We were lucky to catch up with Shahe Koulloukian recently and have shared our conversation below.
Shahe, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
Mazvo Car Care Center was founded to give a level of personal care that no other auto repair business could match. With 38 years of automotive experience, my objective was and continues to be to establish solid client relationships through one-on-one attention and communication. My desire to educate customers is what drives me to provide them with the information they need to grasp the foundations of car ownership. Customers will be able to make the best selection for their current car care needs armed with this knowledge. Mechanics have never had a good reputation for being a trustworthy profession, but it’s been my personal mission to change that. And, for the past two decades, I’ve conducted my business based on empathy rather than profit: this is the essential difference that sets Mazvo Car Care Center apart from the competitors. Rather than the predatorial mechanistic clichés, I consider myself as a consumer advocate. The simple part is fixing cars. The reward comes from empowering clients with knowledge and seeing their delight. My first obligation to all of my clients is to influence them to think rationally rather than emotionally. I’m inspired by empowerment talks at community and state schools around the United States, and I host annual automobile care clinics for women to assist them overcome their phobia of automotive knowledge. Who am I to censure or pass judgment? I simply want to be the voice that leads the consumer to be their own first line of defense. If a customer does not feel in control, they will be swayed by the words of whoever is in command. The tongue, after all, has no bone and has no memory, so it will twirl any meaningless junk. As a result, you may be taken advantage of or, worse, a victim. Not only do I want to repair automobiles, but I also want to fix the auto repair industry. My job as a truth advocate is to wake up the consumer. Understanding cars is difficult, therefore it’s important to start with the basics so you can learn to ask the correct questions and make rational decisions rather than emotional ones. It is your behavior, not your feelings, that you have control over. So, absolutely! I enjoy making my small part of the globe a better place. What I Do I Enjoy!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I began working in the car industry at the age of 13 for my uncle in Philadelphia. My epiphany came when my uncle forced me to —(didn’t ask) get into a tow truck in the middle of a February snowstorm and travel down 2 miles to see why a client was stuck on the side of the road? My feet could barely touch the pedals, despite the fact that I’m only 13 years old. But those were simpler times, when determination and respect meant something! Basically, I drove this hunk of metal tow truck about 2 miles after my uncle handed me two phone books and a pillow behind my back and saw the client on the side of the road. Let me tell you, the drive wasn’t the most terrifying aspect for me; it was the 2 inch snowflakes falling from the sky, obstructing my view. When I arrived at the scene, the customer (probably in his late 30s) gave me a quick glance and said, “How old are you?” (I could only imagine what he was thinking) After the first uncertainty, I saw that his vehicle would crank over but not start, and this was back when carbureted vehicles were popular. Knowing that moisture is a typical problem (having seen my uncle do it numerous times), I proceeded to spray his carburetor with a cleaner, and presto, it started! This was thrilling for me on many levels, but the customer’s face of bewilderment as to how this 13-year-old achieved it was priceless. Well, I understood in my heart that just because you buy a car and drive it doesn’t imply you know everything there is to know about it. That’s when I realized I needed to educate first before I could restore anything. The rest is history.. It’s no secret how I manage my business; I’m not attempting to be elitist or exclusive. It all boils down to making an effort to do the same thing every day without deviating from the path because I am passionate about what I do. Either you accept it or you do not. Many customers just do not want to hear the truth because it contradicts what they already believe to be true but are unwilling to accept. Except for the truth, it is the only complaint I ever get. It’s never about the cost, mistrust or knowledge. I’m fortunate to be able to give empowerment talks at community and state universities around the United States, as well as host annual automobile care clinics for women to assist them overcome their phobias of automotive expertise. I’m also a regular automotive spokesman on AZTV7 with Pat McMahon and Brad Perry, as well as a regular guest on the Emmy award-winning syndicated TV show THE LIST, where I advocate for the truth. I’ve been nominated for the BBB Torch Awards for Ethics and have received numerous service excellence certifications from various dealerships during my career. With all of my trips across the world, I am truly privileged beyond measure to have the ability to care about others. I was born into an Armenian family, have lived on three continents, and am multilingual in six languages.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
My father was a cobbler by trade, and he established factories all around the world to manufacture women’s shoes, always ensuring that his family was close by. We never knew how long we would be in a new nation, so making friends would be tough. I knew I would always be the new child, so I avoided getting too close to friends at first since I knew I may leave at any time. This experience taught me one thing: everyone is first and foremost a human being with the same values, goals, and desires. The only difference is how your family raises you—(the fruit does not fall far from the tree) My father gave me many wonderful pieces of advice, but the best one for me was “Listen to every voice and shake every hand because when you do that, you unconsciously implant a piece of that person into you and as you grow, it envelopes into your personality and you end up being a unique person that cannot be duplicated.” I’ve evolved into the person I’m most at ease with. It’s simple to express gratitude as a business owner. It’s difficult to say thank you and even more difficult to live thank you. Thank you is giving back and being of genuine service, not just spouting a thank you for nothing. To be a consummate professional, you must focus on developing a valued relationship built on trust rather than chasing the bottom line. You must not allow yourself to skip steps or do things half-heartedly; instead, you must approach each day as if it were your first grand opening day, full of ardent drive and enthusiasm.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Every day, I exchange education with everyone I talk with, and with that comes my highest accolades from all of our clients’ family and friends. I’ve always joked that one day I’ll hold a big thank you gala for all of my clients and witness everyone’s incredible relationships. I am a business entrepreneur who is focused on human resources. My business is built on my trusted family, who are not related to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mazvo.co
- Instagram: mazvocarcare
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063967593785
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahe-koulloukian-a669bbb/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mazvoautorepair
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mazvo+auto+repair
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mazvo-phoenix