1. A place to work.
2. Tools.
3. An accounting service.
4. An assistant.
5. What else?
I don't know how it is in Indiana but in Atlanta there are certain parts of town that have body shops, repair shops, etc.
It looks to me like most business is walk in and not loyalty. After all, how often does anyone need non-dealer body work in their lifetimes?
Unless he is going to seek some specialty business like UPS fleet trucks it seems to me that he needs to go as cheap as he can and hang out a sign.
But then again I am not in that business so my advice should be taken with a big grain of salt.
That's all good sound advice and thoughts. Thanks a lot.