Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Iman & Daniel Ikeda-Bibi. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Iman & Daniel , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

It’s 2020 and COVID smacks the world in the face. It’s everywhere. There are shutdowns, angry and sick people, lots of questions, and nothing to prepare us for what’s to come. I had just been laid of my job and I’m sitting there applying for jobs (for the too many-th time) and my heart’s just not in it. This time felt different. I just couldn’t stand the thought of being another executer in someone else’s dream. Danny had been feeling it too. It was unprecedented times so we decided to make an unprecedented decision for our future. It was time. It was time to risk it all, take that huge leap and hope we landed right in the dream. It was scary and exciting, we regret nothing!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

There’s two of us so let’s switch to 3rd person for clarity.

Iman Ikeda-Bibi
Iman was a born dreamer. Even when a college counselor laughed at her big dreams and told her to come back to reality, she kept her head in the clouds. “It’s a better view from up here.” With a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from CSULB and a minor in Communications, Iman decided to switch lanes and built a career in Marketing. Working for various industries including a law firm, a real estate tech company, and a marketing firm, she’d seen everything from start ups to established businesses.

Daniel (Danny) Ikeda-Bibi
Danny has over ten years of professional experience in the automotive industry. His strong, mechanical foundation was built through a mentor who has thrived in the business for over 40 years. But it’s more than just the experience that sets him apart. Specializing in suspension is all about finding a solution to a problem by thinking outside of the box. That’s where he gets to show his creativity. After managing two shops, Danny was ready to become a primary decision maker and do it better.

Pairing Danny and Iman’s strengths and their different but complimenting experiences and views was magic. It’s one of the best things about Gear Up Tires, we can really connect with the car fanatics and the people who have zero knowledge. We know getting auto work can be intimidating. And that’s exactly why we built Gear Up Tires. We want you to have a place where you feel comfortable bringing your car, whether you’re in need of new tires or want some custom work done.

How’d you meet your business partner?

We did what a lot of people say not to do…start a business with your significant other. Danny & Iman met back in 2010 with zero indication that 10 years later they’d be starting Gear Up Tires. We were a couple of kids with some focus but no clear vision.

Iman had just moved to the San Luis Obispo area for school and Danny was from that area. They met at a local pizza place where Iman was hired to answer phones and Danny was a delivery driver. They both instantly caught the other’s eye. For the sake of saving you all from a rom-com story, let’s fast forward to COVID.

We’re engaged, had just purchased our first home and felt like we needed a little more in life… We’re both big dreamers, which can be scary since there’s not always someone to reel the other in, but it’s THRILLING. We knew it was a risky time to start a business, but the biggest risks are the ones we don’t take— they go on to haunt our dreams forever. So we went for it and there’s only looking forward from here!

Is it hard to work with your spouse? You bet! But we take it day-by-day and the lessons are plenty for those willing to learn.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Iman had worked on several social media accounts throughout her career, some she started, some where she joined the team later. Regardless, she never had the ability to make all the decisions. Even when she thought she knew best, the final decision always came down to the business owner.

There are no clear rules for success in social media. Anyone can claim to be an expert and sell you their recipe, but the reality is that every industry is different. No formula can be copy pasted throughout every industry and guarantee your success. So when starting Gear Up Tires, Iman was excited for the opportunity to see what she could do as a primary decision maker. With 18K followers on Instagram and 31K on Facebook, I think it’s fair to say something is working!

Our advice for those just starting to build a social media presence is get to know your industry. Ignore the experts and their plug-in formulas and find for yourself what people are responding to. You don’t have to have the best camera equipment or the greatest knowledge of editing. All you need is passion. People will love it!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gearuptires.com
• Instagram: @gearuptires
• Facebook: @gearuptires
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/gear-up-tires-huntington-beach