Albemarle Limousine
Wedded together: Unique concept says âI doâ with the SBDC
Bought a 10-bay building that allowed the company to expand its services; created 60 jobs.
Albemarle Limousine & Travel Service, LLC, was an idea that started with a wedding.
âIt was my daughterâs wedding, and I was planning it,â CEO Andrea Saathoff says. âI was looking for a classic wedding-car rental and was surprised to learn that the closest one was in Washington D.C.â
In 2008, Andrea decided to start her own classic-car business in Charlottesville. âI quickly learned that vintage transportation was more of a hobby than a business,â Andrea adds. âSo we added modern cars that first year.â
Being a business owner, the former elementary school teacher noted, was a learning experience. âThatâs the fun of being an entrepreneur â we were doubling in revenue every year,â Andrea explains. âWithin five years, we had a fleet of premium sedans, SUVs, shuttle buses, and vintage limousines.â As the company grew, Virginia Auto Detailing was added, and a mechanic was hired to manage a growing fleet of vehicles.
When COVID struck, the business was blindsided and nearly crippled. The situation quickly became critical. âWe immediately lost 90 percent of our revenue,â Andrea says.
With the pandemic slamming the brakes on her business, Andrea contacted the Central Virginia SBDC. âI met SBDC Advisor Dillon Franks through a small business group I joined,â she relates. âHeâs been our advisor ever since. We also worked with Central Virginia Director Rebecca Haydock.â
Rebecca provided additional guidance as the company grew. âRebecca connected me with a QuickBooks specialist and helped with marketing, and Dillon provided guidance with our biggest customer, a very large corporation. He suggested things I never would have thought about.â
As COVID continued, Andrea looked for ways to diversify. âWe already had a detailing business,
but it was seasonal due to lack of indoor space,â she says. âWhen a realtor I knew found a
property with 10 auto bays going on the market, we decided to buy it, as it would significantly expand our car and truck maintenance and service offerings to the public through our ACE Auto Center Express. We are now experiencing strong growth, due to our expanded physical plant and more central location.â
Andrea added, âDillon and Rebecca were very helpful with the purchase of that building and issues related to growing our staff.â
Continuing to combat COVID, Albemarle Limousine launched a bicycle repair business, ACE Bicycle Charlottesville, in the spring of 2020. âRiding bikes offered socially-distanced exercise, so our shop was very popular,â Andrea adds. âNow all three businesses are in recovery, we have 60 employees, and everything is going gangbusters.â
Andrea continues to be enthusiastic about the SBDC and Dillon, who she describes as âa seasoned advisor who really cares about my business and our employees.â
âThe SBDC helped us significantly through the pandemic,â Andrea concludes. âThe SBDC has all the resources you need to help a business succeed and grow.”