The Car Show Startup

This is the story of five college students with a crazy idea.

What started as a simple concept turned into a fanatic race against a relentless ticking clock. A convivial class activity transformed into a burning full-time job. What we did surprised everyone, including ourselves. With thousands of dollars and our grades on the line, on April 8th, 2017 we launched the first-ever Great Gainesville Car Show.

The Inspiration (Class Project Gone Wild)

The main objective of the University of Florida’s only undergraduate sales class is to complete the notorious, “Fundraising Project.” To succeed, we were put into teams where we had to raise in-kind and cash donations for whatever local non-profit we were paired with. We would be evaluated on how well we utilized our consultative sales skills to appease the buyer (donating businesses) and the seller (local non-profit).

I teamed up with, then acquaintances, Jessica Sullivan (Sales Master), Lauren Schafer (Dependable Jack-of-all-Trades), Kaitlyn Czencz (Marketing Guru), and Alejandro Bermudez (Energetic Closer). We hardly knew each other at all, but we knew we wanted to do the Fundraising Project bigger and better than anyone else.

We were working with Noah’s Endeavor, a local non-profit that organizes inclusive sporting, arts and aquatics events for kids and young adults with disabilities.

To raise money, I was adamant that we needed a way to add value back to donating businesses…but what to do?

Then Jessica mentioned the possibility of a car show, and a lightbulb went off over my head. A car show. Why not? In a small city with too many noble causes to fund, a car show would be a unique way to raise money. It’s repeatable, fun, and right up my ally (I’m a bit of a car geek).

I got really excited about the idea. We all agreed it would be a strong way to fundraise money. What started as a sales project quickly turned into an entrepreneurial venture.

Working with Outside Vendors (City Government and Other Businesses)

From day one, we were already behind. To pull off the car show, we needed parking, and lots of it. We decided that downtown would be the best option (175+ parking spots).

Just 47 days out from the car show, we hit the 45-day deadline to register with the Gainesville City Police. We dropped $58 for a filing fee--no turning back. 

Working with the government is slow. Lots of voicemails and weeks in between emails. But as budding entrepreneurs, we realized we needed to win them over to be successful. So, we made sure to communicate the value a car show would add to the city. With the right pitch at the right time, they became more excited about it than our team.

Outside of working with the City of Gainesville, we needed the approval of each business located on the roads we were closing. With a clipboard and a purpose, we spent several days canvasing downtown Gainesville for each business’s approval.

Some businesses were excited about a car show; they knew the event would bring them foot traffic, and was for a worthy cause. Win-win.

Other businesses weren’t as excited, and we understood. Anytime you close the street in front of a small business, it can have HUGE ramifications for its owners. But we persisted, and sold them on the idea that a car show would be a positive event for their business, and the community. We ultimately won all but one business over (he said he just didn’t like car shows).

Key Takeaways

• Treat everyone like your mother is watching--with the kindest manners and best intentions. It’s important to win as many people over as you can.
• Working with the government and other businesses is difficult, but necessary. You need them, and if you add value, they’ll end up needing you too.
• A little patience can go a long way. If you need something quickly, know the difference between persistence and nagging.

Creating Buzz (Marketing)

We had the street, so now all we needed were cars and people to fill it.

I figured there were three distinct audiences who would come to the show: 1) college students who like cars/street festival events 2) families looking for a fun Saturday activity and 3) car owners who would show their vehicle (generally older folks).

To create buzz with vastly different groups of people, we needed a marketing plan that would target each group specifically, but still reach everyone. This is what we did:

College Students--Goal: Get a crowd of people out

• We created a Facebook event page and invested $50 in Facebook advertising, specifically targeting college students. This earned us about 12,000 clicks and 500 responses.
• Our in-house Marketing Guru, Kaitlyn, created fliers to hang. We hung them in many local bars and restaurants frequented by college students.

Families--Goal: Create a strong, more permanent base for a community event

• We had an energetic radio ad run all over North Central Florida on family stations.
• We hung fliers in businesses that are frequented by families: ice cream shops, breakfast diners, and pizza joints.

Car Owners--Goal: Welcome as many owners as possible; they drive the event, the bottom line, and some cool cars

• With old school cars come old school people, so we focused on word of mouth communication. We visited other car shows to pass out fliers and called heads of car clubs (we figured they’d share the event with their members).
• We reached out to news outlets to have them run a story; The Florida Alligator ran a great piece.
• We put our car show on many local event calendars run by the city, radio stations, and news media.

Initially, it was difficult to figure out how to market a new event across generations. But all the marketing would pay off on the day of the car show.

Key Takeaways

• When starting something new, know your target market. Whether you’re selling a product, service, or event, knowing your audience is crucial to marketing to them in the best way possible.
• Be the champion of your branding; this is no time to be shy. To get others talking about the awesome thing you’re starting, you’ve sometimes got to start the conversation.
• Be consistent. Know your message, and spread it the same way everywhere. Inconsistency will breed confusion and distrust in your brand.

Working with Venture Capitalists (Fundraising)

To start anything new, there must be an initial investment of capital. With big expenses like off-duty police officers, road barriers, and printed materials, it was time to start visiting venture capitalists (potential donors).

To begin prospecting venture capitalists, we began making calls. Lots of calls. Our Sales Master, Jessica, designed a spreadsheet to keep track of the many prospects we were calling. We had a call track (sales pitch) we made on each call; we were looking to set up consultative meetings where we could sell the business owners on the value of the cause and a new community event.

We got A LOT of no’s, but once we started setting up meetings, the money started coming. If we could get someone to agree to a meeting, they were more willing to donate than if we had asked for a donation initially on the phone. This is called the Foot in the Door sales technique.

Going into meetings with venture capitalists was intimidating. They had lots of questions about the car show, sometimes asking questions we didn’t know how to answer. Embarrassing.

But with more meetings came more confidence. We found making a human connection, staying focused on value added to business we were meeting with, and simply coming prepared made a positive difference in our bottom line.

Key Takeaways

• Get ready for lots of “no’s,” but don’t let that stop you. All it takes is one yes to turn things around.
• Always focus on the value you provide to the person/organization.
• Aim for relationships, don’t settle for transactions; there is always more to gain from a continual relationship than a one-time deal.

Launch (Car Show Day)

After months of anticipation, the day had arrived to host the first car show in downtown Gainesville, FL in nearly twenty years. Even though it was a Saturday, it was our Black Friday. To come out ahead, we needed 40 cars to show up. A foreboding number that loomed over us.

The empty streets of Downtown made for an earie morning of setup. It was like the scene of a modern-day Western…set in North Central Florida. All we wanted was for a rumbling V8 to break the deafening silence.

Then, an hour before registration even opened, an early bird. A shining 1963 Chevrolet Impala rolled up. An early sign of good times to come.

By the official start time of the car show, we had already eclipsed the 40-car mark, with more coming! We would be profitable after all!

As the day continued, cars of all makes, models, and ages began arriving. Smiles were ever-present as memories of days gone by were shared. People were in no hurry as they roamed the streets that warm spring day.

A person asked, “Why are there so many college girls at a car show?” to which someone else said, “Because they knew lots boys would be here.” Our marketing had worked; we had an eclectic group of nearly 3,000 college students, families, and car owners join us for the Great Gainesville Car Show.

As the event continued, everyone’s favorite classic rock music played over the 88 beautiful cars that were being shown. A spectacular community event made even better by supporting the non-profit Noah’s Endeavor. Once all the dust settled, we raised more money than we thought we would ever get.

We couldn’t believe that in 50 days we went from absolutely nothing to creating value for thousands in a small city. We were absolutely thrilled.

Key Takeaways

• When it comes time to launch a business, trust your team and the work you’ve put in--it will pay off.
• Have a bias for action. There will never be a moment where you’re 100% ready to launch. Do as much as you can, then take a leap of faith and begin setting your business into motion.
• Have fun. You’ve only got one launch, so make the most of it--it’s an exciting time for any business.

The Bottom Line: Creating anything new is beyond scary, but doing so will be more rewarding than you know. Don’t be afraid to fail, “fake it ‘til you make it,” build lasting relationships instead of partaking one-time transactions, have a bias for action, and surround yourself with the best people you can find.

What crazy class projects have you been a part of? What is your startup story? Let me know in the comments!

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Michael Cizek works for Zoom as a Business Development Representative. In his free time, you can find him biking with friends or driving his beloved 1986 Toyota 4Runner. Michael lives in Denver, CO.  Feel free to contact him at [email protected].