Laura Raimann (Kottschade) is a self-admitted busy bee — the second-generation, soon-to-be owner of Jerry’s ABRA Auto Body and Glass in Mankato, Minnesota, “doesn’t sit well” and loves a challenge. But that term doesn’t give her anywhere near the credit she deserves, once you hear everything she’s involved in. “Powerhouse” is a much more fitting descriptor.
At just 31 years old, Kottschade, who continues to use her maiden name in business, is not only running a highly successful collision business as Jerry’s chief operating officer; she also volunteers for an eye-watering number of organizations, working to pave the way for other women to enter the industry alongside her. And in her (minimal) free time, she also helps run her family’s farm… on top of being a newlywed.
Life may be hectic, but Kottschade wouldn’t have it any other way. Her passion for the family business and industry is truly remarkable, and, despite everything she’s already achieved, the best is undoubtedly still to come for this young dynamo.
Catching the "Bug" Early
Originally founded by Kottschade’s father, Jerry, and his late wife Marge in 1971, Jerry’s has been a family owned and operated staple in the community of Mankato for over 50 years. After Marge’s passing, Jerry married Kottschade’s mother, Geralynn (“Geri”), and the two continued to grow the business together while raising Kottschade and her older brother, who became regulars at the shop anytime they weren’t at school.
Looking back, Kottschade says, there were clear signs from a very young age that she was destined to run Jerry’s. At just seven years old, for example, while helping her mom during a snowstorm, Kottschade answered the shop’s phone and set up a tow for a customer who’d just been in an accident, coordinating the whole thing from start to finish without any help. He told her mom he’d “talked to the manager” when he arrived at the shop, much to Geri’s amusement.
Towing cars with her dad was, in fact, how Kottschade first caught the “bug” to continue the work her parents had started. She remembers a particularly bad tornado that came through town when she was just a kid, and how she worked with her dad to help people pick up the pieces in the aftermath.
“That whole experience was just fascinating to me. I saw firsthand how we got the opportunity to change a bad and stressful situation into a good experience for someone and make a lifelong customer.” Having that kind of positive impact on people’s lives is one of the main reasons Kottschade loves collision work, she says.
By the time she was in sixth grade, Kottschade told her dad matter-of-factly that she was going to take over the shop.
“Dad picked me up from basketball practice one day, and I said, ‘Dad, I'm going to take the shop over.’ And he was like, ‘You're what?’ I said, ‘I'm taking the shop over.’ And it just started from there.”
The Road to Ownership
After graduating from Bethany Lutheran College with a degree in business administration in 2016, Kottschade didn’t waste any time getting down to business. “I graduated on a Friday and reported to work Monday!”
She started in the parts room and subsequently worked her way through every job in the shop, most recently taking on the title of chief operating officer. Kottschade also handles production and all the shop’s supplements, which she says is one of her favorite parts of the job.
Kottschade is confident her transition to ownership will continue to be a smooth one, thanks in large part to her parents’ steadfast support. Although her dad “technically” retired two years ago, he’s still at the shop nearly every day visiting Kottschade and her mom, who’s still working on the financial side of the business.
“My parents have allowed me to run the show these last couple years, and they are really setting me up for success as a second–generation owner,” she says.
And, thanks to a strategic move the family made a decade ago, they’ll be far from her only support. The decision to join the Abra franchise, says Kottschade, was made in large part to ensure she had the network and resources she’d need — both now and in the future — to continue running the shop successfully.
“We’re still independently owned and operated, but my parents saw it as an opportunity for me to work alongside other shops and managers,” to continue learning the skills she’ll need to one day be an owner and hopefully expand into an MSO…which is a dream of Kottschade’s down the road.
“Having that support system behind us is huge.”
Carrying on the Family Legacy
Growing up, Kottschade’s parents were often at the shop or traveling for work, which wasn’t always easy.
“Was it hard? Absolutely. But I also learned so many things as a result: independence, work ethic, and an understanding that if I want something it’s not going to just be handed to me — you have to work your tail off to achieve your goals and dreams. Seeing the difference my parents have made in the industry makes me understand all the hours they put in to make it happen.”
Describing her parents as “amazing” people who gave Kottschade and her brother the world, it’s obvious talking to her how incredibly grateful she is for them, and that she’s a “chip off the old block,” as they say.
“When I went to my first industry conference with my parents, I got to meet a lot of people I’d heard them talk about growing up. I heard repeatedly how much my parents have done for the industry and the impact they’ve made. And I knew then and there that I wanted to have the same kind of impact. They really have taught me the importance of getting involved in the industry and community in meaningful ways.”
Kottschade certainly hasn’t wasted any time making her own mark. She’s currently vice chair of the Women’s Industry Network (WIN) Board, an organization whose mission is to attract, develop, and promote women into collision repair — and she’s revamped and run the organization’s scholarship program for the last four years. She’s also a SkillsUSA National Committee member for collision repair and refinishing, a member of the Minnesota I-CAR Committee and I-CAR Technical Advisory Board, and vice chair of her local technical college’s advisory board. Her past volunteer work has also included CREF scholarship reviews, time spent on the NABC Distracted Driving Initiative Committee, Mankato Young Professionals Board, and WIN Industry Outreach.
It’s hard to fully describe the positive effect the Kottschade family has had on the industry, given everything Jerry, Geri, and Laura are involved in…but the awards the shop has won recently are certainly a testament to the family’s collective efforts.
Named a Top 500 Body Shop in America, Jerry’s was also designated Abra’s 2023 Franchisee of the Year, in addition to winning the I-CAR Russ Verona Award and the Driven Brands’ Community Champion Award. Kottschade herself was also personally awarded the WIN Cornerstone Award in 2023 for her commitment, vision, and contributions to the organization.
But no matter how much success the shop achieves, Laura says her father’s advice to her will always ring true: “Remember where you came from, remember your roots, and don’t ever lose sight of it. Don’t ever question your self-worth and be true to yourself.”
Learning Every Step of the Way
There have been plenty of challenges and learning curves on the road to ownership, and lots more to come, Kottschade knows, but her resilience and never-quit attitude shine brightest in those moments.
“We got hit hard during COVID,” she remembers. “At one point we had to take the staff down from 40 to around 8. When we returned to full staffing, I sat down with our team and took everyone’s ideas into account before implementing new processes.”
Those processes worked great for a time, she says, but the national parts shortage led to the need for more adjustments. They pivoted, and things have been flowing smoothly ever since. The team currently works on a variety of makes and models in their 18,000 sq. ft. facility, with certifications for Ford, Honda, Kia, Hyundai, GM, Mopar/FCA, and Nissan.
“Another reason I was really passionate about taking over the shop was my crew and my customers. They've been so loyal to us. Our customers have obviously done so much for us to make 53 years possible…and my crew is amazing.”
When it comes to employee relationships, Kottschade says some of the best advice she’s ever received came from her mother.
“‘Don’t ever expect your employees or fellow board members to do anything you aren’t willing to do yourself,’ she told me. ‘Take care of your team and your community. Even if you are beyond busy and can't catch up, go that extra mile for the customer — we are the inconvenience, remember what separates us from the rest.’”
Laura takes that to heart, treating all her colleagues as equals and jumping in to help anywhere she’s needed in the shop. “When you show others respect, they’ll give it back to you.”
An Industry for All
To other women looking to enter the industry, Kottschade has nothing but encouraging words.
“This industry is such a rewarding one in so many different ways. Don't ever question if you belong, because you do! This isn't a ‘man's’ world’ This is a career, and if you put your mind to it, you can do it. If you can’t lift that door up or put a box back on a truck, don't worry…a lot of men can't, either.”
When it comes to attracting more women to the industry, Kottschade says it has to start at the high school level, with more support from career counselors, and a more coordinated effort from the industry itself.
In her work revamping the scholarship program for WIN, she’s worked tirelessly to curate an exhaustive list of automotive instructors for leads and removed obstacles to entry into the industry. With four scholarship levels that each include differing combinations of cash, tools, swag, mentorship, and support, Kottschade and her fellow board members are truly setting young women up for success from the get-go.
“The past two years, we’ve had a record-breaking number of applicants,” says Kottschade, who awarded 20 scholarships just last year.
And, new for 2025, the organization will give the Founding Mother’s Scholarship to a female shop employee, too. The award will include tools and an allowance to attend WIN’s national conference, and is especially close to Kottschade’s heart, as Geri was a member of the founding board.
Kottschade is a staunch advocate for groups like WIN because of the support system and camaraderie they facilitate.
“It’s a great way to find ‘your’ people. I have wonderful friends all over the country who are there for me whenever I need them.”
Kottschade was admittedly “very shy” when she first joined the WIN board but was encouraged by a fellow board member to “find her voice and never lose it.” She’s certainly done that, and being a part of WIN and other industry organizations has been an integral piece of the puzzle…but it wasn’t easy.
“Getting that voice at the table, I would say that’s the hardest part of being a woman in the industry.”
And while in the past gender stereotypes were often the biggest hurdle to finding that voice — at the heyday of her mom’s career, for example, she was often the only woman at the table — that’s not the main challenge, now.
“I’ve actually found that it’s fellow females in the industry — those ‘high up,’ at the corporate level — who sometimes look down on those of us working in shops…like we’re not as valuable as the people working in the corporate leadership roles.”
That’s certainly unfair, especially given the fact that as a shop owner you have more than one “career” focus, she says. “You wear multiple hats. You’re doing marketing, HR, accounting, customer service, basically everything…so you have a career focus in multiple areas, not just one or two!”
This elitist view isn’t necessarily new, unfortunately, and is something Kottschade's mother and the founding board of WIN were trying to combat even back when they first created the organization.
“They wanted the shop voices to be heard. They wanted to empower women, give them opportunities, encourage them to break that glass ceiling and be a non-political organization and a place where you're not self-serving…you're not just there to get to the next company or to the next level. There was an intentional focus on building the first board based on skill sets and talents, not on titles.”
Kottschade wants to see a return to that mindset, and she'll continue fighting for equality and respect for every woman — no matter her position or title — as long as she's in the industry…because it’s always worth the fight.
“If you give this industry your all, it’ll give you everything back in return.”
