I initially joined the group for a year as a condition of the purchase of my shop. I planned to leave after that year was up. I thought I already knew it all anyway. But Dan, the previous owner, was a member of the group for quite a while. He was one smart fellow. He knew I really needed what this group had to offer for me to be successful running a shop in the long term. His placement of me in this group was the best thing he could have done for me. That all was ten successful years ago!
I was one of the founding members of the group and thought I was a business expert due to my previous corporate level experience working for Ford out of Detroit. After all, when the group was founded I had already been running a successful import shop in the Dallas marketplace for many years. But this group has over the years has given me the tools to increase both the sales volume and profitability of my operation to levels I did not think were possible as my location is not the best. And with all of this business growth I was still able to gradually increase my time away from the shop on a day to day basis.
This group has given me the confidence, skills and moral support to move my shop operations to a different part of my state to be in a better demographic area. I’m currently in a rented facility but we are about to break ground on a state of the art facility that will allow me to take my business to the next level. Yes, you can do great things alone, but having a team of shop owner experts who “have been there, done that” helped me navigate the many, many hurtles and roadblocks as I worked on financing, designing, building and opening this beautiful new facility. Thanks, guys!
Coming into this group, I was a small European Auto Repair Shop with 3 bays. Now I have 3 successful shops and am able to work on my business instead of in it. Service Center Scholars has helped me to be successful and still have time for my family. If you want to change your shop into a better business, we have the tools and ideas to help.
In 2015 Atomic Auto sold our building and downsized. In the midst of this transition, I decided I needed some outside guidance and input in the restructuring. Based on the advice of a friend I found the Service Center Scholars 20 group. Using the input and tools shown to me by the members of the group, we have completely transformed our business. We now are in control of the financials and have the instruments available for monitoring the pulse and making changes as needed. Being a member of Service Center Scholars has been a truly transformative experience for my shop!