Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Perque.
Jonathan, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I worked for a speed shop while I was in college and I just loved to watch inventory turn over and recognized it as something I could do well. I saw the growth opportunity and a way to pair my love of niche market cars with the marketing backbone I was learning in school. I also completed a corporate internship, which taught me a lot about operations and real-world marketing applications, but the most important thing I learned was that I never wanted to sit in a cubicle with a suit on ever again. I would get all dressed up just to sit behind a computer and enter data and I could’ve been wearing pajamas. I told myself I’d never had to wear a suit again if I was the boss, and I’ve kept to that. So in 2010 at age 25 I opened up Bullet. I posted an ad on Craigslist, offering to help people market their own vehicles – that was my way of getting my foot in the door, a way to start without any real capital behind me. I got a bite on my first two cars and sold them within two weeks. I had $5,000 in the bank at that point and took a loan out – they’d only give me $15k – and I used that to cover my license and fees and the rent on my first warehouse. Our Technical Director and best friend JD was the first person to walk through the door. Sitting there in an empty warehouse with a 6-pack between us, I told him, “I’m going to grow this into a multi-million dollar company.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Sourcing the vehicles and finding consistent, high-quality inventory was the hardest part; still is. I pride the business on the quality of vehicle that we provide to our customers, so I hold every single car to a sky-high standard.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Bullet Motorsports – what should we know?
Bullet Motorsports is a niche market automotive dealership specializing in the restoration and sale of classic cars, racecars, militaria, limited production vehicles and exotics. We house the largest inventory of military trucks in South Florida.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Honesty! Over 95% of our sales are out of Florida. Keeping a good reputation is the most critical component for the success of my business. Limited funds during the early stages of the business helped me understand that my word and my passion were the only things people could judge. I did not have a fancy showroom, or a fancy watch to “portray” the image of success….. I had my reputation. This honesty continues to open new doors for business daily. I very am thankful.
SOURCE:VOYAGEMIA
