Faces in The Crowd – The Mechanics of Success

“Laughter in the workplace is one of the most important things in business.”

Meet Mike Sullivan.

Mike’s heart is never far from the water. One of three boys born and raised in Canso, it is a place he treasures for its small town values. His father was a fisherman but didn’t want his sons to follow in his footsteps. That didn’t keep Mike from swimming and boating, passions that he maintains to this day. When he and his wife eventually settled in Antigonish the thing he missed most was the smell of the salt air.

He took a year off after high school and worked at the local Co-op. Despite the friendly staff, he knew that this wouldn’t be his life’s work. His father was also a fine carpenter, so Mike headed off to NSCC to acquire this trade. The next few years found him trying to discover his niche as he took a variety of courses, but none of them grabbed his attention.

He married a local girl and school teacher, Maureen Lumsden. With the decline in the fishery they realized that there wasn’t much of a future for them and their first child in Canso. One day he responded to an ad from Midas looking for a mechanic at their Antigonish outlet. Even though he didn’t have the required papers, he had an aptitude for the job and offered to do a day’s work for nothing so that the boss could check him out. That was on Valentine’s Day, 2000. Three years later he became manager of the business and eventually wrote his exam and got the required documents to become a certified mechanic.

He had finally found his niche.

Despite the success he was having in business, he was dealing with some personal issues which had the capacity to derail his plans. He made some life-changing decisions that set him on a path to happiness and fulfillment.

A few years later he had an opportunity to buy the business. He decided to put his own name on the shingle and the rest is history. Sullivan’s Auto Centre is now a thriving enterprise on the corner of Main and Court Streets.

He and the family took their first big trip together a few years ago to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. It was an amazing experience and Mike picked up some valuable tips on client service, noticing that the staff at this tourist destination was always friendly and smiling.

And what are the keys to his success? “Give everyone the same good service. You need to know how to read people. Never look in someone’s pockets. I treat people fairly. And it helps to be just a little bit crazy!”

Mike is the picture of contentment. “I have a wonderful life. I have a great wife and family, a loyal (and sometimes irreverent!) staff and great customers.”

Whenever he can, he heads down Route 16 to his beloved hometown to relax at his camper and spend a bit of time on his boat.  Inhaling the scent of the briny ocean keeps him grounded and ready for whatever lies ahead.