Let’s talk about grit for a second—the kind of determination that makes someone work for free just to get their foot in the door. That’s exactly how Codee Mixon got his start in the craft of auto upholstery.
Codee, 27, owns Mixon Magic Auto and Marine Upholstery in Riverside, Pennsylvania. But before there was a storefront with his name on it, there was a lot of behind-the-scenes hustle.
“I am an entrepreneur,” Codee told The Daily Item. “I’ve always tried to find a way to make something profitable.” For him, upholstery wasn’t just a job—it was a calling. “As soon as I got into upholstery, I liked it,” he said. “It seems like a straightforward type of business, and from a back-end paperwork perspective, it looked very interesting to me.”
Let’s pause there. When’s the last time you heard someone get excited about paperwork? That tells you something about the mindset he brought to the table. Codee wasn’t just thinking with his hands—he was thinking like a business owner from day one.
His journey wasn’t flashy. It wasn’t funded by parents or investors. It was built the old-school way: with curiosity, commitment, and community support. After moving to Riverside from Las Vegas with his wife, Codee spent three months working for free in an upholstery shop just to learn the trade.
It helped that he had prior experience in automotive work, but upholstery still came with a steep learning curve. “I’ve done paint, body building, engine building, all the suspension building, fabrication,” he said. “Upholstering is probably the last thing I learned.”
Once Codee felt confident in his skills, he made the leap. But even then, it wasn’t instant success. It took him four months just to transition from part-time at another shop to running his shop full-time. “When I started it was slow,” he admitted.
But this is where Codee’s story turns into a real roadmap for other aspiring auto trimmers. He didn’t go it alone. He got smart. He reached out to Bucknell’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for help. With their guidance, he created a business plan, put together a proposal, and secured a loan through the Columbia-Montour Chamber of Commerce. That loan helped him buy equipment, cover operating costs, and build out a website.
Ray Haden, a consultant at SBDC, said Codee got help not just with planning and finances, but also with lender connections and technical support. In other words: Codee wasn’t afraid to ask for help—and that made all the difference.
Now, Mixon Magic offers custom and repair upholstery for cars, trucks, motorcycles—“anything from customization to simple repairs,” Codee said.
“It’s always been my dream,” he said. “I am finally in a place where I have a business that is running.”
It’s easy to look at someone like Codee and think he’s just talented. And sure, he is. But his story is more than that. It’s a reminder that talent alone doesn’t build businesses—effort does. Whether you’re a budding auto trimmer or dreaming of opening your own shop someday, Codee’s journey proves that success is possible when you’re willing to work for it, learn constantly, and lean on others when you need a hand.
That kind of magic? It’s not just in the upholstery—it’s in the mindset.
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