Del Mastro Motors: Three Lessons for Success From a Family Business

Automotive sales are a tradition in the Del Mastro family. Now entering into its second generation in the business of new and used RVs, RV parts and accessories and new and used cars in the Peterborough area, the Del Mastros have gained a special insight into their business. Del Mastro Motors was founded by Yvonne Del Mastro and her children in late 1994 but the family already had a deep understanding of automotive sales. Mrs. Up until his passing, Mrs. Del Mastro’s husband Henry (Hank) Del Mastro was the general manager of another successful car dealership. According to family members Hank Del Mastro had always wanted to start his own auto business. His family made the dream a reality and ever since then, has enjoyed steady growth and success. Here are three lessons the family has learned over almost a decade and a half in business.

Be Open to Opportunities

Traditional business advice says that you should plan for the long term instead of banking on explosive success. At the same time, this doesn’t mean you should ignore opportunities for success, either. The key is to research the local market. With a long experience in business throughout Peterborough and the Kawarthas, the Del Mastros saw an untapped demand for Suzuki vehicles. In 1997 Del Mastro Motors became an authorized Suzuki dealer. In a matter of months, the business became the top-selling Suzuki dealership for Ontario outside the GTA.

Expand by Demand

Becoming a Suzuki dealer is just one direction Del Mastro Motors has taken to grow the business. After studying the nature of auto sales and service in the area, the company took the initiative, offering new services that the Peterborough region – and in some cases, the entire country – desperately needed. The Kawarthas is a low density mix of urban and rural communities prone to heavy snowfall in the winter. The Del Mastros realized that this translated into an unmet demand for a convenient, high quality car wash. Other car washes either didn’t provide the same level of service or were only available in the summer. That’s why the family opened a top quality Auto Spa. Similarly, after recognizing a void in RV parts and accessories, the company expanded to supply those through both its Peterborough sales outlet and by delivery across Canada. Del Mastro Motors took each of these steps after examining the market, determining whether the demand fit their business planning to meet it.

Innovate, but Don’t Abandon Your Strengths

In 2009, Del Mastro Motors prepares for another round of expansion. The company redesigned its website at delmastro.ca, adding an online database where visitors can view and compare prices on vehicles. This matches its other online marketing initiatives, but this hasn’t come at the expense of its traditional sales and marketing efforts. Del Mastro Motors still has a commitment to top quality service on the lot, and still sends representatives into the local community to promote the Auto Spa as well as new and used RVs and cars. Del Mastro Motors began by making the right choices for its founding family and the community, and still puts them at the center of its business today.