Q1: Can you give us an introduction to your business — what US Door LLC is all about, what cities you are located in, and whether you have multiple locations?
US Door LLC is a commercial door company specializing in the repair and service of automatic doors — the type you walk through at grocery stores, shopping centers, and restaurants — as well as rear-entry commercial doors and warehouse doors. We have two locations: one in Acworth, Georgia, and one in Noonan, Georgia. From those two locations, we cover all of metro Atlanta, extending our commercial door service area to approximately 15 miles outside the perimeter.
Q2: Can you give us a little background on yourself, Keith? How did you get into the commercial door industry, and what is your history leading up to that?
I spent many years working as a mechanical engineer before leaving the corporate world to become self-employed around the year 2000. I worked as a general contractor for a period of time, and throughout my career I always had a deep interest in electronics and controls. That passion led me naturally into the world of access control and automatic door systems, and that is ultimately what brought me to where I am today with US Door LLC.
Q3: How long has US Door LLC been in business?
We started in December of 2019, so we are just crossing the six-year mark. It has been quite a journey — especially given that COVID arrived just a few months after we opened our doors and launched our commercial door services.
Q4: What inspired you to start US Door LLC? How did the idea for the business come about?
My business partner was already established in the commercial door industry and was looking to transition the business. I had always loved the variety that comes with field service work — every job is different, and every day brings a new challenge. That appeal of never having the same day twice made it an easy and exciting decision to build something together.
Q5: What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
First, whatever you plan to do, expect it to cost about twice as much as you originally anticipate — both in terms of money and time. A job you think will take an hour often takes two. Second, be frugal, especially in the early stages, and make sure you have a financial safety net in place before you launch. When we started US Door LLC, COVID arrived just four months later. If we had not had a financial cushion to fall back on, we would not have survived. Third, always keep the customer’s best interest in mind. At US Door LLC, we believe in solving the actual problem, not just the symptom. Many times, we arrive on a commercial door service call and discover the real issue is something different from what the customer originally described. We take the time to properly diagnose it, present the right solution, and fix it correctly the first time. We do not want callbacks, and we take great pride in getting it right.
Q6: How many hours a day do you work on average? What does your typical schedule look like?
My day typically starts around six in the morning — setting up the schedule and getting the team organized. I may step away for a short break in the mid-afternoon, but most evenings I spend another two to three hours reviewing invoices, checking on job status, and making sure everything is running smoothly. On average, it comes out to about 10 to 12 hours a day.
Q7: What three skills do you think are most important for a successful entrepreneur?
First, the ability to think long-term. You cannot get caught up only in tomorrow — you have to consistently be looking six months down the road. Second, staying diligent about the details that can make or break a business, such as tax laws and insurance requirements. And third, always keeping the customer’s best interest at the forefront. The customer is not always right about what they think the problem is, but they are always looking for a solution. Stay calm, keep your composure, and focus on delivering the right answer. At US Door LLC, we make it a priority to fix commercial door issues correctly the first time so that our customers never have to call us back for the same problem.
Q8: What do you most attribute the success of US Door LLC to? How have you been able to make it going on seven years?
Hard work — plain and simple, especially in the early days. We were working seven days a week, taking emergency commercial door service calls at one in the morning, four in the morning — whenever a customer needed us. In the beginning, you take every opportunity you can to generate revenue and build your reputation. On top of that, we never stopped marketing. We were constantly making calls, knocking on doors, and making sure our contact information was in front of potential clients. A real estate agent gave me a piece of advice years ago that has always stuck with me: answer the phone. It sounds obvious, but you would be amazed how many businesses do not. In the commercial door service industry, if a door is broken and you do not answer, that customer is already calling the next company.
Q9: How do you go about marketing US Door LLC? What has been the most successful form of marketing for you?
It really comes down to two things. The first is our online presence — we rely heavily on search engines and maintaining a strong digital marketing campaign. Working with a marketing partner like Harbinger has been instrumental in pushing that visibility forward. The second is good, old-fashioned relationship building. In the early days, we walked miles putting door stickers on commercial properties — just a simple sticker with our phone number so that when something broke, business owners and property managers knew exactly who to call for commercial door services.
Q10: In your opinion, what is the best way to achieve long-term business success?
Be prepared for the unexpected, and always keep a financial cushion. Do not overextend yourself — avoid unnecessary spending that leaves you vulnerable when things go sideways. Because they will. There will be expensive mistakes, there will be bad months, and there will be jobs where something was ordered incorrectly and you have to absorb the cost. That is the reality of running a business. The other key ingredient is having a business partner you can communicate openly and honestly with. My partner and I have the ability to speak our minds without it turning into a conflict. We can disagree, talk it through, and move forward together. That kind of partnership is invaluable.
Q11: Where do you see US Door LLC in five to ten years? What are some of your goals?
The goal is to be running 10 to 15 service trucks across the metro Atlanta area. Right now we have four trucks on the road, and we are growing. Ultimately, I want US Door LLC to be the name that comes to mind the moment someone realizes their commercial door needs service — where they do not even need to search Google, they just know to call US Door.
Q12: Excluding your own, what company or business do you admire the most? Have you drawn inspiration from what you have seen other companies do well?
I draw a good bit of inspiration from Southside Wrecker. I think they are very well run — they operate with integrity, they do things the right way, they treat their employees well, and they focus on being profitable through honest work. I respect that. And on a larger scale, I have always admired the way Chick-fil-A operates. No matter which location you walk into, the service and the experience are consistent. That level of operational consistency across an entire organization is something truly impressive, and it is something I aspire to replicate at US Door LLC as we grow.
Q13: How important have good employees been to your success?
They are absolutely critical. Finding skilled commercial door technicians has been one of our biggest challenges, but when we find the right people, we invest in guiding them the right way. I am always reminding our team to slow down, be thorough, and make sure the job is done correctly. A callback — even one we do not charge for — reflects on our reputation, and we take that seriously. On the administrative side, having a strong office manager who is proactive about collections and keeping operations organized is equally important. Both sides of the team — field and office — are essential to the success of US Door LLC.
Q14: What motivates you as a business owner, Keith? What do you look to for inspiration?
Honestly, one of the biggest motivators is the satisfaction of leaving a customer in a better place than when you arrived. They were stressed when we got there, and they are grateful when we leave — that means something. I am also the kind of person who genuinely enjoys going somewhere new every day. In the commercial door service industry, no two jobs are ever quite the same, and I appreciate that variety. And of course, providing for my family is always at the center of everything I do.
Q15: How do you define success?
True success, to me, is when your work no longer feels like work — when you genuinely enjoy what you do every day. My wife is retiring from teaching this year, and it has been hard for her because teaching has always felt like a blessing, not a burden. That is the kind of relationship with your work that represents real success. If you can build something that feels that way, you have accomplished something meaningful.
Q16: What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
Control over my own time. If it is a beautiful day in the middle of the week and I want to take a motorcycle ride, I can do that — and then put in a few extra hours in the evening to make up for it. That flexibility is something I would never trade. I spent years in corporate America without it, and the contrast is significant.
Q17: What has been your most satisfying moment in your business career?
Without question, it has been the time I have been able to spend with my kids. After leaving corporate America and becoming self-employed, I was able to take my children to school every single morning. They will tell you to this day that those car rides were some of their favorite memories — we laughed the whole way there. I also had the freedom to take a random Tuesday off and take them to Six Flags. Those moments are priceless, and entrepreneurship made them possible.
Q18: What do you feel is the major difference between entrepreneurs and those who choose to work for someone else?
Entrepreneurs are willing to take a chance. People who work for someone else often believe they are playing it safe, but in my opinion, there is no such thing as a truly guaranteed job or a guaranteed paycheck. Entrepreneurship carries risk, but so does relying entirely on someone else for your livelihood. At least when you own the business, you control your own destiny.
Q19: If you had the chance to start your career over again, would you do anything differently?
I would have started working for myself right out of college. I spent about 20 years in a corporate cubicle, and while that experience shaped who I am and gave me a strong technical foundation, I know I could have built something sooner. The entrepreneurial path is not easy, but it has been far more rewarding than anything I did working for someone else.
Q20: What kind of culture currently exists at US Door LLC, and what type of culture are you striving for going forward?
We are pretty close to where I want to be. The culture at US Door LLC is built on openness, teamwork, and accountability. If one of our technicians is on a commercial door service call and cannot figure out the right solution, there is no embarrassment in calling me or my partner — we will get on a group call or a FaceTime and figure it out together. And if someone makes a mistake, own it. Everyone makes mistakes. As I used to say in my engineering days, if you never make a mistake, you are probably not doing anything. We succeed and grow as a team.
Q21: If you could have a conversation with one person in history, who would it be and why?
That is a tough one — there are so many fascinating figures throughout history. I think I would have to say Henry Ford. The way he transformed American manufacturing and built an entire industry from the ground up is something I find deeply compelling, especially as someone who has built his own business from the ground up with US Door LLC.
Q22: Who has been your greatest inspiration? Has there been a book that has had a significant impact on you?
My greatest inspiration is my grandfather — my mother’s father. He lived through the Great Depression and never lost his discipline or his integrity. Even during the hardest times, he would put something in the bank every single week, even if it was just a nickel. He went door to door looking for work when things were at their worst and never quit. He was a deeply principled man who treated every person fairly and equally — at Christmas, every grandchild’s gift was within a couple of dollars in value of everyone else’s. He made sure no one felt less than. That kind of character has always stayed with me and influenced how I try to run US Door LLC.
Q23: What are your hobbies? What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I still love riding motorcycles. I enjoy getting out on the lake — boating, and yes, I still water ski. I also have a large garage at home where I am always tinkering with something. Right now I am in the middle of upgrading my RV with lithium batteries so I can go off-grid for a full day without any issues. I enjoy working with my hands, which I suppose is not too surprising given the nature of the commercial door service work we do at US Door LLC.
Q24: If you could use just one word to characterize your life as an entrepreneur, what would that word be?
Blessed. Life has thrown its share of ups and downs, but I have a roof over my head, a home I am proud of, work that I genuinely enjoy, and a business in US Door LLC that continues to grow. I am truly blessed.