Auto engineer's hobby morphs into job-creating business

Kevin VanDette's new career started as a hobby earlier this decade. The automotive engineer liked to build websites and started doing it for his son's sports teams and his band. The demand for his services began peaking about the same time the automotive engineering field started faltering, allowing him to start Affordable Website Specialists.

"I kept getting more and more requests," says VanDette. "I thought I might as well make it a business."

That was four yeas ago. Today the Rochester-based firm employs three people, an intern, and an independent contractor after adding another position this year. The company's consistent growth, doubling in size each year, has occurred despite the trials and tribulations of the local economy and automotive firms.

"We're on a pretty steady growth pattern even in a bad economy," VanDette says.

Most of Affordable Website Specialists' clients come from referrals and are local small- to medium-sized businesses. The company's roots are in website building but it has spread to search engine optimization. VanDetter expects his business to double its revenue next year and hopes to add 1-2 more positions as well.

Source: Kevin VanDette, owner of Affordable Website Specialists
Writer: Jon Zemke

Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Auto engineer's hobby morphs into job-creating business

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