Paul Heckman

Meet entrepreneur and Owner of ColorAuto Detailing, Paul Heckman. “I was born and raised in Indiana. At the age of 19, I signed up for the Marine Corps and got stationed in Twentynine Palms, CA, and did my schooling in San Diego. I spent 4 years in the Marine Corps and spent over half my enlistment overseas. My first time going overseas was to Iraq. It was an overall good experience that has helped create who I am today. After I got out of the military my brother was living in Grand Junction working at WestStar Aviation, and I had visited him on leave. Everything I owned at the time fit in my Toyota Tacoma, so instead of driving back to Indiana I drove to Grand Junction in 2006. At that time, just like every guy here, I got into the oil field. I spent 8 years in the oil field working everywhere between Utah, Wyoming, all over Colorado, I even moved to the front range for a couple of years to Fort Collins for a company I was working for. In the last 2 years of my oil field career I worked up in North Dakota and that is kind of what ended it for me…. I just got burnt out flying back and forth all of the time and I was missing a lot with the kiddo growing up. When I was in Fort Collins I met my current fiancé, Jen, and convinced her to move to Grand Junction.”

 

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Q: What inspired you or led you to your current career?

A: In 2014 I voluntarily quit my job and was kind of looking for a way to get out of the oil field. In high school. I detailed cars for a couple of years, it was something I knew. I had saved up enough money working in the oil field that I was able to build this business (ColorAuto Detailing) from scratch. I started off in a single bay shop, it was about 1200 SF, by myself. I did that for a few months and then just hustled and went around town and did every business networking that I could possibly do. I used some marketing companies, did some commercials and just really tried to build the business upon reputation. The path since then has been to focus on quality over quantity. We really focus on the customer experience from a customer showing up, thoroughly explaining everything, and letting them know they are valued all the way from the beginning to the end. I’ve never wanted to be that high-volume car wash doing $30 get you in-and-out kind of thing, there are other shops for that. That was just never the vision for this. I go back and revisit my business plan that I wrote 6 years ago and continue to evolve that. We’ve been at this location (592 25 Rd) for about 2 ½ years and have just continued to grow. We will be opening a second location soon at 124 N 1st St – hopefully by the first of June.

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Q: What is your favorite restaurant in The Grand Valley, and what do you love there?

A: The Warehouse. Their weekend brunches are awesome and they have a cool atmosphere.

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Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?  And why?

A: Rome. There is so much cool history there. I’m not the lay on the beach kind of person, I want to go explore and see some history.

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Q: What is your favorite movie OR what is the first movie you remember seeing in a theatre?

A: The first movie I remember seeing in a theatre is Home Alone.

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Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?

A: Don’t have regrets. Do it now!

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Q: What is something on your bucket list?

A: Pilot license. Just a private pilot license. It’s nothing I want to make money doing, I would just love to have my own little plane that we could jump on and go anywhere we want.

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Q: What is your favorite music / 3 bands you would like to see (dead or alive)?

A: Depends on my mood and what I’m doing, but I listen to just about everything other than country and techno. Hard rock and rap. I will put my Pandora on just about any station. Five Finger Death Punch, NWA, Snoop and Dre.

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Q: What current/former local business makes you the most nostalgic about The Grand Valley?

A: The Rockslide Brewery and Restaurant just because of the building itself.

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Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about The Grand Valley?

A: There are just enough amenities here to keep you busy, but small enough to not be a big city.

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Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?

A: Continuing to build my business, build a brand, and just growing what I’m doing now because I love it!

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Q:  What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?

A: In 2012 I was working with a trainer to do my first bodybuilding show. I ended up taking a job up in North Dakota and just got sidetracked.

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Q:  If you could be on any game show what would it be?

A: American Ninja Warrior

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Q:  What 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?

A: Peace, family & sanctuary

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Q:  If you were cast into a major motion picture and had your choice of anyone to be your co-star, who would you choose?

A: Arnold Schwarzenegger

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Q:  If you had a full-time staff member that was fully paid for, who would you choose & why?

Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer or Nanny?

A: Chef. I’m a fat kid at heart.

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Q:  What is your favorite place to do sports or be outside in The Grand Valley?

A: We’ve recently gotten into power sports and dirt biking. We enjoy going up to Rabbit Valley or out off 25 Road. We’re still kind of learning all of the areas.

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Q:  What is your favorite holiday?

A: Halloween

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Q:  Who would you like to see nominated for this project – The Faces of The Grand Valley?

A: Shawn Cotter that owns Alpine Autohaus, has a great story!

 

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