Meet Sarah Goedde | Appliance Repair business owner / Woman owned business

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Goedde and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I have been in the service business between AC and Appliance Repair for 15+ years. I worked for one company in appliance repair where I learned a lot on what to do, mainly because that owner taught me what not to, then I went to work for a wonderful appliance repair company I loved very much, they taught me how to work with old school values and a company can be like family, due to new management so they could step out a bit I had to leave again and went and helped the previous company rebuild their company 2 more times due to mismanagement on their part and my husband seen my stress and how much I cared and sold a truck handed me money and said you can do this on your own. So I did.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
We have a family oriented business. Many businesses these days unfortunately I feel aren’t that way, I treat our Lone Star family to a company summer trip usually to the beach one time a year. We have a small Christmas party with each employees family and a crawfish boil yearly.

A hardship I personally have in the business is being a woman solely owning the business on my own in a male dominated industry. Something that was very hard for me to get passed to be quite honest and it honestly never dawned on me that was even a thing or to think about at all until a few customers made it quite evident once they realized that any given technician visiting their home was not my husband and that my husband does not work with me. There have been many instances over the last 6 years that were quite disheartening but my fellow friends and colleagues have really been there for me in these times. I just stay as professional as possible and give that southern charm to deal with it the best way possible and typically once they realize I know what I am talking about their tones change dramatically.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am someone who simply loves the beach, I could go to the beach every single weekend of the summer and be happy and it not get old however I LOVE Saltwater fishing and my best friend does not, I would make her go anyways. To stay more local I would likely take her to Sawyer Park one night for dinner and drinks, I love the atmosphere there and always have a good time. During the day we would go hang out at my father in laws pool and get tan and swim and have some drinks. One-Two days we would go down to port O’Conner where we would go on a fishing charter with my cousin stay at their house on the island and go to the beach over there where the water is beautiful, clear and way less crowded. We would also go one night to The best in town for some crawfish and crab. I grew up allergic to seafood until I was 29 and had some crazy reaction to something we still don’t know what it was but also found out at that time i was no longer allergic, boy do I go crazy now with the seafood. I had no idea what I was missing.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I started my business in 2017 when Brandon(my husband) handed me the money from selling a truck of his and pushed me to make the jump with all of the faith in the world in me, with one technician and being very afraid. I jumped right in with my husband and close family supporting me thru it all. Even though I had to learn some hard lessons in trust and finding the right people to work for me, I want to thank the ones that weren’t the right people, they taught me many very important lessons. When we got to 2020 and covid happened I was a part of a networking group that many other groups had diminished, however our little tight nit group stood strong together and we all helped and supported each other thru all of the hardships of being in the businesses we were in. I contribute them to part of the reason all of us made it thru the lag in business during that time. We are now The Net Level Up Networking and I am so proud to be a part of this group and how we helped one another thru.

Website: www.lonestarappliance.us

Instagram: @lonestarappliancerepairllc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lonestarappliancerepair

Image Credits
brittany martino photography