Serendipity: An unplanned, fortunate discovery.
That is how Milwaukee-based service technician Matt O’Neil could describe how his 16-year career with Creative Colors International got started. O’Neil got wind of open interviews being held at the downtown conference center where his girlfriend worked and showed up just to check things out.
There he met Creative Colors President and Co-owner Mark J. Bollman, and the rest was history. Matt has been a stellar employee for the nation’s leading on-site repair and restoration franchise for the last 16 years, providing superior service to customers on all their leather, plastic, vinyl and fabric repair needs.
This month, we shine our spotlight on Matt and his commitment to CCI!
What attracted you to CCI?
Having grown up in the automotive industry and working as a service advisor at an auto dealership, I was familiar with the kind of work they did. The idea of repairing items instead of replacing them interested me. I was also attracted to working out of a mobile van, going new places and meeting new people every day. It seemed a whole lot better than punching in at 7 a.m. and punching out at 7 p.m. Car dealership life is rough. You’re a number. It’s not that way at CCI. It’s the best of both worlds, I’m still in the car business, but I’m not in the car business.
What has kept you at CCI for so long?
There are so many reasons. First, this job has grown with me. I started as a single guy just working for my own wants and needs. Then I got married, had two kids, added a mortgage. My responsibilities grew but so did my ability to make money. The income possibilities at CCI are almost endless — if you have the motivation to work. My sales have grown every year since I started.
The second reason I stay is because of the flexibility and support I get from the owners. Mark, Terri and Kelli are fantastic! I can tailor my work schedule to my family, and they understand because they have families. They always put families first. When my child was born two months early and I needed time off, they said, “Do what you need to do. Let your clients know. We know you are a good employee.” There is just a lot of trust there.
In addition to your work in the automotive repair industry, you have a great reputation in the marine repair industry. How did you build that?
I guess you could say it’s because I am always prepared and up for a challenge. One spring, early in my career at CCI, I was knocking on doors and leaving business cards, and I randomly stopped in to a boat dealership. They just happened to have a boat there that needed to be fixed, and the service manager said, “Show me what you got.” It didn’t faze me. I had my supplies with me, and I repaired it for him on the spot. I didn’t even charge him; it was a courtesy to show him what I could do. He called me the following week with another job, and I have been working for one of the largest boat dealers in the country ever since. Plus, in the marine industry, there are a lot of word-of-mouth referrals, so I have kind of become the go-to guy for boat repairs in the Milwaukee area. Like I said, the opportunities to build business with CCI seem endless.
Are you interested in learning more about a rewarding and fulfilling career working as a Creative Colors International technician, just like Matt? If so, please visit https://wecanfixthat.com/employment/ to get started!
