Meet Chris Tyrrell | Owner, Chris’ Garage Doors

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chris Tyrrell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chris, is there something you believe many others might not?
“Find a job you love and you will never work a day in your life” Do not get me wrong, I am not discouraging people from wanting to work a job they love, I am trying to discourage the notion that you will never do work in that job. Even the best jobs require work and that is not a bad thing! Humans are designed for work and we should lean into that. Another reason I do not particularly enjoy this advice is that it really diminishes the value of difficult jobs. There are people who spend their entire career working a job that they may or may not “love”, but that does not mean that they cannot find purpose and value in working that job. Your purpose could be working to provide for your family, or earning a higher salary so you can give to your community. I think the moral of the story is that it takes intentionality to make any job worth working. We have all had jobs that we did not like, but we all have learned lessons and skills from those jobs that we will take with us into the next phase of our life and career. Create purpose in everything you do and you will not have to seek purpose and value in the job you work.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I founded Chris’ Garage Doors in August 2017. It was born out of a random opportunity to bid a large project for a friend of mine who owned a roofing company. I bid on a 41-door project and spent two weeks in Steamboat Springs, Colorado installing them myself. I was not sure if I wanted to make this a full time career or if I wanted to have a side business, but after a year I made the decision to push into this full time. Over the last couple of years I have really become aware of what it means to be an Entrepreneur and to grow a business. I have big goals and want to see this company become something special. I have been able to hire 2 employees and am looking to expand the team again this year. What sets us apart is our company vision. Our vision is to make Colorado a better place to live. We live this out by doing all of our work with integrity and quality, by creating a positive company culture, by treating all of our customers with dignity and respect, and by donating 3% of our total revenue to Colorado based/focused non-profits. It is never easy to start a business, there are a lot of things that can discourage you along the way. I have often joked that starting my own business was the best thing I have ever done, but at the same time the worst thing I have ever done. The amount of stress and responsibility that comes with owning a business can become overwhelming, but the pros always outweigh the cons for me and I am so grateful for the decision I made to take on this challenge. The biggest lesson I learned is that being an entrepreneur is so much more than starting a company. For anyone interested in owning their own business, I highly recommend a book called “The E Myth” by Michael E. Gerber.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I do not think you can host a friend in Denver without taking them to the mountains as well. Here are some ideas: -See a Denver sports team live -Take a trip to Breckenridge or another nearby mountain town -Drive them to the top of Evans or Pike’s Peak -Visit some of the museums downtown -Take them to a show at the DCPA -Definitely brunch – Snooze, Lucille’s, Syrup, Sam’s No. 3, etc. -Check out some of the other local restaurants like the Cherry Cricket, Del Frisco’s, Ocean’s Prime, Osteria Marco, Beau Jo’s, etc. -Show off some of our micro-breweries and distilleries – Stranahans, Breckenridge, Dry Dock, etc. -Tea at the Brown Palace -Take them to Wash Park to play some volleyball -Go hiking

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would not be where I am today without the love and support of my wife, Rachel. She supported me when I pursued my Master’s Degree and she continued to support me when I decided to start my own company. She put some of her dreams and desires on hold in order to help me pursue mine. I am grateful now that we can switch roles and focus on helping her pursue her dreams. I know I would not be close to the man I am today without her support.

Website: www.chrisgaragecolorado.com

Instagram: chrisgaragedoors

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chris-garage-doors

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coloradogarage