After receiving her degree in journalism at the University of Oklahoma, Linda began her career in the auto business at a General Motors dealership. When she met her husband, Mike Beaver, he was the owner of a GM dealership in Texas. Besides their love of the business of selling cars, they also had a common goal. “We wanted a different kind of relationship—the kind where we worked together as a team and family came first.” After they were married, Linda began hosting the dealership’s commercial spots and they purchased three more dealerships in Luskin, Dennison, and Carrollton, Texas. Then, as their family increased, they decided to close all their GM stores and move to Santa Fe.

“ Santa Fe has been wonderful to us,” Linda says. “The people are friendly and receptive.” And, she adds, “It is a wonderful market to be in.” The Beavers’ goal was to own a business where they could carve out space to raise their four children—a daughter, now 20, and three sons between the ages of 9 and 14.

“We got the dealership running in Santa Fe and went from selling 66 new and used cars per month to 300 units per month,” she says. The Beavers also own a home in Florida and split their time between the two states. Linda’s brother, Matt Canavan, is Santa Fe’s general manager. “We talk every day, and with the Internet, it makes doing business from remote very easy,” Linda says.

Like everything else in our culture, things have changed when it comes to purchasing an automobile. “The stereotype of the car salesman being a guy in a tie is definitely out,” says Linda. “One of our best sales persons is a Brazilian woman.

“Our employees come to work and they stay with us,” she adds. “We have a nice balance of women and men at the dealership. We are like a big family. That is what makes us successful.” The Beavers’ formula for success is putting customers first and treating employees very well. “We are unique because we are low pressure in our selling,” Linda adds.

Asked for tips on test driving and car buying, Linda gave this advice: “There are three rules: Know what you want, know how much you have to spend, and then trust the dealership to find it for you. Doing your own research can also be helpful and is so easy with the Internet. This helps the dealer to be able to find you the perfect car. Don’t be afraid to test drive several cars,” she adds, “even models you would not originally have thought of.”

One of those models might be a hybrid. “Hybrids are selling like crazy and there are so many models to choose from,” Linda says. Not surprisingly, the market for hybrids consists mainly of 30- to 50-year olds, some of whom remember the gas crunches of the past.

Linda drives a Toyota Sequoia “because I am always hauling around my sons and at least a couple of their friends.”

One easy way to purchase a car is over the Internet. “People buy cars from us online all the time. Our sales people on the Internet side are terrific. We deliver the car or truck to your door—and if we don’t have it in stock when you order it we’ll get it, and get it to you quickly. We deliver all over the United States.”

When asked what she likes to do when she isn’t working or busy with her kids, Linda says she likes to travel. “Mike and I like to spend quality time as a couple and we do cardio and weight lifting every day at 6 a.m. except Sundays.” Linda also enjoys reading and is a classical pianist.

“It is wonderful to own a dealership together. It is one of the best businesses you can get into—especially Toyota, because they are so organized,” Linda says. It has certainly worked well for Linda and Mike Beaver.

www.beavertoyota.com.
1500 St. Michaels Dr .
Santa Fe , NM 87505
505-982-1901

Connie Thompson is a writer, director, and producer of creative, corporate, and motivational video scripts, articles, and press releases. Contact her at (505) 944-1977 or at multimediasavvy@aol.com.