The Great Move of 2018
Schmidt Auto Care Press Release
Written December 31, 2018
The Great Move of 2018
5 friends moved 97 boxes, 100,000 pounds in equipment, 1620 gallons of oil, and 14 cars in 4 days. One tow truck took 6 trips to move 26.500 pounds of tools plus 4 immobile vehicles to our new location. And a non-disclosed amount of money rained upon everyone involved to make the whole thing happen by our deadline. That’s basically what relocating an automotive shop looks like. It’s stressful, it’s tiring, and it was completely necessary to take reach business goals we had set for ourselves long term. Someone recently asked me what it took to relocate an auto shop, and my answer was, “big goals”.
You see, there’s a variety of automotive shops ranging from little mom & pop shops to huge dealer shops. My car loving husband, Erich, had a vision in his mind's eye to create the most luxe auto shop he could afford to best serve the area. After years of planning, saving, and getting his hopes up more than once just to be let down, he finally signed off on a location this year we both felt comfortable with. We inked a deal in late summer to relocate less than a mile away, to a facility 3 times bigger than the one we were currently in. The moment that ink hit the paper, our lives changed forever.
If you spent any time in Schmidt Auto Care for the last 10 years, you know a lot of evolution occurred. Gone are the days of the tiny Franklin shop that brought necessary, but hard, business lessons. When Erich stepped out and opened that 50’s style shop, he wasn’t a businessman. He was an extremely talented technician with lofty ideas of a small auto shop he could help people out in. That tiny little shop solidified Erich’s place in the automotive industry and served as a safe place to learn and grow as an entrepreneur. He reminisced on how opening week in 2009 he sat terrified no one would come in the shop. He can tell you his first client, the repair, and how much that ticket was. He ran that shop with a simple hand-written ledger and a lot of dedication. Very few know the hours he logged there to make sure his client’s cars were perfectly cared for. I know them. I remember him leaving at 6 am and getting home at 1 am only to sleep a few hours and do it again. He worked harder than anyone I knew. And 3 years later, he needed more space.
When 2012 rolled around, he relocated the shop into Springboro. At that point, we were seriously dating, and I wanted to be supportive, but I remember standing in that empty space thinking, “well, he’s going to go bankrupt here.” Space seemed massive, and I thought the move was a tad hasty. What I saw was a young 2-year-old business taking a giant risk and crossing into a new community. What Erich saw was better shop flow, increased car counts, additional employees, and an opportunity to expand on ideas he couldn’t move forward on in the Franklin space. He opened the Springboro shop doors in February 2012, and I’ve never been so happy to be wrong about my fears. As the years rolled on, and the cars rolled in and out, he knew West Central wasn’t his final destination. He first started talking to me about his ideas surrounding the growth and relocation of the business in 2015, and then we found out we were having a baby.
Business is business, and that is what I do. I come from an executive role in luxury cosmetics. I don’t know cars, I don’t even have a passion for cars. I have a passion for people and building relationships. I have a passion for creating a process, structure, and a positive environment. I have a passion for delivering excellent service to those around me, and I love a spreadsheet just about as much as I love a new pair of shoes. In 2016, pregnant and sassy, I walked away from an extremely lucrative cosmetics career and joined forces with my husband to shift the idea of an automotive shop to more of automotive experience. I saw something in his shop that I wanted to be a part of, and he saw something in me that he thought he could benefit from, so we created a role and I went to work. Do you want to challenge your marriage? Go into business together. Do you want to learn how strong you are? Go into a business you know nothing about.
At this point, we are 2 years into planning when Erich happens upon a rental space nowhere even remotely close to where I wanted the shop to go. I immediately said no. The analytic in me created a quick mental checklist on why that spot wouldn’t work. Erich already made a list of why it would work. He brought me his plans, we talked a long time from all sorts of angles, and we crunched a lot of numbers. For a week I worked numbers every way they could be worked. When I emerged from my numerical abyss, I knew we could do it. We were moving.
On 11/26/2018 we opened the doors to 285a Hiawatha Trail. It is the most beautiful automotive shop I have ever been to. That’s weird to say about an auto shop, but it really is perfect. It’s a combination of Erich’s long-term auto shop vision, and my aesthetic. Every detail was thought thru to create style and function for the client and our team. Every vendor we brought in paid extreme attention to detail to get the job done right, and they exceeded our expectations. Erich created a state-of-the-art facility, filled with the latest tools, excellent automotive technicians, and top technology so our clients would feel comfortable knowing their vehicles in superior hands.
As a small business owner, I know the importance of spreading the good word. So, we thought we’d use this platform as an opportunity to shout out all those who had a hand in making our new shop what it is. If you are building, remodeling, or need textile work, these are the people to contact. And if you’re looking for an automotive repair facility, think of the team at Schmidt Auto Care. We’d love to pamper your car.
Napa Auto Parts
Creative Signs by Keith
Benge Electric
Gingerich
Corken Steel
Excel Construction
Layer2Computers
Poppy Can Fix It
CertaPro
L2
Global Natural Stone
Our Parents, Friends, & Team
Carrols Carpets
City of Springboro
The Heldon Group
ACS
Horizon Construction
Written By Lauralee Schmidt
VP Operations/Mktg of Schmidt Auto Care
Schmidt Auto Care Press Release
Written December 31, 2018
The Great Move of 2018
5 friends moved 97 boxes, 100,000 pounds in equipment, 1620 gallons of oil, and 14 cars in 4 days. One tow truck took 6 trips to move 26.500 pounds of tools plus 4 immobile vehicles to our new location. And a non-disclosed amount of money rained upon everyone involved to make the whole thing happen by our deadline. That’s basically what relocating an automotive shop looks like. It’s stressful, it’s tiring, and it was completely necessary to take reach business goals we had set for ourselves long term. Someone recently asked me what it took to relocate an auto shop, and my answer was, “big goals”.
You see, there’s a variety of automotive shops ranging from little mom & pop shops to huge dealer shops. My car loving husband, Erich, had a vision in his mind's eye to create the most luxe auto shop he could afford to best serve the area. After years of planning, saving, and getting his hopes up more than once just to be let down, he finally signed off on a location this year we both felt comfortable with. We inked a deal in late summer to relocate less than a mile away, to a facility 3 times bigger than the one we were currently in. The moment that ink hit the paper, our lives changed forever.
If you spent any time in Schmidt Auto Care for the last 10 years, you know a lot of evolution occurred. Gone are the days of the tiny Franklin shop that brought necessary, but hard, business lessons. When Erich stepped out and opened that 50’s style shop, he wasn’t a businessman. He was an extremely talented technician with lofty ideas of a small auto shop he could help people out in. That tiny little shop solidified Erich’s place in the automotive industry and served as a safe place to learn and grow as an entrepreneur. He reminisced on how opening week in 2009 he sat terrified no one would come in the shop. He can tell you his first client, the repair, and how much that ticket was. He ran that shop with a simple hand-written ledger and a lot of dedication. Very few know the hours he logged there to make sure his client’s cars were perfectly cared for. I know them. I remember him leaving at 6 am and getting home at 1 am only to sleep a few hours and do it again. He worked harder than anyone I knew. And 3 years later, he needed more space.
When 2012 rolled around, he relocated the shop into Springboro. At that point, we were seriously dating, and I wanted to be supportive, but I remember standing in that empty space thinking, “well, he’s going to go bankrupt here.” Space seemed massive, and I thought the move was a tad hasty. What I saw was a young 2-year-old business taking a giant risk and crossing into a new community. What Erich saw was better shop flow, increased car counts, additional employees, and an opportunity to expand on ideas he couldn’t move forward on in the Franklin space. He opened the Springboro shop doors in February 2012, and I’ve never been so happy to be wrong about my fears. As the years rolled on, and the cars rolled in and out, he knew West Central wasn’t his final destination. He first started talking to me about his ideas surrounding the growth and relocation of the business in 2015, and then we found out we were having a baby.
Business is business, and that is what I do. I come from an executive role in luxury cosmetics. I don’t know cars, I don’t even have a passion for cars. I have a passion for people and building relationships. I have a passion for creating a process, structure, and a positive environment. I have a passion for delivering excellent service to those around me, and I love a spreadsheet just about as much as I love a new pair of shoes. In 2016, pregnant and sassy, I walked away from an extremely lucrative cosmetics career and joined forces with my husband to shift the idea of an automotive shop to more of automotive experience. I saw something in his shop that I wanted to be a part of, and he saw something in me that he thought he could benefit from, so we created a role and I went to work. Do you want to challenge your marriage? Go into business together. Do you want to learn how strong you are? Go into a business you know nothing about.
At this point, we are 2 years into planning when Erich happens upon a rental space nowhere even remotely close to where I wanted the shop to go. I immediately said no. The analytic in me created a quick mental checklist on why that spot wouldn’t work. Erich already made a list of why it would work. He brought me his plans, we talked a long time from all sorts of angles, and we crunched a lot of numbers. For a week I worked numbers every way they could be worked. When I emerged from my numerical abyss, I knew we could do it. We were moving.
On 11/26/2018 we opened the doors to 285a Hiawatha Trail. It is the most beautiful automotive shop I have ever been to. That’s weird to say about an auto shop, but it really is perfect. It’s a combination of Erich’s long-term auto shop vision, and my aesthetic. Every detail was thought thru to create style and function for the client and our team. Every vendor we brought in paid extreme attention to detail to get the job done right, and they exceeded our expectations. Erich created a state-of-the-art facility, filled with the latest tools, excellent automotive technicians, and top technology so our clients would feel comfortable knowing their vehicles in superior hands.
As a small business owner, I know the importance of spreading the good word. So, we thought we’d use this platform as an opportunity to shout out all those who had a hand in making our new shop what it is. If you are building, remodeling, or need textile work, these are the people to contact. And if you’re looking for an automotive repair facility, think of the team at Schmidt Auto Care. We’d love to pamper your car.
Napa Auto Parts
Creative Signs by Keith
Benge Electric
Gingerich
Corken Steel
Excel Construction
Layer2Computers
Poppy Can Fix It
CertaPro
L2
Global Natural Stone
Our Parents, Friends, & Team
Carrols Carpets
City of Springboro
The Heldon Group
ACS
Horizon Construction
Written By Lauralee Schmidt
VP Operations/Mktg of Schmidt Auto Care
