The Mechanic

Several years ago on a cold February morning I pulled into the driveway of small, but neatly kept house on the outskirts of town. I have a habit of always taking notice of the little things around the houses of the people I visit; are there toys in the yard, what kind of shape are the vehicles in, does the house need painting, etc.? I've found that it gives me insight as to the conversation I'm about to have with the people inside. People who have pride in their homes and possessions tend to take pride in other aspects of their lives as well, and that's something that's important to me.

On that day, however, I drove past the house to a small metal building at the back of the lot. Here again, a neatly kept tin building, with several cars of various makes and models parked in a neat row outside. Not just a few cars, but ten or twelve cars that had been driven, towed, or otherwise delivered to this little tin building where The Mechanic worked inside.

I pulled up close to the building and opened the car door to face a bitter blast of cold winter wind. Then, I grabbed my note pad and ducked inside to meet this mechanic who had called earlier with a simple question, "Are you that guy who helps people with their business?" I've come to be known as "that guy", so his comment did not offend me. It's what I do, help people who need it.

I'm not really sure what I expected to see when I stepped inside, but to this day it's still vividly entrenched in my mind. The first thing I noticed was that it was as cold inside as it was outside, except that the tin walls blocked the wind. Then there was the floor, it didn't exist except for a few sheets of plywood strewn about over the dirt. But, it was neat and orderly with the tools arranged in a fashion that facilitated the work being done. As I was taking all of this in a voice from underneath a car said, "Just a sec, and I'll be right with you". It was then I saw the legs protruding from under the front end of car that was balanced precariously on a couple of jack stands on one of the sheets of plywood.

A couple of minutes later, The Mechanic rolled out from under the car, pushed himself to his feet and shook my hand with a grip that only comes from years of turning wrenches for a living. He was dead serious as he looked me up and down, decided that I would be the one that he would trust with his predicament, and asked me to sit down at the desk. Step one is always building a level of mutual trust.

As he opened up about his work, his life, and his desire to run a legitimate business, I was drawn in by the sincerity of his words. He had worked for years as a mechanic and had a huge following, but his business was like many that I see, disorganized, no books, no income statement, and no real understanding of how all of that is supposed to work. But, things were different for him now. He had a new family, a young son he adored, and he wanted to "do things right". I have a lot of clients who go through the motions, yet don't really want to hear what I have to say, and others who never follow through.

The Mechanic was different. He was a smart man, just not educated in the ways of business, and especially not in the financial intricacies expected by bankers, vendors, and even customers. Interest rates were just numbers to him that meant little as long as he could make the payment required by the various vendors charging him 21% for the tools he bought on his revolving line of credit. He listened intently to the suggestions I made and asked "So, what do we need to do next"? Step two is to get the client to recognize the need and be willing to take action.

We set up an appointment with an accountant to help complete a review of his financial situation, establish a basic set of books, and agree to act as his financial advisor. Shortly thereafter, a proposal was made to the local bank to completely refinance both his business and personal debt, making a huge difference in his monthly payments. You could see in his eyes the appreciation for what was happening....he felt good about his life.

A few weeks ago I received a call from my friend, The Mechanic, who asked me to stop by. As I pulled into the drive, past the neatly painted house with toys in the yard, past the new Dodge truck and trailer, I thought back to five years ago. Much has changed since then. The shop now has a concrete floor, heat and air, a hydraulic lift, and the latest in diagnostic equipment. The Mechanic is doing well and wants to discuss his plans for an expansion....Step three is the personal satisfaction I get when I see someone living their dream.

To my way of thinking, this is the way life should be, people helping people, neighbors helping neighbors, and all of us making new friends along the way, but as always, what do I know?