Risk & Business Magazine JGS Insurance - Fall 2020 | Page 27

AUTO SUNROOF & LEATHER Chuck Graf of Auto Sunroof & Leather started his company in February of this year. He couldn’t have imagined the conditions he would face for his first few months in business, but he’s worked hard to make the most of it. Not only has Chuck survived the pandemic but his business is thriving in the aftermath, and he’s even giving back to his community that needs support now more than ever. Auto Sunroof & Leather customizes cars primarily for dealerships, with some private business. Restyling—which includes installing leather interiors, heated seats, power sunroofs, and more—comprises the service offerings for Chuck’s growing company. Chuck notes that while many of his competitors closed their doors and stood back for the duration of the pandemic, he seized the opportunity to ramp up business. In June and July, he’s seen his efforts come to fruition as the dealers he approached earlier this year have started to replenish their inventory. Since Chuck remained open all of this time, he’s quickly become the first choice of dealers in the area for providing commercial custom interiors. AUTO SUNROOF & LEATHER: GOING FORWARD BY GIVING BACK BY: GWENYTH P. LUU, CLCS , DIRECTOR - COMMERCIAL LINES, JGS INSURANCE Chuck knows times have been tough for everyone due to the coronavirus pandemic. Even though he just started his company a few months ago at the height of the chaos, he’s determined to give back to the local community. Chuck is giving a portion of the proceeds from every sale to a local food bank or other charity of the client’s choice. This move was inspired by one of the local dealers, Johnson’s Toyota and Subaru, who Chuck knows is very passionate about supporting the local food bank. Chuck offered to donate $50 from every installation of custom leather and heated seats the dealer sent his way. When the first check to the food bank amounted to $2,200, Chuck decided to donate to a charity of choice on behalf of all of his clients. Right from the get-go, Chuck knew that he wanted to work with JGS. The company he had worked for as general manager prior to starting his own company had been a longtime client of JGS. Outstanding service led him here to fulfill his own insurance needs, from automobile to garage keeper’s insurance. Despite being faced with a bump in the road very early on, Chuck has remained optimistic for the future of his business. Although sales were driven down, Chuck was happy to view this as an opportunity to ramp up after the unexpectedly high response to his first few weeks in business. He says his biggest obstacle was trying to get the right parts with many suppliers being shut down alongside his competitors. He also struggled to qualify for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) payments other businesses were relying on to get through the crisis. Since he had just started business in February, Chuck was initially denied for the PPP, but he did manage to qualify after several months of correspondence. He received the lump sum payment just as other businesses were beginning to reopen. Filled with work, Chuck was able to call his entire crew to return right away, and they got back at it full swing. When everyone seemed to be shying away from the impact of COVID, Chuck got right out in front of it. This opportunity, he believes, is what has made him so successful at marketing to dealers in the aftermath. Chuck plans to keep donating a portion of sales proceeds for the foreseeable future. + 27