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Not everyone is fortunate enough to have the opportunity to make their childhood hobby a full-time career. But Cody Cahill has been working on cars his whole life, and now he gets paid to do what he loves.
Automotive repair started as something Cody and his father did together when he was a child. As an adult, Cody worked out of the back of his pickup for about a decade until he decided it was time to take the plunge and open his own storefront. His mother, Elizabeth Cahill, joined him as a co-owner of the business.
Cody found a home for Afterhours Repair, LLC, in North Platte, Nebraska, in May 2021. About a year later, he moved to a bigger place because the business was growing fast. In August 2022, he received a loan from the Center for Rural Affairs to help with working capital and buy equipment.
Becky Parker, loan specialist with the Center, helped Cody and Elizabeth throughout the loan process and has been there whenever they need guidance.
“They are wonderful clients and great business owners who would do anything for anybody,” said Becky. “Afterhours Repair is a family-oriented business, and when you go in there, they treat you like family.”
Cody says he enjoys working with his mother and is glad to have her there to handle things he might not be able to deal with.
“She sees other things that I don’t because I’m back in the shop most of the time,” he said. “She works with customers up front, and she’s great with helping them get what they need.”
Along with the move to a larger location, Cody hired five employees to help him keep up with the steady flow of business. Together, they work on everything from general maintenance to engine replacement. Because of the shop's growth – in part due to advertising on Facebook, the radio, and Google – Cody was able to quit his job a little over a year ago and work at the repair shop full-time.
Cody and Elizabeth have also made a difference in their community by holding a school supply drive every summer. They buy basic school supplies like notebooks, pencils, pens, crayons, etc., and at the beginning of the school year they deliver them to schools in the area.
“It’s important to be involved in the community,” said Cody. “If I can help out where I can, it makes me feel good. There’s a lot of stuff that some people just can't afford, and if I can help I’ll do everything in my power to do so.”
Cody enjoys meeting the people who come through the shop and the satisfaction of completing a project. He’ll keep the shop open late to help people in need of service.
“We work until the job is done; it doesn't matter what time, we’ll be here til it’s done.” he said.
Cody loves what he does, but it’s hard work, he said, and he has some honest advice to others looking to start their own businesses.
“You’ve got to be patient,” he said. “It takes time and it’s stressful. You have to commit to it 100%, and if you can’t or won’t do that, don’t do it at all.”
Cody says a good support system makes a big difference, too, and he recommends others reach out to the Center if they are on the road to starting their own operations.
“Becky has been fantastic,” Cody said. “She bent over backwards for us to help us get what we needed. She’s been wonderful all the way around and we’ve built a great relationship with her.”
Are you in need of an extra boost for your business? An average borrower needs less than $30,000. Contact your regional loan specialist for information on how to increase sales or add equipment to your business. Find yours at cfra.org/lending-staff.
At a glance
Afterhours Repair, LLC
Cody Cahill and Elizabeth Cahill
641 N. WIllow St.
North Platte, Nebraska
308.252.1307
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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