Today we’d like to introduce you to Chad Kelly.
Chad, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always been fascinated with cars. My automotive education began when I was just a kid, watching my Grandpa work on cars in his garage. He would talk to me as he worked, teaching me the basics of auto repair. When the time came for me to decide on a career, there was no doubt that I would follow the path to the automotive world. What I didn’t know back then was that BMWs would quickly become my passion. I completed automotive school at Wyoming Tech and was recruited to BMW training. I worked for BMW for ten years before taking a position at an independent shop, and spent the next six years working on any and every type of car imaginable. During my time in the independent shops, I decided to open my own business as well, and Third Coast Bimmers, LLC, was formed in 2012. I worked at the shop during the day, and used evenings and weekends to build my repair service, doing mostly mobile repair work for my customers. I knew that my ultimate goal was to have my own shop, so I was working toward that. I had a lift in my garage, but I was getting so busy that I knew the time was coming for me to find a shop space of my own and work at my own business full-time.
In the spring of 2016, I found the right shop space for my business and moved in. We are so grateful to my parents, who helped us tremendously by investing some starting capital to ease the burden of the initial costs. My wife created the office spaces, lounge, kitchen, and kids’ room, and I have a huge shop space with two lifts and an alignment rack, which is a dream come true for me. We have been at this location a little over a year now, and it has worked out perfectly. I really love owning my own business, and my clients are great. It is very fulfilling to be able to talk to them myself, show them what is happening with their vehicle, and answer all their questions personally. While I was working at other shops, advisors were the ones who communicated with the customers. My whole goal at our shop is to avoid that situation so my clients get their information directly from me, the person actually working on the car.
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?
All things considered, it has been a pretty smooth road, and for that I am very grateful. Our shop has enjoyed a wonderful first year with plenty of work. That being said, maintaining a good work-life balance during this time has been challenging, to say the least. I have a wife and a four-year-old son, and right now I am a one man show with no other technicians in the shop…it’s just me. That means I get the benefit of making sure everything is done right, not having to look over anyone else’s shoulder to ensure the quality of their work. It also means I work A LOT, and I don’t spend much time at home. That’s tough, and my wife has to juggle helping me at work with caring for our son, pets, household, and home life.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
While we can and do service cars of all kinds, we are known as a European specialty service. My first love is BMW, so I do tend to work on more BMWs than anything. One of my strong points is precise diagnostics; I really try to save my clients time and money by accurately diagnosing their vehicles and fixing things right the first time. I think what sets me apart is the fact that my clients deal only with myself and my wife; there are no advisors or middlemen at my shop. I’m the only one working on the cars, and I can explain everything to my clients as needed. The most helpful thing for the client is communicating directly with the person servicing their car as opposed to communicating with an advisor in an office. I believe this makes a huge difference in the quality of service I am able to provide. I also work with my clients regarding their budget; together we make the decisions that will work best for them. I offer prioritized plans of care, always putting safety first, so that my clients know which service items are highest priority. I am very proud of the fact that I can offer this type of personal, customized service. This was always my vision for the shop, and now it is a reality!
What were you like growing up?
I was a “car guy” from an early age! As a kid, I was always tinkering, taking things apart and putting them back together. I grew up on a farm, so I grew up working! I loved spending time with my Grandpa in the garage; I think those are my favorite childhood memories. I started my own lawn service when I was fourteen, and I have been working ever since.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1945 County Rd 129
- Website: www.thirdcoastbimmers.com
- Phone: 2818197262
- Email: chad@thirdcoastbimmers.com
- Instagram: Automotive
- Facebook: Automotive
- Twitter: Automotive
- Yelp: Automotive
- Other: Automotive
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