The Story of Our Founder: Part 2

The Mission Years: When Success Becomes Purpose

By 2020, Randy Dinwiddie had already built what most would call an empire. Dependable Brokers was thriving, his directories were profitable, and his reputation as "The DealMaker" was solid across Missouri and beyond. But something was missing.

"I'd built an empire," Randy reflects, "but I wanted a mission."

Then the world shut down.

Chapter 11: The Turning Point

March 2020 hit small businesses like a freight train. Restaurants closed overnight. Shops boarded up windows. Main Street America was bleeding out, and Randy watched it all unfold from his office in central Missouri.

But while others saw disaster, The DealMaker saw opportunity.

Recommended image: Empty Main Street during 2020 lockdowns, or small business "closed" signs

"When the world shut down, businesses folded," Randy remembers. "My directories became lifelines."

Phone calls flooded in. Towing companies needed more visibility as accidents continued. Auto shops required digital presence while foot traffic disappeared. Insurance agents scrambled to reach clients who were suddenly working from home.

Randy's platforms: DependableBrokers.com, WreckerDirectory.com, USATowPro.com: became the bridge between desperate businesses and customers who still needed services. That's when the lightbulb went off.

"I understood my true purpose: to create stability through opportunity."

The boy who once slept on couches and porches was now the man keeping businesses afloat during the worst economic storm in decades.

Chapter 12: Guiding the Next Generation

Success without succession is just expensive failure. Randy knew this, so he began training young employees with the same intensity he'd applied to building his companies.

Structure became everything. He developed daily schedules that turned raw ambition into disciplined productivity:

• 1-2 p.m.: Social media strategy

• 2-3 p.m.: SEO and analytics

• 3:30-5 p.m.: Email leads

• 5-6:30 p.m.: Client service

• 6:30-7 p.m.: Reports

Recommended image: Randy mentoring young employees in an office setting, or a shot of a structured daily schedule on a whiteboard

"They learned that professionalism isn't talent: it's discipline," Randy explains. "Watching them grow reminded me that legacy starts with teaching."

One employee came in barely able to write a coherent email. Six months later, she was managing client accounts worth thousands. Another started as a part-time data entry clerk and now runs entire directory operations.

The secret wasn't complicated: show up, do the work, measure the results, repeat.

Chapter 13: The Voice for Working America

Randy's success gave him a platform, and he wasn't about to waste it on empty corporate speak. He started speaking out about what really mattered: rebuilding America's workforce.

His message was simple but powerful: bring trade programs back to high schools, incentivize manufacturing, fix financial aid so it supports survival instead of creating debt slaves.

"We're graduating kids who can analyze Shakespeare but can't change a tire," Randy would say at business meetings and community events.

This passion drove him to run for Missouri State Senate, representing Callaway County. Not because he wanted to be a politician: Randy despises career politicians: but because someone needed to fight for working people.

Recommended image: Randy speaking at a community meeting or campaign event, American flag in background

His platform was straightforward: less red tape for small business, more support for trade education, and policies that help Main Street compete with Wall Street.

Chapter 14: The DealMaker Philosophy

Three pillars guided everything Randy built, and by 2020, they'd crystallized into what clients and employees now call "The DealMaker Philosophy":

1. Faith – Believe before anyone else does. 2. Work – Do what others won't. 3. Integrity – Keep your word even when it costs you.

"That mindset turned small victories into lifelong impact," Randy says.

It wasn't just business philosophy: it was survival thinking refined by decades of results. When other insurance agencies cut corners, Dependable Brokers doubled down on service. When competitors slashed marketing budgets, Randy invested more in client success.

The philosophy worked because it was tested in the fire of real struggle, not dreamed up in some corporate boardroom.

Chapter 15: Digital Domination

Between 2020 and 2025, Randy's companies launched something unprecedented: hundreds of optimized directories and blogs that pushed small businesses to the top of search engines.

Recommended image: Computer screen showing search results with local businesses ranking at the top, or a dashboard showing website analytics

While Fortune 500 companies paid millions for digital marketing, Randy figured out how to get Mom and Pop operations ranking above corporate giants. The secret was understanding that search engines reward authenticity and consistency: two things small businesses do better than anyone.

TowZilla.com helped towing operators dominate local searches. RepoMan.directory connected recovery agents with lenders nationwide. BigBoyTow.com became the go-to resource for heavy-duty towing coast to coast.

"We proved that with strategy and persistence, Main Street can still beat Wall Street," Randy grins.

His team didn't just build websites: they built digital empires for businesses that couldn't afford traditional marketing agencies.

Chapter 16: The Heart of the Mission

By 2023, something beautiful was happening. Every project tied back to one purpose: hope through opportunity.

Each ad placement, each directory listing, each training session carried the same message: no matter where you start, you can win.

Randy tells the story of a single mother in rural Missouri who started a cleaning service. "She had nothing but determination and a beat-up Honda. We got her website ranking, her phone started ringing, and within a year she had three employees and was bidding on commercial contracts."

Recommended image: Small business owner at work, or before/after shots showing business growth

That's the real DealMaker mission: turning broken pieces into blueprints for success.

Chapter 17: Legacy in Motion

"Legacy isn't buildings or profits," Randy says, leaning back in his chair. "It's people who say, 'Because of you, I didn't quit.'"

The walls of his office are covered with thank-you notes, photos from client grand openings, and certificates of appreciation from organizations across Missouri. But Randy's proudest moments come from watching his employees grow.

The young woman who couldn't write emails now trains new hires. The part-time data clerk runs operations that generate six figures annually. The college dropout who started answering phones just launched his own marketing consultancy.

"Seeing my employees grow, my clients thrive, and my communities strengthen: that's the reward that money can't buy."

At Dependable Brokers, success is measured not just in revenue, but in lives changed. Not just in policies sold, but in problems solved. Not just in directories built, but in dreams realized.

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Coming Next Week: Part 3 of The Founder's Story will reveal Randy's vision for the future, his plans for the next generation of business builders, and why The DealMaker brand has become a movement for entrepreneurs who believe in integrity and hard work.

Written by Sarah Mitchell, Content Director at Amerishop Services

Ready to experience The DealMaker difference for your business? Visit Dependable Brokers and discover how we're helping Missouri businesses dominate their markets through proven digital strategies and unwavering integrity.