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I had the pleasure of going to the Department of Motor Vehicles in a new city with my husband and I, which was 15 years in the future. I prepared myself with calm and patience to better understand the process and to make it easier for my husband to travel.
I work with business owners. I'm aware of the latest issues regarding their need for talent and supplies. Many business owners are taking a break. They need to work longer days to make up for employees who aren't working. I see a lot of people complaining about the wait times, poor customer service and the lack of stock on the shelves on social media. They don't know what's going on in these businesses. I stood and listened to the people waiting in line at City Hall.
The process I went through took six hours, but I will not bore you with it. I want to share a small piece of information that led me to an amazing business owner buried deep in North St. Louis. I needed to get an emissions and safety inspection.
I was waiting for an hour and a half to have my inspection done, but I also heard a conversation about the '49.
Joe had just been released from prison. He was looking for a short-term job to help him get by until he gets help for his addiction to drugs. He expects to be in the program for 30 days and then be ready to work full-time once released. After a few questions by the owner, he agreed to help Joe out by giving him some work around the shop.
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I watched as new customers came and went, and every one of them was happy with their service.
I expected to pay $150 for the service, but ended up paying $36. A pleasant surprise! I went back to City Hall to get my plates after I closed out my bill, and then I went back to Gateway Tire to get my husband's car.
One of the workers welcomed me when I arrived. He inquired about the gas mileage for my husband's car, as he wanted to get a similar car for his wife. After hearing my response, we both had a laugh. I sat on my couch and had a good laugh as we talked about my husband.
If there is a list of the best car care centers to visit, this place is at the top. The smell of gas, oil and tire was not present. The car bay was well lit.
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As I waited, I continued to sit on the couch. The owner was happy to hear that Joe was doing a great job and that he wanted to show him how to change a tire. The owner told Joe that he wanted him to come back after he completed his rehabilitation. His last employee died of a drug overdose two weeks ago. The owner told Joe that he wanted to work with him, so it was up to him to clean up his act.
I headed home after paying. I will always be an advocate for this owner and I am sure he will never know how much he has meant to everyone.
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The Entrepreneur Leadership Network has a contributor.
An award-winning corporate executive with an extensive background in mentoring, coaching, strategy, leadership development and business improvement, is Kimberle Seale. She was recognized for her performance in building collaborative leaders and teams.
