We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Riley Schlick. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Riley below.

Riley, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

I am an 18 year-old girl, I own a successful company in an industry of 60 year-old men. I have 5 employees and am paying for engineering college in cash. And none of this was planned.
At a young age, I had a plan. I was perfecting a soccer opportunity to parley into a college scholarship to go to pre-law and then become a lawyer. I started playing soccer goalkeeper at 8 and quickly became recognized for my height, aggressiveness and drive. Playing for travel teams, IMG, Olympic Development and Semi-Pro at age 15, I had Division 1 Law Schools knocking… and a shoulder that was not staying on plan. Subluxations, Dislocations, and an eventual 90% complete labrum tear at 16 saw all my plans vanish.. Deemed damaged goods and too risky to recruit, my athletic path to greatness crashed.
But this is not the story I am here to tell. The story of Risk started because of soccer but had nothing to do with it. Because my travel schedule was so intense at a young age, I could not have a regular job. So at 13 my dad brought me into the garage and taught me how to hustle. He worked on old cars as a hobby, there were parts all around that he did not need, but someone did. So I started rebuilding parts and selling them on eBay. One specific part, called a carburetor, fit into my hustle nicely. It was small, shippable, in high demand, had great profit potential and NO ONE was doing them because they are super complicated. So after rebuilding and flipping all the carbs in the garage and that his friends had, I needed a supply. I would search Craigslist and Marketplace for any old carbs for sale, across the southeast and we would buy them when we were traveling for soccer tournaments every weekend. I learned how to negotiate, talk to adults, walk into mechanic shops and ask to buy old parts. And my little hustle was enough, enough for me to buy my first Jeep, enough for parts, and gas, and fun money. But that was not enough for fate…
When my shoulder blew out at 16, I lost my career path. Emergency surgery, 6 months of immobilization and 3 of therapy and I might have a fully functional arm, but it would not wear a Division 1 jersey. Unable to play, unable to work, and watching everything I struggled for fly away, I was low. On top of all of this, the first day cleared to drive after 8 months, I crashed into my friends car… and had to pay for the damage. The only way to earn was to start rebuilding carbs again.
But without the travel for soccer, I had no supply of old carbs, so I put out a post online to buy old carbs and parts, and EVERYTHING changed….
Facebook post – “I am 17 years old, I build carburetors to pay for my Jeep, gas and college. My name is Riley, I have been doing it since I was 13 and I am really good. I am running out of parts and carbs for my customers, if you have any that you would sell, I will buy them…”
3 million views in 5 days and a whole new world opened up.
I like to say opportunities are like waves in the ocean; some small, some large, some you see from a distance, some pop up out of nowhere. You have a choice to swim over them, under them or turn and try to ride one. Some will crash on you, some you will miss. But when you catch one, it is exhilarating.
I took a huge risk and turned to try and ride a 3 million meter wave in an industry dominated by 60 year-old men. I received over 12,000; calls, emails, PMs and messages. Car people all over the world saw me as young person in a hobby they love and showered me with encouragement and support. I received 300 carburetors on my door step, FOR FREE, in 1 week. My eBay listing to rebuild carbs, blew up. We received so much support and volume, that I knew I would never be able to keep up, so I talked to my girl friends and with their parents and they all quit their Publix and Subway jobs and came to work for me. Now we were making our own waves, “FIVE 17 year-old girls in the garage rebuilding hotrod tech!” soon the media caught on…
Newspapers, magazines, Tv shows, podcasts, celebrities and companies were all reaching out to hear my story, encourage me and offer support. And my answer to everyone was “Yes, and….”.
Riley, can we do a magazine interview? “Yes, and can I send you pictures or more information for your story?”.
Riley, can we send a tv crew to your garage? “Yes, and let’s do it with all the girls working. That would make for good video.”
Riley, can you come to our car show? “Yes, and can I tune some carbs for the people at the show at no cost?”
Riley, can you come to our school and talk to the kids? “Yes, and can I bring some carbs to rebuild as a demonstration?”
Riley, would you like to visit our corporate headquarters? “Yes, and can I meet your marketing, business and engineering team?”

For the past 2 years, I have worked every opportunity, every offer, every possible connection to push my business forward. In doing so I have found a love for engineering, business and the people in an industry I thought was closed and scary.
I am currently running the carburetor business remotely from college. My 15yearold brother is the shop foreman and I have 4 HS Freshmen working (3 girls and one boy) under him. I am a triple major, Math, Physics and Engineering at Connecticut College, going on to Wash U for my engineering degree. I travel to do appearances, lectures and meetups at trade schools. I filmed a first season of a TV show called Repair2Rev by Hemmings. AND importantly I am playing keeper for Connecticut College!

Riley, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am 18 and run a carburetor rebuilding company while in college. I got into the industry as a way to earn side money and when the opportunity came, to make it bigger, I jumped on it. I employ 5 High School students and we rebuild carburetors for classic cars and hotrods. rebuilding carburetors is a dying skill and we solve that.

What I want people to know about our brand is how passionate I am about getting young people involved in the trades and specifically the automotive industry. the people who grew up working on old cars are passing on and it seems there is a real shortage of mechanics and trades people behind them. I want to show a new generation that there is real joy in working on old cars.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

My whole life plan was a pivot. I never planned this, I was supposed to go to school and be a lawyer… A whole host of twists and turns and one viral post, was what it took to see an opportunity and completely change my plans.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

The key Milestones for when my side hustle turned into my business.

When I made the facebook post that went viral, I was flying to Michigan to go off grid for 5 days with my girl friends. It blew up when I was offline. Once I finally turned on my phone after a few days, I had 300 missed calls, hundreds of emails, and thousands of messages. I was meeting up with my dad to travel home and we had a 20 hour train ride to absorb, talk and strategize on what to do with this opportunity. This is where we can up with the “Yes, and…” philosophy. ANY opportunity that was offered, my response was “Yes, and…” My dad is a business person and he explained, that if you are offered and opportunity and have ideas that will make that other person’s job easier or make a better outcome for the other person, then offer it. Do not expect the interviewer, or host to have a complete plan for where the story or article, or interview is going and if you have an idea to make it better, say something.

From that point on, I have said “Yes, and…” to 99% of every thing that has come my way

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rileysrebuilds.myshopify.com/collections/all
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rileysrebuilds/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RileysRebuilds/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riley-schlick-2105a6260/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@rileysrebuilds435