#025 Origin & Impact: Renan Souza of BR Auto Repair and Collision

From humble beginnings to a thriving Roswell shop, Renan Souza shares how grit, quality, and family values turned BR Auto Repair and Collision into a standout in a crowded market.This episode of the Garage Grit Podcast is part of our Origin & Impact series—real stories from shop owners who built their business from the ground up.Brad Hurlock sits down with Renan Souza of BR Auto Repair and Collision to dig into Renan’s origin story, the challenges he faced starting out with just $13K, and the impact he’s making for his team, customers, and community. Renan opens up about lessons learned from working with his dad, building a family-first culture, focusing on quality over quantity, and standing out among fierce local competition.If you want to hear how real shop owners create lasting impact, you’ll want to catch every minute of this conversation.Join the Garage Grit community:Website: https://aashopmarketing.comFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/forautorepairshopownersAll Episodes: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/garagegritLike, comment, and subscribe for more true stories of shop origin and impact!Timestamps00:00 – Origin & Impact intro: Meet Renan Souza01:00 – Opening BR Auto Repair in the “auto district”02:00 – Parking, shop setup & scaling in a tight space04:00 – Focusing on quality, not volume05:30 – Standing out from dealers & the competition07:00 – Customer trust, team culture, and leading by example10:30 – How “family-first” became a core value11:35 – Balancing collision and mechanical services14:40 – Working with insurance companies16:50 – Why combined shops require teamwork18:00 – Real talk: the years it takes to build a winning team19:40 – Starting over after family changes21:30 – Tracking costs and what really matters in profit23:00 – Growing up in the business and going solo25:00 – The impact of college (and what matters more)28:00 – Surviving hard times and starting with $13k32:00 – Keeping business balanced between services35:00 – Marketing & messaging when you “do it all”38:00 – Lessons in bootstrapping and building trust44:00 – Team meetings & continuous improvement46:30 – Why family always comes first49:00 – Wrap-up & how to join the Garage Grit communitySubscribe for more Origin & Impact stories that help real shop owners win.Website: https://aashopmarketing.comFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/forautorepairshopownersPodcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/garagegrit