Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dennis Decker. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Dennis, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear your thoughts about family businesses.
The first business I started was an RV dealership with my wife and parents in Powell, Wyoming. We ended up selling the business and the next time I started a business it was with my wife and 3 sons and two daughter-in-laws. Every business I create is with my family and for my family. I couldn’t do it without them.
Because I know my family and their strengths, it is easier to see what part of the business is better for them to manage and contribute to. It is also very important to be flexible and adapt to their needs. Being appreciative to them and to my employees is critical to our success.
At the moment, 2 of my sons are managing the Airstream of Utah dealership and the other son is managing the Airstream of Wyoming dealership. I didn’t make that decision when I first hired them but the growth of my boys in their roles and contributions to the company and the growth of the businesses aligned to be the perfect fit.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
The owner and founder of Airstream of Utah, Dennis Decker, gained a love for adventure and the outdoors from an early age, growing up in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. At age of 30, Dennis started an RV dealership in Powell, Wyoming, earning multiple national and local awards for excellence in customer service. After several years, Dennis sold his dealership to help lead a startup tech company here in Utah. He became interested last summer in buying a new Airstream for him and his wife Laura, who recently became empty-nesters. He learned there was no longer an Airstream dealership in Utah. After a short time of communicating with the Airstream corporate offices in Ohio, Dennis was granted the license to be Utah’s exclusive Airstream dealer. He soon recruited his three sons, two daughters-in-law, a close family friend, and an experienced team of Airstream certified technicians to open Airstream of Utah dealership in February of 2017. Dennis said, “It has been a great experience working with my family and friends and also selling trailers I personally love. Airstream trailers are more than just a recreational vehicle, they are symbol of America’s beauty and the promise of future adventures. I want to continue to grow the Airstream legacy in our beautiful state and pass it down to my family.” Dennis and his family at Airstream of Utah strive to bring the newest and best Airstream has to offer while not forgetting the old-fashioned friendliness and customer service that led them to Utah in the first place.
Airstream of Utah is an RV dealership serving the Salt Lake City, Utah area. We know the kind of freedom and adventure you are looking for, so we are proud to carry a large selection of new and pre-owned motorhomes and trailers. Our friendly and experienced sales, financing, service and parts departments are ready to offer outstanding service at every point, from assisting while you’re making your choice to ongoing maintenance.
Our motto we follow is “Treat everyone like family.”
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I answered this before but it has been important to focus on family. We are a family owned dealership and our motto is to treat everyone like family including employees, vendors, partners, and customers. We connect with our customers on the family level instead of on a corporate level. Just because we are family owned and operated, doesn’t mean we don’t focus on luxury and world class service and operation. We integrate the high level of service with our family values.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
When I first started started Arrowhead RV, I came from a sales career and I traveled all the time. As I was driving hundreds of miles trying to get home from a business trip, I thought I needed to figure out how to stay home. Giving it a lot of thought, I decided to open my own business. As an entrepreneur, I knew I wouldn’t have the typical security my family would have from working for an established corporation, but I could create the work/life balance that I wanted for my family. The rewards of being an entrepreneur would be far greater to me, if I could make my own business successful.
Contact Info:
- Website: airstreamofutah.com; airstreamofwyoming.com; grandbuffalorvresort.com
- Instagram: @airstreamofutah @airstreamofwyoming @grandbuffalorvresort
- Facebook: @airstreamofutah @airstreamofwyoming @grandbuffalorvresort
- Linkedin: Airstream of Utah, Airstream of Wyoming, Grand Buffalo RV Resort
- Youtube: @airstreamofwyoming6386 @airstreamofutah7662