Bobbi Southworth was just looking for a job closer to home and more manageable hours with her young family when she saw an ad in the paper for an executive assistant position at a local car dealership some 19 years ago. Flash forward to today, and she’s the dealer principal and one of three owners of Rudig Jensen Ford Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and Abra New Lisbon collision repair facility.
Over those 20 years, Southworth has learned all the parts of the business and a great deal along the way.
“This is a great business and it’s always changing so you constantly have to learn and change with it,” said Southworth. “Vehicle technology continues to become more complex so it’s critical to have the certifications and I-CAR training to repair them.”
In 2013, Southworth and her business partner Mark Rudig decided to build a collision repair facility to serve their customers and their dealership. There was no question after meeting with Mark Wahlin, Abra’s vice president of franchise service and operations at the time, that being part of the Abra franchise family was the partnership they needed.
“We actually chose Abra before we made the decision to build a collision repair facility,” said Southworth. “They have been right by our side since day one, like a strategic partner who is always there for us. The support and resources they provide are incredible. They’ve owned and operated shops, so they understand firsthand the challenges and opportunities we face.”
Southworth has a team of eight employees – and a few more additional team members who are shared with the dealership – and she focuses on providing them the ongoing training, equipment and support to do their jobs well. She said their team is more like a family and everyone works closely together.
“We strive to take care of people,” she noted. “Whether it’s our customers who are facing a stressful situation or our team members who need a little extra support, we are always here to help.”
Southworth said they dreamt big from the beginning.
“We built a 46-foot paint booth when we built the body shop in 2013, with the idea we would be able to paint boats and motorhomes,” said Southworth. “Soon, people were coming to us with all kinds of things to paint – firetrucks, tankers, tractors and everything in between. But we rarely turned anyone away – no matter how crazy the request.”
Southworth also credits the nearby military bases and their relationship with USAA with being an asset for their business.
“There a nearby bases and we love taking care of the men and women who serve our country,” she said. “We work hard to get them back on the road in a safe, expertly repaired vehicle.”
Looking to the future, Southworth sees their collision repair facility growing to serve their community. She is looking at creative staffing solutions that will maximize the facility and paint booth.
For more information, visit AbraAuto.com. If you are interested in Abra franchising opportunities please visit this link.
About Abra
Abra Auto Body Repair of America was founded in 1984 in Fridley, MN and has 57 franchise facilities throughout the United States. Abra specializes in collision repair, paintless dent removal, as well as auto glass repair and replacement, all backed by a lifetime national warranty. Abra is a member of Driven Brands, the largest automotive services company in North America. Visit Abraauto.com to learn more.
About Driven Brands
Driven Brands™, headquartered in Charlotte, NC, is the largest automotive services company in North America, providing a range of consumer and commercial automotive needs, including paint, collision, glass, vehicle repair, oil change, maintenance and car wash. Driven Brands is the parent company of some of North America’s leading automotive service businesses including Take 5 Oil Change®, Take 5 Car Wash®, Meineke Car Care Centers®, Maaco®, 1-800-Radiator & A/C®, Auto Glass Now®, Fix Auto USA®, Abra and CARSTAR®. Driven Brands has more than 4,800 locations across 14 countries, and services over 70 million vehicles annually. Driven Brands’ network generates approximately $2.1 billion in annual revenue from more than $5.8 billion in system-wide sales.
