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Meet Joan Lewis of Lewis Lien Sales in Torrance

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Joan Lewis.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Joan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I had been looking for a business to start. My daughter worked at a lien company which had closed. She asked if I wanted to start a lien company. I jumped at the opportunity and together we completed the paperwork, received our licenses and opened our doors.

Then my daughter got a job with another company and I was left alone in the office. Every time the phone rang, I broke out in a sweat. I didn’t know what I was doing and had no one to ask. I began educating myself on the industry. There were many times when I wanted to quit, but I just kept going. I made many mistakes, but customers kept coming. Through the patience of my customers and the DMV, I learned the business. In 2012 we received an award for Best Customer Service in Inglewood (our old location).

We have now been in business for ten years. This is a male dominated industry which is difficult to enter as a woman, but I am proud of what we have accomplished. We focus on customer service and keeping our customers happy.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The main struggle was that I had no experience in the industry and had to learn everything from scratch. There are no courses I could take. I made a lot of mistakes in learning how to run a company and conduct business in this industry. One time we got sued because the finance company said they did not get notified, but I had proof that they were and they lost the case. Even though we won the case, this caused me to want to quit. Another time our website got hacked and our business suffered. I would not sign contracts for longer than a year because I didn’t know if we would be in business that long. I went for a long time with no profit. The year we broke even, I was jubilant. I quit my job to build this business. I used to say to myself, “Why did I quit a job to work for nothing?” Now I can say it was worth it.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are an auto and vessel lien processing company. We are licensed by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Our customers call us when they have an abandoned car, truck or boat on their property that they want to get rid of or obtain title for. Our ideal customers are tow yards, auto mechanics and auto body shops. We also service private customers who have abandoned vehicles on their property. So for example, if someone left a car on your property, you cannot move it without their permission. If you can’t get in touch with them, you are stuck with that car. You would call us so we can do the legal paperwork so that you can get rid of it or get the title for it so you can own it yourself. In the case of tow yards, they are mandated to conduct liens on cars they tow so that the owners know where the car is and have an opportunity to claim their vehicles. We do that paperwork for them. We have referrals from the DMV and CHP. We also conduct V.I.N. verifications. V.I.N. verifications are needed when the vehicle is not in the California database. People who want to register cars or trucks in California from other states have to get the VINs verified by having a licensed VIN verifier come and inspect their vehicle. This is also a service we provide for private persons and fleet dealers. Our friendly customer service and our interactive website set us apart from others in the industry.

What were you like growing up?
My mother always said I should have been a teacher. Most of my professional life has been as a paralegal. Therefore, a business that is heavily regulated is a good fit for me. I attended a program called Boss the Movement which changed my outlook on having a business. From then on, I wanted to own a business. I like the flexibility that a business affords and I like being able to help people.

I am a member of Toastmasters International which gave me the courage to actually start a business. In Toastmasters, I learned leadership and marketing skills. I learned how to speak with confidence and become results oriented. I owe my success to both of these organizations.

I am originally from New York, but have lived in Los Angeles for about 30 years. I am married, have two children and 4 grandchildren.

Pricing:

  • Auto lien on cars valued under $4000 = $50
  • Auto lien on cars valued over $4000 = $90
  • Boat liens = $100
  • VIN verifications = $60 (depending on location)

Contact Info:

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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