Craig Sinclair

Sinclair Automotive

After a knee injury left Craig Sinclair out of work, he decided it was time to re-evaluate what he really wanted out of a career.  Working for numerous automobile dealerships, and achieving many levels of education in the field, he knew he wanted to get into the automobile field again.  His most recent position was with Vestas Canadian Wind Technology, where he gained experience maintaining Wind Turbines in Manitoba. Traveling to Oregon for training and Texas to manage a large project for Vestas gained him leadership skills, as well as the background to budgeting, cash flows, and time management.

Craig began working for Autotec Securities in Winnipeg where he installed MPI Immobilizers during the evenings and weekends.  His day was spent starting his own automobile repair facility.  Gaining experience in the immobilizer field, he decided to rent two shops, one in the Rural Municipality of East St. Paul and one in the town of Carman, to begin installing the immobilizers on his own.  After getting certified by VSIB and MPI, his bookings started to fill up.  Craig recently had to hire more employees just to keep up to the growing demand for automobiles getting the immobilizer units installed.  Craig now was 5 employees, installing a total of  8-11 immobilizer units per day.

Craig opened the Carman shop because of his desire to work and live in a small community.  The Carman shop also allows him to be a rural shop for immobilizer installations as well.  The East St. Paul facility allows Craig the Winnipeg installations.  Once the Immobilizer rush subsides, Craig wishes to branch out into general automotive repairs, bodywork, and transmission repair.  Being a certified transmission rebuilder, Licensed Journeyman and having his safety inspection accreditation allows Craig to rebuild his own vehicles for resale as well.

Community Futures Heartland was glad to assist Craig both financially with a repayable loan, and also with the preparation of cash flow forecasts and general business counselling.  When asked what his experience with Heartland has been, Craig says, “When starting out a fresh new business banks are not willing to help. Heartland understands the challenges that go with new business. The success of my business was a direct result of funding from Heartland Community Futures. Along the way they where willing to help with any paperwork requirements, and assist in the development of business plans. They basically streamlined the process. Without the help from Heartland the business would have been complicated and growth would have taken much longer. It was generally a positive experience with an excellent outcome.”