Episode 240: From High School Dropout to 35M Business Queen

On this exciting episode of To The Point, we’re excited to bring on CEO & Founder of A Plus Garage Doors, Carrie Kelsch!

Carrie was a single mother that didn’t graduate from high school, but was doing well for herself in the mortgage industry. When her now-husband convinced her to start a garage door business that he would help her manage, she did it for her family. After the housing market crisis in 2008, she found herself working solely on the family company.

After nearly 20 years in business, A Plus Garage Doors is now a 35M business powerhouse in Utah. Listen now to hear her incredible story!

From Mortgages to Garage Doors

While starting a garage door business wasn’t the initial plan, it certainly turned into a blessing for Carrie when the Great Recession hit. Carrie focused on the administrative and marketing side of things, while her husband was out in the field and working on building community relationships.

Carrie envisioned A Plus being the magnet on mothers’ refrigerators that pinned their kid’s schoolwork. That name that they trusted for service, and a company that did things the right way and wasn’t just out to make a quick buck. The company was doing well, and after taking some higher education, Carrie implemented her new learning into the business and things started skyrocketing, seeing 25-35% YOY growth routinely.

From 1.5M in 2013 to 35MM and growing, A Plus Garage Doors is a testament to how continual learning, doing things the right way, and having a great culture is a recipe for major success.

• Being a single mother and high school dropout
• Starting in the mortgage industry and moving into garage doors
• Learning the business as she went, and her success with marketing
• Having family in the business and how to decide if it’s right for you
• Identifying and prioritizing growth opportunities in a highly competitive market
• Ideas that worked, and some that didn’t
• The importance of community involvement for a local business
• Brand equity vs. speed to service
• And more!

A Family Legacy of Entrepreneurial Success

The cycle of success Carrie Kelsch implemented with A Plus Garage Doors was growth through marketing, hiring more, and repeating that process. And with a family culture that she loved, the culture of the business reflected that and flourished. The big goal for the company now is continued growth, and they’re excited to join Guild Garage Group and find even more ways to succeed in the garage door industry.

Until the next episode…NO. ZERO. DAYS.