We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Terri Otto a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Terri, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?
Yes, I am truly blessed to be a business owner. The mentality of owning a business is so different than that of an employee and trust me when I say no one is going to fight harder for your business than YOU! It is not only because your livelihood depends on it, but you have poured your sweat, tears and heart into your small business. Obviously, you will be the one to fight for it! It is part of your legacy. Not only that, but it is a form of serving and giving back to society and your family. That makes me proud to be a business owner!
In terms of wanting a regular job, there are definitely things I think about verses owning a business. You have a steady paycheck. You can leave at 5 and not bring it home with you on nights and weekends. You don’t always have to be on call. You don’t have to worry about good sales weeks vs bad ones. As a business owner, people think of owning a business as what you see on the outside. They don’t see the sleepless nights or the weeks you don’t take a paycheck so you can pay your employees. It’s just the tip of the iceberg. Even the employees don’t understand what it is truly like. They get a paycheck and can go home at the end of the day. There are definitely some “what if” days, but my husband and I also know this is what we are supposed to be doing, so as long as God keep providing this opportunity we will continue to keep serving.
The things that have been priceless to me that would never make me not want to be a business owner are I get to own it with my best friend (my husband), make differences in people’s lives and watch my babies grow up. Those things I hold near and dear to my heart! I have been able to be home with my children their whole lives. I was able to homeschool them and be there for so many “firsts” in their lives that I would have missed if I worked for someone. To me, that is priceless and an honor to be able to do. I will never take that for granted. God blessed me with that indeed!
Terri, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My husband, Andrew, and I own an auto repair facility in Kansas City, Missouri that specializes in the repair and maintenance of Honda, Acura, Toyota and Lexus vehicles. We bought the business from my husband’s father when our twins were 9 months old. While my husband had worked at the facility since he was a teenager, I only had a few years under my belt when we bought the business. My background was actually working with children with special needs. I loved that Otto Service was family owned and operated! My husband and I were eager to put our own personal touches on the business once we purchased the small business.
When we bought the business, we solely worked on Honda and Acura vehicles. Andrew wanted to add Toyota and Lexus vehicles to the mix for quite some time, so once we took ownership it was the first big change. Our customers loved it! We started connecting with the community through various organizations that touched our hearts. Serving others plays a huge role in my background, so I was eager to be able to use our platform to help others. Since taking ownership, we have partnered with the community to do various annual donation drives that are near and dear to our hearts. We have had the privilege to support Veterans (my Daddy was a veteran), mothers in the NICU (I am a NICU mama myself), individuals without homes, give backpacks to area schools and even support other small business owners by purchasing their items to give away in our 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway. One of my favorite ways to include the community was our Kindness Drive during Covid. #YouOttoKnowKindness allowed the community to take part in kindness tasks that were free to complete and get the family involved. I definitely look forward to bringing that one back. It is just a simple reminder that kindness is free and can be practiced all year long!
Most of our revenue actually comes in by word of mouth. We do not spend money on campaigning to get people to walk through the doors and I think that says a lot about our character and reputation. Although, during slow times right now, as finances are difficult for everyone, we are going to have to get creative to make sure more people in Kansas City know about the services we offer. As owners, we strive not to be “just” an auto repair facility. We want people to know our hearts. At Otto Service, we do not just care about your vehicle. We care about people. We care about YOU. That is something we strive for our current auto family and our future auto family to know. The people that walk through our doors are family to us. We grieve when they lose loved ones. We rejoice when they have good news. We love catching up when they walk through the doors and are honored to have the privilege to help keep them and their family safe on the road. They are family to us!
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Someone once told me you had to have thick skin to own a small business and it was important to not take things personal. I feel like I am still trying to unlearn this. For starters, I want to wear my heart on my sleeve. I feel like that is important to have a connection with your customers. I am a real person who has compassion for others and I want to be able to have them know that what they say is important. We walk through the same struggles as everyone else. It’s important to show you are human to have compassion. If you know me, you probably know I will take it personal. Ha! I have learned though that is just because I do care and I tend to pour my heart into everything. I try not to look at it as “taking it personal,” but as an opportunity to keep my eyes open to ensure our business if operating at its full potential.
Of course, as a business owner, you are the face of the business. Not every interaction will be an easy one. I’ve had customers yell in my face, employees be disrespectful and just people being down right rude. You have to be able to stand up for yourself. Being in a male dominant industry that can sometimes be tricky. For instance, if a man stands up to individuals whether an employee or an unhappy customer, they can be seen as a leader and respected for that. Now if a woman does that, they may not be seen in that same light. They may be called controlling or just not be looked at in the same positive manner as a man. That is where it is hard to not take it personally because you are just trying to do what is best for whatever situation is at hand.
If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. You can’t let people make you feel uncomfortable when you are speaking for your business. I’ve had male customers and even employees talk down to me because I am a woman and they don’t think they have to answer to me, but I also know what I bring to the table and do not tolerate disrespect regardless of who it is. That is where grace comes in though. I was taught you treat a janitor with the same respect you would treat a CEO. Everyone deserves respect even if you don’t agree with what they are saying.
You have to stand your ground. I think that is what it comes down to. Your blood, sweat and tears are in this business, so it’s your job to stand up for it. That doesn’t mean you have to do it in a rude manor. When someone is rude to me, it’s not my job to be rude back. Stick to your roots. It’s my job to state the facts with kindness. If they do not want to hear it because they are heated up, then it is best to inform them maybe we should discuss this at a later time. It’s amazing how my background in behavior can come in handy even in the automotive industry.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Our social media was once again built by word of mouth and the gracious support of our auto family. If you are looking to start to build a social media presence… do it!! I love it when people tag our business in various posts or in a group when someone is looking for auto repair facilities with good reputations! That in itself just makes me so happy! What an amazing feeling that Otto Service comes to mind when someone is in need. Eek! All the feels! Referrals are the biggest compliment we can receive!
There is so much more I want to do with our social media! There is definitely more to come in the coming months, but this year has definitely been a busy year for us professionally and personally. Sometimes we have to wait on things till the next season. That’s the nice thing with social media pages such as Facebook. There is always room for growth! We depended on our Facebook page a lot during Covid. Keeping our customers informed that we were open as an essential business was crucial and through it we were lifting spirits when we can! There is a lot of negativity on social media, but there is also so much goodness! You just have to find it and follow it!
On our Facebook page we are able to get the kiddos involved. We really do love to focus on family with our small business! We have jokes and contests for #TinyTechnicianTuesday, we enjoy posting family dinner recipes for others to enjoy and just a good old laugh when needed. Our auto family comes together when we need them whether it involves gathering backpacks for a donation drive or helping us with voting for a local Kansas City Favorites contest. They celebrate with us when we have special days and are there to encourage and support for just the day to day stuff at well. That in itself means more to us than they will ever know!
It’s not just about posting on your business page though. Get in those small business owner groups, neighborhood groups and just mom groups! For us, someone is always talking about cars or needing repairs. Instant connections! It has been very convenient for me as a busy stay-at-home mom. I can make connections through these groups in the comfort of my own home after the kiddos go to bed. What an amazing opportunity!
You also find ways to help support your local communities as well! I often see different fundraisers or silent auctions I want to support. I get to follow other small businesses through their journeys and connect with them to make something even greater happen! You find out about events in your area you can sponsor or get a booth at to help the community know who you are. If crisis occurs in your area, you can be the hands and feet and help as well! There are so many opportunities through social media all while vegging on the couch in your yoga pants. You don’t have to be a big powerful CEO to make a difference in someone’s life. You just need to be open to the calling God puts on your heart.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.OttoServiceKC.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ottoservicekc
Image Credits
Sahsha Kochanowicz and Terri Otto