Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Blair.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in a family of prominent Doctors, Lawyers and accomplished scholars. So naturally, I decided to become an automotive technician! I attended the wonderful University of Texas A&M but like most college students found myself aimless. A family member suggested a career around my passion for all things German vehicles and something just clicked. I went to Universal Technical Institute to study automotive and was quickly scouted by Audi for their prestigious Audi Academy program in Arizona. After graduating top of my class from UTI I put everything I owned into my 2006 Audi A3 and went to train with the best at the Audi Academy! After six months of soaking up as much Audi knowledge as possible, I was lucky to be placed back home in Texas at Audi Plano to start my career. The early years of wrenching professional are extremely difficult where you have to learn to combine your knowledge with skills you can only gain with experience. I quickly soared through the ranks from Certified, to Expert, to Master and then to the highest rank possible of Master Guild Audi Technician. To continue to learn and hone my craft I challenged myself to compete in the nationwide Audi Technicians challenge! After several disappointing years of finishing in the top 40, I was finally able to win the competition in 2012. Audi sent my wife and I on a 9 day all-expense paid luxury European cruise and this was the moment that I realized I had accomplished every goal I set for myself as an Audi Technician. The idea of Blair Automotive was born where I could challenge myself in new ways as an entrepreneur and to create the world’s best Audi service experience! In 2014 I began as a one-man shop in Plano in a storage unit with the goal to implement dealership quality service and amenities but with the personal attention that my clients deserved. Only three years later we are now opening our 18,000 square foot service facility with 15 employees located in Addison.
Has it been a smooth road?
The transition from full-time mechanic to a full-time business owner has been immensely challenging! Having a strong vision and understanding of the service provided does not mean you know how to build a website or manage payroll! I quickly identified my strengths and weaknesses and built a supporting team to grow the business. It is still a sacrifice and I have invested all of my savings in to the business while not taking a cut to achieve my dream.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Blair Automotive story. Tell us more about the business.
Blair Automotive is the premier Audi and VW independent service facility in DFW. We specialize in the service, repair and performance modifications on Audi and VW vehicles. We were founded on the idea of taking the best of the best from the dealership and providing that directly to the customer without the hassle. Working at the dealership for 8 years gave me a chance to see all of the good and bad which allowed me to create a wholly new and unique experience for my employees and clients. We offer every single amenity that the dealership provides while also being more affordable. Our Master Audi and VW technicians have over 100 years of combined dealership experience and are backed by factory tools and equipment. We are the only independent facility in Texas that has the Factory Audi and VW scan tool system which allows us to perform every single repair that the dealership can perform. We have only the top of the line wheel, tire and alignment equipment as well as floors so clean you could eat off of them! We are proud to be the only Independent to offer a full loaner fleet comprised of Audi and VW vehicles because we know that convenience and comfort are absolutely necessary for our clients. While relaxing in our showroom and cafe the true cherry on top is our complimentary car wash service so you can always leave with clean and confident. We have passionately created the best possible vehicle service experience in the city and our infectious love of the Audi and VW brands can be felt the second you enter our facility. Our facility also houses our aftermarket parts distribution company BMP Tuning, our detailing business Ten Flat and our custom show car and air ride business, Classy house Productions.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The major story in the automotive industry is the move from the internal combustion engine to the all-electric vehicles of the future. This change will take decades to fully implement as infrastructure changes and the technology becomes more affordable. We expect to see emissions based systems and automated driving to be the key in the industry over the next ten years.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2125 chenault dr suite 102
- Website: www.blairautomotive.com www.bmptuning.com
- Phone: 2146016692
- Email: ryan@blairautomotive.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/blairauto/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/blairautomotive/
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