lease ran out. The two have been business partners for just under a year, but they’ve kept their respective shop names the same.

“For now, it’s just been about bringing everything together,” he said. “We’re trying to add staff so we can focus on the expansion, but it’s been an uphill battle. Finding people is really difficult.”

While Jankow specializes in fabrication, custom work and tuning, Barry handles much of the sales and administrative work for their joint venture.

High-end audio is the main focus in the boutique shop, and the business also works with local Ferrari, Mercedes and Porsche dealerships. Radar is a big category, too, and backup cameras are a popular add-on for the shop’s clients.

Bringing Art Into the Everyday

Before entering the 12-volt field, Jankow worked as an illustrator for a company that made manuals for the automotive industry showing exploded views of car disassembly. He went back to school for fine art and architecture. Jankow stated that his skills as an artist continue to inform his work, and he’s acquired an instinct for envisioning a project layout in his head.

When a client requests it, he’ll provide a sketch, he said. “For the most part, though, our clients give me the freedom to do whatever I want to do. They tend to

By educating customers on sound processing and why it’s important, Jankow and Barry are able to lead them to the right product so they getexactly what they need.

By educating customers on sound processing and why it’s important, Jankow and Barry are able to lead them to the right product so they getexactly what they need.

trust us. A lot of them are more than willing to take our word for what we think is good for the vehicle.”

He emphasized the importance of continued training to stay up-to-date with ever-changing technology, and said he enjoys KnowledgeFest classes and manufacturer trainings. “We’ve been unable to take part in most of that this year, but I’m looking forward to getting back to it,” he said. “KnowledgeFest Live has been a great tool. It’s key to find the time to get involved in that.”

Demonstrating the Importance of Sound Processing

Jankow uses his Volkswagen e-Golf as a demo car. The car features Focal components, Mosconi products and two BLAM subwoofers, along with a Gladen amp. Although Seismic Autosound is no longer an Orca dealer, he utilizes the car’s system to demonstrate what’s possible.

“What we’re really showing them is sound processing and how important it is,” he said, adding that the shop sells mainly Audiotec Fischer brands. “[We aren’t demonstrating a] brand. We’re showing them how an active set-up works. Most of our clients are into mid and upper-level sound.”

Sometimes when a client comes in, the shop is able to use a current almost-completed project for a demonstration, if it’s similar to what the individual is looking for. As far as a display board goes, Jankow said he feels it isn’t a real representation of what’s going on in a car. While the shop won’t be building a showroom, they will be incorporating a seating area for visiting clients where tower speakers can be demonstrated.

The business’s standard is OEM or better, according to Jankow, who added that the easiest thing to improve upon are the materials. “Factory speakers are just a paper cone and a thin plastic shell. We’ll use heavier plastic,” he said. “We

mount amps, processors and components to a sturdier base that gets bolted to the car. We use sound dampening, too. The average person may not know how much it helps the vehicle, so we try to explain that to the client and tell them what it does for their audio system.”

Even a basic install includes some sound dampening. “We try to under-promise and over-deliver. We want to make people happy.” Most of the consultations are scheduled rather than walk-ins. “We sit down and talk with them, educate them. A lot of people think they need a giant system to make their car sound good, but that’s not the case anymore. We can make something sound great with just an amp and a DSP,” he said, adding, “They don’t have to spend money on things they don’t need.”

Creating Transparency and Building Trust

Jankow said he sees a solid future for a boutique store that offers customers an experience they’ll always remember. Thinking back, he recalled earlier days of retail in 12-volt when shops sold from “walls of radios,” and said he feels the traditional retail store has had to evolve and become something different. “With online sales the way they are,” he said, “that kind of business model doesn’t seem to work as well.”

While word-of-mouth is the primary way the shop attracts customers, Jankow said he’s been trying to figure out the best way to provide quality content on social media. One of the ways they connect is by posting behind-the-scenes photographs of builds. “We want people to have a reference regarding the work we’re trying to do,” he said. “I think it gives us a level of transparency. That’s the battle in terms of setting yourself apart from someone else.”

Someone might post final build photos online, for example, “but behind the panel, it looks like spaghetti. We like to show clients how we wire things. It’s

something I would look for if I were a customer.” The shop doesn’t receive many requests via social media, though, and clients are more likely to reach out via the contact form on the business’s website.

Jankow said a number of the clients are repeats. “They can afford to buy one or two or three cars a year,” he explained. “They’ll put radar in and take it out a year later, putting it in the next vehicle.”

Keeping An Eye On Company Growth

Finding time and staff to help lift the load—these are the only slow-downs in the shop’s current forward progression. “That’s the biggest hindrance right now,” Jankow said. We’re trying to get everything accomplished between the two of us, as far as the work goes, so we can pay the bills and pay ourselves.”

With another team member, he said, they’ll be able to continue with plans for expanding and building out the business. The renovation work has already begun. “The main focus right now is getting the fabrication room finished, built up, and getting the front of the business finished,” he added.

The company is also looking forward to eventually incorporating a CNC, though Jankow added he does have a laser and 3D printer. “We have to work on fine-tuning how we use those tools.” One of his aims is to continue learning CAD so they are able to design and develop things in-house. Although they have the clients, he said, they need to continue honing skills to ensure they deliver the desired results. “We want to get better at what we do,” he added.

The goal? The business hopes to be considered at the top of its field. “We’re finally at a point where we’ve gotten our situation mostly figured out and we’re starting to move forward. The build-outs will be our biggest accomplishment, and it’ll allow our new shop to become what we’re trying to become, a lead in the area.”

Fine-Tuning the Work-Life Balance

Jankow considers plain old hard work to be the main reason for the shop’s current accomplishments. “When you’re a one-man shop,” he said, “it’s great to have support from family and friends who are looking out for you and accept the hardships you’re putting on them, starting from nothing, trying to build a reputation and a following. Trying to keep a business afloat and trying to keep your personal life afloat, too—that’s the hardest part.”

He advised other business owners to always be fair to themselves as well as to the client. “You can’t give everyone 150 percent all the time. It’s okay to give them 110 percent. There are a lot of shops out there that will take a customer’s money and give them poor service,” he said, adding, “If you’re giving your customers 110 percent, then you’re already ahead of your competition.”

Now that Jankow has been able to nurture his personal life, he said he’s enjoying his hobbies, taking up golf and hanging out with his two Pomeranians. “I’m originally from Detroit. I love my hockey, too.” Most importantly, the new business partnership has allowed him to spend a lot more time with his wife, he said, adding, “It’s been nice for us to get to know each other again.”

Search Continues for Skilled Technician to Add to Staff

Barry and Jankow hope to add team members soon, but Jankow said they’re having difficulty finding candidates in their local area. “We’re looking for someone who knows how to do the wiring properly— someone who can handle themselves around an expensive car. Once we can do that, we can start to focus on where we’re trying to take the business, and continue with the renovations.”

The hope is to find someone who already has industry experience. “We need someone who can hit the ground running, because we’re stretched thin now,” he said. “We need someone to help lift the burden. If I’m trying to build an enclosure or fabricate a new place to put a speaker, that person would be handling the wiring. We want to be able to find that balance between work and personal life.

Local Automotive Businesses Help Attract Referrals

Simply due to close proximity, the shop interacts with other automotive-related businesses and all of them support each other.

“We’re located in an industrial area with other automotive shops around us,” Jankow said. “There’s a mechanic next door, and a body shop next door to them.”

The body shop, he added, does a lot of custom work. If a client at the body shop mentions they are interested in getting a stereo system installed, the body shop will send them over.

Similarly, Jankow said, “If one of our clients has an accident, we’ll refer them to the body shop.”

The business is largely reliant on word-of-mouth marketing.

Audiotec Fischer: The Preferred Brand for Audio Products

Before merging their businesses, Jankow and Barry had both already been selling Helix and Audiotec Fischer products through MSC America for about three years.

The radar category usually focuses on Escort, and the shop prefers the sound quality offered by BLAM speakers.

“We can call our reps from MSC any time. They are always available. You need people like them on your side,” Jankow said. “People love Helix—it offers big power and a DSP in a small package. A lot of the cars we work on don’t give us a lot of space, so the small footprint is good.”

Jankow stated that he looks forward to integrating the new Audiotec Fischer CONDUCTOR one-touch remote control into upcoming builds.

“It’s super cool-looking, it’s small and it looks like it’ll integrate into just about anything,” he said. “It allows you to change colors, and you can match any color in the car and switch between sound setups.”