With a team dedicated to quality service!
Chris doing what he loves.
Chris Holstrom, owner of Chris Holstrom Concepts, has been in business for 11 great years and counting. Located in Puyallup, Washington the shop team prides themselves on providing quality service on classic cars, they do everything with integrity. The community has a “small town feel” while being a part of a larger urban center, just shy of an hour away from Seattle. Puyallup means “generous people”, and Chris can attest to how accurate the name is. It’s a wonderful place full of kind people, some he’s known his entire life.
When he’s not at the shop, Chris can be found spending quality time with his family. Him and his wife, Alyssa Holstrom, have been married for 22 years! Together, they have three kids all under the age of 13. They can often be found spending time at their local church and helping out any way they can. Whenever they get the chance, the whole family will pack into their car for a road trip to explore the country.
Holstrom Concepts originally started as a side hustle, while Chris managed a general repair shop. When the day finally came to take the leap and go full time, it was just him and his wife, $6,000 in their bank account, and a signed lease to their new shop. Now, they proudly employ 9 people – 3 office personnel and 6 technicians. Chris says he’s the most proud of the fact that he “can step back and see that they’ve created a space where people are free to thrive in their talents.”
Shop beater on autocross.
The shop has also built several cars for the national stage, including SEMA and Barrett Jackson! One of the best parts of being in the classics industry is being able to connect with others that love creating amazing cars. Within their small industry of custom car repair, they stand out because they get stuff done. By applying the organizational management of a general automotive shop to the classic car world, their shop runs smooth as butter.
Before becoming a DRIVE client, Chris “felt guilty every time he asked for a day off from the job.” He wasn’t getting the freedom that was supposed to come with owning your own business. He spent many nights lying awake, wondering if his business was going to make it. Now, his shop basically runs itself and is profitable. His shop is well-functioning with procedures in place that work. They produce quality work in a timely manner. With the right people in place, he’s now able to execute any vision he pleases!
Chris Holstrom Concepts.
Chris enjoys building relationships with his fellow shop owners, and he says the best way to do it is at the DRIVE EXPO. While there he heard testimonies from DRIVE clients receiving their master’s certification, they told their stories about the struggles they faced and how much better their day to day is now. Chris says: “Being a business owner is one of the loneliest professions out there. Employees think you are rich, customers think you can ‘help them out’, and nobody understands the struggles you face day to day. The networking allows a shop owner to feel like they are not alone in the struggles of running a shop.”
Chris and Alyssa (right, front) with the team.
His final advice for other shop owners? Put others in the position to make your shop successful. Chris says, “give them a game plan and get out of their way!” When he first started the business, he wore all of the “hats”. Once he took a step back and let others do what they needed to, he found that his team does their jobs better than he ever could! He loves being able to “stand back and be thankful for what everyone as a team can accomplish.”
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Prepared by Chase Clough
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