Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Justin and Lycia Scott. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Justin and Lycia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

Typically mechanics and repair shops have left a bad taste in people’s mouths. We try to change things up a little with our shop. We do not upsell, if your brakes or tires can go another 3000 miles Justin will tell you that. He will also tell you if something is in dire need of a repair. You do not have to worry about bringing your vehicle in for an oil change, and leaving with an astronomical bill. We want everyone to feel like they are equally as important as the next customer, and provide superior customer service. Additionally, we want women to feel comfortable coming to our repair shop, we know that it can be intimidating, and want to take that piece away. We are not doing anything crazy, simply treating our customers like we would want to be treated. We also know that being without your car is a huge hardship, and try to schedule accordingly. As long as parts are available and there are no unforeseen challenges then we have your car back to you the same day. With that being said we know dropping your vehicle off and picking it up can be just as challenging, we try to make that process even more seamless than others in the industry. We offer an after hours drop-off and pickup option. Yes, we love to see our customers and catch up on their life, but we know life is busy so we got a little creative to ensure you can grab your car whenever time allows.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Justin and Lycia opened 5280 Repairs almost 5 years ago, in fact in November of 2022 they will be celebrating their 5th Anniversary! Justin came from a local contractor where he was the fleet manager, maintaining the company’s entire fleet for 17 years (he is still working on that same fleet today). Prior to that he had worked on heavy equipment, and maintaining the earthmoving equipment. Justin recalls working at Goodyear through High School, and learning so much from “the old timers”…now he is an old timer himself. In fact, he has been called the wizard with his wealth of knowledge. When you come to 5280 Repairs it’s not just for an oil change, or brakes. You can have any work done from something simple like an oil change to a transmission, suspension, welding. When we say Justin is #notyouraveragemechanic we are not joking, he is not average at all. Justin’s company was looking to outsource their fleet as they needed the area he had been occupying for additional job growth. Lycia gave him the push, or maybe a shove to go on his own, scoop up that fleet, take his small customer base and start up their own shop. No time like the present, so they jumped in with both feet, and never looked back. Justin’s small customer base that he started with has grown tremendously. Referrals from everyone, it was incredible. We had referrals on the Nextdoor app, and at that time we were not sure what Nextdoor was. Once word got out that Justin was on his own, former co-workers would share with their new company and the fleet work started to pick up. We have grown more than we ever dreamed of in the past 4 1/2 years. Today we proudly serve 400 customers, and 12 fleets with some of the biggest names in the state. Like we said before, we are not doing anything special, we just treat everyone like we want to be treated, the old mom and pop shop. If you, or family/friends need vehicle repairs look no more, 5280 Repairs will take care of all of your needs. Oil Change, tire rotations, new tires, windshields, transmissions, suspension, brakes, detailing….one stop shop!

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

At the time we opened we had very little money to just pour into a business but knew we didn’t want large business loans. Trying to start up a new business, pay the first month and deposit for our lease, and keep food on the table for our children was a little overwhelming. We decided to cash in our 401k that had been building from our early 20’s. We knew we would lose some of the money but the rest would make this transition in our life less scary. We used up all of our savings to get things going, while waiting for the 401k money. With that we were able to start the business off without any loans. Not sure it was the right or wrong way to start but definitely made sure we had some skin in the game.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

It could have been easier for Justin to find a new job, and not cash out our 401k. However, it wouldn’t have made us stronger, or taught us anything. Sometimes you need to do something outside of your comfort zone to help you grow, learn and become more resilient. Making the decision to go out on our own was easier than actually doing it. Early on when we were building up customers, it was late days, weekends, early mornings. It goes back to my previous comment of having skin in the game. With more on the line to lose there was no throwing in the towel when we were tired, rather toughing through it. No one said this journey was going to be easy, but it has been fun, and taught us a great deal about humility.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.5280repairs.biz/
• Instagram: 5280Repairs_llp
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/5280repairs
• Other: Email:5280repairsdenver@gmail.com

Image Credits
No credits needed