Laura Bertolli

I have been blessed with so many wonderful people in my life. Thank you. Peace and a warm hug to you all. Laura

Recently the Associated Press ran an article entitled, "Need a job? Try selling a car". According to the article, auto dealers have 100,000 job openings at 20,000 dealerships across the nation. The various positions include: Sales: 42,198 Service: 37,329 Administrative: 7,120 Management: 6,903 Other: 11,253 Some positions, such as in accounting or marketing, may require a college degree, but most, including sales and management, don't. A high school diploma, some technical training and a desire to work from the bottom up are all that are required. Sales jobs can bring in six figures and technicians can earn between $70,000 and $100,000 a year. Office jobs average around $50,000 a year. The auto industry pays well and offers good job security. Parents, why not encourage your kids to consider a career in automotive?

Hi, This last weekend, the Marin County fair took place. Every year my Rotary club sponsors an ice cream booth to raise funds for our Interact club. Interact is the high school equivalent of Rotary. Marin Catholic High School Interact has about 20 members and they do community service and take an annual trip to Mexico to run dental/eye clinics or sometimes help build homes. Rotarians, their families and Interact club members staff the booth for the four days of the fair. We have a lot of fun and raise some needed money.

Summer has arrived and so have the car shows. Been to three so far, the biggest and most well known being the Good Guys at Pleasanton. This show was dominated by GM. I'm not sure why, but every other car was a Camaro. If you want to restore the classic car you drove when you were a kid, plan on spending $30k in addition to the cost of the car. There's a good chance you won't recoup your investment, but car shows are fun and you will meet lots of cool people who also love cars like you and me. See you in August in Reno!

We hear a lot of talk about hybrid vehicles, but the question most of us want to know: How do hybrid vehicles really work? These cars have two motors, one electric and one gas powered, and they work together to save gas and reduce emissions. Since there are two engines, the gas powered one can be smaller, thereby saving fuel costs. The common hybrids today use a generator as the main power plant. The gasoline engine turns the generator, which in turn, can either charge the batteries or power the electric motor that drives the transmission. During acceleration, the electric motor aids the gas engine. During deceleration and when the vehicle is stopped, the engine shuts off. This can be disconcerting the first few times you drive a hybrid. The vehicle is so quiet, it is as though the motor stalled. Employees of Bertolli's have received proper training in safely repairing hybrid vehicles. As when the air bags first came out, there will be a learning curve until the next inn

Bumpers on most cars are made of a plastic composite material. When these get damaged, the usual repair is to remove the bumper from the vehicle, send it to a remanufacturer who will strip the old paint, repair the bumper and prime it. The body shop gets it back, paints it to match the car and then installs it on the vehicle again. Most bumper jobs are in the $800 to $1200 range, believe it or not! In some rare cases, the plastic bumper is caved in at the corner only. Try using a hair dryer and work the 'bump' out. This works especially well on Toyota Camry and Honda Accord bumpers, but try it on others. You never know, and you could save yourself hundreds of dollars in repair cost.

I've been reflecting on running my business for almost 20 years. I realized that the best way to operate a successful business is to focus on why I am in business. I know I am in business to make money. Over the years, I told myself that as a business owner, I contribute to the local economy through employment, sales, community service, etc. But really, I just want to make money. Running a business is hard work and there is no one to blame for failures or mistakes. The buck stops with me and if I play my cards right, stays with me!

Hello, This past week has been hectic. We had the commercial shoot on Saturday. I think it will turn out great. My dad, Frank, was a trooper. He is featured along with all the grandkids (11)! For a 30 second commercial, we spent more than 8 hours on the shoot. Since then they have been editing it. I'm always surprised at how much time is spent on production. Usually the result is worth the wait. I'm confident that the company that produced the commerical, IMA Interactive, will do a great job. If you like the commercial or the video on the website, I can get you more info, just call or write. Last night was the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce's annual Installation of Officers and Awards ceremony. This is my last one as a Board member. I will have served for six years, the maximum allowed. I've enjoyed all the professionals I have met and worked with and love being 'in the know' on city happenings. The dinner had a somber tone due to the fact that Ro

Uh-oh. A month since my last posting. I had made a vow to myself that I would post at least once a week. Oh, well. Today I am shooting a new commercial. The theme is family business and will feature my father, Frank, me, and grandkids (11 of the 13). I'm nervous because I get a lot of 'constructive criticism' about the commercials I have on cable TV. I've even had hate messages left on my voicemail. The life of a faux-celebrity! Watch for it and I welcome your feedback (only good, of course).