Here is my chat with Joe Bessler of Bessler Auto Parts, a great interview with lots of clever insight from Joe who is a really nice guy that is willing to share his success with others, including the lord.
Q. Hi Joe, can you please give us a brief history of your business?
A. Do you want the long version or the short?
Q. Well for this interview let’s go with the medium version?
A. I was an employee at another salvage yard. Basically decided I liked the business and I began to look for and pray for opportunities and the Lord sent several our way. One day I was approached by Charlie Patrick, a long time friend of my dads and the owner of Patrick Auto Parts. He wanted to retire but could not find anyone with the money to buy him out. So he divided his business into smaller specialty yards, found hard working, ambitious young adults who might be interested and offered them an opportunity. Charlie literally put me in business for myself.
Q. I notice your business has a very progressive website, utilizing video, images and some good internal content. Why do you spend so much effort on your site and has it produced positive results?
A. We believe that 50% or more of our business originates on the web. For this reason we feel we have no choice but to invest in our website.
Q. What do you think the future holds for auto recycling in your local area and across the USA?
A. The number of auto recyclers decreases every year so the ones remaining have more and more opportunity as we move into the future.
Q. What is a typical workday like for you?
A. I get up at 6am, get ready for work, I try to get to 6:45 mass as often as possible, I arrive at work at U-Pull & Save around 7:30am, I try to get through my email first thing. Then usually I have meetings with my managers. I try to go to lunch with one of our managers and then I head to our full service yard which is 20 minutes away. I repeat the morning routine there and before I know it 6pm is here and my wife is calling wondering when I will be home for dinner. Nothing boring about my work day!
Q. If you were not running this business in this industry what do you think you would be doing right now?
A. Beats me, I cannot think of a business I would rather be in.
Q. If someone was thinking of opening their first auto salvage yard what advice would you have for them?
A. Keep your overhead low, work like a dog and with a little luck you might make it.
Q. Since the auto industry (new cars) has made so much front page news over the past 18 months what is your take on its future and why do think they got into so much trouble in the first place?
A. I think the unions ran the auto industry into the ground and jobs by the millions out of our country. Also over regulation and government mandates have destroyed auto makers. Government take over of these industries will only make the problem worse!
Q. When you’re not working or talking cars what do you like to do in your spare time?
A. My family is first so I spend as much time with them as I can. I like to do volunteer work at church or our local food pantry, I like to water and snow ski, I love going to our lake house.
Q. What is in the short and long-term future of Bessler Auto Parts?
A. Short term our business is booming which makes the long term view look good. But if we don’t get control of our governments run away spending, we will all be run out of business by taxation.
Thanks for your time Joe and I really enjoyed your honest answers, best of luck in the future.