Today we’d like to introduce you to Tara Thompson.
Hi Tara, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in St. George Utah where my parents raised 6 kids and ran a small automotive shop. There were 2 things that I hated growing up one was off-roading and the other was the idea of working with family. Little did I know that fast-forward a couple of decades and it would become my life. I moved away from St. George a handful of times and worked in a variety of different jobs and environments all of which taught me lessons and gave me tools to utilize down the road.
My parents hit a crossroads when severe back issues put my dad on crutches and their little husband-and-wife shop couldn’t continue with him turning wrenches. My youngest brother, Bryce who had just graduated high school stepped up to the plate and began being the hands of my dad to keep the bills paid and the doors open. As my dad got better Bryce moved into the role of sales and in what felt like overnight turned the little mechanic shop into a full-blown off-road shop and with the growth they realized they needed more help.
My brother and I had been talking business strategy along the way and I knew that he needed help on the business end. I was living in Salt Lake at the time and decided it was time to head home to the red rocks and tackle the 2 things I didn’t want to do so that I could help my family grow their business. I joined the staff of Dixie 4 Wheel Drive in February of 2014 with no automotive knowledge and a dislike for off-roading which had me shaking my head thinking that I might be making a huge mistake.
I started out answering phones and helping lay out processes to give some structure to the growing business. As I dug in and started to get a feel for the business we were off to the races. I caved within a year and ended up purchasing my first Jeep and started into the never-ending black hole that they call the Jeep Life. The first year was full of ups and downs as I learned about the business and the industry but by that point, I was determined to run the company and put in countless hours daily to ensure it was successful.
In 2016, we tore down our old but sentimental building and rebuilt an amazing 12,000 sq ft building in its place. Designing every aspect of it from the ground up was an awesome experience. A few short months after completing our St. George store we decided to venture into the Moab market and started the build process all over again as we built an 8,000 sq ft facility there. We were operating 4-wheel drive shops in 2 of the most iconic areas in our sport and our name grew larger than we ever imagined.
We ultimately decided to close our Moab location in 2021 after struggling to find dependable help and taking turns living in Moab away from our homes and families. As the business settled in and started into a much-needed stabilization time I turned my need for chaos and change into the community. I started by joining the board for the local Girls on the Run and then the Young Professionals of St. George committee which turned into the Chair of the Young Professionals. If that wasn’t enough I volunteered to join the board for Leadership Dixie and became a coveted member of the St. George SunShiners which is an ambassador for the chamber and new businesses in the area. I loved being involved with the city, the businesses, and the people in the community. I was honored to be named Networker of the Year in 2020 by the Chamber of Commerce.
In 2020, I decided I needed to focus on branching out within my industry and was able to be voted into the SEMA Tora (Truck and off-road alliance) committee that works to unite manufacturers and shops within our industry with a large focus on Land Use. Volunteering in this company has broadened my network so much and given me a deeper insight into our industry as a whole. With the whirlwind of business and volunteering, I knew that I still had something missing and through many self, debates decided I wanted to be a mom. I was lucky enough to bring a little boy into this world in September of 2021. Raising a little boy in a shop is the greatest thing I’ve done so far and I think he might have more tools than most adults.
Our newest adventure is a company we purchased called Red Dot Engineering which is known for building high-end rear steer buggies that are designed for the most aggressive rock crawling imaginable. We plan to produce the buggies as well as our product lines for jeeps, broncos, and trucks.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Running a business is full of excitement but never-ending challenges. When I came on board at Dixie there was a huge change taking place because of where the company was at. The hardest part everything was trying to keep staff and keep staff happy in the process. We worked on-site during construction and it was always stressful trying to pull off a build as we juggled cement trucks blocking the road or power having to be down while things were hooked up.
Two new business partners joined the ownership team and I had to prove myself to them as well as customers and employees. Trying to balance it all was a challenge and one that somedays I feel like I failed and somedays I feel like I passed the class with a D average but you usually never feel like you wining and your perseverance has to be strong to get to the light at the end of the tunnel.
I lost some good people over the years because we were evolving as a business and as managers but with every day that passes we improve a little more and the new hire process and the day-to-day get a little easier.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Growing Dixie 4 Wheel Drive into a world-renowned 4-wheel drive shop has been an experience like no other. When I started I took a look at the company and decided we needed some direction and that started with our mission statement and our logo. They had at least a half dozen printed options as what could be explained as a logo and they had no mission statement at all. The mission statement was probably one of the easier pieces because they had built such a strong reputation for what they offered and their name in the community.
Once we had those two major pieces in place we had to tackle the hard parts and that was an operation. I love change and finding new and better ways to do things and that was a benefit for the few years that took place after as we evolved every system in our business more than we probably care to state. There were always 3 things that we never swayed away from that we call the 3 “E’s” Educate, Excite, and Execute. We continue to try to find ways to engage our customers in the off-road lifestyle and we believe that teaching them and giving them the tools to be safe and feel confident will make them enjoy their hobby more. We offer a variety of free training classes such as Off-Road 101, Winch and Recovery, and Tire Repair/Jack classes.
We also facilitate a spotting class that helps our local clubs and non-profits find volunteers that will help guide trails at hosted events/rallies throughout the year. Our next “E” is exciting. What we do is fun!! Other people in the automotive field get to repair your car so that you can get to work the next day but we get to help that customer when they finally get to outfit their old or new vehicle just to give it a look that makes them proud to do it or get them out to the trail that they used to hike but now might be too old to hike it but still wants the experience. Lastly, all we have to do is execute their dream and give them a vehicle that will fit all their needs.
Easier said than done of course because aftermarket products aren’t designed to go with every product out there so we are constantly reinventing the wheel to make it work just right but that is what keeps us on our toes and gives customers a reason to keep bringing their vehicles back to us to reinvent.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
St. George is a city unlike any other. Being in our business we have an amazing resource that is drawing people from all over the country to visit. Sand Mountain which is referred to as Sandhollow is a 20,000-acre open OHV area that will keep you on the edge of your seat no matter which trail you pick to run. You have consistent breathtaking views with some of the most aggressive trails in the country and for us, it is only 15 minutes from our door.
With amazing beauty comes the people that want to take it and our local areas are under constant attack by contractors or environmentalists that are trying to close it or build on it but either way they change what our little town used to be and what makes it great.
Contact Info:
- Website:www.dixie4wheeldrive.com
- Instagram: @dixie4hweeldrive
- Facebook: dixie4wheeldrive
- Youtube: Dixie4wheeldrive
