Today we’d like to introduce you to Olaf Lis.
Olaf, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I moved here by myself from Poland in 1995 when I was 23 years old. Chicago as a second largest Polish city in the world was an obvious choice to start my new life. The whole idea to start AMS Auto was born after my relative’s horrific car accident that left him paralyzed for life. As an able, healthy person only then I realized the scope and need for mobility services for disabled people. I started AMS Auto in 2008 with an intention to provide mobility solutions to people that need it. In our ten years in business, we’ve put countless people back on the road, people who otherwise were stranded at home. I take pride in helping each customer personally and seeing a huge smile on their faces is the best reward for me. After ten years in business, I feel that what we do is important and our customers appreciate it enormously.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Smooth it was not. Starting a business in 2008, right after the market collapsed, and keeping it alive, was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Doing mobility work without any other support would not be possible. We also provide auto repair and auto body services to keep things going.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with AMS Auto – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
AMS Auto is a full auto repair and auto body shop with the main focus on selling, servicing, accessorizing and converting handicap accessible vehicles. We install hand controls, left foot accelerators, transfer seats, wheelchair docking systems for people after accidents, with MS, spinal cord injuries, strokes, amputees. The list is long, very long. We take great pride at what we do for our customers. It is very different to do a regular brake job on a regular car than install hand controls and a transfer seat for a person that is getting back behind the wheel after a serious life event, trauma and years of rehab.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My plan is to keep doing what we’re doing. I’d love to move to much bigger space but that may take a few more years
Contact Info:
- Address: AMS Auto
1340 Cobblestone Way
Woodstock, IL 60098 - Website: illinoishandicapvans.com
- Phone: 815-527-7297
- Email: ams@amsauto.net
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMS-Auto-394443583945602/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ams-auto-woodstock?osq=ams+auto
Image Credit:
Olaf
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