Taco Trim Show - Auto Upholstery: Brittny Edwards

Taco Trim Shop: A 65-Year Upholstery Legacy with Brittany EdwardsOn the Small Town Big Business podcast, cohost Allison Hassler joins the hosts to interview Brittany Edwards of Taco Trim Shop, an automotive upholstery business founded in 1960 by her father, Roger “Taco” Loss. Brittany explains the name comes from “Taylor and Cook,” the prior owners, and shares the shop’s moves from Benton to Christopher and then Herrin in 1980. After her brother became ill, Brittany and her husband Daniel moved from Chicago and assumed ownership within a month; Daniel manages installations while Brittany handles customers and operations. They serve customers across Southern Illinois and nearby states, do automotive and commercial upholstery (including medical projects), and are currently not taking couches or most boats. Brittany discusses upgrading equipment, using SBDC workshops and grants for bookkeeping/legal help, building a website and social media presence, using ChatGPT, launching Taco Trim Media to document classic-car stories, and hosting a Herrin car show that drew about 150 cars.00:00 Podcast Introductions00:58 What Taco Trim Shop Is01:18 Origin Story Taylor Cook03:01 Family Legacy Today04:16 Sudden Succession Plan06:06 Learning As New Owner07:32 Service Area And Website08:55 Beyond Cars Commercial Work11:26 What They Do Not Do12:59 Materials OEM Seat Covers14:58 Equipment And Craft Process15:47 Roles Hiring And Care17:50 Apprenticeship And Experience18:52 Husband Joins the Craft20:48 Teamwork in a Tiny Shop21:13 Bookkeeping Grants and Taxes22:35 Marketing and Social Growth24:32 Networking Prayer and AI27:06 Taco Trim Media Stories29:06 Car Show Surprise Success31:12 Favorite Builds and Services32:51 Dad Legacy and Motivation35:01 How to Contact Taco TrimRecorded at EThOs Small Business Incubator and Co-working Spaces in Marion, Illinois.https://members.ethosmarion.org/ SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTOur guest: https://www.tacotrimshop.com/