Reprinted with permission from the May 12, 2000 issue of the Midlands Business Journal by Alison Laurio

With a goal of holding two to three auctions a week this year, Shayne Fili, owner of Auction Solutions, has one under her belt and has become affiliated with another auctioneer for his real estate auctions. Fili started the home-based business at 5612 N. 96th St. in Omaha in December shortly after she completed a nine-day training program from the Missouri Auctioneer School in St. Joseph, graduating as a certified auctioneer and earning the honorary title of colonel. She has developed a seminar titled “Auction the Smart Way” and is ready to start marketing it. “A lot of times there’s a fear that if you go to an auction and rub your nose, you’ll end up with a huge item,” Fili said. “That’s not true. Auctioneers are watching for people who are looking at them. They’re watching for a nod or a wink.” The seminar covers the basics of what you need to know to attend an auction, said Fili, who is a member of the Nebraska Auction-eers Association. “People should get there early, bring a notebook and take notes,” Fili said. “The seminar covers how to bid, what people are listening to at an auction and how best to look at an item they are interested in to make sure it’s what they’re looking for.” For example, glassware should be touched to check for a crack or chip, she said. Auctions are held for different types of merchandise including real estate, machinery, antiques, furniture, automobiles, general merchandise and entire estates, she said. “For example, if family members who don’t live here lost a loved one in Omaha, they could call an auctioneer if they want to dispense of the belongings,” Fili said. “We work with the seller to do the advertising and catalog everything.” An auctioneer would walk through the property with the seller and discuss the items to be sold and when and where the auction will be held. There is a lot of paper-work involved. If an automobile is being sold, the auctioneer must make sure the title is clear. A similar process must be completed when selling real estate. One option is to call another auctioneer, and the two can combine items to make an auction bigger so it will draw more people. Businesses and other entities often sell items when they relocate or buy new furniture, Fili said. “For example, if a school gets new desks and doesn’t want to throw away the old ones, they can be sold at auction,” she said. Fili said auctions differ from rummage sales in both time and fairness. Rummage sales last all day, while a good auction takes two to four hours. “At an auction, the price goes up and up, and the highest bidder gets the item,” she said. “At a rummage sale, people often will come up and ask you if you’ll take less for something.” Sometimes if a family is large and can’t decide how to split an estate, the simple solution is to auction the items among the family members, Fili said. The trend in some states is to develop standards for auctioneers. Indiana, Ohio and Florida require licensing. In Nebraska, auctioneers are governed by their peers through the Nebraska Association of Auctioneers, but licensing is not required, Fili said. “I think auctioneering is going to grow, and I think it’s a good place for women,” she said. “It’s fun to go to auctions, and I’d like to see more people come out. People can get caught up in the excitement. Just think of the excitement generated by Warren Buffett’s wallet.” Fili’s grandfather was an auctioneer during the 1930s through the 1950s. She became interested in it because she owns another home-based business and was looking for more contact with people. “It’s tough to sit by myself and not have any in-put,” she said. “I enjoy meeting people. “The bidding is really the fun part. People say it’s jabber, but it really isn’t. Clarity is important, and staying on the money. As long as you have clarity and the numbers and treat people right, you can do well.” Fili, 41, is an Omaha native who studied veterinarian technology for three years and worked in telecommunications sales for eight years. She has owned the home-based Nothing But Solutions, a nationwide recruiting business, for 11 years. Fili has a son who is 12 and a 6-year-old daughter. Active in the Boy Scouts of America, Fili is draft horse superintendent for the Nebraska State Fair.