Today we’d like to introduce you to Phillip Sommer.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Phillip. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My brother Ross and I started the company on a napkin 13 years ago without much more than a crazy dream and a willingness to work. We asked ourselves how could we sell something online using the internet, and what can we sell that people will always need. That answer for us was cars. We knew nothing about the business other than we liked cars and I had a natural ability to sell and provide great customer service. We literally started with a couple cars, one being my own, and sold them out of a tiny warehouse on the west side of Houston. We learned everything the hard way. There is not a text book or owner’s manual that says you need these licenses, these permits, this software, etc., it was all a learning experience. We worked very hard for a couple years growing the business until our other brother Roger joined the team. We made it to a point where we had over 50 cars in stock before we hired our first employee, a mechanic. I bet the average small dealership has 10-20 employees. We used to laugh when someone would call the dealership, aka my cell phone, and ask for the manager, a salesperson, the title clerk, the janitor, etc., and my reply was always the same, speaking. I took a lot of pride in the fact I did not miss a phone call for several years, even if it was 3 in the morning. I worked as a bartender at nights to pay my bills for the first year or two before I ever received a check, we kept every dollar in the company. Fast forward 12 years and about 20,000 cars later, we now have two great locations, nearly 100 employees, and some of the best cars and people in the business. We still take a lot of pride in delivering great customer service and a great buying experience for our customers both online and in person. We are a part of this community and we take that very seriously by sponsoring local teams, charities, and foundations. We are slowly but surely changing the way people think about used car dealers one happy customer at a time.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It certainly has not been a smooth road. Hey, if it was easy, everyone would do it. As an independent dealer, meaning we are not tied to a major manufacturer, we are severely limited. One bad apple spoils the bunch and it’s difficult to get banks to loan you money, banks to loan our customers money, all because we are an “independent”. It’s like applying for your first job ever but the employer wants someone experienced and you beg for the opportunity to get that experience, someone just needs to give you that start or you go out and figure it out yourself. Pile on the often times ridiculous policies of the city, state, and federal government, it’s difficult to dig in and really grow your business. At times, it seems like all these regulations and countless government agencies would rather see you fail then succeed, I think this is the major factor that holds small businesses back in this day and age. However, none of this matter if you are not willing to put in the work. I don’t care if you open a car dealership or a small shop selling sandwiches, you better be prepared to put in the hours and roll up your sleeves to work every position or you are throwing your money away and you will fail. For all of those that look up the CEO’s and pioneers of this country that built massive wealth or success overall, it was not luck, it was lots of hard work, skill, and dedication, remember that.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Texas Auto and Texas Auto North story. Tell us more about the business.
There are lots of car dealerships out there so what makes us different? People use the internet to shop for everything from diapers, to houses, to cars. If you don’t do a good job marketing the product you sell, the customer will go to someone else who does. Car dealers have been slow to evolve in this regard but we embraced it from the beginning. How else can you sell cars from a tiny warehouse, you do a better job than the huge dealership on the side of the highway. You take tons of pictures, you write great descriptions, you advertise in the right places where buyers are shopping. All of this is easier said than done. It all starts with the right car, the right color, the right wheels, the right options, and the right price. Then, you better have the right person answering the phone when someone calls, the right customer service, and the right bank to get them a good loan. Everything has to be well organized and rehearsed from start to finish or it will fail. Think about it like a restaurant. You can have a beautiful building in the best part of town, but if the food is not that great or the service is poor, they won’t be long for this world. We take pride in helping people buy the car they want to drive, that means we don’t have to sell anything. The right car, the right price, and we strive for the best customer service, that is what we do.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
There is certainly a role for luck. We have been hit by terrible luck at times, and good luck at others. I also feel you can control luck to a point. For example, the best players at any sport are often the luckiest. That’s not just because they ate their lucky charms, it’s because they are the best prepared and put themselves in the best position for luck to work out in their favor. It takes a lot of luck to win the lottery, but if you don’t buy a ticket, you have a 0% chance of winning. Sometimes, despite all your efforts, luck can hang over your head and hold you back. There have been plenty of times where the cards were stacked against us, all you can do is push forward and wait for lady luck to turn in your favor.
Contact Info:
- Address: Texas Auto, 16200 Hwy 3, Webster, TX 77598
Texas Auto North, 11655 North Frwy, Houston, TX 77060 - Phone: 281-938-2000 (Texas Auto) and 832-328-0700 (Texas Auto North)
- Website: www.texasauto.com
- Email: info@texasauto.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TexasAutoOnline
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/texasautoonline
- Other: https://www.google.com/search?q=texas+auto&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS746US746&oq=texas+auto&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.1311j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#dlnr=1&lrd=0x86409c7c5cdbb699:0xc01a0437a31a0504,1,
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
