Alex Rodriguez: A Family Operation
By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter
SAN JOSE — For years, Alex Rodriguez and his family had talked about starting an automotive business. Finally, by aligning their skills and resources, they successfully followed through with their dream. “I come from a big family, and we’ve always worked on each other’s cars,” explains Alex. “A few of my relatives have professional auto body experience and we’d often talk about starting our own business. After working for 34 years as a construction equipment operator, I was getting ready to retire and I had the money to purchase a business, so we all decided it was time to make it happen.”
Since founding A-Rod Auto Collision in San Jose in 2016, Alex says the shop continues to be a family operation. “We have everyone in the family here, including my wife, my brother-in-law and some cousins. My son and my nephew are also involved, learning about the business and growing their knowledge and skills.”
When asked how he likes to spend his free time, Alex replies that he’s usually working. “People think I’m crazy because of how much I work. Even on Sundays, I’ll get up and come into the shop to clean and catch up on things.” However, Alex says he does enjoy spending time with his family outside of the shop. “We get together for parties and holidays, and sometimes for no reason at all. As a matter of fact, I was doing some barbecuing the other night, and before long we had 20 people at the house!”
When asked about a professional philosophy, Alex says he’s all about being available for his customers. “About six years ago, I was in a collision, so I took my truck to a local body shop. I went in and approached the estimator, but he didn’t have time to talk to me. Neither did the manager or the owner. It was a pretty lousy experience. Later, as I was preparing to start my business, I told myself that we would always be available for our customers. That’s the way I want our shop to be—I want customers to feel like they can approach us and get taken care of. Whatever their needs or concerns, we will make time for them.”
When asked the first thing he’d do if he were to retire tomorrow, Alex simply replies that he wouldn’t. “Everyone I know who retires goes downhill pretty quickly. You’ve been active all your life and then you sit there, and before too long you’re gone. So, I don’t have any plans to retire at the moment. I don’t want to get too comfortable; I want to stay active. Plus, I enjoy what I do, so why would I stop?”
Ask Me Anything!
Q: What was your first car?
A: A Volkswagen Beetle.
Q: Are you an early bird or a night owl?
A: An early bird. I get up at 4am every day, even on the weekend.
Q: Are you a dog person or a cat person?
A: A dog person. I’ve had dogs all my life.
Q: What’s your favorite holiday?
A: New Year’s Eve. We get the family together and have a little fiesta.
Q: Do you collect anything?
A: Classic cars. I have a ’57 Chevy Nova, a ’44 Dodge pickup truck and a ’38 Oldsmobile, to name a few.
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