The Locksmith Journal 120 May 2026 | 页面 12

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We interviewed Gary Millar of GDM AutoKeys on taking over the business Fife Auto Keys to form GDM AutoKeys. Mastering diagnostics and understanding cars, not just keys, helped give him a head start in the auto locksmithing trade.

» GARY MILLAR’ S ROUTE INTO THE trade came with oil already under his fingernails, years of diagnostics experience, and a mindset shaped by the realities of running a busy vehicle workshop. That background is now the foundation of what makes his business, GDM AutoKeys, stand out in an increasingly crowded market.

A Natural Transition from Spanners to Transponders

I was working as a vehicle technician before all this, running workshops and dealing with customers day in, day out. That’ s where I first met Alan Morrison, who owned Fife Auto Keys before me. We got chatting, and when he mentioned he’ d be retiring at some point, I remember thinking straight away, that’ s the job for me!

True to his word, Alan gave me first refusal. He called me in January 2024 and said he’ d be finishing up at the end of May. By May 31st, I’ d taken over everything- the phone number, the van, the stock, the lot.

For me, it was about more than just a career change. I wanted to be my own boss. I wanted to make my own decisions and build something for myself.

The Reality of Going Solo

Everyone tells you how great it is working for yourself, and it is, but there’ s a side to it people don’ t always talk about. Cutting keys is the easy part. It’ s everything else that hits you.

The invoicing, the paperwork, managing suppliers; it’ s all a steep learning curve. In the garage, you’ re focused on the job in front of you. Suddenly, you’ re running a full business on your own.

I did a two-week course with Hickleys and backed that up with online training, which gave me a solid base. But nothing really prepares you for the day-to-day reality until you’ re in it. At the start, it felt overwhelming. But you adapt quickly because you have to.

Mechanical Knowledge: The Real USP

What sets Gary apart isn’ t just his ability to cut and program keys, it’ s his ability to understand the vehicle as a complete system. A lot of the time, the key isn’ t actually the problem, and that’ s where my background gives me an advantage.

I’ ve had jobs where customers assume it’ s a key issue, but it’ s something deeper; an electrical fault, a module issue, or something mechanical. Because I’ ve worked

as a technician, I can diagnose that properly and point them in the right direction.

On the training course, there were people who didn’ t even know how to plug in a diagnostic machine. That’ s not a criticism; it just shows the difference in starting points. For me, that experience meant I had a real head start. It’ s not just about solving the job, it’ s about solving the right problem.

Building Confidence & Support Networks

Taking over an established business helped ease the transition, but it didn’ t remove the challenges. Knowing Alan beforehand gave me confidence. He’ s still been there in the background if I’ ve needed advice, especially early on.

The industry itself has been supportive too. WhatsApp groups, other locksmiths, I find that people are generally willing to help if you ask. You find your feet quicker when you’ ve got that kind of network around you. Over time, the need to ask questions drops off, and the phone calls( to Alan) for help get less and less( which he’ s pleased about so he can enjoy his retirement).

Supply Chains & Trust One of the unexpected challenges was figuring out who to trust when it comes