Describe your business.
Honest-1 is the nation’s only eco-friendly auto care chain. We offer a full range of automotive service and repairs. Along with providing the best service, Honest-1 wants to ensure our customers are thoroughly educated on the systems and services necessary to keep their vehicles in the best running condition possible.
How did you get your start in the auto industry?
Growing up in Southern California, myself and a lot of my friends and their parents were into hot rods, drag racing and the cruising culture with Team L.A. County Raceway and the Cruisin 50’s car club. I was immersed at a young age. I started out on the parts and accessories side of the industry. After a couple years of braving the California freeway system delivering parts, I worked my way to the parts counter.
The opportunity I had to work with highly skilled people who taught me to facilitate the needs of retail and wholesale customers at a young age gave me life skills that I carry with me to this day.
Honest-1 Auto Care
Address: 2310 E. Craig Road,
North Las Vegas, NV 89030
Phone: 702-632-0411
Email: [email protected]
Websites: www.autorepair-lasvegas.net, www.honest1.com
Hours and days of operation: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Owned/operated by: Rich and Geraldine Margo
In business since: 2005
The franchisee who sold you the business was struggling. How did you turn it around?
Training and experience. In 2005, when I visited the shop as requested by the regional developer, I was able to assess operational deficiencies pretty quickly. The owner and his family wanted out of the business, something not uncommon to this industry or to any business.
Having spent the previous 17 years in the industry, I had the training and experience to implement the necessary changes in staffing, scheduling, product procurement, inventory and vendor relations.
It only took me approximately 30 days for the complete implementation and turnaround of sustainability and profitability.
What is the hardest part about doing business in Las Vegas?
Las Vegas is a very transient and transitional town. The hardest thing we have had to overcome is putting together the right team of people that uphold our standards and philosophies.
In our industry, it is very hard to judge a candidate’s skill from his resume, background or education. Someone might be very book smart and have great certifications on paper, however, there could be a disconnect with the practical application of the education and vice versa.
What is the best part about doing business here?
Even though it is a metropolis and Clark County has a population of over 2 million people, Las Vegas retains a lot of small-town attributes. We have seen a great sense of community and pride of residency.