Name: Autumn Henderson
Facebook: Business: @LibertyBuick and @LibertyGMC
Instagram: Business: @LibertyBuickAZ and @Liberty.GMC
Website: www.libertybuick.com and www.libertygmcaz.com
Age: 43
Title: COO and Dealer Principal
Married/Single: Married
Kids: 2 Boys, RC (15) and Gavin (13)
City you live in: Peoria
A typical day in my life includes… Walking my dog for 2 miles when I get up, sending my boys off to school, answering numerous emails and texts, head to work and visit with employees and customers at both of our dealerships and our body shop, lots of meetings and Zoom calls, putting out any fires (figuratively of course), then go home and have dinner with my family, watch my favorite Netflix series (currently Firefly Lane), take our dog for another walk, read a bit of my latest Colleen Hoover book, and then head to bed.
I was born…in Phoenix at Good Samaritan Hospital, now known as Banner University
My favorite thing about Arizona…Well, I haven’t always loved Arizona, however, as I’ve gotten older, I have learned to appreciate the weather and my favorite thing is probably the sunrises and sunsets. I think my kids get tired of me always pointing out to them to look at the sky and see how it looks like a beautiful painting.
I’m listening to…either the service from Christ’s Church of the Valley that I may have missed going to last weekend, or music. I’m not really into podcasts. My favorite song is “Getting Some Fun Out of Life” by Madeleine Peyroux, it occasionally plays on repeat in my car.
My family…is my saving grace. No matter how stressful of a day I’ve had, coming home to them makes everything better.
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be…my husband. I’m a little bit introverted so I wouldn’t want to have dinner with someone I didn’t already know. Plus, he’s the best date and knows me so well.
One thing I cannot live without… I don’t want to get too deep here, so let’s just say I’d prefer to never live without my husband, kids and dog… And also coffee, I’d really like to not live without coffee!
When I was younger, I wanted to be… A pediatrician, a car dealer, a clothing designer, you name it and I probably wanted to be it.
I’m inspired by…My parents. My mom and stepfather risked everything to purchase their first dealership. They had to get several loans, find financial investors and even borrow from family. Luckily all their dedication and hard work paid off and they succeeded tremendously. My Dad also took a big risk moving to Hawaii to become a partner in a pest control company when I was young. He was also very successful and was able to retire after many years of hard work. I look up to all of them.
The one person who motivates me is… Myself. I realized that no one can motivate you, you have to learn to motivate yourself. I’m not always great at it, but I take full responsibility.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be… To make the world a kinder place. People can get so wrapped up in negativity and become mean, angry people. I think we all need to work on being kinder and more positive.
The perfect day would be… Hiking up north in Sedona or Flagstaff on any beautiful trail with my husband and my chocolate lab (Brownie), spending the rest of the day doing fun activities with our kids, and then having a delicious meal (preferably pasta) out on the patio of our home in Munds Park with a nice glass of wine.
My first job was… A receptionist at my parents’ dealership
My favorite escape… Acupuncture or massage. I completely zone out and feel like there isn’t a worry in the world.
My life… is pretty great. My family is awesome. Most of our family lives within 5 minutes of each other so we do lots of family dinner nights, family fun days and family BBQs. My workplace is close to my home. The people I get to work with are genuinely good people. We all respect each other and help each other out. I don’t just consider them employees, but a part of our family. I always say I love our Liberty family. Also, I have two amazing GM’s and a very involved CFO, which gives me time to focus on other things during my day which are important to me outside of work. I am on the West Valley Phoenix Children’s Board and in addition to meeting once a month, we work very hard to get more members, spread the word about the hospital and how much it is growing (especially in the west valley). Phoenix Children’s has positively affected so many families that are near and dear to us, that being able to spend time helping them be even better is an absolute honor.
I’m currently working on… Making sure my life has a purpose.
Always… Tell the ones you love that you love them, hug them tight and cherish every moment you have with them.
Never… Go to bed angry. I’m not always great at this, but I take deep breaths, say sorry if needed, and try to go to bed with a grateful heart.
Favorite Quote… “There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow. Today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live.” –Dalai Lama XIV
Biggest Dream… Being remembered as someone who truly made a difference in other’s lives
My Pet Peeve(s)… Negativity and drama
Bio-on yourself/company: Autumn Henderson is the Chief Operating Officer and co-owner of Liberty Buick and Liberty GMC in Peoria. She has been in the automotive industry for 27 years. Autumn attended Arizona State University for her Bachelor’s Degree and got her MBA from University of Phoenix. Outside of work, her goal is to leave a family legacy of philanthropy in the valley. Not only is she a West Valley Phoenix Children’s board member, but also an active donor to Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Autumn also has a great partnership with Mayo Clinic in Phoenix and is in the process of starting a new ALS program with Barrow’s Neurological Institute. She and her husband are also Leadership Society Lifetime Members with Great Hearts Schools in Arizona. She hopes that her efforts will teach her boys to always be generous and to do good things with their money and time.
