By Matt and Wendy Leeders, Daystar Ford
When you drive past our dealership in Garrettsville, Ohio, you see the name Daystar Ford proudly displayed on our building. To many people, Daystar is simply the name of a place to buy a new truck, find a reliable used vehicle, or have their car serviced.
But to us, the name Daystar represents something much greater.
It represents our faith, our purpose, our responsibility to others, and the values we believe should guide every decision we make.
We didn't want to build just another car dealership. We wanted to build a business that stood for something. A place where employees felt valued, customers were treated with dignity, and success was measured by more than the number of vehicles sold.
The name Daystar is a reminder of who we are called to be, not just what we do.
What Does the Name Daystar Mean?
The word Daystar has deep biblical significance. It is often associated with the morning star, a symbol of light, hope, and the beginning of a new day.
In Revelation 22:16, Jesus says:
"I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." — Revelation 22:16 (KJV)
In 2 Peter 1:19, Scripture also speaks of the day star arising in our hearts.
For us, these biblical references represent something powerful. Just as the morning star announces the coming of daylight, our faith reminds us that light can overcome darkness, hope can replace uncertainty, and every new day presents an opportunity to make a positive difference.
That is the spirit we want the Daystar name to reflect.
We know that a car dealership may not be the first place someone expects to encounter Christian values. But we believe faith shouldn't be limited to Sunday mornings or the walls of a church.
Faith should influence how we treat people, how we conduct business, how we respond to challenges, and how we serve our community.
A Faith-Based Business Built on a Servant Mentality
One of the most important principles we believe in is servant leadership.
In Mark 10:45, Jesus teaches that even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.
That teaching challenges the traditional way many people think about leadership and business.
In the automotive industry, it's easy to become focused on sales goals, profit margins, market share, and performance reports. Those things matter. A successful business must be financially responsible to continue supporting its employees, customers, and community.
But we believe the greatest measure of success is how we treat the people who make that success possible.
At Daystar, our philosophy is simple:
We are here to serve first and sell second.
That means approaching every customer interaction with a genuine desire to help. It means listening before speaking, understanding before recommending, and treating people fairly regardless of their circumstances.
Not everyone who walks through our doors is in the same financial position. Some customers are purchasing their first vehicle. Others are working through credit challenges, recovering from difficult situations, or trying to find dependable transportation for their families.
We believe every one of those individuals deserves respect, honesty, patience, and compassion.
A person's value should never be determined by their credit score, income, or the vehicle they can afford.
Our Employees Are People First
A servant mentality must begin inside our own organization.
We believe that if we want our employees to take exceptional care of our customers, we must first make a commitment to taking care of our employees.
Our team members are more than salespeople, technicians, service advisors, office personnel, and managers. They are mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, friends, and neighbors.
They have families to support, personal challenges to navigate, and dreams they are working toward.
We want Daystar to be a workplace where people are treated with respect, encouraged to grow, and reminded that their work has meaning.
That doesn't mean we don't have high expectations. We absolutely do.
We believe hard work, accountability, discipline, and excellence are important. But we also believe leadership is about helping people succeed rather than simply demanding results.
A true servant leader doesn't ask, "What can my employees do for me?"
A servant leader asks, "What can I do to help my employees become the best versions of themselves?"
When we lead with that mentality, we believe we create a healthier workplace, stronger relationships, and ultimately a better experience for everyone who trusts us with their business.
Doing the Right Thing, Even When Nobody Is Watching
The automotive industry has not always enjoyed the strongest reputation when it comes to consumer trust.
We understand that.
Buying a vehicle is one of the largest financial decisions many families make. Customers deserve clear communication, honest information, and the confidence that the people helping them have their best interests in mind.
Our faith challenges us to hold ourselves to a higher standard.
Proverbs 11:1 teaches that dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.
We believe that principle applies just as much to a modern automobile dealership as it did to business thousands of years ago.
Whether we are appraising a trade-in, presenting financing options, recommending a service repair, or helping someone choose a vehicle, our goal should always be to operate with integrity.
Sometimes doing the right thing means having a difficult conversation. Sometimes it means admitting a mistake, making something right, or advising a customer against a purchase that doesn't fit their needs.
We won't pretend that we're perfect. We're human, and like every business, we will make mistakes.
But our commitment is to be accountable, to learn, and to continually work toward doing what is right.
Serving Garrettsville and the Communities Around Us
We are proud to call Garrettsville, Ohio, home.
One of the blessings of operating a dealership in a smaller community is that the people we serve are often the same people we see at school events, local restaurants, sporting events, churches, and neighborhood gatherings.
Our customers aren't just transactions. They are our neighbors.
We believe a dealership should contribute to the community that supports it.
That means looking for opportunities to encourage local schools, support charitable organizations, recognize veterans, help families in need, and participate in events that bring people together.
Not every act of service needs to be accompanied by a photograph, a press release, or a social media post.
Sometimes the most meaningful things a business can do happen quietly, when someone needs a helping hand and there's nothing to gain in return.
Matthew 5:16 reminds us to let our light shine before others so that our good works may glorify our Father in heaven.
That is the kind of impact we hope Daystar can make throughout Garrettsville, Portage County, and the surrounding Northeast Ohio communities.
Faith Is Our Foundation, Not a Requirement for Our Customers
We also want to make something very clear.
Although our business is guided by Christian principles, we are here to serve everyone.
You do not have to share our faith, attend a particular church, or hold the same beliefs we do to feel welcome at Daystar.
Our responsibility is not to judge the people who walk through our doors.
Our responsibility is to love our neighbors, treat people fairly, and demonstrate our values through our actions.
We believe the strongest expression of faith in business isn't necessarily what is written on the wall or printed in an advertisement.
It's how a customer is treated when something goes wrong.
It's how an employee is supported during a difficult season.
It's how a manager responds when nobody is watching.
And it's whether our actions consistently reflect the principles we claim to believe.
We hope people recognize something different about Daystar because of the way they are treated, not simply because of the words we use.
Every New Day Is an Opportunity to Make a Difference
The beautiful thing about the name Daystar is that it also reminds us of new beginnings.
Every sunrise is another opportunity to improve, to serve, to forgive, to encourage, and to make a positive impact on someone's life.
Some days in the car business are exciting. Other days are difficult. There will always be challenges, changing markets, unexpected problems, and moments when things don't go according to plan.
But our purpose shouldn't change with the circumstances.
We want our employees to arrive each morning knowing they have an opportunity to make someone's day better.
- Maybe that's helping a family find a safe, affordable vehicle.
- Maybe it's a technician taking extra time to ensure a customer's car is repaired properly.
- Maybe it's a manager encouraging an employee who is struggling.
- Or maybe it's simply treating someone with kindness when they need it most.
Those moments matter.
And when those moments become part of a company's culture, we believe something special begins to happen.
A dealership becomes more than a place of business. It becomes a place where people can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
The Daystar Promise: More Than Selling Cars
At the end of the day, we understand that Daystar Ford is a business. We sell vehicles, service automobiles, employ people, and work hard to remain successful.
But we never want to lose sight of the bigger picture.
We believe God has given us an opportunity to use this business as a platform for something greater than ourselves.
We want to build a company where integrity matters, where people come before profits, where leaders serve their teams, and where our community is stronger because we are part of it.
We know we won't always get everything right. But we can always strive to be better tomorrow than we were today.
That is what the name Daystar means to us.
It's a symbol of light, hope, faith, service, and new beginnings.
And it is a daily reminder that our greatest responsibility isn't simply to sell more cars.
It's to serve more people.
Thank you for supporting our dealership, believing in our team, and allowing us to be part of this wonderful Northeast Ohio community.
We look forward to continuing to earn your trust, one relationship and one act of service at a time.
With gratitude and faith,
Matt and Wendy Leeders
Daystar Ford, Garrettsville, Ohio
Daystar Ford — Driven by Faith. Committed to Service. Dedicated to You.
Daystar Ford, 10301 Liberty Street, Garrettsville, OH 44231 · Sales 234-934-1002 · Service 234-934-1003 · Hours and directions
