D Car — July 2004

These days, no company can be certain what tomorrow will bring, and a salaried job no longer guarantees security. If salaried work carries risk too, there is nothing wrong with considering a bigger way to earn. Here is one proposal for doing just that: a method suited to people who love cars. It is the “weekend entrepreneur” approach—start a small business steadily in your spare time, then eventually make the transition to running it independently. If you are already free to make that transition, you can focus on it full time. The prolonged recession still shows no sign of bottoming out, and conditions may worsen. Why not try to gain income and fulfillment through your own efforts? We do not recommend simply taking a second job: that only adds another employer, may increase stress, and could harm your health. Instead, start a small business around something you love, beginning on weekends. A business built around your interests can grow along with your dreams. This plan does not call for a large investment or elaborate preparation; taking a big risk and starting on a grand scale does not guarantee success. Building steadily, one step at a time, may be the surest route. A small venture can grow without limit into a shop or company.

Starting a business is easy to say, but how do you actually do it? The plan introduced here is for people who love cars, or who find fulfillment in helping others; even if that is not you, it may broaden how you think about work, so please read on. The independent business is a vehicle-information service: it connects people who want to sell cars directly with people who want to buy them, acting as a broker for private-party sales—like real-estate brokerage, but for cars. Its financial benefits to users are hard to match because computers connect buyers and sellers directly without an intermediary dealer. It is a next-generation car business. It handles brokerage rather than buying and selling inventory, so there is no need for a showroom or shop; it operates through a network and information system.

Because the business is not based on waiting for walk-in customers, you can move freely and shape it around your lifestyle: you choose your days off and business hours. You could start as a sideline using one day off a week or evenings after 5 p.m.; once profits exceed your main job’s income, that can be the turning point to full-time work. This makes a gradual transition to becoming an independent business owner possible. You can enjoy work at your own pace and pursue uncapped earnings. A monthly income of ¥1 million can be an initial milestone. And the goal is not only money: it is also to make time for family, friends, and hobbies. The greatest offense is a competitive advantage that is difficult to match.

Internet access and the growing familiarity of online auctions have helped make this kind of venture safer and more viable. The key point is that no better way has been found to buy more cheaply and safely or sell for more, and the business also has considerable stability and future potential. In Europe and North America, most users already use this model because it lets them buy at the lowest prices and sell at the highest. Private-party transactions also offer further advantages…

Private-party sales are not subject to consumption tax, an important advantage in developed countries where the rate exceeds 10%. Japan is expected to enter that era too. Consider how the system works: suppose you are selling a car you have driven for ten years. A buy-here-pay-here specialist appraises it at ¥0. If you learned how to sell it for ¥300,000, what would you do? You would surely choose that option. Conversely, if the same car were ¥500,000 cheaper, everyone would prefer the lower price. That is the Auto Web vehicle-brokerage information business. The company has cultivated this model in Japan for about 20 years. Now, to meet buyers’ and sellers’ needs across the country, more information-brokerage stations are needed. There are as many potential customers as there are cars. If a local branch is established in your area first, the opportunity to become an entrepreneur through this business may disappear; a good sense of timing and foresight are essential.

Having this kind of support and the necessary tools from the outset gives a major advantage in the effort and cost of starting independently. You can learn the work and know-how while earning at the same time—rather like learning on the job and getting paid, instead of paying tuition at a vocational school. Business is difficult to learn in a classroom; hands-on practice is most effective. If the plan interests you, call the counseling desk below on weekdays, 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Your privacy is protected; they provide a thorough, impartial explanation (about 23 minutes). Call toll-free 0120-300-555 now. It is natural to have questions if you have never started a business; there is no need to feel intimidated. They also offer a suitability assessment and careful counseling, with no pressure to sign up or start. Success comes to those who try. Requesting information is the first step—perhaps a week from now you will be on your way to becoming an entrepreneur.