Inspiring Conversations with Sarah Reeder of 1st Stop Georgia Driving Academy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Reeder.

Hi Sarah , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Here at 1st Stop Georgia Driving Academy, we consider driver’s education to be the 1st stop on one of life’s most important journeys- not only getting your driver’s license, but learning how to drive safely and correctly. We are a family owned business, and believe we have some of most talented instructors in the industry. Nancy Baker started working for the school in 2012, when it was just offering classroom isntruction. She expanded the school to offer driving lessons, and bought the business in 2014. She turned the school into one of the most sought after driving schools in the area, offering classroom training, behind the wheel lessons, and eventually certified to administer the driving test as a third parter tester. Nancy retired in 2021, and now I, Sarah Reeder, run the school. Nancy is my mom and my best friend. She taught me how to be a good person, how to drive, and how this business works. Though she retired, she still cares about the business and offers me advice and help any time I need it. We truly are a family owned and operated business, because it is an integral part of our family, as are our instructors and our students.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Running any business will never be smooth all the time, but thankfully as the old saying goes, when you do what you love, you don’t work a day in your life. I know that buying the business initially was a risk, but I’m so glad she took that leap, and turned the school into what it is today. The biggest hurdle I face currently is getting schools to allow students to miss a couple hours of school to do the driving lessons. As we all know, they took driver’s ed out of school years ago, which overall I’d consider beneficial, considering having DDS-regulated private driving schools administer the training has raised the actual standard of education. However, there are only so many hours in the day! There are thousands of teenagers in Henry County, and if we are limited to only teaching them after school hours or weekends, availability gets complicated. Plus, most students participate in extracurricular activities, limiting their availability further. One of the leading causes of death for teenagers is car accidents, so I find it extremely important to prioritize their driving education, even if it means making up a couple hours of schoolwork. It would really boost the availability of talented driving instructors as well, since this would go from a part time job to a full time commitment.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a full-service driving school, licensed by the Georgia Department of Driver Services. We offer the 30-hour classroom (Joshua’s Law), Behind the Wheel Training, and the Road Test. Although most of our students are teenagers, we also have many adult students, either getting their license for the first time, or just taking initiative to better their skills. I really love our classroom curriculum, and am proud of the fact that our students seem to enjoy it as well. Our classes are only held in-person at our location in McDonough, and its not only educational, but fun and interactive! I must say though, I am most proud of the team of instructors we have assembled, as we all love what we do! This isn’t just a job for us, it’s our passion. It sounds cliche, but the instructors are always calling me after lessons not only to update me on progress, but to gush on how proud they are of their student’s improvement. This is a really rewarding job, and it requires patience, professionalism, and a fun personality! It can be scary, but we all have nerves of steel and willingness to see students through to success. I know it can be nerve-wracking to send your child off in the car with a stranger, but our instructors are licensed by the State of Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS), and each instructor must undergo a vigorous background check as well as an intense State regulated certification process. Plus, I’m picky about who I hire! I only want dedicated, responsible, and fun instructors. They are the reason we have so many families send all of their kids through our program.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Owning any business is a risk on its own, since my family’s livelihood, as well as my intructors’ livelihoods are on the line. That overlying risk is a constant source of stress, but also proves to be a powerful motivator. It was certainly a risk for my mom when she puchased the business, and she took that risk every time she expanded to turn it into what is it today. I would consider myself a risk taker as well, since I firmly believe that taking risks is the only way to challenge yourself, and really see what you are capable of. To me, the key to taking risks is making sure you are ready to accept the consequences of failure, instead of avoiding the risk entirely due to fear of failure. In the end, any loss is really just a lesson for next time.

Pricing:

• Joshua’s Law Classroom – $149.95
• 6 hours of Behind the Wheel Training – $425
• Road Test – $75
• Classroom + 6 Hours Driving – $545
• Classroom + 6 Hours + Road Test – $595

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.1ststopga.com

Image Credits
Nancy Baker
Sarah Reeder