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).

What is CAA? California Autobody Association is our industry's leading association. Across the nation, California is looked to for help in regulations and laws relating to the autobody industry. We are lucky that our own CAA is actively lobbying for the autobody industry. They are in constant communication with the Department of Insurance (DOI), the Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) and our elected officials, especially Senator Jackie Speier. Our local chapter, Golden Gate, is being revived with the help of Blake Andros (Blake's Auto Body) and myself. I'm excited to have the opportunity to get local shops involved in such an important group. We held an introductory meeting on Friday and had several shops commit to joining. We will have bimonthly meetings and hopefully take back our industry from those trying to take it away from us. For more info, please contact me and I'll be glad to fill you in on what we're doing.

Can't live without it, can't live with it! Insurance is a necessary part of our lives; life, auto, home, umbrella, liability, uninsured motorist, health, dental, mortgage, accident, earthquake, flood and the list goes on. If a profit can be made, insurance will be created to cover any loss. My wish is for insurance to stick to what they sell - monetary relief for a covered loss. I wish they would stop trying to control the manner in which the covered loss is taken care of. Let the policyholder decide how they want their medical, dental, home, auto, etc problem solved (under the terms of the policy purchased, of course). Any attempt by the insurance to control the remedies further is not the insurance specialty and ought to be left to the professionals providing the service. This is my conviction and my vision.

After a weekend of family and friends, I had a chance to reflect as I drove to work. The sky was full of clouds and the sun was peeking through. I admired the hills and trees along 101 and the view of Mt. Tam from San Rafael is one I am so grateful for. Life is beautiful. I am blessed with wonderful kids, family nearby, friends who complete me, and fulfilling work. I am lucky to work with the 'cream of the crop' - technicians who work as a team, helping and teaching each other to strive for the highest quality repairs. Take time from your stressful day to appreciate where you live and with whom you spend life. May you have a peaceful holiday season filled with love.

I just got back from an autobody convention called NACE (National Autobody Convention and Exposition). This is the biggest convention for our industry. I enjoyed attending the California Autobody Association Board Meeting. California has led the country in laws and regulations regarding our industry. The best part of NACE is hearing from other shop owners all around the nation. Some areas are having a hard time financially and others are just now learning about the low VOC paints we use here in California. I was disappointed in how many shops are dying to become a DRP (direct repair provider) for insurance companies. They think this is the only way to get work. DRPs do provide a steady flow of customers that are steered to their shop, but this is not the only way to get work. I believe in the old fashioned way of advertising, networking and getting out in the community so people know and trust you. There are a few shop owners like me, but they are few and far between. They w...

Last night Bertolli's hosted a fellowship event for my Rotary club. Each quarter we get together in the evening to have drinks and get to know each other better. We took the opportunity to honor a longtime employee, Mark Poore, who has worked in the autobody industry for 30 years as an auto painter. Everyone had fun, ate well (a Mexican feast!) and enjoyed each other's company in a less structured, informal way. For more info on Rotary - check out our club's website at www.rotary-sanrafael.org.

Hello! Today I posted my picture so you know what I look like. Of course, if you came from the website (www.bertollis.com), you would have seen me on video.

Hello! Welcome to the Bertolli's Auto Body Shop blog. Our daily dealings with customers, insurance companies, car dealers, employees, etc. can offer some insight into the world of an auto body shop. Our customers entrust us with what amounts to the second most valuable investment they make (after a home) and expect us to repair it properly - safely and beautifully. Of course, we charge for this service. Fortunately for our customers and us, an insurance company will pay for most of the cost of repairs. The goal of the insurance claims adjuster is to minimize the cost of the repairs. We politely refer to this situation as a 'negotiation'. The bottom line is that there are three parties to an auto body repair - the customer, the shop and the insurance company - all with the same goal in mind; repairing a vehicle to its pre-accident condition. We have many stories to tell and hope you enjoy reading them.