DRIVE selects Fresno, California, shop for its August Spotlight

Since 1987, the staff at Mayou’s shop have been dedicated to serving their community the best they can. The shop opened up with just two bays and has been growing ever since. After only five years of being open, they moved into a shop with four bays. And after 11 years, they relocated again! Customers know they can always count on this shop’s committed team of five to fix their car in an efficient and caring manner.  Being a business owner comes with its own set of challenges, but it also comes with more positives than Mayou can count. He loves owning his own shop. He says, “Before I owned my shop, I was burnt out on dealerships. I hated the way they treated their customers.” Now that he’s in control, he makes sure all of his clients are treated with the respect they deserve. As he puts it, “I get to treat people the way I like being treated.”

He also loves the camaraderie that auto shop owners have with each other. “I’ve been through some tough times in this industry," Mayou says. “Speaking with my fellow shop owners helps us find out that we all have the same issues. Together, we know how to resolve them.” One way he says he finds this community is by being a DRIVE client, including attending the annual DRIVE EXPO, where he is able to network with the professionals in this industry.  Before becoming a DRIVE client, Mayou says, he was always running around and putting out fires. Then he joined DRIVE and, as he puts it, “My advisor kicked me into gear. He helped me and is still helping me to grow my business.” Mayou is proud of how far he has come and can’t wait to see where he has left to go. He used to be tied to his shop, never having a moment to step away and be the owner. He was working in the shop rather than on it. “Now, I’m not chained to the business,” he says.