HTPerformance wasn't just a homework assignment to Brian Hult. It was his life.

He founded the company about three years ago with fellow gearhead Jason Borden, manufacturing high-quality performance aftermarket parts for the Ford Focus. The two actually met through a Ford Focus enthusiast Web site, and noticed a gap in the market for quality parts.

"We were both modifying our vehicles to suit our needs and noticed there was really a lack of quality parts available for the car," Hult says. "We were able to brainstorm a list of products we saw were needed in the market. Through Jason's background product design, we were able to develop products using a variety of product design technologies."

But the company has really taken off since Hult enrolled at Northeastern University's School of Technological Entrepreneurship (STE) in Boston. There, Hult made HTPerformance the focal point of the school's three-semester master's program, completing a business development project where he conducted market research, created a business model and presented his company to potential investors before graduating in August.

HTPerformance's product line includes intake and exhaust products, adjustable suspension components, brake components and more. They've reached out to new customers using social media and enthusiast discussion groups.

Company co-founder Borden, who studied sustainable product design and innovation at Keene State College, says they are looking to expand their product line beyond the Ford Focus.

"We've actually done quite a bit of R&D and product development for a large quantity of products. Now it's about looking at the game plan and going down the list and bringing new products to the market at a strategic design," Borden says. "For our future products, we're going to concentrate on efficiencies of the vehicle. Today, people have to see a return on their investment when buying these performance parts. It can't be just about fun factor."

Hult and Borden believe that their company can make it, despite the gloomy economy. People are holding onto their cars longer, and they believe will look for parts that offer higher quality and efficiency.

"Northeastern's program really allowed me to see market opportunities and develop a business plan to get us where we are today," Hult says. "We devoted ourselves to making this happen. Some people don't take the initiative to move forward with their ideas. With a solid education background behind us, we're really set on making this a success."

Back to school
Education has helped steer the future of HTPerformance. But in today's competitive environment, formal training is a prerequisite for success in the specialty performance industry. Future performance technicians, motorsports crew members and specialty shop owners have to get their start somewhere, and more students are taking advantage of the educational opportunities in the aftermarket.

Enrollment is up for this year, and already for next year at Ohio Technical College (OTC) in Cleveland, says Jordan Brenner, the school's admission and marketing manager.

"As a trade school, we're an easy quick fix; in 12-18 months, you can get a career," Brenner says. "Though the job market has been quiet, the service industry has been in an uproar. Service shops still need technicians and we've found the economy has not slowed us down at all."

OTC offers a wide range of technician training programs in automotive, diesel equipment, classic car restoration, motorcycles and collision repair and refinishing that usually last from 12-18 months. Brenner says what makes them stand out is their specialty field, that's where students learn about alternative fuel training, high performance and racing, custom paint and graphics, street rods. These specialty programs are built into the main training. The school is also currently developing an aftermarket program, which will focus on installing aftermarket electronics, ground effects, body kits and tuning.

Another growing aspect of the program is in hybrids and alternative fuel technologies, says Tim Cole, alternative fuel manager. OTC is a member of the National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium (NAFTC), offering training in 15 applications, including gas-electric hybrids, hydrogen, compressed natural gas, bio-diesel, propane, methanol, ethanol and garbage-powered vehicles. The college’s hybrid fleet includes a Chevrolet Silverado, five Honda Insights, three Honda Civics, a Honda Accord and two Toyota Prius vehicles. Plus, students recently designed and built their "Electro-Van," an all-electric vehicle that runs of the support of 21 batteries.

"Today's technology is just amazing. Our hybrids we have now have more computer modules than the first spaceship," says Cole. "With people looking for ways to go green, this is an area our students can really stand out in."

Now in its 40th year, the school has grown to around 1,000 students, housed in an 800,000-square-foot campus in two Ohio cities. Recently, the school's PowerSports Institute (PSI) branch moved into a 210,000-square-foot facility in nearby North Randall, Ohio, to provide technical training on motorcycles, snowmobiles, personal watercraft, ATVs and more. Most of the students are in the 18-25 year-old range, though a number of adults looking for a fresh start or a new trade enroll as well.

"We've got some really dedicated students here," Brenner says. "Some of our students come here all day and then go straight to work when they're done. Easily 75-80 percent of our guys want to own their own business someday, and we want to help them make that happen."

Need for speed
Certainly, OTC's story is being repeated at technical and trade schools across the country. With six campuses around the U.S., Wyotech is one of the best-known schools for automotive technician training. And for a more business management approach to the industry, Northwood University offers a four-year degree which covers all aspects of the industry, from wholesale/retail management to manufacturing, as well as supply chain management, logistics and lean distribution.

"Most of the students have a strong interest in cars and some have a good technical background. They want to learn about the business management aspects of the aftermarket business," says James John, chairman of the Automotive Aftermarket Management Department on the Midland Campus of Northwood University. "We've found a strong interest in the aftermarket business mixed with lots of enthusiasm will provide them with a successful career in this business."

But on a smaller scale, one of the top names in performance engineering is now giving students an inside track to working in the high-performance aftermarket. Recently, Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE) opened its Tuner School, a tuner-training program that teaches the ins and outs of high-performance modification. The 14-week program consists of combined classroom, workshop and racetrack instruction and hands-on experience. The curriculum includes including brakes, road racing, manual transmissions, exhausts, vendors, dynos and how to install turbos, superchargers and nitrous systems.

"Over the years, we've had a lot of guys ask us where they can go learn to modify cars and there wasn't anywhere else I knew of where they could go to learn how to modify cars for higher performance like we do," says John Hennessey, HPE president. "So as our business has grown over the years, I thought we could start our own program, meet that need, give young guys the fundamental skills — the skills we'd be looking for an as employer looking to hire an entry-level technical to the shop."

One of the advantages of the Tuner School is that its classroom sits next to a quarter-mile drag strip in the Lonestar Motorsports Park racing complex in Sealy, Texas, so students can run live tests to get instant results from their modifications. And working next door to HPE, they have access to dozens of cars to work with.

"While our students are with us, they are able to find out if they like certain aspects of the business," Hennessey says. "We can observe them and see what talents they have and see if they are a good mechanic, or fabricator, or good with computer tuning, and they can pursue what they want to pursue. And typically when people pursue what they enjoy, they excel at it.

"We try to give them some guidance along the way. And then we can use our resources, our connection to try to help them get their foot in the door. In one of our last tuner school classes, one of the kids we hired had a real skill in connecting with people, so we hired him as a salesman," he adds.

"Whether they plan on being a high-performance tech or a performance shop owner or whether they do this for a period of time and then go back to school and become a doctor, lawyer or something else, the skills and knowledge and experience they get at Tuner School they will be able apply that to their automotive passion and hobby for the rest of their lives," Hennessey says.