What were WindowFilmMag.com’s top stories since the last issue? Here are the hottest topics in the industry:

1 Five Mistakes New Shop Owners Make

Business ownership is a learning experience. Chris West, director of automotive films, XPEL, says there are common mistakes he sees new shop owners making. Hear the errors he made—and learned from—on the road to success.

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2 Johnny ‘Blades’ Gonzalez and Co. Move Latinos in Tint Forward

Johnny ‘Blades’ Gonzalez asked a colleague working beside him at a Houston truck accessory shop a rhetorical question 10 years ago: “Are you done?” He said, “Quitting time is at 4 p.m.” The colleague had boasted to Gonzalez that he had finished a $300 tinting project—as Gonzalez continued spraying filthy truck bed liners and inhaling dust particles. Learn how Gonzalez turned envy to ambition.

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3 Mental Health Awareness Month: Film Companies Spotlight the Need

Kris Queen battled his second meningitis case in December 2021. It forced the tinter to take stock of his mental health. Mental Health Awareness Month, observed in May, had a theme of “Back to Basics,” an appropriate designation for this period of Queen’s life.

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4 National Small Business Week: Owners Share Struggles and Successes

National Small Business Week, observed from May 1 to 7, celebrated American entrepreneurs’ economic contributions. Speed bumps may compose the road to a successful startup, but Tim Ham, owner of Felony Film in Atlanta, Ga., trusted the process. The installer’s record includes 10 felonies inspiring his company’s name.

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5 A Fork in the Road

New business owners must make crucial decisions. Many choices are made each day, but what happens when a dilemma presents itself, and you have to find a resolution? Determining the correct adjustments can be daunting to the point of pushing you to flip a coin and letting destiny decide. Cheyanne Kahele, owner of Kaloko Tinting in Kona, Hawaii, details her decision-making process in her blog.

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