Today we’d like to introduce you to Jimmy Purdy.
Hi Jimmy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Shift’n Gears Auto Repair wasn’t built overnight, and it certainly wasn’t built the easy way.
In 2017, I purchased a local transmission shop that had been serving the Paso Robles community for more than 40 years. On my very first day as the new owner, every employee left. It was just me, a shop full of work, and a dream that was suddenly a lot harder than I had imagined.
Those first few years were some of the toughest of my life. I worked long days, learned lessons the hard way, and realized that if I wanted the business to survive, I needed to evolve. We shifted from being primarily a transmission shop into a full-service automotive repair facility, allowing us to better serve our community and build lasting relationships with our customers.
Since then, we’ve moved into a new location, rebranded as Shift’n Gears Auto Repair, and expanded into a nearly 10,000-square-foot facility equipped to service everything from daily drivers to classic cars.
While every day still brings new challenges, the journey has been one of steady progress. We started with annual sales of around $250,000. Today, that’s about what we strive to produce each month. That growth isn’t just about numbers—it’s a reflection of the trust our customers have placed in us and the incredible team we’ve built along the way.
One of the things that makes this journey especially meaningful is that I get to serve the very community that helped shape me. I graduated from Paso Robles High School, and it’s incredibly rewarding to own a business that provides an essential service to the people and families who call this community home. There’s something special about knowing that every day we help keep our neighbors safe, get parents to work, students to school, and families back on the road.
Giving back has become just as important as growing the business. Every Saturday at 9:00 AM, I host Gear Head Radio on KPRL 1230, where I answer automotive questions, share maintenance tips, and help local drivers better understand their vehicles by drawing on my experience as an ASE Master Technician. Beyond our local community, I also host The Gearbox Podcast, where I have conversations with successful business owners from across the country about leadership, entrepreneurship, and what it really takes to build a great business.
At the end of the day, Shift’n Gears has never just been about fixing cars. It’s about building relationships, serving our neighbors with honesty and integrity, creating opportunities for an amazing team, and showing that perseverance can overcome just about any obstacle. Every customer who walks through our doors becomes part of our story, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to be part of theirs.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has been rough, and while it is still rough today, it is no longer a dirt road.
One of the biggest challenges has always been finding and retaining top talent. Great technicians and service professionals are difficult to find, and building a team that shares our standards, values, and commitment to the customer continues to be one of the hardest parts of growing the business.
Another major challenge was ignorance. For a long time, I did not fully understand the numbers behind the business or where the real problems were. Learning the financial side did not immediately make things easier. Instead, it put a spotlight on everything that needed to be fixed and showed me how much work was still ahead. Even today, understanding the numbers is only the first step—we are constantly working to improve what they reveal.
As the business has grown, so has our local community. Rising real estate costs have kept property acquisition and expansion consistently out of reach, limiting our ability to grow at the pace we would like. Goals that once felt like major milestones have now become only the bar we need to reach before moving forward.
The challenges have changed over time, but they have never disappeared. Each one has forced us to learn, adapt, and continue raising our standards.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are a family-owned and operated, ASE Master Certified repair shop providing complete automotive repair, with specialized expertise in transmissions and differentials. Every qualifying repair is backed by our 3-year/36,000-mile nationwide warranty.
We are also committed to staying on the leading edge of automotive technology. From the latest diagnostic equipment and advanced digital vehicle inspections to AI-powered phone call analysis, we continually invest in tools that help us communicate better, improve the client experience, and ensure vehicles are repaired correctly the first time.
We are known for exceptional customer service and for “Shift’n Expectations in the Automotive Industry.” Through our Key-Lime Rewards loyalty program, customers also earn 2% back on qualifying repairs to use toward future services.
What does success mean to you?
Success isn’t measured by the size of the building or the numbers on a profit and loss statement, even though it does help, To me, success is about becoming a leader in the community—someone people can trust. Not only our customers, but our employees as well.
I want Shift’n Gears to be known as a place where people are treated with honesty, respect, and integrity. A place where customers know they’ll receive the right recommendations, and where our team knows they’re supported, challenged, and given every opportunity to grow.
One of my greatest goals is to develop leaders. I don’t want to simply build great technicians or service advisors—I want to help build confident, capable people who go on to lead their families, their communities, and maybe even businesses of their own someday.
Personally, success is freedom.
It’s building a business that doesn’t depend on me being there every minute of every day. It’s having the freedom to choose whether I want to work in the business or on the business. It’s knowing the team can continue to provide an incredible experience and uphold our values whether I’m at the front counter, training the team, recording a podcast, or spending time with my family.
To me, that’s what success looks like: a business built on trust, a team full of leaders, and the freedom to focus on making an even greater impact in our community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shiftngears805.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shiftngears_805/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shiftngears805
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-purdy-0573a422a/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@shiftngearsautorepair805
- Yelp: https://m.yelp.com/biz/shiftn-gears-auto-repair-paso-robles-2
