Podcast: What I've Learned as a First-Time Shop Owner | Jesse Sammons, Thoroughbred Motors
In this episode, Jesse Sammons of Thoroughbred Motors in Ramona, California, talks about the lessons he's learned in his first two years of shop ownership. Jesse opened his auto repair shop—45 minutes from downtown San Diego—during the height of the pandemic in 2020.
Today, he reflects on his career as a technician and the takeaways he got from working at other shops that have helped him succeed in his own.
Jesse discusses:
- Opening a shop during COVID
- His start in the auto care industry
- Working to build a shop that was different from the other shops he had worked at before
- The things he thought would be easy, but have proved to be challenging
- Making the mental switch from technician to shop owner
- How he's creating a nurturing work environment for his team
- His philosophy on customer service and his approach to marketing
- How he will lead his shop through the rapid changes happening in California
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About the Author
Chris Jones
Group Editorial Director
Chris Jones is group editorial director for the Vehicle Service & Repair Group at EndeavorB2B.
A multiple-award-winning editor and journalist, and a certified project manager, he provides editorial leadership for the auto care industry's most trusted automotive repair publications—Ratchet+Wrench, Modern Tire Dealer, National Oil & Lube News, FenderBender, ABRN, Professional Distributor, PTEN, Motor Age, and Aftermarket Business World.
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