Veteran tow operator Peter DiNome is committed to building a future for his family in towing. Every business decision he makes takes into consideration the impact it will have on the next generation. He’s so committed to them he even named their
New York company after his son, with whom he shares the same name.
“The most rewarding thing in this world is having your family know that you have set them up for the rest of their lives,” the married father of three explained. “I am setting the foundation for them and their future.”
Working around cars since he was 15, the senior DiNome started Lil Pete’s Automotive in the Bronx in 2015. Two years later, he moved out of the city and relocated to Mahopac, about 90 minutes north of downtown Manhattan. He now operates
in four locations in Putnam County with a fleet of 50 trucks and a team of 30 employees.
His family has grown with him along the way. Younger brother, Michael, manages the day-to-day operations, and nine-year-old son, Peter, has been in a tow truck since the day he was born…literally. His father said they brought him home
from the hospital in a wrecker, and he’s been riding along with his dad ever since.
“It makes you feel good that he shows an interest at such a young age,” Lil Pete’s father quipped. “He’s very interested in the growth of our business and seeing what’s next for us. He’s 9 going on
90. He’s my little old man. He even knows how to work the remote for the autoloader on my wrecker.”
Daughters Nikki and Toni don’t get to ride along too often and are still too young to get too involved, but like the rest of the family, they are always top-of-mind for their family-oriented dad, whether he’s home, in the shop or out on
a call. They all know which one is “daddy’s truck,” their proud father said.
“I always tell them this is yours,” he said. “I built this business for them. I’m not worried about being rich. I’m worried about making sure that one day when it’s time to hand the business over, they are set for
the rest of their lives.”
Creating his own destiny
Peter said he started his business nearly 10 years ago as a way to create his own destiny. Like other entrepreneurs, he didn’t want to work for anyone else any more and wanted to grab hold of the American dream. He admits it hasn’t
been easy along the way, but he’s motivated by his family to keep moving forward.
“When I opened up my shop in 2015, I said I didn’t want to live paycheck to paycheck anymore,” Peter said. “I didn’t want to worry if my boss is going to fire me today. I never want my kids to have that fear.
I want my kids to have stability. There are days when I want to give up–I’ll be honest with you–but I know I have employees who depend on me as well as my family.”
What’s kept him in focus is a philosophy he adopted from a previous employer. He said the key to success in this business is to follow the Golden Rule and to treat others how he would like to be treated. Employee retention and contentment benefits
from this mindset, he said.
“My old boss was very family-oriented,” Peter recalled. “He said you treat your guys like family, and they will always have your back. I based my business on treating my employees like family. The reason I do that is because they
feel more at home. They don’t feel like I’m going to be one of those bosses who’s going to be hard on them every single day of their life.
“I’m a boss who goes out and works with them out on the road,” he continued. “I don’t sit in the office all the time. I’m a boss where if they have a problem, then that becomes my problem. I always make sure that
everyone inside my circle is good. I always put everyone before me because that’s just how I was raised.”
His brother said he appreciates the family atmosphere at Lil Pete’s.
“It doesn’t feel like a job to me,” Michael said. “I love what I do. I feel like we’re growing this for our family. My brother is good at leading. I see him taking this business to the next level by building new trucks
and opening new locations. I’m very proud of where he started to where he’s at now. It’s been inspirational.”
“I have a great support team,” Peter said. “My employees are amazing, and my brother and brother-in-law work hand-in-hand with me. Teamwork makes the dream work. If you build a team that’s behind you and supports you 100 percent,
you can succeed in anything you want in this world.”
Loyal Zip’s customer
Starting out with a used 1997 International, Lil Pete’s has been a customer of Zip’s since 2017. According to the owner, their fleet has since grown to feature a mix of wreckers, carriers and service vehicles. Nearly all of their
equipment is now sourced through Zip’s, including the latest addition: a new SpaceKap model designed to service the burgeoning EV market.
Peter said he appreciates Zip’s for their attention to detail and for the vast opportunities for customization, including lighting, painting and wraps. Beside those perks, he said remains loyal to Zip’s because, as he puts it, owners Paul
and David Rottinghaus along with sales rep Eric Albertson had faith in him when he first got started.
“When nobody believed in me, they did,” he said. “My credit was bad at one point and money was scarce. They helped me through all that and believed in my business and the future I had planned.”
Landing firmly on his feet, Peter said he now purchases and finances all of his company’s new trucks through Zip’s. He said he likes the “quality” of the workmanship and the level of “service” he receives
when he’s first spec’ing the trucks and when he takes delivery of a finished truck. He said “these trucks are literally ready to go straight to work” when we get them.
Fleet expansion will continue, Peter acknowledged. He said he believes in the risk-reward business model, and while he admits there are plenty of challenges in the towing industry, he said he has to be proactive to overcome any “obstacles.”
With his family’s future in mind, he said company growth will continue to be part of the plan at Lil Pete’s Automotive.
“The biggest thing I learned over the years is you have to take chances,” Peter said. “You never know what the reward is if you don’t take that chance. You have to push yourself every day to make yourself better than you were
yesterday. As long as you take the chances, you will succeed in this business."
