Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Ungaro.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Dan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started my career in mobile electronics in 2000 at Circuit City. I had no background in working on cars, but had a passion for technology and music. I was pursuing rock stardom in a local band, and installing stereos appealed to my 20-year-old self. Over the next 9 1/2 years, I honed my skills in 12 volt electronics and custom fabrication at Tweeter and Car Toys. In 2009, I struck out on my own in the corner of a warehouse. It took a year before I opened the first retail location for Soundscape. We quickly outgrew the first retail location in McKinney and relocated to Plano, where we really began to hit our stride. We developed a culture around quality that has driven us to be one of the top operations in the industry. In 2016, we won Mobile Electronics Retailer of the Year, but did not feel content to rest on our laurels. In May of 2017, we relocated again to a larger space. With our new facility up and running, we are poised to make a statement regarding the expectation of professionalism and end product that we feel mobile electronics clients should expect. We focus on being up front with the solutions we offer, educate our clients on what they are buying, and execute at the highest level we can.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Offering high end audio and components in the car audio industry is an uphill battle. Two decades ago, when the climate was much more in the retailer’s favor, they chose to offer the “free install”. Add to that the “race to zero” mentality with pricing product, and you have a population that has no reason to respect what we do and what we are offering. The industry devalued its own product and service. As a high-end operation, we have to build value and show our clients the benefits of better product. We also have to sell them on the idea that the person working on their modern vehicle should be a professional with extensive training and not a teenager who watches YouTube videos and calls it “experience”. Included in that idea, is the level of sound quality they should expect. When we say high quality, we mean systems that rival most people’s home audio systems. Most people have no idea how amazing a car can sound when done properly. My mentor in this industry joined as a partner in 2011. He helped nurture the culture we hold so dear. In late 2013 he passed away, leaving the rest of us to go on and keep the dream alive. I think we have addressed all three of these struggles over the years, but no one ever said entrepreneurship was easy.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Soundscape Car Audio – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We are a high-end auto custom shop specializing in mobile electronics including audio, video, OEM integration, and custom fabrication. We have been recognized for excellence in sound quality, integration and fabrication specifically. We currently have 2 techs in the Top 50 Installers list and headed toward Top 12. My third tech is in the running for Rookie of the Year. As a group, we have won Retailer of the Year and two of us have been in the Top 12 Installers. I’m most proud of my team. I don’t believe the name of the shop, the building it exists in or the product it carries defines the culture there. The people do. Each of my three employees are team members beginning to end. Rarely does a vehicle get done with only one person touching it. We work together, and the environment I’ve provided is solely to that aim. Only when you have a team who believes in the goal so you get a product you can confidently hand over to a client.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We just made a big change with our move. We are looking forward to participating in more events and talking to people face to face. I feel it much more beneficial to build relationships with our clientele versus taking their money and sending them on their way. My goal is to mold our processes to more closely resemble that thought process.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2833 Trinity Square Drive
Ste 170, Carrollton, TX 75006 - Website: www.SoundscapeCarAudio.com
- Phone: 972.424.8000
- Email: contact@soundscapecaraudio.com
- Instagram: @soundscapeaudio
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoundscapeCarAudio/
- Twitter: @soundscapeaudio
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/soundscape-car-audio-carrollton-2
- Other: www.youtube.com/SoundscapeCarAudio1
Image Credit:
Brandon LaJoie – The image of the Nissan Z and the shot of the FJ Cruiser
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