Spotlight: Professional Auto Body and Paint

Professional Auto Body and Paint is a family-owned independent body shop. It opened in 1997, and it is currently owned by the second generation of the family. It is 100% independent. “We want to provide our excellent customer service and eventually pass it on to the next generation,” said the co-owner, Nancy Le.

What is your favorite aspect of owning a business?

Working with customers is the most rewarding part of our job. We build lasting relationships. We don’t have to pay for marketing. All of our customers come from word-of-mouth or through our positive online reviews. We have over 300 ratings on Google and are at five stars. 

How does Portland shape your business?

Portland is great. We are open to new ideas, and I feel like Portland rewards that. There are a lot of supports in the community. We have relied on non-profits like NAYA and Cully Business Alliance (CBA) since we started and government programs, such as Prosper Portland, helped us to make it through the pandemic. 

What has been your biggest success?

Our team works hard together to keep moving forward despite challenges. During the pandemic, everything shut down. We were worried that we wouldn’t survive. Luckily, we were able to get some new business by picking up the phone and cold calling so many places. Slowly we were able to prove ourselves one car at a time and more recently bid and obtained an ongoing government contract. 

What has been your biggest challenge?

Right now finding technicians is extremely difficult. We collaborate with local colleges to promote our work and to encourage the next generation to consider this type of career. Additionally, since technology is always evolving, we are constantly checking to see how we can upgrade our equipment and facilities. 

What advice would you give new businesses?

Have a passion. Without a passion, it is going to be very hard to run your business. Running a business is harder than a regular job because you have so many duties. You need to be open-minded and willing to make connections.