AutoCaldwell.pdf
4/1/05
12:48:19 PM
“Quiet and Reserved Auto Repair Shop Owner
FINALLY REVEALS his Closely Guarded
Secret that Skyrocketed his own Business”
(He only hopes that his competition will never see this!!)
Chantilly, VA – Greg Caldwell, owner of
Express Auto Services, runs one of the most
successful auto repair shops on the east coast.
Today, his single shop houses 19 lifts that are
practically always busy. But this was NOT
always the case. We recently caught up with
him, and after a bit of convincing… finally got
him to reveal his success secret.
Does His Story Sound Familiar?
Greg, like many other shop owners, started out
first as a mechanic. In fact, Greg worked for a
Ford dealership in his area for over fourteen
years. Besieged by requests to do ʻside workʼ
Greg Caldwell shares secret that took his
he finally decided 7 years ago to go out on his
single shop from an average of $40,000 to
own. First he rented a lift in another shop. Then
over $200,000 in monthly sales.
he moved to his own warehouse operation that
specialized in big repair jobs that were expensive to do and not as profitable as he wanted Then another shop owner told him about The
Automotive Training Institute (ATI) and what
them to be.
they had done for his business. In fact, he told
So, four years ago he relocated to a full service him that ATI was voted the #1 automotive
auto repair shop in a much more visible management company in America by Frost &
location where he could do everything, includ- Sullivan. (Later he learned about many other
ing the more profitable work… so he thought. accomplishments they achieved.*)
Greg said, “When I opened up my own auto
It was December and he met
repair shop, I wanted to be the best, sell the
a chubby and jolly…
best products, provide the best service, and
make enough money for my family to live …guy, but it wasnʼt Santa Claus. When Greg
happily ever after.” But like many other auto arrived at the ATI seminar, he was met by the
shop owners, he quickly discovered that his owner, who is fittingly named Chris “Chubby”
dream job wasnʼt really a dream after all.
Frederick. He knew from the very first minute
Chubby began to speak that this was not going
Reality Set In
to be the same old... same old.
He was working consistently 65-70 hours
every week. In fact, most weeks he was work- No, instead he learned the real practical and
ing 7 days just to keep up. But he wasnʼt really easy to implement ʻhow toʼ strategies he was so
keeping up. Every day he came home desperately looking for. He even heard about
exhausted, went to sleep, and got up the next topics that were foreign to him, but later
day just to go to work. His own payroll checks proved to be soooo profitable. Things like
were always the last to be cashed. Often he actually charging customers for shop supplies,
owed himself months of back pay, but he was strategies to double the average repair order,
too honorable to pay himself before his something called Courtesy Checks (that he
vendors. Worse yet, if he could pay himself, he says has literally re-engineered his business),
would only make around $40,000 year, which and most importantly how to literally “WOW”
was much less than he could have made at the his customers so they wouldnʼt even think
Ford dealership without all the overhead and about going to another shop for service.
headaches.
He Experienced the Ultimate Makeover
The Desperate Search For The Answer
Now Greg knows a good thing when he sees it
Greg knew that there had to be a better life than and he knew the ATI formulas that he learned
this and before he decided to give up, he were just the ticket for him. So he began to
thought he would try to find some help. At implement right away and the transformation
first, he went to a seminar that one of his has been unbelievable.
suppliers told him about, but it was full of As business grew, he continued to grow his
theory without the practical ʻhow-toʼ advice shop, bay by bay as needed, until it reached his
that he was looking for.
current 19 lift status. But that wasnʼt all that
happened. He now only works 45 hours during
a normal 5 day work week. All his bills are
paid on time and he now takes home a very,
very nice salary for himself.
Plus, his employees are making more than
before. Best of all, theyʼre happy at their jobs
and keep asking him… ʻwhatʼs next?ʼ Prior to
his ATI training, a good month was $40,000 in
sales. He just completed his best month ever,
topping the $216,000 number, and he believes
that he can consistently do a quarter of a
million every month soon - especially since his
average repair order has gone from $190 to
$290.
Life Is Good
Since implementing the ATI strategies, Greg
now takes off whenever he wants to. The last
couple of years, heʼs taken his wife, (Christina)
and two sons (Logan, age 8 and Hayden, age 5)
to the Outer Banks every summer for a 2 week
vacation. He prides himself with the fact that
he doesnʼt even ʻcall-inʼ to find out how the
business is doing.
Besides being able to fund the expansion of his
shop, he recently bought a beautiful new home
and a Town & Country minivan for his wife.
When asked whatʼs next, Greg reported that he
has his eyes on purchasing his second shop 5
miles away. He said, “Thatʼs why I was
reluctant to do this article. The other shop
owner is sitting on a ʻGold Mineʼ and Iʼm
scared to death that heʼll read this and attend
an ATI 1 day workshop before he decides to
sell to me.”
Greg, Any Famous Last Words?
“Yeah…Unless youʼre the guy who owns the
shop 5 miles down the road from my shop,
there is NO WAY you can lose by attending one
of ATIʼs 1 day workshops. I canʼt think of one
good reason why anyone should have any
hesitation at all. The number of practical and
easy to implement strategies is just unbelievable.”
Hereʼs how easy it is. Pick up the phone and
call Corrie (toll free) at: 1-888-471-5800, ext.
18. She will be glad to provide you with the
ATI workshop schedule. Thereʼs probably one
coming to your area soon. Sheʼll enroll you if
you desire, or sheʼll be glad to answer any
questions you might have.
NOTE: All ATI workshops come with a full
100% refund guarantee.
*About ATI: Voted #1 Automotive Management Company in America by Frost and Sullivan. No matter what type of shop owner you are at this point in your life, ATI will focus you on making the right changes to
sharpen your management skills. Their goal is to teach you how to work smarter instead of harder and make more money. Alliance partners include: Hunter Engineering, AASP, Moving Targets, AMI,
International Midas Dealers Association MAP MACS, BP/Amoco, Customer Link Mobil Car Care, Meineke Dealers Association, Car Care Council, ICARUMBA, Virginia Tire Dealers, RO Writer, TANA, ASC,
Service Specialists Associations, Sunoco Ultra Care, Tire Industry Association, ASA, Service Industry Association, WMDA