KAYSVILLE—Dave Bell wasn’t always a successful businessman. There was a point in his life where he ended up in jail and homeless for a year. Fast forward to 2026 and Bell and his wife Ali own Dave’s Auto Center in Centerville – a thriving business that started in a storage unit.

The Bell’s launched their new book “From Breakdowns to Breakthroughs: A Mechanic’s Guide to Repairing What Matters Most” at Davis Technical College April 28. The Bells are donating 100% of the proceeds from the book to student scholarships. They also have a popular YouTube channel that has millions of followers worldwide.

“Now I’m no auto technician,” said Davis Tech President Darin Brush. “But Dave’s Auto Center videos really appeal to me. I love that they promote the industry and celebrate technical skills and skilled technicians. But I also came to see the subtle lessons Dave teaches about hard work, honesty, passion, teamwork, resilience and integrity, some of the most important skills we can learn.”

“I stand here today, going from jail, drugs – rock bottom,” Dave told the automotive students. “Do you know what’s great about rock bottom? It’s a great place to put a foundation.”

That is a great opportunity, he said. “The option you have is to say ‘this is where I put my foundation right here’ and build from there because you don’t want to build on anything but solid ground. Rock bottom is pretty solid so don’t be afraid of it.”

Dave gave some secrets to success in life and in business. “I’ll help you. The four Cs will fix anything,” he said. “I don’t care what you're doing. It’s any trade. This will work. It’s Condition, Cause, Correction and Confirm.” 

It’s a circle, it never stops, said Dave. “What’s your condition? If the car’s broken the condition is misfire. What’s the cause? Take a moment and look into it and determine what the real cause is. If you don’t know it, get some help.”

Correction, that’s the hard work and it starts piece by piece, he said. “Don’t try to build the whole car. If you build a car don’t tear the whole thing down and spread it out all over the garage. If you start small and you do a little piece at a time and you become a craftsman at that you’ll get good at your craft.”

It’s just like that in life, said Dave. “Then the confirmation is to take a step back and assess, ‘am I better than when I first started?’ If not, adjust and keep going. It’s as simple as that.”

An obstacle is an opportunity with the right options to overcome, he said. “Whether it’s a car or it’s your life, obstacles are going to happen your whole life. Train your brain to think, there’s an opportunity here.”

Everything in life is an opportunity, Dave said. “Your job is to figure out how to learn it and how to create it. In your toolbox of life you’ve got tools. They all do the same thing. They can tear down but they can also build up. It’s your decision what you’re supposed to do with them.”

The book is available on Amazon, and continued purchases will contribute to the scholarship fund.