3….2….1…. Liftoff! A rocket launch is an exciting event, as is launching a new business. Just as many hours of hard work and research go into a successful space mission, the process of starting a business involves extensive preparations in terms of time, expertise, and complexity. The drawbacks and risks must be thoroughly investigated and weighed against the rewards in both cases. It takes a significant amount of experience and applied knowledge to assure success, but the possibility of failure looms as a potential outcome.
For Leon and Wendy Prevost of Prevost Transmission Repair in Independence, Louisiana, launching their transmission repair business was years in the making. It was preceded by decades of gaining vital experience and acquiring the critically necessary skills. But most of all, it took courage.
Leon is a builder with over 40 years of experience in the automotive industry. “I worked for a transmission company for over 23 years when I decided it was time to buy some property and start my own shop.” He continued, “I’ve been building transmissions since I was 17, so I had a lot of experience under my belt.”
Leon and Wendy found a piece of property in a prime location with an abandoned 1940s era gas station on site. They tore down the dilapidated building and purchased a large building to move onto the property. Leon had a strategic plan for the building’s layout space. The result is a business layout that impresses those who come to see it. The facility also houses a 25 x 50 build room with an elevator that saves steps for the staff as they go to the upstairs parts department. It’s a state-of-the-art setup that keeps workflow efficiently moving.
Prevost Transmission Repair has been in business for two and a half years, and business is booming. They attribute their success to a combination of factors. Still, the extensive knowledge that Leon has acquired throughout the years has definitely helped to place them in the top tier above other shops in the area. “Our biggest advantage is our experience.” said Leon, “But we also make sure the customer is always taken care of. Word-of-mouth goes further than any other marketing strategy.”
Leon says that his role model was his uncle, who also owned a shop. He said, “I used to be so impressed with him because he could tell what was wrong with a vehicle just by listening to it or listening to what the customer was telling him it was doing.” He continued, “I remember that I wanted to be like him, and I feel like I am today. We have a good reputation in this community.”
Apparently, Leon has been able to pass his uncle’s influence on to the Prevost Transmission team. When reading online customer reviews, it’s clear that the staff consistently delivers outstanding customer service. Leon states, “We get the job done right the first time and stand behind all of our work.”
Wendy praises Leon for his honesty and eagerness to explain things in a way that makes sense to the customers. She stated, “He’s got this ability to explain things to customers in a way that they understand. He breaks it down for them, and it interests them.” She also confirmed his likeness to his uncle, “Leon doesn’t have a higher education, but he’s one of the smartest men I know. He can diagnose a vehicle most of the time by listening to the customer, and he explains exactly what the repair entails. He gives customers a straightforward answer, and I believe they really appreciate that.”
Honesty and fair play lead the way at Prevost. Leon explained, “I don’t try to deceive or mislead anyone. I’ve known of shops and even worked in some that will pull the wool over customers’ eyes. I learned a lot of what not to do while running a business from some of these prior employers.” He explained that he’s also seen business owners who use the business profits to purchase lavish vehicles, boats, and properties but don’t invest any money back into the company or the team. These shops eventually tend to hit hard times and are forced to sell the assets to keep the doors open. He learned that investing back into the business is a must and doing that keeps the business running smoothly even during slow seasons.
Leon got his start in the automotive industry by chance. He was just over 17 years old, working three jobs doing air conditioning ductwork. He had a friend working at an AAMCO shop who asked if he’d be interested in an R&R position. “I was skeptical at first, as I didn’t have any experience other than working on cars at home,” Leon stated. Despite the lack of experience, he decided to accept the position, making $125 a week. He added, “By Wednesday, they gave me a raise saying I was already better than most of them that had been working there for years. From then on, I always strived to be the best at what I was doing.” He progressed quickly in the trade and eventually learned how to build transmissions, primarily self-taught.
Prevost Transmission Repair started out with only Leon, Wendy, and one of their sons, Beau. It has rapidly grown to six employees plus Leon and Wendy. Leon runs the shop, including building transmissions. Wendy has a background in accounting and runs the office. Their son, Beau Dionese, works as the shop foreman. He’s worked with Leon for 11 years, having worked with Leon at another company where Beau started out cleaning the shop. He worked his way up to an R&R mechanic and has done some building. At Prevost, he runs all the jobs and performs diagnostics.
Leon and Wendy have another son, Brandon Prevost, who’s worked at Prevost as a technician for the last year and a half. He keeps the shop extremely clean and handles the deliveries of transmissions from other shops. He’s currently learning the roles of R&R tech and building.
The shop has two additional technicians and a builder. Bobby Stubbs is an R&R technician and has been with the company for a year and a half. Bradley Prevost is Leon’s nephew and has been with the company for eight months. He is an R&R technician and training to be a builder. David Gregoire is in his second year at Prevost as a builder.
Finally, Anna Mills is Prevost’s service writer. Anna has been with the company for two and a half years and runs the front office. She handles the intake paperwork and communicates with the customers. The entire staff at Prevost is friendly and professional, and each one is a huge asset to the company.
Leon has a long history in the hotrod business, notably building sand dragsters and monster trucks. This high-performance experience has paid off for the company too. Prevost Transmission is recognized for big heavy-duty truck transmissions. Seeing how a lot of torque is needed when towing with these diesel trucks, the transmissions need the capacity to hold up. Leon and his team have the experience and knowledge to build transmissions that can withstand these towing demands. These big builds have become the bread and butter for the shop.
When Leon and Wendy aren’t working at the shop, they enjoy working on their 55-acre property and entertaining family and friends. Leon also enjoys hunting and fishing. They explained that they wanted to begin giving back to the community. This past Christmas, they assisted in collecting items for nursing home residents, and they are interested in planning a toy drive this year.
Charity begins at home. In addition to giving back to the community, the couple is setting up a stable financial future for their children. The plan is to grow the business to where Leon and Wendy can retire and their boys can take over the business operations.
Sadly, they lost their youngest son, Wesley, in a tragic car accident in October of 2017. Prior to his passing, they had tossed around the idea of opening their own shop with him working with them. The thought of how proud he would be that they were pursuing their dream of owning a shop kept them moving towards the goal. Wendy stated, “That was the biggest blow to our lives that we could have ever imagined.” She continued, “For a while, the excitement of having our own business came to a halt, but we knew that Wesley would be excited for us to do this, so we pushed forward.” The couple has remained strong, and they continue to grow their business.
The Prevost Transmission Repair business has flourished since day one. The expertise that comes with Leon’s 40 years in the industry and Wendy’s accounting background has proved lucrative for the couple. The decision to launch this business was spawned from a lifetime of preparation, perseverance, and planning. The company took off like a rocket because of the vast experience and excellent customer service that propelled the business to success.
Have you ever wondered how shops are chosen for this column? We know there are many deserving ATRA shops out there – you might be one of them. Sometimes, we hear about shops and their unique stories through the grapevine. However, most of the time, we end up being detectives. We ask our industry contacts for recommendations, and then we contact the shops they’ve suggested.
You’re invited to tell us about an ATRA shop that you think has an interesting story to tell – maybe your own shop. There’s no cost. It just takes about an hour for a telephone interview and a visit by our photographer. We’ll do all the heavy lifting. To get the ball rolling, send an email to Ruben at rvera@atra.com.
