Meet Dustin Olde | Business Owner

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

Hi Dustin, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have always liked being able to navigate my own way through my work. In the past I’ve been at at jobs where I’ve seen processes and cultures that have been inefficient or toxic, and I’ve convinced myself that there are better ways to run a successful company. There are some days when the burden becomes overwhelming, but by and large the majority of my time running a business has been fulfilling and exciting. I always knew that if I was given the chance to lead, I could be successful. Now, 17 years after opening our doors, the company is doing great!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Right out of the gate we differentiated ourselves from other shops. We began with Lube and Latte, which seemed like such a foreign concept when we started it in 2007. I can’t tell you the number of people who saw us open up and didn’t come in for months or years, only to finally patronize our shop and say, “This is so great. I love this concept. When I saw it open, I never thought it would succeed”. We’ve now been doing it for 17 years and people still love it. It was extraordinarily difficult when we opened. I really knew nothing about professional car repair. But we got some lucky breaks with staff who knew and supported the concept and helped us out of a morass that lasted a couple of years. I was always driven to do better when people told me that an idea wasn’t going to work, so much of the success I had was because I labored just to prove people wrong. But, I have learned along the way that I also have to listen carefully to those who have experience in this business. You have to be like a sponge and absorb everything, even if you have to squeeze the sponge out from time to time to get rid of ideas that don’t apply to you while retaining those that do.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love the LoHi area. There are so many great restaurants and coffee shops in that and surrounding neighborhoods. But, my true love of Colorado lies in our mountains. The skiing, hiking, fishing, biking, rafting and camping are unbeatable, in my opinion. I’m especially fond of Buena Vista and Salida and take people there whenever they visit.

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?
There have been so many people who have helped me along the way. First and foremost is my wife, who has consistently supported my entrepreneurial aspirations by being a listening ear when things were tough, and cheering me on when we hit big milestones. When we had our children, they echoed her by getting excited when we did new things or added new locations. My mother-in-law has also been pivotal in helping me when I was running low on cash or investing in another storefront or just needed customers to come through the door. My family would pitch our business to anyone who would listen and it made all of the difference. I’ve also had so many great staff members who have stuck with me through thick and thin, endorsing all my ideas and giving me the backing to be successful. Finally, my peers in this business, my fellow shop owners, have been essential in guiding me through the ups and downs of automotive repair. They’ve helped me to understand and clarify my goals, values and benchmarks to make us be a better shop.

Website: https://lubeandlatte.com

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

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lube-and-latte-lakewood

Image Credits
Technician – Gerardo Rodriguez
Technician – Joseph Reardon (bearded)
Photo Credit – Eric Weber