E7: Meet the Couple Who Can Save Your Day When You're Locked Out

Ever lost your car keys and felt that sinking feeling of dread? The Good Neighbor Podcast brings you the perfect solution with Ashley and Michael White from Key Kutterz, a local business that's been saving drivers from lockouts since 2010.

What started as a passion for padlocks and keys has evolved into a specialized automotive key business serving communities across a wide region. Michael reveals a fascinating industry shift – gone are the days of the all-purpose locksmith. Today's market demands specialization, with Key Kutterz choosing to focus exclusively on vehicle keys. "The learning curve is so great that you better choose a path and go down that path," Michael explains, offering valuable insight for any entrepreneur considering their business niche.

Despite their busy schedule running a thriving business, Ashley and Michael emphasize the importance of maintaining balance. Their commitment to weekly date nights – "even if it's just one hour with two drinks" – shows how they prioritize their relationship alongside their professional lives. They've weathered significant personal challenges too, from surgeries to bankruptcies, demonstrating remarkable resilience. As Michael puts it, "You have to be open to continue to grow and to make changes within your business in order to succeed."

What truly sets Key Kutterz apart is their approach to customer service. Ashley describes visits to their shop as "a comedy show" where customers are "treated like family." This personal touch, combined with their technical expertise and competitive pricing, has fueled their impressive word-of-mouth referral network. Looking ahead, they're expanding with a new mobile service to better serve their community. Want to experience their legendary service firsthand? Stop by their location or check out their website and social media – your keys (and a good laugh) await!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Stacey Willis.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of a set ofkeys?
Have you lost yours?
One place might be closer thanyou think.
I have the pleasure ofwelcoming and introducing your
good neighbors Ashley andMichael White from Key Cutters.
Good morning, guys.
How's it going Good?

(00:36):
Good morning, Stacey.
We're really excited to learnabout your business, so let's
just jump right in and tell usall about Key Cutters.

Speaker 3 (00:48):
Well, Key Cutters started in like 2010, and it's
grown quite good to where we'vebeen doing mainly automotive
keys now and in shop work and wepretty much can provide any key
for your vehicle's needs iswhat we really focus on now.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
Okay, and how did you guys get started in this
business?

Speaker 3 (01:11):
Well, kind of a short story, but long.
I mean it started just I wasinterested in keys.
I really like padlocks and keysand anything locksmith works,
so I basically focused on thatand continued until I got to
where I'm at now.

Speaker 2 (01:28):
Okay, and tell our listeners what are some myths or
misconceptions that ourlisteners might have about your
industry.

Speaker 4 (01:39):
That is a good question.

Speaker 3 (01:41):
So I would say that currently, where locksmiths are,
people don't realize thateverybody's a hybrid locksmith
and what that really means isthere's very few that do
everything.
The market now has moved towhere automotive is one side,
you have commercial on another,you have residential, you have

(02:01):
safes, everything seems to youknow.
There are couples that, acouple of companies that could
still dab in all of it, but the,the, the market has grown so
much that the equipment that youbuy and the stuff that has to
be, you know, purchased, and the, and the learning curve is so
great that it's now to the pointwhere you better choose a path

(02:22):
and go down that path, becausethat's pretty much where
business is going now.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
Who would you say is your target customer and what
are you doing to attract them?

Speaker 3 (02:36):
Anybody that has a vehicle is probably the consumer
that I look at, or in thatsense I mean, you could even
have a scooter and I can makeyour key for you, meaning like
one of those motorized scooters,but at the same time, that's
pretty much the target base ofwhat I look for, in the sense of
it is anybody that has avehicle and needs a spare key or

(02:57):
they lose their keys to theircar.
That's pretty much the marketthat I'm at.

Speaker 2 (03:02):
And how do you attract your customers?

Speaker 3 (03:08):
much the market that I'm at and how do you attract
your customers?
Many ways, the one thatactually is the biggest is
actually referrals.
So it took years to developreferrals, but word of mouth
seems to be the strongestability to where you know.
Over a decade it's taken.
But wow, word of mouth, itspans pretty large.
It can go all the way down fromWest Virginia all the way to
Cleveland, to Pittsburgh, of agiant circle Ashtabula.

(03:30):
All of that is a giant circle.
So word of mouth, referrals, ishuge.
But don't get me wrong.
I was taught by an old man thatearly to bed early to rise,
advertise, advertise, advertise.
And that, my friend, seems to bewhat really is the key goal it
did.
It basically launched it andjust kept it going, and all I

(03:53):
you know, full steam ahead iswhat it is outside of work.

Speaker 2 (03:59):
What do you do?
Do fun.

Speaker 3 (04:02):
Well, all I do is work.
No, I'm just kidding.
We work, we work, and thensometimes we work more and then
we work.
For fun, I mean we can be founddoing many things.

Speaker 4 (04:13):
We do have a weekly date night.

Speaker 3 (04:15):
We do.
We have to have a weekly datenight, even if it's just one
hour with two drinks that's it,or just vegetables.
But, regardless, I love juststill, you know, we still date,
we still do stuff, we dogardening, we we like going, you
know, to different places andjust seeing like quick getaway

(04:35):
weekends, and we try to justhang out and just enjoy life
when we aren't working 17 days aweek.

Speaker 2 (04:45):
Let's switch gears just a little bit.
Can you describe a hardship orlife challenge you overcame and
how it made you stronger?
Does anything come to mind?

Speaker 3 (04:57):
I mean many things from surgeries to bankruptcies,
to you name it.
Life has definitely thrown alot of loops and I think the
main thing you just got to do ispersevere and keep going as
much as you get, as low as youcan.
I think you just got to keeppushing and keep looking at the
end goal.

Speaker 4 (05:13):
And business is never like.
You're never secure in one area.
You have to be open to continueto grow and to make changes
within your business in order tosucceed, because there's no
clear path for it.

Speaker 2 (05:26):
Yeah, good, all right , ashley, I'm going to.
I'm going to give this one toyou.

Speaker 4 (05:36):
Tell our listeners one thing they should remember
about key cutters.
Oh man, well, I mean it is acomedy show every time you come
in here.
So I mean, if keys ever youknow flops, I mean I think we
might have a shot at a comedy,you know career afterwards, but
no, you're going to be treatedlike family when you come in at

(05:57):
our shop.
The guys are very knowledgeable, they know what they're doing
and they will help you any waythey can.
If you do have to get a new keyfob your car, they will
definitely be able to help youand give you the best prices
that you can.

Speaker 2 (06:10):
And how do our listeners learn more about key
cutters?

Speaker 3 (06:17):
That's a good question.
I would say just stop in.
I mean really call us, Stop in.
You'll probably already hearthe friendliness on the voice
just from the calls alone.
We keep it real, we keep ithonest and integrity is still
something.
I sleep very well at nightbecause I will always keep that.

Speaker 4 (06:35):
Yep, we advertise on TV.
We are always at YSU to supportlocal Social media website and
pretty soon we'll have a newmobile service coming around
town, so I'm sure people will beable to see that as they're
driving.

Speaker 2 (06:53):
Awesome, all right.
Well, mike and Ashley, I reallyappreciate you guys being on
our show.
We wish you and your businessthe very best moving forward.
Thank you.

Speaker 1 (07:09):
Thanks for listening to the good neighbor podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to GNPYoungstowncom.
That's GNP Youngstowncom, orcall 330-355-3122.