The goal of Dennis Goodhue, owner of Diamond G. Repair, is to give every customer great service at a fair value with an honest team.
Goodhue started the business, which was also selected by DRIVE for its July Shop Spotlight, in 1985. He began the shop repairing farm equipment for his neighbors and other locals out of a two-stall agricultural building, working all hours of the night. In 2010, he and his wife, Sherry, built a new building with two rental units in it. Since then, they’ve occupied one of those units and are looking to add a second expansion onto the building in the fall. From being a sole proprietor to now having a staff of 11, Goodhue has grown his business more than he could ever imagine.
Goodhue’s shop is nestled in the western slope of Colorado is the lovely town of Montrose. With tourists buzzing around all parts of the year, many call it the “service center" of the area. It fulfills every need, from housing to agriculture to mining and, of course, recreation! While the area continues to grow, it still has that small town feel. Just on the edges of the city limits is where you’ll find Diamond G. Repair. When out of the shop, he can be found outside, whether it's camping, four-wheeling, spending time with loved ones, or racing Supercross.
This business is a “true” general repair shop, working on domestic cars and trucks, imports, fleet, construction, and agricultural equipment. One could say it's a jack of all trades. Goodhue describes his company as “an honest, hardworking shop that will do our best to give you a great value on a variety of repairs and services.” He values his community and wants to help in any way he can. That’s why his service advisors always try to take care of everyone with their best interest in mind. “Always treat every customer as if they’re family,” Goodhue said.
What is he most proud of? It's not his continual increase in profits, he said, but his team. His employees work together toward a common goal, and each problem is handled with care and courtesy. He’s proud of everything they’ve accomplished together and is excited for what lies ahead.
What he loves most about owning his own shop is his ability to help his community and its residents. Goodhue stumbled into the auto industry by accident and learned how rewarding it is to help fix someone’s broken things.
“I found out that fixing things was OK, but fixing people’s problems was far more important," he said. "The things don’t care if they get fixed, but the people do.”
Before becoming a DRIVE client, there was little of anything in Goodhue’s life, he said: sleep, money, time off, training, equipment, and more. Now, he’s active in the shop by his choice, he trusts his team to get the job done, but he enjoys the work. He works on the business instead of in it. DRIVE’s training sessions have been crucial, he says. “DRIVE has changed me, my business, and my life.” The organizational and management skills he’s gained have made production more efficient, finances more appealing, and life more rewarding.
Looking ahead to later this year, Goodhue is excited to attend the DRIVE EXPO. His favorite part, he said, is perusing the EXPO floor and taking a look at what the various vendors have to offer. Each vendor is hand-selected with shop owners in mind. He also can’t wait to see the familiar faces of his fellow shop owners. He says, “there is nothing like seeing friends and peers in person.” And making new acquaintances is always a bright spot, too.
