Jim Dykstra

Owner
Dykstra's Auto Service
Hudsonville, Mich.

Jim Dykstra is the owner of Dykstra’s Auto Service in Hudsonville, Mich., with a second location in Byron Center, Mich., which opened in October 2008. Dykstra graduated in 1994 from Ferris State University and is a graduate of the University of the Aftermarket’s Leadership 2.0 program. He is a past member of the National Service Center Advisory Board for the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance and is a current board member of the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association’s (AAIA) Car Care Professionals Network and Education Committee, and also is involved in local service center groups. Dykstra’s two shops employ 12 people with sales in excess of $2.5 million.

He was recently named one of the inaugural recipients of AAIA’s new Aftermarket Impact Awards, which recognize four aftermarket professionals, age 45 or younger, who have made remarkable contributions within the aftermarket industry.

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What was your first job in the industry?

I pumped gas at my dad’s service station.

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What do you like best about your current position?

The planning and execution of growth opportunities for my companies.

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Did you initially intend to pursue a career in the aftermarket? If not, what drew you to the industry and what keeps you here?

Yes, but my parents begged me to pursue something else. They wanted me to get into a more “professional” career. They didn’t want me to be a “greasy mechanic.”

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What one word best sums up your personality?

Driven.

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What are you currently reading?

“Linchpin” by Seth Godin.

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What was your first car?

1967 Camaro