Trevor Nix of All About Garage Doors

Growing up around the family business, I always figured I’d find my way back to it after college. I just didn’t expect it to happen quite so soon after graduation, but that’s where the wind took me. Since then, I’ve had my hands in just about every kind of garage door project imaginable. From replacing kitchen countertop windows with garage doors to tackling new construction projects with over 100 doors and installing massive commercial doors at industrial facilities, I’ve seen and done a little bit of everything. Along the way, I’ve handled estimating, ordering, shipping, installation, service, and even the bookkeeping behind the scenes. I’ve also completed specialized manufacturer training in rolling steel and fire doors, gate and commercial door operators, and unique products like the Clopay VertiStack. While those trainings didn’t come with fancy industry-specific certifications, they’ve certainly added a few more tools to my toolbox.

One of the most rewarding (and challenging!) parts of my career has been training and mentoring new technicians. It’s no small undertaking to turn someone who’s brand new to the industry into a confident, self-sufficient professional. We typically figure it takes about a year of hands-on training and field experience before a technician can handle most jobs independently and begin earning back the company’s investment in their training. By the two-year mark, they’re usually skilled enough to take on just about anything, work independently, and start bringing in real returns for both themselves and the company. There’s a lot more to this industry than just installing garage doors, and helping the next generation of technicians learn the ropes has definitely given me a whole new appreciation for the work we do.

From garage door repairs, installations, and replacements to troubleshooting tricky spring systems, working with openers, and performing preventative maintenance, there’s not much we haven’t tackled. We’ve also worked extensively with commercial overhead doors, automatic gates, and custom garage door products. One of the things I’m especially proud of is our partnership with Clopay Corporation over the past four years. Their products are second-to-none, their customer service is fantastic, and the people behind the brand genuinely care about what they do. Plus, their commitment to innovation and higher-end products lines up perfectly with how we approach our own business. Our tagline is “The Top Dog in the Industry,” and we take that seriously! We’d much rather blow the minds of 10 clients with incredible service and quality products than have 100 basic, transactional experiences.

Personally, I love the tricky jobs. There’s nothing quite like walking into a garage, telling a client, “Yes, we can do this,” and hearing them say, “Really? Everyone else told me it was impossible!” Those are the moments that make you feel a little like a superhero. I’m especially fascinated by the engineering behind garage door spring systems. The weight of the door, the track lift, cable lengths, drum sizes, and torsion spring dimensions all have to work together perfectly for the door to operate safely. It’s complicated stuff, but understanding those details is something our team has become incredibly good at, and I think it really sets us apart. When it comes to helping homeowners choose a new garage door, I always compare it to buying a car. Not every option is going to be the right fit for everyone. Are you looking for longevity, insulation, security, reliability, a certain look, or a little bit of everything? My biggest advice is to figure out what matters most to you before diving into all the options. It can get overwhelming pretty quickly, but when we understand what you’re hoping to achieve, we can guide you toward a door you’ll truly love.

One thing we’ve always believed in is giving our clients options. I heard a quote from fellow garage door company owner (Tommy Mello) a while back that really stuck with me: “If you’re not offering options, you’re giving ultimatums.” And I couldn’t agree more! Whether someone is deciding between repairing their current garage door or replacing it with something shiny and new, our job isn’t to make that decision for them. It’s to ask the right questions, listen to what they actually want, and give them the information they need to make the best choice for themselves. Not every home improvement decision is based on a need. Sometimes people just want something new, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! We take the time to understand their priorities, whether that’s safety, quality, budget, or appearance, and explain why we’re recommending certain options. At the end of the day, it should feel like we’re working with the client, not pushing some agenda. Their home, their garage door, their call!

I also believe the biggest thing separating great workmanship from average workmanship is pretty simple: care. If you genuinely care about the person you’re working for, it’s going to show in everything you do. You’ll listen more closely, ask better questions, pay attention to the little details, and take pride in the finished product. That kind of care goes a long way, not just for the customer but for the business, too. Happy clients become repeat clients, leave great reviews, and tell their friends and family about you. It’s really that simple!

And speaking of taking care of people, one piece of advice I always give homeowners is don’t wait longer than two years to have your garage door serviced. We actually recommend annual maintenance to help catch potential problems before they turn into major headaches. We even offer service agreements with membership benefits, where we take care of the reminders and scheduling each year. Because let’s face it, nobody wants to remember their garage door needs attention only after it’s left them stranded!

Being part of a third-generation, family-owned business is something I think is pretty darn cool! You don’t hear about too many companies that have been passed down through three generations, and being the third in line gives me a little extra motivation to keep the legacy going strong. Of course, it also means I’ve got some pretty big shoes to fill! Throughout my career, I’ve had countless clients, coworkers, and industry peers tell me stories about my grandfather and father, and it’s hard not to feel a little pressure when you’re following in the footsteps of two men who earned so much respect. But I know the kind of character they both have, and rather than letting those comparisons weigh me down, I use them as motivation to keep pushing forward. What makes this business especially meaningful is knowing that it supports so many more people than just me and my family. It’s our team members and their families, our clients, the other local businesses we work with, and everyone connected to what we do. We’ve always tried to treat people like family, and after nearly 40 years, I can promise that tradition isn’t going anywhere on my watch!

That family-first mindset extends well beyond the garage doors we install and service. Since launching our new brand in early 2025, we’ve made a real effort to get more involved in the Tigard community, and it’s been a blast! We’ve participated in downtown Tigard’s Trick or Treat Mainstreet event for the past couple of years, bringing out multiple branded vehicles and handing out loads of candy (and dog treats, of course!) to families enjoying a safe night of trick-or-treating. We also joined the Tigard Street Fair, where we set up a booth, brought out our “Spin the Wheel” game, gave away prizes, and offered special discounts to event-goers. It’s been so much fun, and we’re excited to keep showing up for our community.

But honestly, whether I’m at a local event or helping someone with their garage door, my favorite part of the job is meeting people and getting to know them. Sure, I love working on garage doors, and I’ve built some incredible friendships with our team, but there’s something really special about connecting with a homeowner who understands the value we’re bringing to their everyday life. When you genuinely care about people, the job becomes so much more than a transaction. It’s about the relationships you build and the experience you create along the way.

When it comes to personal awards or recognition, I can’t think of anything I’d really want to highlight. But honestly, this business has never been about me. It’s about our team, the incredible people we’ve brought together, and where we’re all headed. Anyone who knows me is probably tired of hearing me brag about our crew, but I just can’t help it! We’ve built one heck of a team, and I couldn’t be more excited about what the future holds for us and our clients. And if you ask me, having over 1,000 Google reviews while maintaining a perfect 5.0-star rating deserves an award all on its own! We work incredibly hard to earn those reviews every single day. The fact that someone can finish paying for their garage door service and still be willing to take time out of their day to tell others about their experience says a whole lot about the level of care and service our team delivers. That’s the kind of recognition that means the most to me.

As far as accomplishments go, some of my favorite moments happen when we’re called out to a garage door that’s completely off its tracks or has had an unfortunate run-in with a vehicle. If you’ve ever seen a garage door hanging sideways over the top of someone’s car, you know just how scary and overwhelming that situation can be! But those are the challenges we love. There’s something pretty satisfying about showing up to a job like that with just one technician, having the homeowner look around and ask, “So, where’s your help?” and getting to respond with, “You’re looking at him!” The real reward comes a little while later when that same homeowner is standing there in shock because we’ve managed to secure their door or get it working again. Those reactions never get old! It’s moments like those that remind me just how talented our team really is and why I’m so proud of the work we do.

When I’m not working with garage doors, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll find me somewhere outdoors! I’m a big outdoorsman and love just about anything that gets me outside, whether that’s hunting, fishing, scuba diving, or camping. And when the weather cooperates, I still enjoy getting a little competitive on the slow-pitch softball field. Baseball has actually been a huge part of my life since I was a kid. I had the incredible opportunity to play in the 2006 Little League World Series with our local Beaverton-area team, Murrayhill Little League, and eventually went on to play four years of college baseball at Montana State University–Billings, where I graduated. Those years definitely helped shape my love for the outdoors and a little friendly competition! But as much as I enjoy all of those adventures, nothing beats spending time with my wife, son, and extended family. I’m lucky enough to have so much of my family living close by, and watching my son learn, grow, and discover the world has been more rewarding than anything I could have ever imagined.

As far as personal philosophies go, there are two things that really drive how I approach life and work. First and foremost, efficiency is my middle name! Seriously, there’s probably nothing that gets under my skin more than unnecessary inefficiency, and that goes for both my professional and personal life. The second is something that’s actually written into our company mission statement: “Break the stigma of calling a contractor.” Let’s face it, that stigma didn’t come out of nowhere! We’ve all dealt with businesses that don’t communicate, don’t show up when they say they will, or just don’t seem to care. We’re consumers ourselves, so we get it. That’s exactly why we put so much emphasis on communication and the overall customer experience at All About Garage Doors. Answer the phone. Show up when you say you’re going to. Do what you promised. These are pretty basic things we all learned growing up, but somewhere along the way, they seem to have gotten lost in the shuffle. We’re doing our best to bring those simple values back into the spotlight, not just for our customers, but for our team and the garage door industry as a whole. Because doing what you say you’re going to do shouldn’t be the exception. It should be the standard!

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