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The Business of Family: 2nd Generation Garage Door Service Success
They always say “the second time around” is never better than the first. But Pablo Chavez, of Deer Park Garage Door, Houston, Texas, is proving that age-old adage wonderfully wrong. Pablo shares how his father started the business in 1999 and how he’s now leading it into a new era—embracing technology, digital marketing, and modern service practices. From late-night calls to fix stuck doors to managing a growing team, Pablo talks about the real-life challenges and rewards of running a family business. In this episode of Swivl Sessions, he discusses how staying compassionate, modernizing operations, and keeping community and care at the heart of the business, will keep the Deer Park legacy alive for future generations.

About the Guest
Pablo Chavez
Owner of Deer Park Garage Door
Pablo Chavez is the co-owner of Deer Park Garage Door Company in Houston, Texas, taking over leadership from his father who founded the business in 1999. Growing up in the industry-going out on service calls with his dad and learning garage doors "like the back of his hand"-Pablo has spent the past year steering the 26-year-old company into the modern era. While maintaining the family's reputation for quality service and community care, he's pushing into digital marketing, social media presence, and AI-optimized content to compete in Houston's increasingly crowded garage door market. With loyal customers dating back to the company's founding and a growing collection of Google reviews (targeting 3-5 new ones weekly via QR codes), Pablo is expanding the family legacy by launching additional brands including Ari's Door Solutions named after his daughter.
Connect
Company: Deer Park Garage Door Company
Location: Houston, Texas metropolitan area
Services: Residential and commercial garage door installation, repair, maintenance, emergency service
Company Overview
Deer Park Garage Door Company provides residential and commercial garage door installation, repair, and maintenance services throughout the Houston metropolitan area, built on 26 years of local reputation and family values.
Services
- Residential garage door repair and installation (primary focus)
- Spring replacement and maintenance (most common service call)
- Commercial garage door services (smaller businesses)
- Emergency repair services (late-night calls for stuck doors)
- Automatic opener installation and repair
- New construction door installation (expanding focus)
- Founded by Pablo's father in 1999
- Pablo took leadership role approximately 1 year ago
- Primarily residential (95%+) with select commercial work
- Growth driven by word-of-mouth referrals and long-term customer relationships
- Recently partnered with marketing agency for Google presence
- Targeting 3-5 new Google reviews weekly using QR codes in the field
- Expanding into commercial new construction and warehouse installations
Core Mission
Providing quality garage door service with compassion and community focus-helping customers in need even when they can't afford full price, because "we're not just here to make a profit, we're here to help people as well."
Episode Summary
They always say “the second time around” is never better than the first. But Pablo Chavez, of Deer Park Garage Door, Houston, Texas, is proving that age-old adage wonderfully wrong. Pablo shares how his father started the business in 1999 and how he’s now leading it into a new era—embracing technology, digital marketing, and modern service practices. From late-night calls to fix stuck doors to managing a growing team, Pablo talks about the real-life challenges and rewards of running a family business. In this episode of Swivl Sessions, he discusses how staying compassionate, modernizing operations, and keeping community and care at the heart of the business, will keep the Deer Park legacy alive for future generations.
"You don't really realize the magnitude of the responsibility that comes into play. It's not like a regular clock in, clock out-you're kind of always clocked in. That was kind of surprising, just the amount of everything that it takes to run everything. It's 24/7. But it's worth it. It's really satisfying."
"Over the last probably five years, it's gotten real stiff as far as the competition goes. Before there wasn't really too many around. But boom, everybody kind of just started catching on to it. It really is a big industry, it's pretty lucrative-it was a hidden secret for years. Now it's out. Garage door companies popping up left and right."
"If you look us up on Google, you'll find our listing there. We have plenty of reviews. That's like the key thing-the reviews. If you can get two to three a week, it'll keep you high on the search engine there."
"I've been seeing a lot of people talk about optimizing your website to where people ask AI 'how do I fix my garage' and when you ask it things it'll pull from different sources on the web. I'm trying to find somebody that can help me get the content on our website so whenever they get searched up we could get pulled up there in the AI as well."
"We went out to this lady's house and she needed her door open because she was medically challenged and the ambulance would come out often. She really couldn't afford it, so we gave her a break and we installed it for her. Maybe other companies just wouldn't be willing to do that. We're not just here to make a profit, we're here to help people as well."
1. Understand 24/7 Responsibility Before You Begin
- "You don't really realize the magnitude of the responsibility. It's not like a regular clock in, clock out-you're kind of always clocked in." Ownership means being available for late-night emergencies, managing quality control so nobody gets hurt, and constantly thinking about the business. The surprise isn't just the hours-it's the mental weight. Accept this reality upfront, but know it's "worth it" and "really satisfying" when you're building something meaningful.
2. Leverage Family Wisdom While Pushing Innovation
- Pablo respects his parents' experience (they started in 1999) while modernizing their Yellow Pages approach with social media and AI optimization. "They're kind of hesitant-old dog, new tricks." Don't dismiss institutional knowledge, but don't let fear of change prevent evolution. Find balance between proven methods (word-of-mouth, quality service) and necessary adaptation (digital marketing, modern systems). Multi-generational businesses thrive when experience meets innovation.
3. Make Customer Reviews Ridiculously Easy to Obtain
- "If you can get two to three reviews a week, it'll keep you high on the search engine." Deer Park targets 3-5 weekly using QR codes technicians carry to job sites. "Just make it as easy as possible for them to give you that review. Sometimes people say 'oh yeah, I'll leave you a review' but then they never do." Remove every barrier-print QR codes, hand them out immediately after service, make it one-click simple. Reviews aren't nice-to-haves, they're survival in competitive markets.
4. Balance Passion for Profit with Compassion for People
- "Be passionate about what you do, but also have compassion for the people around you. Don't just go out there and think all about you. When people see you're willing to help them, they'll be willing to help you." Pablo discounted an installation for a medically challenged woman who needed ambulance access. This isn't just charity-it builds reputation, referrals, and community loyalty that competitors can't replicate. Business success and human compassion aren't opposites; they're symbiotic.
1. Second-Generation Leadership: Innovation Within Legacy
Pablo exemplifies the challenge and opportunity of taking over an established family business-respecting 26 years of his father's foundation while pushing modernization his parents find uncomfortable. His journey from field technician learning "garage doors like the back of my hand" to leader implementing social media strategy demonstrates how second-generation owners must honor legacy while evolving to survive changing markets.
2. Hidden Markets Becoming Saturated Through Discovery
Garage door service was a "hidden secret" lucrative industry for years until competition exploded in the past five years with companies "popping up left and right." This pattern repeats across field services-profitable niches remain obscure until someone succeeds publicly, then saturation follows. First-movers build loyalty moats (Deer Park's decades-old customers); late entrants must differentiate through innovation (Pablo's digital push) or superior service.
3. Digital Transformation in Old-School Trades
Moving from Yellow Pages and handwritten invoices to AI-optimized websites, social media presence, and CRM systems represents the existential challenge facing traditional trades. Pablo's exploration of content optimization for AI search queries ("when you ask it things it'll pull from different sources") shows how even garage door companies must think like tech startups to remain discoverable in 2024's search landscape.
4. Community Compassion as Competitive Advantage
Discounting installation for a medically challenged woman who needs ambulance access isn't just altruism-it's strategic differentiation. "Other companies just wouldn't be willing to do that" because they're "so cold" and profit-focused. When customers see willingness to help, "they'll be willing to help you" through referrals and loyalty. In commoditized services, human compassion becomes your moat.
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