About Bellini & Riddle Co.
Welcome to Bellini Riddle & Co!
Bellini Riddle & Co was founded by Enrique Bellini. Enrique founded the company after orchestrating the scale and subsequent sale of his family’s business, All American Paint and Body. All American Paint and Body was a San Diego based collision repair facility with an excellent reputation. Bellini grew up in the family business and took over the helm of the company, along with his mom, Tina, when his father passed away in 2015.
“I remember when we made the decision in early 2020 to sell the family business. We knew that the time was right as there was a great surge in consolidation occurring within the automotive services sector with new and exciting businesses. We were well positioned in our market and comfortable as we had the exclusive Tesla OEM Certification as there were only 3 other body shops that were also structurally certified in the county. We were able to considerably grow the business organically as a result. Despite the pandemic, we were able to maintain our value and close with a consolidator that fit our ethical profile to carry the legacy forward.”
“I decided to start this new venture because of my experiences in interviewing business advisors/brokers. To say the least, I was left unconvinced that anyone would provide or uncover any significant value that we could not do on our own. Most all, I felt that no one was listening to us. This is not to say that I met some talented industry experts who serve their clients well. Our store was positioned as such that for a transaction to make sense we needed to find a buyer who could repair the cars that we fix. We knew who to reach out to as a buyer and I was confident in my ability. My counsel and I conducted the sale on our own behalf from beginning to end. Even though it was a lot of work, it was a great adventure that I really enjoyed! Now, the rest is history.”
Enrique also holds an MBA from the University of Southern California, where he graduated from in 2019.
Along with scaling the family business he had his own startup, MOBI Automotive, that he launched in 2018.
MOBI was an on demand, full service automotive repair platform. We offered mobile mechanics via our website or mobile application. The company focused on simple diagnostic and repairs on site and more involved work was to be repaired at company stores.
Enrique paused the company’s operations at the end of 2019 to focus on the sale of All American. Little did he know that within 3 months’ time that the world would be in a global lockdown due to the pandemic. He had luckily made the right decision as he was going to scale organically and had avoided many operational problems during this unprecedented time.
My Story in the Sale of my Company
Summary Of The Challenges That We Faced, a Personal Anecdote
I had significant challenges in selling my business, from strategy to timing… you name it. To summarize, we had made the decision to sell right before the pandemic and had been actively interviewing brokers to help us with the transaction before the first “lock down”. Now, and to be fair to some of the very nice people that I spoke to, they had vast experience in selling companies. Most of them dealt with larger, multi store deals and did not fully grasp what it was that we were doing in Kearny Mesa, San Diego, CA.
The risk was too great to market the business publicly, for a multitude of reasons given the current economic climate and great uncertainty that came along with the pandemic. There were new developments in our sector with disruptive consolidators migrating out west to California.
I had already had the right buyer in mind from the beginning. We were so specialized in our market, especially in regard to the Tesla certification (and all other manufactures that use aluminum in their cars) that for us to maintain a reasonable valuation we would have to find a new consolidator that was in high end… not your “Run of the mill” insurance type work that is keenly focused on KPIS that are invariable to other cost cutting measures.
How Did We Grow?
We focused on specialization and exclusivity. Sure, we had a great reputation and strong, loyal insurance accounts…BUT… our margins were gradually compressed over time as labor rates in our sector would rarely increase, thus even inflation alone was hurting our business.
We maintained the same top line revenue year over year, but we were experiencing diminishing margins quarter after quarter…Growth in these categories was minimal and gaining new insurance accounts was already difficult in an already crowded marketplace with established relationships.
Furthermore, most large-scale insurers became even more KPI focused, especially with metrics such as “Alternative Parts”, “Used Parts”, etc. Now, if we were merely a “high production mill”, without taking quality and superior service into account, these unrealistic expectations could be met across a large scale. However, when you are a small business with a strong penchant for quality that always strives to improve its customer service experience across all dimensions, these requirements are no longer in alignment with our core principles.
We needed something different… Something that no one else had. Even our central market location had painfully stifled our growth opportunities as we were in the middle of all the big dealerships that had their own body shops. In so many words, Tesla became our boon.
Our labor rates, even for those highly sought for OEM accounts that are only awarded to those who are of the highest reputation, were also being diminished by all of the carriers.
Enrique N. Bellini
As the President of BR & Co, a leading consulting and M&A advisory firm, I specialize in helping small and medium-sized businesses in the automotive industry achieve maximum value. With an MBA from USC's Marshall School of Business and over 15 years of experience in the automotive sector, I bring a wealth of expertise, strategic insight, and a strong network to drive exceptional results for my clients.
Before founding BR & Co, I successfully scaled and sold my family business, All American Paint and Body, to Crash Champions, one of the largest collision repair companies in the U.S. Additionally, I co-founded and served as the CEO of MOBI Automotive, an innovative, on-demand platform for comprehensive automotive services and repairs. These ventures have fueled my passion for innovation, entrepreneurship, and customer satisfaction in the automotive industry.
I am also proud to be the grandson of Nelson Riddle, the legendary American music arranger, whose legacy of creativity and excellence has inspired my own approach to business. I’m committed to supporting other business owners with their growth objectives and helping them achieve their exit strategies, empowering them to unlock their companies' full potential.
Aaron Flett
Aaron has more than 30 years in the industry and has owned several collision shops. He has worked in every position in the collision industry and has a passion for sharing his knowledge and helping shops improve their financial outcomes.
Aaron and his partner, Jason Cooker, built Kent Collision Center and sold to Quality Collision Group in 2024. Kent Collision was one of the top-rated body shops in their market. Bellini Riddle is pleased to have Aaron on the team in the automotive division.
Brenda Inzunza
bi@belliniriddle.com
Brenda Inzunza brings extensive operational experience and industry relationship management expertise to Bellini Riddle & Co. as a Collision Repair Operations Consultant. With a strong background in the collision repair industry, Brenda has worked closely with shop owners, operators, vendors, and industry professionals to support business growth, operational efficiency, and long-term success. Known for her relationship-driven approach and deep understanding of the day-to-day challenges collision repair businesses face, Brenda plays an integral role in helping clients navigate operational improvements, transition planning, and strategic growth opportunities. Her ability to connect with owners and leadership teams allows her to provide practical insight while maintaining a high level of professionalism and trust.
At Bellini Riddle & Co., Brenda works alongside the firm’s leadership team to support collision repair operators throughout all stages of business development and ownership transition. Her passion for the industry and commitment to helping shop owners succeed make her a valuable resource to both clients and partners alike.