“I like working for myself and not having to take direction from someone else,” says Thomas Cholowski, owner/operator of Rose City Tinting in Camrose, Alberta, Canada. “But I really enjoyed truck driving. I cried when I left that career. I left trucking because I wanted to be a dad, and you can’t do that from the highway.”
Road Warrior
Cholowski, a father of three, founded Rose City Tinting in 2015. The Autobahn, Huper Optik, and Edge dealer specializes in automotive, residential, and commercial window film; paint protection film (PPF); custom vinyl decals and branding; 3D printing; and custom tint tool sales. Automotive window film is Rose City Tinting’s most popular service.
Before opening his film business, Cholowski worked as a truck driver for Home Hardware Stores.
“I loved that job,” Cholowski shares. “It is the truck driving job you want to have.”
Cholowski transported and delivered home improvement hardware throughout Western Canada, working for the independent retailer for nearly a decade.
“Sleeping in a truck in the winter time with the engine idling for warmth–that is the best sleep of your life,” jokes Cholowski, whose trips spanned as long as 1,500 miles. “I drove through some crazy winter weather. There were some scary drives.”
Cholowski adds, “To leave Home Hardware and become my own boss? That was a scary time. But my wife Mandy was cool with it. She knows if I get my mind set on something, I make it happen. I will not fail.”
The Off-Ramp
“It wasn’t until 2018 that my film shop was generating money comparable to what I was making in trucking,” says Cholowski, who started his tinting journey at a detailing shop at 18 years old. “My wife is a teacher. She kept things afloat while I built my business. I couldn’t have done it without her. She is the glue that holds our house together.”
Rose City Tinting works with several prominent car dealerships in the area.
“My favorite part of my job is finishing a customer’s vehicle and seeing them fall in love with their car all over again,” Cholowski shares.
Sharing Knowledge
“I’m big in the industry Facebook groups,” says Cholowski, who operates his 3,000 square-foot shop in Camrose, nicknamed The Rose City. “I like sitting on the couch at night after dinner, answering rookies’ questions. I don’t mind sharing my knowledge at all. I don’t have secrets that I hold close. When I started, there was no YouTube. You had to figure it out on your own.”
Cholowski says his father taught him the importance of helping others.
“No matter how busy you are, you always have time to teach,” Cholowski says. “That’s how leaders are born; that’s how you become a pillar in your industry. Build someone up instead of tearing them down.”