LivePlan Blog Podcast

The Hurdle Episode 9 | Outdated Systems, Outdated Growth

LivePlan Team

<1 min. read

Updated April 2, 2025

In Season Two, Episode Three of The Hurdle podcast, Jade and Max sit down with Dustin Caldwell, owner of Old Dominion Collision Repair Center. Dustin shares his journey of taking over his family’s decades-old auto body repair business and transforming it into a thriving, specialized shop known for high-end and electric vehicle repairs.

Dustin discusses the pivotal moments that shaped his success, including how joining a business peer group (“20 Group”) helped him increase profit margins and build a more sustainable operation. He dives into the power of reevaluating systems—challenging the “we’ve always done it this way” mindset—to drive efficiency and innovation. Lastly, he explains how offering ownership opportunities to key employees not only strengthened his team but also allowed him to step back from daily operations and focus on the bigger picture.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur navigating industry shifts or a business owner looking to scale sustainably, Dustin’s insights provide a roadmap for growth, leadership, and long-term success.

Watch the episode

LivePlan Team

Here at Palo Alto Software, our goal is to help small businesses succeed. We believe that small businesses are the engine of our economy and that if we can help more companies survive and thrive, we will all be better off. After all, we're a small business ourselves and we understand what it takes to start from zero, with no outside investment, and build a company from 1 to 70 employees. We understand that challenge, and we also know what it takes to be successful. Through our flagship product, LivePlan, we are committed to providing that knowledge, experience, and expertise to as many other small businesses as possible.