Chuck’s first full time job as an adult was serving 4 years as a US Marine in the Viet Nam war era. He says the Marine experience was instrumental in him becoming a successful entrepreneur and businessman. The lessons learned about himself and lessons learned in leading others were invaluable. He tried to return to school but found it boring and a waste of time as a means of accomplishing his goals and dreams. Kind of sounds like Dan Kennedy, doesn’t it? Besides, 24 year-old, former Marine Sergeant Viet Nam vets, were not readily accepted by anti-war students and faculty in that era! Trautman next had a corporate gig with the Gates Rubber Company. He says he received great business training at Gates, but a corporate job always frustrates entrepreneurs and pushes them to seek their true calling. He then purchased, along with silent investors, a small auto parts store in Eugene, Oregon. Within two years, the store rapidly grew from $330,000 a year to over $900,000 in annual sales. Then two other stores were purchased which also enjoyed rapid growth. Profits grew at a greater rate. Seven years later, with one investor, Chuck purchased his supplier, an auto parts distribution company, who at the time was selling $12 million a year in auto parts to independent auto parts stores. This business later became the Carquest Auto Parts Distribution Center in Portland, Or. During Chuck’s ownership and direction, the company grew to over $25 million per year in sales and employed over 125 people. After selling the Carquest DC, Chuck became restless and started a retail golf equipment business from scratch. It grew from one store with no sales to 6 stores selling over $10 million a year. Trautman found Kennedy style marketing in 2001. He ate it up and loved it. He said it was like discovering the holy grail. He has been an avid Dan Kennedy fan ever since. After selling the golf equipment business in 2004, Trautman was asked to help out an auto parts store owner and a golf equipment business owner at almost the same time. Both businesses had problems. It was then that he discovered he had a knack for using his experience to help other business people and new career as a consultant was born. Trautman also created and currently markets a language learning product in a phrase book format. One course teaches Spanish and another course teaches English to Hispanics. Check them out at www.learnspanishfastandeasy.com or www.InglesAprenderRapido.com. Recently, the possibility to take over the Phoenix – East Chapter of Glazer-Kennedy Insider’s Circle became available. Being hand-picked, trained, and certified by Dan Kennedy was an opportunity too good for Chuck to pass up. So that’s the story of how Chuck Trautman became the local, GKIC Independent Advisor. Chuck has time available for a few new consulting clients. His “outside eyes” have made (or saved) his clients a substantial amount of money. He specializes, through Dan Kennedy marketing principles, in helping the “little” company find their niche, attract new customers or clients, and increase their profit margins. Chuck is also hired as a second set of eyes and ears by CEOs and business owners because of his “No BS," tell-it-like- it-is style. Some firm’s key people tell the owner or CEO what they want to hear, not what they need to know. Using an outside “confidant” can be an extremely shrewd strategy.
What Qualifies Chuck Trautman to Lead Our GKIC East Chapter?
(How About 30+ Years of Owning His Own Businesses?)
Call Mr. Trautman at (480) 773-7490
to see if he can fit you into his schedule and help you have the best years ever.
