Courteous Car Care 15
that is without compromise. During Monday morning management conference calls he would be reprimanded and cursed out by his Goodyear district manager for not selling customers enough wiper blades or headlights. That was something Cipolla refused to do if they weren’t needed.
“My core values were violated,” he said. He gave his two- week notice, and walked away.
Cipolla’s next boss had a powerfully positive impact on his life. Jon Ludwig at Precision Automotive Service in Endicott taught Cipolla to appreciate customers and to treat them with respect. A kind, gentle and smart man, Ludwig is Cipolla’s longtime mentor and friend.
Cipolla steadfastly believes that every entrepreneur must have a mentor and a professional business coach, someone to “bounce things off of.” For Cipolla, that coach is Loren Murfield, with whom he meets every two weeks. Murfield keeps him grounded and makes him accountable, ensuring that his business goals remain intact.
Cipolla is devoted to networking groups and actively participates in four of them. He estimates that 86 percent of his new customer referrals are due to networking. He gauges his own success by the number of referrals he gives. While Cipolla greatly admires the people he has gotten to know through networking, don’t expect to see him at a weekend business meeting. “That is my time for my family and friends. I work to live, not live to work,” he said.
With close to 4,000 customers, Courteous Car Care has grown considerably over the past eight years. In December Cipolla relocated to a 4,000-square-foot building at 1255 Starkey Road. He is extremely proud of the new shop, but he does not intend to open any more shops. One location with the best technicians is all he needs.
This entrepreneur promises his customers honesty, integrity and quality. They will also get a healthy dose of humor. “We stand behind everything we do,” he said. “And in the case of brakes, we stand in front, too.”
Cipolla considers his employees to be family. He hires for attitude and trains for excellence. “Never lie to me, and I’ll never lie to you”, could be his mantra.
On a personal level, this big-hearted, self-deprecating guy unabashedly tells you he loves his family; his girlfriend, Marcy Yauchler, the owner of Why Fry? Mobile Airbrush Tanning; her family; his Harley and sports teams from Pittsburgh – the Pirates, Penguins and Steelers. A lifelong hockey player, he participates in two hockey leagues in Oldsmar. Fishing and boating are among his passions.
His soft side is revealed when Cipolla talks about the loss in August of Lacey, his 16-year-old beloved hound/shepherd mix. Weeks before her passing, Cipolla was going through some personal pain when Lacey sat beside him and looked him straight in the eye. Her eyes communicated more than words ever could and he knew what to do. He describes Lacey’s passing as one of few low points in his otherwise upbeat life.
“I am truly, truly, truly blessed,” Cipolla said. “I’m where I want to live, doing what I want to do. My friends are awesome people. I never forget where I was and how I got there. I’ve never forgotten to thank the people who got me where I am.”
15
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52