An Interview with John Hatfield: Celebrating One Year of Custom Garage Solutions
Owner John Hatfield reflects on the growth of Custom Garage Solutions in Highlands Ranch, Colorado…
“I want to continue to get better each day so we are providing the highest quality in the industry,” says owner John Hatfield (pictured with his wife Sarah)
This summer marks a milestone for Custom Garage Solutions - one year in business! While our business is still relatively new, the service and experience behind it are a lifetime in the making. Read below for reflections from John Hatfield on the past year of business, what he’s learned to better serve clients and his hopes for the business in the years to come.
What is the most rewarding part of owning and operating CGS?
There are two ways I look at this:
From a professional side it is really cool to help our clients transform and area of their home to a cool, organized place to hang out. I was in one of our garage remodels the other day and they had the cars still sitting out. I reminded them that it was all good to park on the new floor. The took me to the garage to show me the play/game room it had now become. The kids had all their toys laid out, there was a ping-pong table where the cars would be, there was music going and sports on the newly installed TVs…it was awesome.
From a personal side I would say that managing my own schedule has been ideal in making a better home life for my family and I.
What has been your most memorable moment in the past year?
I received a call from a potential client, Mike, who found us online. He had seen some before/after pictures and had also read our bios from the website. He said that he and his wife were getting ready to move into a new home and he wanted us to trick out his garage. He hadn’t met us in person or had us come out to do an estimate for him. He wanted to hire us based on that conversation and our philosophy as a business. We really liked working with Mike and his wife…in fact we have helped him with other projects, and he has referred us to multiple other clients. Thanks Mike! You are a good dude.
How has your life and the lives of your family improved since creating CGS?
Time & Energy. I was working a job that had required me to work many nights and weekends. It was a good job and it paid well, but it was not a passion. Even when I was home, I was pretty tired and the schedules with the family didn’t match up real well. Being able to work at something I really enjoy doing and being able to spend more time with my family has been a huge win. I also think that this is a huge win for Vinny who also been able to work a schedule that has allowed him to be home with his son more.
Which project has been your favorite and why?
John and Vinny install storage in a Castle Pines garage
It’s hard to single out any one project or client because we’ve met so many amazing people and truly enjoyed each one. Here are a few that stick out for various reasons...
Angi (Highlands Ranch) Huge remodel – Cool people to work with
Kristen (Highlands Ranch) Huge Remodel – Cool people! Rock Chalk!
Mike (The Canyons) – One of the nicest people you will ever meet.
Khaos Clubhouse (baseball) – The transformation the team has done over there is great.
Why do you think you have been successful since creating Custom Garage Solutions?
I ask myself two questions with each opportunity that comes up: 1) What would I do if it was my own space? and 2) What would make the client the happiest?
I am always willing to go the extra mile to do the job right. I think of the joy it’ll bring to the client and I remember to build that process into the next job.
What prompted you to create CGS? From concept to opening, how long did the journey take?
After leaving the restaurant business I wasn’t real sure what I wanted to do. Growing up, I was in a construction family and I always enjoyed it so I went with an industry I knew I was going to like. Why garages? I like having a clean and organized garage. We live in a state that has great weather so let’s get outside. We can choose to entertain our guests out back (not real social) or we can do it in the front where we can say hi to neighbors and invite them to join the party. I was lucky enough to be able to spend some time with folks in the industry that were willing to show me the ropes of the business. I spent a few months learning the trade through them until I felt I had the knowledge to do the installs. On the business end, I had a network of people that could help me get the right business model set up.
What are your favorite neighborhoods in the Denver Metro Area?
Highlands Ranch – Mainly because I live here. Many of our clients I have connections with through school or sports. It’s a great community.
We also really enjoy working in The Canyons (Castle Pines) and Montaine (Castle Rock). We have worked with some really great people there and the homes are really well built.
Other than garages, what other area of the home do you think is most important to update?
CGS is looking to add closet and laundry room remodeling to our list of offered services. Stay tuned for more to come…
What has surprised you the most in the past year?
How much business can be generated just from word of mouth. When we first started we used HomeAdvisor to find many of our clients. We were able to shut it down a few months back because so much of our business now is coming from the website and referrals. I am really proud of this. I feel it shows that our clients are happy with the work we have done for them and refer us to others.
What is your favorite part of living in Colorado?
The weather and cool people. People in Colorado are overall incredibly kind and ready for adventure. People are out and enjoying the mountains and their communities.
How do you like to spend your free time?
My kids both play competitive baseball. Between practices and games there isn’t much time on the weekends to do much else. But we freaking LOVE IT! We have gotten incredibly lucky to be on great teams with coaches who lead the right way. I like to work out at Manic Training and I enjoy trail running with my neighbor Matt. I work out just enough to balance how much I like to drink beer and eat tacos.
What is your advice for someone out there thinking about starting their own business?
Find something that you are passionate about. I wouldn’t focus on starting a trendy business. Trends come and go. If you are passionate about what you are doing the success will come. Most importantly have fun with it and take care of the people you work with.
What is your greatest hope for CGS in your second year of business and beyond?
I want to continue to get better each day so we are providing the highest quality in the industry. We have learned a lot over the past year and are excited to continue to build that knowledge.
I would also like to continue to enhance my ability to see storage and organization options for our clients. There are a ton of different options out there and I want to know the best of them to help our clients with.
A recently remodeled Colorado garage from Custom Garage Solutions (above).
Our Garage Services
We offer custom garage services throughout the Denver area including flooring, door repair and replacement, cabinets and shelving and custom upgrades.