About LCT's The Great Limo Race

LCT will be comparing how five operators with less than two years in the industry build their success, including the challenges, failures, and achievements. Read more

Players

Deborah Talbott

Debbie is a former purchasing director who after 20 years found herself unemployed in a recession. She immediately launched her new business from home starting with a single 120-inch stretch limousine and has since added a Lincoln Town Car Executive L to the fleet. Read more

Ricardo Garza

Ric, as he is known to friends, is 45 years old, married, and a proud parent of two boys and one girl. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science and spent many years working in the Houston Mayor’s Office as a certified conflict mediator and business developer. Read more

Becky Laramee

Along with her brother, John, Becky bought All Points Limousine in 2008. Their mother had spent time in the motorcoach and travel industry and had retired, but wasn’t quite ready for retirement. Needless to say, mother Bonnie is the office manager. Read more

Brad Gregory

Brad bought a 25-year-old limousine service in 2009 from a retiring owner. The company is located between Nashville, Tenn. and Bowling Green, Ky. He had no previous experience in the industry, working for the past decade for an automotive company. Read more

Georgia Berg

In July 2007, at the age of 44, Georgia became a long-distance business partner with her longtime Australian friend, Peter Smith. They met by chance while vacationing in Hawaii in 1993. During a 2003 visit to the U.S., Smith saw a Ford Excursion limousine and vowed to bring the first one to Australia. Read more

Race Referee

Jim Luff

LCT Contributing Editor Jim Luff is an operator from Bakersfield, Calif. After working as a chauffeur in the early 1990s, he joined The Limousine Scene in 1993 as general manager and later became a partner in the business. Read more

BRAD Update 5: Making It A Happy Halloween

We made it passed our first anniversary despite a tough economy. Sales rose this year overall, and we brewed up a new money-making idea for Halloween.
 
Well, October started out a little slow so I was trying to think of a couple ways to generate some extra income. I was driving through town one afternoon and noticed a sign for a Haunted House. I really didn’t think much about it until I saw another sign, and then another. Then it hit me! With all the haunted attractions in the area, why not offer a limousine package?
 
I contacted a few of the haunted attraction owners, and they were more than willing to help. So for the last few weeks we have been doing Friday and Saturday night trips to Haunted Houses. We take 10-14 people on a six-hour haunted adventure. The houses offer us advanced sale discounted rate tickets and reserve us a set time to be at each house. No waiting in line; we arrive, go through the haunt, and then on to our next adventure. We even play scary movies in the car and do some minor haunted decorations inside the vehicle. It has been terrific for all parties involved. It’s not your average use for a limousine, but sometimes you have to think outside of the box. . . . .
 
September marked our first-year milestone. Despite the economy and a few hard hits by Mother Nature, we survived. Our actual anniversary was in August, and sales were up 35%. I hope the market keeps going. We look forward to the rest of this year.
 
So far, the brides have been really good to us. We got a new contract last week that was previously held by the same limousine company for 10 years. We have been doing several bridal reviews by donating cars. While we get no revenue for the show, we make the donation back on the bookings. If you are asked to donate a car to one of these events, I would encourage you to do so, especially if you are the exclusive limousine provider for the event. That is our big push when we are approached. We are working on our Holiday Lights package now. This was big for us last year, and it is a great way to get a little revenue boost during the holiday season. Best of luck to everyone in the last quarter as we all approach the finish line on the great race.
 
— Brad Gregory, FRANKLIN LIMOUSINE SERVICE, Franklin, Ky.
Print | posted on Friday, October 29, 2010 10:42 AM
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