The Elephant in the Room

by Burl Richards, ABAT President

Since the news has been circulating through the grapevine, I figure I might as well address the elephant in the room…Yes, I sold three of my shops; no, I’m not retiring or leaving the industry. No, I’m not relinquishing my role as president of ABAT – y’all can’t get rid of me that easily!

Why did I do it, and what does it all mean? Well, even though I might look like a young’un (haha), I’m starting to get a little older, which means it’s time to think about my family and our future, so when Classic Collision approached me with an opportunity to sell Henderson Collision (Henderson), All Star Collision (Jacksonville) and Burl’s Collision (Henderson), I knew I had to consider it. I thought long and hard before making a decision, and it was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. After all, Burl’s Collision was my baby; I started it 28 years ago when I was little more than a baby myself, and I grew into this industry with that shop. I prayed hard before moving forward with the sale, and I’m confident that it was the right decision for everyone involved.

If you know me at all, you know I did plenty of research, and the more I learned about Classic Collision, the more impressed I was. I talked to a buddy who had sold his shop to them, and he had nothing but positive things to say. Yes, they’re a MSO, but they’ve assured me that their focus is on the same quality and customer service that those three shops are known for. They retained my entire staff and even promoted some of them. As part of a larger corporation, my former teams now have access to better insurance and 401(k) opportunities than I could provide. That’s not to say parting wasn’t bitter sweet.

My teams at those three shops have become like family over the years, so I was extremely anxious about sharing the news with them. And I’ll admit that I was worried people would look at me as a sellout, but that’s not the case at all. Yes, I sold my businesses, but I’m not a sellout; all the effort I’ve put into ensuring we provide safe repairs and that our customers are taken care of will continue to be part of the legacy at Burl’s, Henderson and All Star under the Classic Collision umbrella. 

No one expected me to sell, but since the announcement was made, I’ve received nothing but favorable feedback. I held a mandatory meeting with my teams, and everyone shook my hand or hugged me and told me how proud they are of everything we’ve accomplished in our facilities. And to be clear, WE did this together, not just me. I would have never enjoyed the successes I’ve had without my employees and God’s grace. I’m so grateful for the positive responses from everyone, and I’m very appreciative of this wonderful industry that has blessed me and my family for so many years. 

As shop owners, we all have to realize that our time is finite, and we need to be prepared to take advantage of opportunities when they arise. We also need to be thinking about our exit strategy, whether we plan to sell our shops or leave them to family members. (If you aren’t sure about your options, you might want to take a look at the Texas Automotive feature on the topic from earlier this year by going to grecopublishing.com/txa0324coverstory.)

Even though I sold three of my shops, I still co-own three collision repair facilities with my buddy, Jerry McNee: Doug’s Paint & Body (White Oak), Fishburn’s Collision Center (White Oak) and Laserline Collision Center (Lindale). Now, I’m more motivated than ever to get those three shops on the right path. We just hired a new regional manager to oversee those locations, and Jerry and I are really focused on installing updated equipment and working on our OEM certifications.

I’m also going to have more time to focus on ABAT and my job as association president. From that perspective, our legislative initiatives are the number one priority on my mind – we need to get changes made that benefit our industry because every year that passes without getting important legislation related to Right to Appraisal and repair safety just makes our jobs harder and harder. 

As someone who has been in this industry for decades, I feel like I’ve done it all – from starting a shop where I was the only employee and did everything to running several facilities and even helping to create one of the best body shop associations in the country. Life happens, and things change, but along the way, you acquire experience. I don’t pretend to be the sharpest tool in the shed; I’ve certainly made my fair share of mistakes, but I’ve learned from my mistakes, and I’ve implemented lessons learned from others’ mistakes as well. I’ve found that it’s valuable to learn from one another, and I want to share my experience with those who need it. 

And I hope you’ll do the same. When we come together and support each other, our industry gets stronger. Even elephants know that there’s strength and security in numbers, and that’s why they stick together in a herd. Let ABAT be your herd! We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming meetings.

Want more? Check out the November 2024 issue of Texas Automotive!