Where Are They Now? Turn5 Made a Turn for the Best in Pennsylvania

Governor Tom Wolf addresses a crowd of Turn5 employees and guests gathered to celebrate the Grand Opening of the Turn5’s new headquarters.

Located in Paoli, Pennsylvania, Turn5, Inc. is an e-commerce company that helps people customize, personalize, and build their dream car, truck, or Jeep. With more than 400 employees, the Turn5 team is driven by the company’s strong emphasis on customer experience and exceeding expectations. While Turn5’s business relationships are important components to its growth, it’s the company’s leadership and employees that are truly the heart-and-soul of its success. This past March, Governor Tom Wolf announced that Turn5 would expand its operations at a new headquarters facility in Chester County, a project which will create 183 new jobs over the next three years. This project, which was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team, contained a funding proposal from DCED that included more than $600,000 in grants and funding. We spoke to CEO and founding partner Steve Voudouris to learn how Turn5 has evolved since its inception in his parents’ Pennsylvania basement 15 years ago and how he and his brother and fellow cofounder Andrew plan to work smart and live happy in the Keystone State.

Humble Beginnings

Like many technology companies, Turn5 began with a frustrating experience. I bought a part for my Mustang and encountered a retail industry that was woefully behind the times — with slow shipping, poor customer service, and lack of online resources. After looking at the situation, my brother Andrew and I said, “We can do better.”

In 2004, we began a journey to revolutionize the auto parts industry. Turn5 started gaining momentum almost from day one. It soon grew from one online store — the Mustang-focused AmericanMuscle.com — to three, adding ExtremeTerrain.com for Jeeps in 2012 and AmericanTrucks.com for Rams, Silverados, Sierras, and F-150s in 2017.

A huge factor in our early and continued success came from our production of high-quality videos; today, our library contains more than 3,000. They inspire viewers, showcase products, compare brands, and explain installation with how-to guides. Through technology and video, we take people on a journey — from inspiration and research to implementation and enjoyment. We also connect like-minded people from all over the world who didn’t have a common platform before 2004. Now, they’re sharing and acting on their passions.

Working Smart in Pennsylvania

Southeastern Pennsylvania was the perfect place to start our business. People here support each other. When we first started out, the tech side came naturally to us, but we didn’t know how to organize a company, hire people, offer benefits, or develop a workplace structure. There’s only so much Google can tell you. When we finally connected with other CEOs and leaders, we found that they were more than willing to provide guidance, and we found their insight to be incredibly valuable.

During the grand opening of our office in January 2018, Governor Tom Wolf showed up in his iconic blue Jeep — true Turn5-style. It was especially significant because the financial assistance we had received from DCED the year prior — a $200,000 Pennsylvania First grant, $45,000 in WednetPA funding, and $366,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits — was instrumental in offsetting the costs of opening our new facility and implementing workforce training. However, it was the state’s vote of confidence that meant the most to us. We grew up here; our company grew up here. And we’re PA proud all the way.

The Path to Continued Success

Our new, 90,000-sq-ft headquarters is a far cry from our humble beginnings in our parents’ basement, and it really shows how far we’ve come. When we think back to the start of Turn5 in our parents’ house, we can’t believe that we now have a massive facility with ample video production space and features like an open-air breakroom, a coffee bar staffed by in-house baristas, and a full-size bowling alley. These amenities make our company a place where employees can have fun, work hard, be creative, and have the environment they need to succeed.

The modern design of our office in Paoli invites creativity and collaboration, and it reflects who we are as a company. Even in the few months we’ve been here it’s clear that the team is flourishing. They’re enjoying the fun stuff — horseshoes can spark great ideas — and they’re more engaged in the environment. Our favorite feature is the Customer Rides Wall. It’s a large montage of Mustangs, Jeeps, and trucks that are owned, built, and customized by the community of people who watch our videos, buy from our sites, and share their projects with the Turn5 community.

Turn5’s hiring projections for the next five years and beyond look impressive, and we’re always looking for the perfect people to join our company. To keep the team happy, we make sure to hire the best. It may sound simple, but it takes a lot of work to maintain that high standard in a rapidly growing company. The payoff is that the people at Turn5 know they’re working with the top talent in their fields — from web developers to customer service representatives — and this creates an inspiring culture where people want to do great work. We are ambitious — we embrace those who excel in a fast-paced environment, love to be challenged, enjoy collaboration, and want to push to new heights. Simply put, our success is the result of a great team of people who show up to deliver results every day.

To learn more about Turn5, Inc., visit their website and follow them on Facebook. To learn more about the funding programs and resources available to support entrepreneurs and businesses, visit our PA Business One-Stop Shop website. Stay up-to-date on all Pennsylvania news by signing up for our monthly e-newsletter and following us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.