Today we’d like to introduce you to Terri Otto.
Hi Terri, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Otto Service is a family owned-and-operated auto repair facility that was built in 1977 with a home garage and a dream. My father-in-law, Alan, gets all the credit for laying the foundation of Otto Service. It was his passion, his dedication and his work ethic that made a dream a reality. Our small business continues to grow by the grace of God more than we could have dreamed but is built on the same morals that it stood for 49 years ago. Otto Service specializes in the repair and maintenance of Honda, Acura, Toyota and Lexus vehicles. We are proud to be known as Kansas City’s Import Specialists!
My husband, Andrew, grew up in the business and 10 years ago we bought the business from his father. When we purchased the business, we added Toyota and Lexus to the list of vehicles we service. We are blessed to be able to serve not only Kansas City, but the surrounding towns throughout Missouri and Kansas. We have members of our auto family drive from up to two hours away just to allow us to be able to service their vehicles. I think that speaks volumes of the integrity and reputation our business has among the community!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I feel like any road that you travel is going to have to have some struggles. There will be times you might need find a new route to take, there might be some construction along the way, and you might hit some potholes along the way. We know first-hand about those potholes in Missouri! Luckily, we have an alignment rack for that at Otto Service. Haha!
When we bought the business our twins with six months old. Learning to be new parents and new business owners at the same time definitely was a learning curve, but here we are today 10 years later! I am sure we could write a book at this point, but watching your small business grow over the years is a blessing we do not take for granted.
Being a specialty facility, we are extremely selective on who we bring on to our team. Our business continues to grow, but sometimes finding the right employees can be difficult and it takes us months to find who we want to join the family. We want nothing but the best for our customers! We have truly been blessed with an amazing team right now though who truly cares about our auto family! As an owner, I could not be more proud to work alongside these remarkable men (and yes, I am the only female!).
People only see one part of the iceberg when you own a business. It’s not all sunshine and Lime Alani’s, but we truly love what we do. There is no doubt about that! No one “wants” to go to the auto repair shop. Let’s be real! What matters to us though, is we have the opportunity to serve others when they need us. We are blessed with the opportunity to help keep families safe on the road and make their investments last. Through all of this, we are able to form relationships. That is the heart of our small business…the people! The people that walk through our doors are not customers, they are family!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My husband and I are the owners of Otto Service of Kansas City! We specialize in the repair and maintenance of Honda, Acura, Toyota and Lexus vehicles. We are proud to be Kansas City’s Import Specialists!
What I am most proud of is that I am given the opportunity to serve others alongside of my husband and children. This is our ministry. We owe everything to God and just feel blessed we are able to give back to the community and help others through on this road we call life. To God we continue to give all the glory!
Our children are young, but involved in the business in many ways. We do a Donation Drive every year and they decide who we are going to give back to that year. They love helping at the business, but also love asking about our customers and our team. We pray for our auto family during our nightly prayers. My children will always be my greatest blessing in this world. I couldn’t be more proud of them and their hearts to serve others like we do.
I feel like that is what sets us apart. It’s not about how many people we get through the doors. We care about WHO walks through the door. We have the privilege to serve people who drive Honda, Acura, Toyota and Lexus vehicles. We are not just a small business, we are a family.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Kansas City is not my original hometown, but I definitely claim it now! I love all the little cities among it and how the countryside is not far away either. We have a family, so we love being able to go to the Kansas City Zoo, museums and festivals around town! As an auto family, we don’t mind driving so love all the little day trips around that let us have many memories as a family. We also love how there are a variety of sports to be able to cheer for. I can’t forget the BBQ! Everyone has their favorite and we don’t mind taste testing them all, but Zarda is definitely a favorite for us! What I like least? Nah. I feel like we are pretty blessed to live in such a wonderful city that values community and small businesses!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.OttoServiceKC.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ottoservicekc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ottoservicekc
