My company and title is…. I am the owner of Mr. Shine Car Wash
A typical day in my life includes… Waking up early to review overnight sales figures, see my wife off to work, occasionally get to Orange Theory for a workout and then off to the wash to review objectives and tasks for the day/week. Most of my time is spent at the wash, working with various vendors, and completing operational tasks. My day ends at home with my wife and sometimes kids for dinner, our favorite shows or sports, and most importantly some quality family time before turning in.
My favorite thing about living/working in the Upper West Side area is… that we are close to home and with our hiring of local employees and serving the community, we get a strong sense of contributing to the local area. After working on the vendor side in the car wash industry for over 35 years and traveling all over the globe, it is enjoyable to have a business in this beautiful part of the NW valley and have the opportunity to meet and network with other wonderful small business owners in the area.
My favorite movie I could never get tired of watching and why… It’s a Wonderful Life, because who doesn’t want to root for George Bailey?
My family… is the driving force in everything we do. My wife Tricia and I met while in Michigan through mutual friends and have been happily married for almost 30 years now. Our kids, Shane and Alivia were both born in Detroit before we moved in 1994 to the valley. We have been proud residents of the NW Valley since 1994. They both attended Las Brisas Elementary School and Hillcrest Middle School before going to Notre Dame Prep High School in Scottsdale. Shane went on to play junior hockey around North America before attending the University of Arizona. After Alivia graduated from Notre Dame, she tried the University of Alabama for a year before joining Shane in Tucson and finishing up at U of A also. Both children are a big part of Mr. Shine and it is truly a blessing to be able to work with family.
The business lesson I learned the hard way is… waiting and over-analyzing before making decisions. Don’t hesitate! The only way to learn is the hard way. Don’t wait on the sidelines – get in there and start making mistakes. Just make sure you learn from them.
One thing I cannot live without is… COFFEE
When I was younger, I wanted to be… a professional athlete.
The song I would sing at Karaoke night is… Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”
The one person who motivates me is… Myself. I am very driven and self-motivated. Although my inspiration comes from my wife Tricia.
The last thing that made me laugh out loud was… most likely something my daughter had done or said.
The perfect day would be… A sunny 74 degrees and 1200 cars washed, all while I am relaxing either on the ski slopes of Utah or a beach somewhere.
My first job was… bussing tables and setting up banquets at the Hillside restaurant in Plymouth Michigan.
My life… is truly blessed.
I’m currently working on… securing a couple other properties for expansion, while working on our processes and continuous improvement procedures.
The best gift I’ve ever received was… my wife’s hand in marriage.
The actor I would want to play me in a movie of my life is… Brad Pitt.
My words of wisdom to aspiring business owners… would be to do your homework, have a solid plan, and an enormous amount of patience and drive to go along with your intense focus.
