Transcript
Aniz Lavji: Well, hello everybody and welcome to another exciting episode of the Shop and Tread Talk podcast. um Today we do not have Aniz with us. Unfortunately, he couldn't make it.
Aniz Lavji: Um, But we have a wonderful guest here today that is going to tell us some riveting stories about how. her life. Got her into the automotive trade. so Buckle your seatbelts.
Aniz Lavji: grab I don't know Hold on to something because this is going to be a wild ride. So anyway, let's have some fun. Um, If we... If you're hearing us on YouTube.
Aniz Lavji: Go over also and check us out on TikTok and on Facebook. and uh subscribe everywhere because you know that helps us out so anyways today we have with us red Could you please introduce yourself? and We'll just tell a little bit about your story.
Redd: Yeah, my name is Red and I come from Green Bay, Wisconsin. um
Redd: I guess I got started. ah With cars when I was really young, I was... um Probably about... 12 was my earliest memory.
Redd: um just helping my dad out in the garage and it was just the classic. um like we talked about it was a classic you know helping your dad in the garage thing where he's yelling at you that you're not holding the flashlight right or whatever um
Aniz Lavji: There's always that story.
Redd: Um.
Aniz Lavji: Everyone has that story.
Redd: Yeah, yeah it was it was a brake pedal. I wasn't pushing the brake pedal properly for bleeding the brakes. um
Aniz Lavji: That takes a good skill to do, actually.
Redd: You know. so but It does. It's a really good leg workout, honestly.
Aniz Lavji: It really is.
Redd: Um.
Aniz Lavji: And then if you're up there long enough, you'll fall asleep too.
Redd: But yeah, that's it.
Aniz Lavji: That's the other thing.
Redd: Yeah. That's my earliest memory of it. Like my uncle working on his at derby cars. and my grandpa out on the farm with the tractors you know like we were always around it I just wasn't like in depth to it, if that makes sense.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: Um. So I didn't I didn't know a whole lot about cars, but when I moved out of my parents house I was 17 and so I had to learn about him because I was a waitress Making like $2 .50 an hour. And my little.
Redd: Oh gosh, what was my first car? uh
Aniz Lavji: You know, they tell you all the time.
Redd: Daytona. A Dodge Daytona.
Aniz Lavji: Well, really.
Redd: Yes.
Aniz Lavji: with the would it did it have a turbo and with a manual transmission or was it the
Redd: No, it wasn't that cool. but
Aniz Lavji: Okay. and They were pretty cool cars.
Redd: No, I bought... I bought it from a friend of mine and it like was missing half the exhaust and I didn't know about it. We had to dig it out of a snow bank in her backyard.
Aniz Lavji: Oh wow.
Redd: Yeah, so... like that was my first car and first issue I found is I didn't even know how to change oil I didn't know anything about cars at all so I ended up running it low on oil and I blew the engine up one day Just drive it along.
Redd: There was no radio either, so I had like headphones in.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: And.
Aniz Lavji: yeah
Redd: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: We didn't hear the clanging going on.
Redd: I didn't hear the bang. But all of a sudden, like my foot's all the way to the floor. And the car is not going anywhere. And it's the middle of winter in upper Michigan. Um.
Redd: And so I called the bar that I worked at and I was like, hey, like, can somebody come grab me real quick? Um. And so one of the local guys, he drove down and they towed my car to the the bar and they were looking at it while I was working.
Redd: And they were like, yeah, you blew a piston rod right through the engine bot. I had no idea what they were telling me.
Aniz Lavji: oh wow
Redd: oh yeah, I was like, oh, cool. Like, is it salvageable? And they're like, no.
Aniz Lavji: Nope.
Redd: but we'll give you 50 bucks for it. And I was like, cool.
Aniz Lavji: Oh yeah. Take it through the scrap a little bit.
Redd: Yeah. so yeah to the scrapyard with it they went i had zero clue that like the cat was worth anything the battery was worth any you know I didn't know anything.
Aniz Lavji: Right.
Redd: Um. so that was like my first dive into it because that was like even before youtube was a big thing you know but
Aniz Lavji: mm -hmm
Redd: like i slowly started figuring out the oil changes the The batteries, the the basic stuff, you know, like people would point out things like, hey, your tire is.
Aniz Lavji: right
Redd: cocked a little bit like you probably have a bad strut in the back there and
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: you know Sure enough, I did. um But I never really got. Into it, into it. um Until I noticed that like people were paying attention.
Redd: to the fact that I was doing my own repairs.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: You know. um So then... I kind of like. for the attention of it, I was like, yeah, now. Now I want to learn more about it.
Redd: And um so. Like, I have another vehicle where I... I blew the timing on it. The timing went out and I was like, how hard could a timing job be? Once again, before YouTube.
Aniz Lavji: Mm hmm.
Redd: you know, started digging into it. I got so far and I had to have my uncle help me. And he was like, It needs an engine. It's not just timing. It needs a whole engine, you know.
Redd: um
Aniz Lavji: Get back.
Redd: So like little things like...
Aniz Lavji: Back then you would have had the Hanes manual, right? Did you ever have one of those for your cars too? Learn out of.
Redd: Oh gosh, no.
Aniz Lavji: or I never did either. They were expensive. And I was like, I just asked the other guys, how do I do this? And they had to tell me. But those manuals were expensive.
Redd: We had the Chiltons, from what I remember.
Aniz Lavji: I don't... children would have been the predecessor, I think, to Pro Demand, I think, if I'm not mistaken. the haynes manual is the one that like we could go to our local canadian tire and buy a haynes manual for almost every vehicle. Like we used to drive a Ford Temple.
Aniz Lavji: And I know I see more.
Redd: Like a hand like a handbook like a book
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. Yeah, and it was it was, you know, like an inch thick or something like that. And it was like. Exactly like you said for timing it it would show you exactly how to do the timing set up the timing marks all that kind of stuff Um...
Redd: I didn't know those existed. like i had seen a few my dad had like old camaros when we were growing up
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: Great.
Redd: and so we always had a chilton for every camaro but i wasn't Like, I never looked in them. I never... was curious
Aniz Lavji: yeah but i hope you had those back in the day that that was the predecessor to the youtube for sure
Redd: in that aspect.
Aniz Lavji: Thanks.
Redd: For sure.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: So yeah continue you you had to put an engine in that car
Redd: Yeah, my uncle ended up putting an engine in that car. There was a time when I went through like a car every three months. But I was.
Aniz Lavji: Oh, my God.
Redd: Yeah. but
Aniz Lavji: That's a good time to learn how to fix them then, for sure.
Redd: I just kept blowing them up. I didn't... I wasn't very good at fixing them yet. I was just a bartender then. um So yeah, it wasn't...
Redd: There wasn't a whole... lot of desire to learn, I guess.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: Um. But yeah. The little attention that I got. doing the little that I did. was enough. um What was it? I had like a...
Redd: Old 83 Thunderbird. Um. that I bought for like $600. Because they told me that the heater core was bad on it. And I didn't even know what a heater core was. I was like, I can replace that. No problem.
Aniz Lavji: yeah
Redd: And like the whole dash in those has to come out to do that.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: So it was all just learning as I went. um But I always seemed to pick up the cars that had these huge jobs that I had no clue about, you know. And so I'd be elbows deep in this.
Redd: And. i think There's no turning back. you know But I had some pretty cool people in my life that would give me advice and give me you know a little bit of help here and there doing things so that was nice um but anyways um I actually was supposed to go to Savannah College of Art and Design.
Redd: for architecture.
Aniz Lavji: Oh, really?
Redd: And... Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Well, that's a completely opposite feel than any automotive at all.
Redd: Um.
Redd: It is. I loved my drafting class. I loved CAD. I loved everything about the engineering aspect of all of it.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: um I had an uncle who was an engineer. So like it was it was like a big deal and then Because of the working in the bar and everything, I got introduced to the drug scene.
Redd: And. And that was kind of like. the the peak of my downfall. into the drug world. you know and so then for the next Oh, I was 18 then for the next decade or so.
Redd: Um. That's what I did. Is I... got deeper into drugs. I worked in bars. I moved around a lot. I switched cars up.
Redd: all the time I had no money so I had to learn more about how to fix the cars that I had. Um. And then eventually I got.
Redd: locked up in North Dakota State Prison. um And I sat 18 months there. And then they released me into a halfway house. And so I had absolutely nothing.
Redd: And. except the state issued clothes that they gave me when I left.
Aniz Lavji: right
Redd: Yep. And so they were like, you gotta get a job. you gotta Transportation you got to get your birth certificate your social security card all this stuff like starting from scratch And that was.
Aniz Lavji: Like everything you didn't have any of that left
Redd: Nope. So the end of my drug era actually ended with. i like i lost everything like i I was robbed of everything. I lost the house. I gave away my car. i just It was all too much for me to maintain the drug life that I had.
Aniz Lavji: Right.
Redd: and still try to maintain a normal standard of living so I If I didn't give it away, it got taken or lost or whatever.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: but when I got the final time that I got arrested. I think I had one suitcase, like one duffel bag with me. of a few items and that was it.
Aniz Lavji: Wow.
Redd: And then once they ship you from county to prison. They don't ship your belongings with you. You go with nothing. So whatever you acquire within the prison system then is all that you get to leave with. So I had my state issued clothes and that was it.
Redd: um
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. Talk about starting over. No kidding.
Redd: Yeah. Yeah, it was a trip. For sure. humbling experience but I still had a long way to go from there That was. 2016 I got released.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: Um. And so I wasn't. familiar with like bigger cities. And I was released to Fargo, North Dakota. Don't know if you've heard of it or not.
Redd: um It's... bigger than where I'm at now.
Aniz Lavji: kit.
Redd: It's a decent sized city at this point. um but the i didn't I didn't trust the bus system. I didn't want an Uber. So the closest thing that was available to me.
Redd: it was a restaurant and a jiffy lube. And they didn't want me at the restaurant because it had a bar in it.
Aniz Lavji: Mm -hmm.
Redd: But I knew a little bit about cars by that point.
Aniz Lavji: That makes sense.
Redd: So I was like, yeah. I'll go for the Jiffy Lube, right?
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: And so I started working there and it was about six months in, they bumped me up to assistant manager. And then... um That was right about the time that I relapsed.
Redd: And I relapsed for about. three months hard. And so. um Eventually it caught up with me. And I had to like fess up to my.
Redd: parole officer and my job and everything. and let them know what was going on um but i had found out that i was pregnant with my second kid And that's why. um That was the reason that I decided to get clean again then.
Aniz Lavji: right
Redd: um So her...
Aniz Lavji: Good reason for it.
Redd: Yeah. Uh... Her father wasn't in the picture or anything like that. And I didn't have. I didn't know anybody in Fargo at all. I'd had like. six months total to spend with people in the recovery community.
Redd: and try and build something but the being able to build relationships with individuals in recovery while you still have that. addict mentality is hard because you think everybody's getting high you know um So it was, it was hard socially, emotionally, mentally, physically, just everything about it. Like I was exhausted.
Redd: Um. And I reached out to somebody. And they came and they picked me up and we went to a meeting. And that was the start over then. you know. And so from there, everything's i'm the only way that I can like.
Redd: encompass everything in one phrase is just suspiciously smooth. like of course I have my speed bumps and and the hard times and whatnot but like compared to the rest of my life from that point upward. suspiciously smooth you know I was able to get into an apartment.
Redd: two weeks before I had my daughter. I was able to go from working at Jiffy Lube with minimum wage to
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: finding a small shop. small independent shop with a quick lube side. um That would. take me in as just a worker no management uh responsibilities or anything you know which was amazing.
Redd: Because i needed I needed less responsibility in my work life with the load that I was taking on as a single mother.
Aniz Lavji: Yes.
Redd: Um. But obviously with those quick glue places, like it's just a rotation of people all the time and that's exhausting as well.
Aniz Lavji: in the world.
Aniz Lavji: Yes, very much.
Redd: So I'd find that... What's that?
Aniz Lavji: It's very much exhausting
Redd: Oh my gosh.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: Um. So I finally got the idea to apply for college. I didn't know what obstacles I was going to face um as a felon.
Redd: on paper still, you know. um But. By that time I had acquired some decent um individuals within the recovery community to me support. you know I had built up um a relationship with my boss at the shop that i was at and my co -workers where they were like 100 behind me it was the first time that i felt this camaraderie in my life that wanted to see me do better you know and it was so weird because it's like
Redd: I just wanna be a mechanic. i just want to work on cars in a corner somewhere and just be left alone you know
Aniz Lavji: Just hide like we all want to do.
Redd: No.
Aniz Lavji: Don't talk to me. Don't touch me, right?
Redd: Right. And to have that many people like, yes, yes, let's do it, you know.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: being in your corner for you.
Redd: was
Aniz Lavji: That's amazing that they are. Absolutely.
Redd: Absolutely. So yeah, I applied to Minnesota.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Redd: State Technical College. for their two -year program um automotive. I had some amazing instructors. um a great group of guys that I worked with. There was two other women that were in the program with me.
Redd: Um. You know, just... Once again, suspiciously smooth. I was able to get state assistance I was able to get. um
Redd: FAFSA It's called here for... college aid. So they paid for like a majority of my schooling.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: And. I had to take out student loans.
Aniz Lavji: like a state funded. schooling like that then.
Redd: Yeah, yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, okay
Redd: um I had to take out a few student loans just to to live off of because I couldn't work full time, you know. um So I have that little bit of debt, but I was able to apply for several scholarships.
Redd: um One of the best ones was the Soroptimist group. I don't know if you've heard of them.
Aniz Lavji: Mm -mm.
Redd: So Seroptimist International is a group of women that are helping other women.
Aniz Lavji: Can't believe it happened.
Redd: get up in the trades. So they had a ah special... specific scholarship called Live Your Dreams that went towards that goes towards women.
Redd: who are the main Um. providers in the house.
Aniz Lavji: So like generally like a single mom or something like that
Redd: Right. Right.
Aniz Lavji: what What was that called again?
Redd: Soroptimist.
Aniz Lavji: Rob to me.
Redd: international.
Aniz Lavji: So anyone listening that's... look that up
Redd: but
Aniz Lavji: i'll look it up after but
Redd: Yeah, they do like North America, Latin America. and somewhere else. I can't remember now
Aniz Lavji: So, and that's kind of.
Redd: But amazing.
Aniz Lavji: my for all trades or is it like uh geared towards the automotive
Redd: I do believe it's all trades.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: Yeah. um There was a few others that I can't remember the names of. But they were super super helpful along the way, you know. And eventually I graduated with like a three point. six, I think it was. like I was super happy because that's way better than what I remembered getting in in high school.
Aniz Lavji: Yep. That's awesome. That sounds like That sounds like a really good opportunity that you had given to you for And and yeah I'm sure you're thinking here like...
Aniz Lavji: I don't deserve this but why Why is this happening to me? but for whatever reason.
Redd: All the time.
Aniz Lavji: yeah and for whatever reason like you said suspiciously smooth and here you are All of this came together for you to get you into this place.
Redd: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: it's It's always for a reason. I don't believe in chance. I believe everything happens for a reason, right? So you're there. you're You're doing this now. Maybe it was just so you could be on this podcast and tell us this amazing story or something like that.
Redd: yeah
Aniz Lavji: but But in reality, right, like. It put you on a path to to do something greater than where you were. so that's amazing
Redd: For sure. Yeah. Um. So, yeah, that... I think I graduated. In 21... Because yeah, so I went in at 19, COVID hit, we went online.
Aniz Lavji: know
Redd: And then...
Aniz Lavji: That was shitty studying online.
Redd: we couldn't even Oh my gosh, it was so terrible.
Aniz Lavji: I remember my kids doing university and doing the online.
Redd: we
Aniz Lavji: I'm like, this is garbage. I wouldn't learn shit. Yeah.
Redd: Try learning differentials online.
Aniz Lavji: if
Aniz Lavji: i would I would be absolutely useless. If I was online like that, nothing. I am a visual. A hands -on learner, I could not do that at all.
Redd: 100%, like 90 % of the people in the community, in the automotive community that I've met are hands -on individuals.
Aniz Lavji: Yep. Yep.
Redd: We...
Aniz Lavji: It's kind of how we're driven.
Redd: You can't...
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: Yeah. So like, just. what was I think there was like 30 or 40 of us in the class. of these hands -on driven individuals and we can't touch anything.
Aniz Lavji: mm -hmm
Redd: No. I think all of us pass by the seat of our ass for driveline service. you know oh We couldn't even walk for graduation, which was a little hard for me.
Redd: um
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Redd: But they did like a video. graduation memorial thing you could log on and check it out.
Aniz Lavji: our Our eldest son, he... he Missed his graduation because of COVID too.
Redd: oh
Aniz Lavji: from college. Yeah it sucked. Yep. Yeah, that was... It is was very sad, but... Couldn't change it, so I had to do that.
Redd: Right.
Aniz Lavji: Well.
Aniz Lavji: So you're graduating.
Redd: See you next time.
Aniz Lavji: now.
Redd: So yeah, 22, I graduated. and um They put me on the independent side of the shop. um And like, I remember being so excited the first time that I was able to start clocking hours.
Redd: you know. and then just devastated with the first mistake I made. and
Aniz Lavji: Did they throw your rate in at flat rate when you say clocking hours?
Redd: No, no.
Aniz Lavji: Okay, no.
Redd: um
Aniz Lavji: Yes.
Redd: I don't feel comfortable with flat rate. I don't like it. I don't trust it. I don't... It's probably because I'm not.
Aniz Lavji: All right.
Redd: good enough yet for it but
Aniz Lavji: I never, you know, my whole career, I've never worked flat rate.
Redd: No.
Aniz Lavji: ah i was no I was always afraid of it. I always worked in an independent shop in a small town. small used car dealership. So it was never a flat rate. I never went to a dealership And I always wished I had.
Aniz Lavji: Shh.
Redd: Really?
Aniz Lavji: Yep. I always wish to have for nothing more than just for the experience. So I tell my apprentices a much. as it would suck. for them to leave. I think you need that experience.
Aniz Lavji: I think it'll teach you something. more than just what a small town shop can.
Redd: The dealership?
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. Any dealership. and And from... from the people that I've met through the podcast. It almost sounds like a Toyota dealership would be the ultimate one to...
Aniz Lavji: to go to.
Redd: Because they never break down.
Aniz Lavji: if You know, that maybe, or it's just because.
Redd: but
Aniz Lavji: they're Toyota from from what my friend... near Near here says that um they're very... They're very generous with their labor rates.
Aniz Lavji: for one.
Redd: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, whereas whereas like... ah I have a friend that works at Ford. like every time that it's like oh that flat rate's at eight hours and i was able to do it in six oh no the flat rate's at six hours I think they'll continually cut it back.
Aniz Lavji: So that's where I think Toyota... from what I've heard. Don't know from experience that they're. more generous that way. So. If you ever thought of doing a dealership.
Aniz Lavji: Looking.
Redd: i had actually I I've done a couple dealerships I So I did um
Redd: A Chevy dealership. way back in the day. I was still in active addiction and I just worked in the quick lube. out in North Dakota there. um But it it gave you that.
Redd: It gave me a sour taste in my mouth
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: Because even at that low level, like we would have vehicles come in. And if... it was still under warranty. and you saw like there was one time there was a leaky strut like it wasn't pouring out. But it was definitely starting to.
Redd: to come out, to seep, I guess.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: And my supervisor told me, he's like, Don't even mark it down.
Aniz Lavji: Oh really?
Redd: because the vehicle was still under warranty.
Aniz Lavji: Oh, you gotta wait till it's out of warranty and then write it down.
Redd: And then write it down. And then, yeah. So that put a sour taste in my mouth for all dealerships.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Redd: Granted. All dealerships aren't like that, but like. they have that reputation. So to go in then and experience that.
Aniz Lavji: Hello.
Redd: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, I would think that a lot of that. Would, um... a service advisor would make that big difference whether you would write that down or not. I mean, I'm sure they're pushed from head office to not, but like.
Aniz Lavji: If you have a real good service writer, he'd be like, you know what? I don't care what head office says. You go ahead and write that down.
Redd: right
Aniz Lavji: um We've got a friend. Melody, she works at a GM dealer near here. and And she freaking loves it. um But she's worked herself into...
Aniz Lavji: a master tech role. And... specifically into the diesel side of it she loves diagnosing and repairing diesels and i'm like What is wrong with you?
Aniz Lavji: But it's it's Not too many people, not too many in the in the shop are doing that. So it gives her a real good advantage. It gives her a good edge to be like. Just do whatever she wants to do.
Aniz Lavji: so
Redd: For sure. No, when we moved to Green Bay, the only way that I secured the move. Because... So in 22, we decided to move from North Dakota to Green Bay.
Redd: And. Once again suspiciously smooth I left it in the hands of the gods and I said if it's meant to be it's meant to be you know um And I called the bank and I was like, hey, like, what is it going to take for me to get a house? And he's like, don't worry about it. You have enough. Credit score, you have enough.
Redd: you know backing you can get a house you can definitely get ah a house you can buy a house for sure and like this is what Yeah, it was amazing.
Aniz Lavji: Really?
Aniz Lavji: Wow.
Redd: Um. and he goes the only thing we're going to need is a job you need ah a source of income for us to give you that loan.
Aniz Lavji: Right.
Redd: So I was like, great, there's like the first hurdle. I have to find a job. So I was calling Green Bay, Wisconsin. And I'm calling all around to small independent shops. And I'm like, hey, like, are you hiring? Can I put in an application? I'm moving in six months.
Redd: and they're like hey when you move here go ahead and put in an application. And I was like, that's that's not going to do it for me.
Aniz Lavji: No, i need I need to do it now.
Redd: Like, I need. Yeah, I need you to say yes first.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: um
Aniz Lavji: Yep, yep.
Redd: So finally I... Oh, LinkedIn I think I was on. there was like a randy um advertisement. And all it said was like automotive technician needed.
Redd: And so I clicked on it. And it sounded all right. And it like brought me to a... a talent finder, I guess. And so I spoke with this one female.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: like two or three times. And then she pushed my application to somebody else who pushed it. who interviewed me and then pushed it to somebody else. They interviewed me. and then they pushed it to the Cadillac dealership in Green Bay here.
Redd: And I had an interview with them. and i was like okay like based off of the housing market what the bills are going to look like. you know I had figured out what rate I needed to get paid. And I was like, this is what I need. I need these hours. I need this pay.
Redd: I need you know
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: And I can't start for six months.
Aniz Lavji: Oh, well, you know. Easy stuff.
Redd: easy yeah and he was like yeah we'll we'll discuss it we'll get back to you And like at this point, I was freaking out. I'm like, I'm never going to find a job. I'm never going to get the house.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Redd: We're never going to make this move. It's all a wash. And then he called me. I think it was like a week later And he's like, yep, we can do all of that.
Aniz Lavji: No kidding!
Redd: Yeah, and I was like shut up, okay Game on.
Aniz Lavji: Suspiciously smooth, wow.
Redd: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Amazing that that like That's just freaking awesome. How can you not think that that's just the right move at that point?
Redd: So yeah, so
Redd: That's what I said, I I really, so the recovery program um 12 -step program there's several of them out there obviously for everybody's needs. I honestly think that
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Redd: anybody, even without a serious drug addiction, could get use out of a 12 -step program. um But they all have you go. and find a higher power.
Redd: all of the 12 -step programs.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: something outside of yourself, something that you... So you can give up the control of your life, you know, the self will give up the. the selfishness of our previous lives.
Redd: Um, So this whole process was just like a... giving it to God kind of moment. you know um
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: And it felt amazing. It was so surreal. It was so surreal. finding the house. Finally. because i bought it sight unseen i just saw it through like videos and everything So by the time we got to Green Bay.
Aniz Lavji: Okay, really?
Redd: i had never seen my place of employment i have never seen the house that i lived in i had you know no idea I'd been to Green Bay a couple times years and years earlier, you know, but I hadn't been there in decades.
Redd: So everything was brand new. and everything just fit so nicely like so i worked at the cadillac dealership for like 18 months um And it was amazing experience.
Redd: here.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, okay.
Redd: And. Yeah, it definitely. It definitely helped my perspective of dealerships by working at the Cadillac dealership here.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: Right.
Aniz Lavji: It brought it up a little bit, right?
Redd: Absolutely, you know. um Granted you always have those one or two people that have something negative to say about where they're at. There's always something. um But like watching the two main techs.
Redd: and how well they do and how well they were treated and how um how available learning was for them. to better themselves in Cadillac, GMC, Buick areas.
Redd: to become those master GM mechanics that you hear about.
Aniz Lavji: Okay. Yeah, exactly.
Redd: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Like what Melody was talking about, right? It really gives you an opportunity to move on and not just...
Redd: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: stay as a regular generic mechanic or something like that they allow you to specialize in certain areas
Redd: Exactly. And this one they have, I don't know how it is at other dealerships, but they had like different um forms of pay so like your master text, they were flat rate.
Redd: And they killed it. all the time you know you could tell by the cars they drove the toys they had the vacations they took you know they were making bank
Aniz Lavji: Okay, yep.
Redd: And then you had the hybrid text. They had an hourly pay with a... ah booked hour bonus. And then you had just the hourly techs. So when I started there, I was just an hourly tech.
Redd: Um, Which I was fine with. because it was you know it was all new again it was a dealership it wasn't the little independent shop i was used to it was all new people so i was like yeah i'll do hourly i loved it and i ended up because I came from an independent shop.
Redd: I ended up with all of the the shitty old cars. All the cars that like weren't GM cars that were coming in to get fixed.
Aniz Lavji: Okay. Just non -generic, just generic, whatever, everyday. Dodge Daytonas or something like that
Redd: Yeah. Yeah, whatever old... rusted out pos was coming in they were like give it to red She'll do it. you know.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: And I loved it. It was great.
Aniz Lavji: You know what? That's what I've always found about this industry and especially working in the yacht. aftermarket like that. man You get to work on everything. like
Redd: Yes.
Aniz Lavji: There are certain things you want to stay away from like the German cars and the European cars in my opinion. No one should ever have to work on those. But in general, like... Where else are you going to, what other job are you going to have where you can?
Aniz Lavji: have such a variety of things.
Redd: Right.
Aniz Lavji: to do like And that, again, is one of the things I would be afraid of at a dealership. Like our closest dealership was always a Ford dealer And I always thought about these guys, you know, okay, maybe.
Aniz Lavji: You know how to fix a Ford, but you can't fix nothing else.
Aniz Lavji: That always scared me. So i'm like. Maybe one of the reasons why I didn't work at a dealership. but
Redd: It definitely has.
Aniz Lavji: Not knowing how to fix it. Yeah, and not not knowing how to fix, like, let's say ah a... a dodge comes in and you're like oh man i don't know anything about this thing And but.
Aniz Lavji: Then having to know everything about. Everything. Oh, that's exhausting too.
Redd: there are There were some guys like that at the dealership that would roll their eyes at anything not GM because they were unfamiliar with it.
Aniz Lavji: Right.
Redd: It wasn't in. um What is it? TechLine? GM uses.
Aniz Lavji: Yep. Yep.
Redd: Yeah. It's not... readily you know they had to they had to do some work to find the info on it you know and so
Aniz Lavji: yeah no service information readily available like as they don't
Redd: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: they don't subscribe to aftermarket service information because they're Owee stuff is far superior.
Redd: Right.
Aniz Lavji: So what they say.
Redd: They say.
Aniz Lavji: but having having yeah having the aftermarket service information like we have now It makes it so much easier to work on. so many different makes and models but then
Redd: My favorite is the identifix because it is driven by other texts, you know the
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: repair processes that you find in that are verified Repair processes by other mechanics. It's not an engineer writing it down for you to fall you know it's
Aniz Lavji: Have you ever called their hotline and talked to their...
Redd: I think it's...
Aniz Lavji: their texts that are on there.
Redd: On identifix?
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. That's a really...
Redd: No.
Aniz Lavji: It's really cool. If you ever run into something you just can't figure out. And you call them. And it's usually about. I've never had one take more than two phone calls.
Aniz Lavji: with them.
Redd: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: Usually it's one phone call and he's like. you know oh such and such and such and it's specialized like if you have a dodge problem you get a dodge specialist
Redd: Oh, neat.
Aniz Lavji: more just Yeah. and they're like oh yeah okay well this is how this system works blah blah blah blah blah What have you all tested? Blah, blah, blah. Do this and go and test this.
Aniz Lavji: and give me the result And usually when you go do that, you find your problem and fix it. And then the problem solved.
Redd: okay
Aniz Lavji: But it's actually really cool. Like the very first time I used that, I was working on a... Chevy Astrovan. and
Redd: oh gosh
Aniz Lavji: however many years ago that was right And it would. Crank no start. Intermittently. Start, but run really rough.
Aniz Lavji: And. I... You know. Young Tech. No one, and I've always been, okay, here's the other thing about me. The independent shops I worked at, I was always Either the only one there,
Aniz Lavji: Or... the the lead tech
Aniz Lavji: after i left where i did my apprenticeship okay let's get that so after i left where i did my apprenticeship Then I was. basically by myself. And I was the lead tech and everyone was underneath me. So I'm supposed to know everything.
Aniz Lavji: So I had no one to even bounce ideas off of or anything like that unless I called. somebody that I had worked with previously. Well this thing, I just couldn't figure it out. So. i Called him.
Aniz Lavji: And. I'm like, I think the fuel pump is the problem, but I can't. Verify. son And he's like, well, you have voltage at the fuel pump. I said, I do. I have power and ground at the pump.
Aniz Lavji: but the pump's just not coming on. all the time every once in a while does and then he's like well did you load test the wire and i'm like What do you mean by that? Well, like.
Aniz Lavji: by putting a And then that's when he told me to get a headlight. you know the old seal beam headlights and low test wire make sure that it lights up And I think I had ended up getting a. A sealed beam.
Aniz Lavji: uh fog light from years ago and i ended up making myself a load tester and lo and behold of course it was a corroded wire And... um When I finally found it and I fixed it and blah blah and it was a great learning experience That was my first experience talking to an identifix um professional like that. And I've done a few since then.
Aniz Lavji: And every single time. Date. Eat. to get you right on the person that Knows you you type in all your information, whatever and By the time that they talk to you.
Aniz Lavji: i usually I think that they pretty much know what's wrong with it. and already know they're repaired. Then they just point you in the right direction. So.
Redd: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: it's It's cool. And it and it costs like... I think US is like... $45 or something like that.
Redd: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: So it's it's very affordable. One phone call.
Redd: Like. per call.
Aniz Lavji: No, so like it's It's her. um incident, right? So like if if it takes 10 phone calls.
Redd: oh Nice.
Aniz Lavji: It don't matter. you only pay You only pay the fee once. And. it's free for every call after that. Hence why I say...
Aniz Lavji: It hardly ever takes more than one call.
Redd: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: I've had to the one time. I had to call back. a second time and it was because i had misunderstood. the instruction to do. must
Redd: Gotcha.
Aniz Lavji: If you ever need it, it's it's an amazing tool that they've built into it.
Redd: So I've dealt with the... Techline. Uh, Hotline. Which isn't bad. And I dealt with. um All data.
Redd: helpline And I really like the all data. So we get ah the shop I'm at now is another independent shop.
Aniz Lavji: Good.
Redd: um And we get. of a right Like right now we have two Maseratis. but we also have like a 72 Cadillac. you know.
Aniz Lavji: Okay, yep. Well, that is quite a variety.
Redd: We've got... Yeah, we've got... all the european cars that you don't like we've got volkswagen bmw all of them i think we have all of them in the lot right now actually
Aniz Lavji: Really?
Redd: um Yeah. So all data is great because... You don't have to call anybody. You can just send your information in. so like the older cars that don't have All of the...
Redd: schematics or all of the service information available.
Aniz Lavji: Yep, yep.
Redd: um You just send it in like, this is what I'm working on. This is my problem. This is what I can't find. This is my email address. And within an hour. every time that I've had to use it, they'll email me.
Redd: Like. pictures of what I need. of this it's usually schematics
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: You know. of whatever I need. and they're so nicely organized and they're colored and their prompt you know and their their follow -up is amazing so I like I like all data for that.
Redd: I don't know if Do you guys have that?
Aniz Lavji: um I haven't used all data in a lot of years. Bye. definitely used it many years ago but it's Probably. 15 years ago, maybe more since I used it.
Redd: Oh, wow.
Aniz Lavji: i
Redd: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: I've used always used Identifix and Pro -D -Man since then.
Redd: I like pro -demand. um I like their search. engine and how it brings up all of the stuff related to that so it's got like the
Aniz Lavji: Yep. Yep.
Redd: the operation of whatever it is you're looking up. I really like that.
Aniz Lavji: I never used it. I always used Identifix for... for my wiring diagrams but i Almost switched over to Proteaman for that because they have an interactive wiring diagram system. I mean...
Aniz Lavji: Identifix does a little bit too. But... If you're ever in it... um If you click on... The... I guess it goes into a print mode. but All of, say, like your connectors and your and your body control module, whatever. They turn blue.
Aniz Lavji: And you can click on that and it'll come up with a sidebar and you can actually see.
Redd: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: The location the component connector all that kind of stuff and it's all hyperlinked so it's it's really easy to use that way so i use it a lot because of that. That's why I primarily use it. i Certain things I don't like about it, but I mean, it's with every program like that, right? And I'm sure even with TechLine, there's certain things that you just wish they would do differently.
Aniz Lavji: And...
Redd: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: I think every program is like that, hence the reason why. I think they do it on purpose because I said they had somebody the other day. I'm sure there's. one dude that owns all of them. And it's like, I'm not going to put this information over here. So they have to buy this one as well. So now we have to have two programs.
Redd: They're actually trying to make it more easily accessible for everyone. um There is... Oh I wish my brain was better. Um...
Redd: hu There's... some we have a poster of it in our shop right now and it's like fighting for information rights for individuals because all of the big the big guys are holding back their service information.
Aniz Lavji: yeah
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. Yeah.
Redd: you know, so to try and make it.
Aniz Lavji: That's been a fight for us. It's been a fight forever.
Redd: Yeah, there's ah there's a specific group of individuals that are are fighting for it, though. to get it.
Aniz Lavji: It's called the Right to Repair Act, right?
Redd: Yes.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: that
Aniz Lavji: so So here in Canada, they have, it's called Arrow. A -A -R -O automotive aftermarket repair
Redd: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: Something. ARO. And. apparently that's what their job is is to fight for that I don't know how good of a job they're doing because...
Aniz Lavji: they've been in business for 15, 20 years. and I'm sure they've made some progress, but not all of it. like The organization's...
Aniz Lavji: seem to just need members but not actually get those results. I think that that's what a lot of it happens. But I think that the the right to repair industry will. Probably...
Aniz Lavji: get worse before it gets better. especially with all of the hybrid vehicles. I think. I think a lot of that is going to be very priority. Pray. proprietary information.
Redd: Yes.
Aniz Lavji: Well... Like when the Teslas came out. Right? Dirt. you couldn't touch you could do nothing with a tesla unless you had to take it back to a dealership But then there's guys that learned how to hack the system. and Crack the computers open and all that kind of stuff And all of a sudden...
Aniz Lavji: you know almost anybody can do it as as long as there's somebody in the aftermarket that wants to learn a way to do it. It will get done. Um,
Redd: For sure.
Aniz Lavji: I've been talking with the the guy that does... ah one of one of the guys around here that does mobile programming and talked about certain... I think it was a PCM.
Aniz Lavji: for No a TCM for a
Aniz Lavji: come and Cummins something or other Anyways. Not available. Can't buy one anywhere, no nothing. But he knew of a guy who knew of a guy.
Aniz Lavji: who could take and clone the computer and make it work from another computer or something like that.
Redd: oh wow
Aniz Lavji: I'm like,
Aniz Lavji: Like stuff like that. I would never eat but there's guys that will figure this stuff out. So there will always be somebody That we'll be able to figure something out when the manufacturer says nope not available and somebody's like Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: I'm going to be smarter than your engineers. But... It's always going to happen. So the right to repair is going to get. Like it'll always only get so far And then somebody is going to find a wiggle way. around it.
Aniz Lavji: and then we'll still be able to repair the cars. might just be a little more difficult.
Redd: i see um I wish it was easier, though, because Stellantis is a hard one. um We just had.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: a jeep not too long ago all it needed was What was it? and A new key? programmed.
Redd: Couldn't do it. Couldn't do it because you couldn't get Stellantis to let you in. to do the programming.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: It's... It's been a problem. and that That is getting even worse. like like these guys i thought about buying a key programmer cutter whatever now you have to have a locksmith license to be able to cut and program keys.
Redd: Yep. Yep. You need a locksmith license. Everybody that works in the facility I think needs a background check.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Redd: Yeah. like it's a it's a whole process to do it now if you want it in store or in shop.
Aniz Lavji: So those some of those things. Like. For a small shop like myself, three -bay shop. I often look at stuff like that. And. How many am I going to do a year?
Aniz Lavji: If I do 10 keys a year. Is it worth it for me to buy all the equipment? Licensing and all that stuff to do 10 keys a year No. Not even close.
Aniz Lavji: Same with programming modules, right? I don't condemn. that many modules Bye. maybe I don't even know if I did 10 last year. Right.
Aniz Lavji: so If I want to subscribe to all of these. manufacturers to have the capability of possibly maybe doing a programming But now i would if I had that, I would have to...
Aniz Lavji: make that a priority and sell that service in order just for it to pay for itself.
Redd: Most of them are pay as you go now.
Aniz Lavji: And I'm like. whoops Yep. Yep, that's been coming up like that. But then you start to have the equipment Great. So.
Redd: No. Laptops
Aniz Lavji: so ah Okay. Okay. So just a laptop with the J 2534 pass -through connector and you can do pretty much anything
Redd: Yep, so we have the snapper
Aniz Lavji: What happens? What happens if you break a module?
Redd: If you brick it.
Aniz Lavji: So my my butt.
Redd: Yep.
Aniz Lavji: mike Yeah, exactly.
Redd: We learned the hard way, yes.
Aniz Lavji: So my buddy works at works at Chrysler dealer. And he was saying... The other day I was talking to him. He's like, he's. Supposed to be programming of instrument cluster and he's just scrolling through the all the available programs and A bit.
Aniz Lavji: for this thing And. As he went to scroll, he accidentally clicked it. How? I don't know how easy it is, but he said he accidentally clicked it.
Aniz Lavji: And it... wet and programmed. the wrong file into the cluster.
Redd: oh no
Aniz Lavji: Oh he said it bricked it. And he said it was a very expensive cluster. And now I have to start over with a new one.
Redd: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: And I'm thinking. Do I want to take that liability? Nope.
Redd: So the only ways that I've ever seen a a module get bricked is if you accidentally program it with the wrong file. Um. Or if it somehow shuts down.
Aniz Lavji: Yo.
Redd: if you lose your battery power your computer power or something like that halfway through programming.
Aniz Lavji: Right. And so all of those chances for to do 10 a year. I'm like, There's mobile guys that love to do it Couple hundred bucks they'll come out Program it.
Aniz Lavji: They take all the risk. like
Redd: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, I'll just do it that way. like Once you get big enough you have to do a lot of stuff in house, right? But. If I can avoid doing that. I'm okay with that.
Redd: Valid.
Aniz Lavji: I'm getting to be an old guy. As my back told me today. So. I have to be careful what I want to venture into at this point in my life.
Redd: yeah no we've been getting better with the programming at the shop that i'm at now um Like I said, Stellantis still gives us issues with Jeep and Chrysler and whatever, but like.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: Um. Hyundai we have down, no problem. um GM, no problem. We rarely have to program forwards.
Redd: And then we have a European guy that we send those to.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, I think I've heard European can be very tricky.
Redd: It's just getting the programming. Once again, it's getting access to the programming.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: platform. Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: So do you personally do? programming as well or just within your shop?
Redd: So yeah, I have... I don't want to say I've taken over the programming part of it. but Like I I do a majority of it
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: I don't know if the There's one other guy. He's really great. And. Way better than me. He's got all the programming stuff on his computer too.
Redd: But I don't I don't pay enough attention to what jobs he's doing to know. what he's programming or not. And.
Redd: But yeah, the two of us have all the programmings on our computers.
Aniz Lavji: Oh, that's awesome. so you So you kind of got to specialize within your... within your garage to keep That's a good idea, right? Because that that way it gives you ah a cutting edge over everyone else. so Because if you're just a generic tech, well, they could. turn around and say, we don't need you anymore. But if you're like,
Aniz Lavji: Nope. You do that car program tomorrow. And if I'm not here.
Redd: So here's the fun part about the shop that I'm at now is they are extremely picky on the individuals that they hire. Um.
Aniz Lavji: As you should be.
Redd: As you should be, absolutely. But they have this process that I've never... encountered before. So it's a husband and a wife. um and they've had the shop for i think like six years, maybe seven now.
Redd: um And they. um they bring the person in, they do all the interviews and everything. And once they get a feel for somebody like, okay, this might be the right person, they bring them through and they have them meet everybody in the shop.
Redd: And so everybody in the shop. gets an in - like ah a one -on -one opportunity with this person to feel them out ask them questions Have a little chat, you know. um And so there's been times when.
Redd: The general consensus is just like... Okay. that person's not vibing very well.
Aniz Lavji: different This is all this is before they're hired
Redd: Yep, before they're even hired. you know, if they don't.
Aniz Lavji: Oh that's that's an interesting concept.
Redd: If they don't fit the vibe, if... Somebody doesn't feel... like good about what they're offering or or whatever like they won't hire them And so we ended up with.
Aniz Lavji: Okay.
Redd: this amazing group of individuals like all of us are We're...
Redd: I don't want to say none of us are hot -tempered because we all have a temper.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah.
Redd: um But it's just such a chill environment. It's such I... good place to go to and work. you know It's not even work. it's just hanging out with people, working on cards. You know, it's everything I wanted.
Redd: years ago when I started. my my journey through schooling and whatnot. it's i just I'm in a corner, I'm with a car, I get to socialize with some people from time to time. but
Aniz Lavji: it's It's what TV represents and auto shop should be.
Redd: Yes.
Aniz Lavji: Okay, cool.
Redd: Yes, we don't have the drama. it's It's the first shop I've ever worked in where there's not. some hard -ass, egotistical guy, you know.
Redd: It's... it's a really... Great place to be.
Aniz Lavji: Now... Okay, so you being a woman, are you the only woman female in the shop?
Redd: Yeah.
Aniz Lavji: Okay. So... Now this is Probably a very stereotypical thing that a lot of people say is they're like if there's a woman in the shop She will always have the attitude as I'm better than you.
Aniz Lavji: because of how much harder it took for her to get to the point where she's at.
Redd: Do I have that attitude?
Aniz Lavji: No, I'm not asking that I'm saying
Redd: but
Aniz Lavji: I'm saying would the guys in the shop think of you as that?
Redd: Oh. Um...
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. Like.
Redd: I don't think so.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah, I've i've never... i've Okay, ah no, I have worked with... a girl I had a girl work for me for one summer. And she had an amazing attitude. Like she was very, very.
Aniz Lavji: timid and and but could do the job amazing, right? And and not... hot -headed and attitude great where i've i've I've heard and seen of other shops where a A woman goes in and they're just like.
Aniz Lavji: Now we're going to do it my way and they butt heads a lot, right? So there's there's ah the guy I used to work at. He... He refused. He said, I will never hire a woman. like Mike.
Aniz Lavji: Oh. Not everyone's like your wife. But.
Redd: ah
Aniz Lavji: So... And I've always wanted to. I've always wanted to hire. a female. Never had the opportunity. not a gravity opportunity for a technician, right?
Redd: Right.
Aniz Lavji: I always think that That. Yeah, maybe. Alright. the beginning there might be some physical limitations to the job But the mental capacity, I think, is always...
Aniz Lavji: far superior. So... That would be my driving force if I ever had to hire. And if I could find a female tech. I... As long as they didn't butt heads with the with the rest of the guys in the shop, I would.
Aniz Lavji: I would hire a female tech all day long. because, and especially if you look at, if you look at some of the pod, a lot of the podcasts that we've done, we, we interview a lot of female texts and it's for that reason, because I think that.
Aniz Lavji: they don't get the recognition that they deserve. Indian history. and like for yourself too like Maybe maybe you maybe in your shop. Yeah, but maybe a shop down the road looks at us as all they've got a girl working over there, right?
Aniz Lavji: And I think that... girls don't get that recognition that They can do this job. just as good. Or maybe be better. than half the guys out there. Because most of the time, half the guys out there are so egotistical that they're like...
Aniz Lavji: oh i can do this job with my hands tied behind my back And good luck with that, buddy. Right?
Redd: There was actually one time um Because there was a little euro shop just down the street from the the shop I was at. And so we'd get lunch there all the time. Great euros. They were huge, good price. It was a little mom, pop place, you know.
Redd: And I'd always go in there and I'd always have my uniform top on. So it said, you know, the the shop name and my name. um And one day, the the lady...
Redd: She got it. She's so polite. she had her two daughters in there with her and they were sitting at the table Obviously just trying to get through the shift, coloring, and whatever.
Redd: But she goes, hey, my daughter sees you come in here and she wants to work on cars. But she doesn't think that she can do it because she's a girl.
Aniz Lavji: Oh wow.
Redd: Cheers. Yeah, she's like, could you just go over there and just... like tell her that you're you work on cars and you're a girl you know And I was like, absolutely.
Redd: And so while they were making my euro, I went over there and I... chatted up with her about her coloring and and it was really pretty little like car that she was coloring even um And i was I told her, you know, like, I work on cars.
Redd: all the time and so we had this nice little conversation and our eyes lit up and it was just this amazing opportunity I had to be able to empower this little girl. like whether or not she becomes a mechanic.
Redd: she I think she might have been five or six at the time. you know She might not even remember it when she gets older. But just to know that I had that opportunity to... to like present myself as a female in a male industry you know and making it
Aniz Lavji: Very much so, yep.
Redd: Yes, it's It's an amazing feeling when it happens. it's it's always mixed reviews from individuals you know it's like either shock that there's a female in the shop or like admiration that there's a female in the shop when it comes to like the customer aspect of it.
Redd: But I've also had individuals where like. Well, let me talk to a man. He's gonna know more. You know. And i'm I'm more than happy to give you to a man if that man makes you feel comfortable, you know.
Redd: But working in the shop, I've only butted heads. with a couple guys and Like so I've got One of my TikToks went viral.
Redd: one of the days that I got into it with one of the guys in the shop. And he was a bigger guy. He was like probably six foot or something like that. And I'm... I'm five foot. I'm 130 pounds and I had this pickup truck that I was doing an alignment on.
Redd: I can't move it. by it by myself, so I get in the vehicle. and I drive it forward and back to compensate, right?
Aniz Lavji: Yep.
Redd: And he was he was giving me grief about it. And so I told her, I said, I'm physically incapable. Like I know my boundaries. I'm physically incapable. of pushing this vehicle in neutral.
Redd: back and forth to get it to compensate. And he was, well maybe you should have picked a different trade.
Aniz Lavji: o
Redd: And we got into it and our service writer had to come out and cool us down, you know. Um, And I made a TikTok about it. And it got so many views. and That's where I got a majority of my followers from.
Redd: even it's pinned at the top of my my TikTok page if you haven't seen it already, but It used to have a sound bite to it, but they've taken it off since then.
Redd: Um. But it was more like an affirmation. like So it used the B word. I don't know if you're able to swear on your podcast or not. um But it was just like... affirmations starting questionably.
Redd: and then growing progressively more assertive. You know? and it fit And, ah you know, it was just and some of the comments I got on it were amazing. And a lot of the people that. um I've met through that specific TikTok are...
Redd: great support. for me for the automotive industry, you know.
Aniz Lavji: Yeah. Yeah, and it's and it's amazing to be able to connect with people like that. um Your story about... Somebody's saying, oh, I want to talk to a man, right?
Aniz Lavji: Um, Margarita worked in the shop with me for about nine months, i maybe a little more. She learned so much. And when people... would come to the shop and be like...
Aniz Lavji: Wow, you're working on cars too? And she's like, yeah. Oh. how do you know how to do that? And she's like, well, I'm learning. Frank's teaching me. i'm i'm I'm figuring it out.
Aniz Lavji: Oh, that's really cool. And Melody has that has that same story where she was literally her... had a truck on the hoist customer struck on the hoist and the customer peeked his head in the shop Saw that she was working on it.
Aniz Lavji: Went to the service manager. manager and said, I don't want that girl working on my truck And he's like, okay, that's fine. We can push it out. You can put a tow truck on it and take it elsewhere Well, no, I just want somebody else in the shop to work on it. and He's like nope She's the only one going to work on it.
Aniz Lavji: And I'm like, you know what?
Redd: Oh, that's fun.
Aniz Lavji: That's amazing for a service writer to stick up for. a female tech and saying No. That person is. Very capable of doing the job.
Aniz Lavji: And that person is going to do that job. And if you don't like it. We're happy to take it out. Put it on the tow truck for you. and ship it somewhere else. But in this shop...
Aniz Lavji: That person's working on it. And I was like, good for you.
Redd: Oui.
Aniz Lavji: And she was she was like. It was a very highlight to her career to be like Yes, somebody is helping me. Two. give me that affirmation so to get that affirmation whether you're male or female or anything like that And you know you can do the job and someone is behind you saying you can do this.
Aniz Lavji: And I believe in you. That just makes our job. So much better and that's something that I'm as a owner now trying so hard to You're like, no, that person is capable of doing the job. I have trained them. They learn. They know.
Aniz Lavji: And we will figure this out. Right? A lot of people will come up and say, oh, I don't want the junior guy to work on the on this vehicle.
Redd: They have to learn.
Aniz Lavji: Why not?
Redd: They have to learn.
Aniz Lavji: they They have to learn. i've trained them they're going to do it exactly as i've trained them to do it So they can do that job. So I don't have to do that every single I can't do every single job So I'm training people to do the jobs that I can't do.
Aniz Lavji: And then it'll still get done exactly the same way. So when people start to understand that, it's like, okay, you come to the shop. You're coming to 3D Auto. You're coming to the shop that Frank... owns and operates.
Aniz Lavji: But Frank isn't going to work on every single car. It's impossible.
Redd: Right.
Aniz Lavji: So you have to trust that the people that are going to be working on it, like yourself, like whoever is going to work on it. is going to do the job. The same as if. the owner was doing it or something like that so yeah just having people in your back pocket like that in your corner makes a huge difference. so i'm I'm really excited that you have that.
Aniz Lavji: Now. I mean, you it sounds like you've had that. in your whole You know journey up And especially now. So I think it's fantastic that you have those people in your.
Aniz Lavji: in your corner And that you've built yourself up into being the... ah the programmer in your shop, which is phenomenal
Redd: but
Aniz Lavji: phenomenal Because that's something that... I don't understand. I've never gotten into programming and I don't understand it. So it's it's phenomenal. It's fantastic that you're doing that.
Aniz Lavji: and just your whole journey in general. so We're pushing over an hour here, Red. i Thank you so much for. coming on here and sharing your story with us. i Honestly, I think we should have to do another podcast for the rest of the story because I feel like we've just scratched the surface of it. but Try to keep the podcast to an hour so people don't get.
Aniz Lavji: too bored. Not that this was an amazing podcast. I think this was. Not boring at all. And. So anyways, ah just hang on for a minute here while this... ah closes up and then
Redd: Okay.
Aniz Lavji: Again. Appreciate you being here. and Um... Look forward to chatting with you some more.
Redd: Yes, absolutely. Thank you, Frank.
