Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Talena Handley. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Talena thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

Girlie Garage’s mission is to make women safer and more confident on the road. We do that by educating and consulting them on their personal vehicles so they don’t get taken advantage of at auto shops. The confidence that stems from understanding the machines we climb into everyday is contagious and begins to overlap into other aspects of life. That confidence, combined with actually having your vehicle serviced correctly, means that the vehicle is safer, and the person behind the wheel is safer.

In the middle of Covid, my friend Marieanne called me because she had just gotten her oil changed on her Chevy Traverse and they told her that her brakes were metal-to-metal and she needed spark plugs. They quoted her $2500. I asked her if the brakes were making noise and she said “no” (which means they weren’t metal-to-metal). She told me that they made it sound very scary and she used that vehicle to carry her kids, so I checked them for her. She was about 3 months from needing brakes pads so we replaced all 4, and did her spark plugs for less than $300. I realized I needed to be using my skills to help people and that there is still a rampant problem in the automotive industry. This type of problem creates a ton of anxiety around visiting mechanics. I want Girlie Garage to help overcome that anxiety and instead create confidence and spread knowledge.

Talena, 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 grew up in an agricultural town in Northern California. Both my parents ride motorcycles and my grandpa restored Model-T’s and Kharmann Ghia’s. I always had a love for puzzles and knowing how things worked. I really like taking things apart, even if I couldn’t always put them back together.

When my first car was stolen from me and recovered, I didn’t trust anyone to help me put it back together, so I put myself through automotive school at my local community college. My Associates in Science in automotive allowed me to work in racing, as well as for major companies like Porsche.

Since Girlie Garage’s inception during Covid, it has since evolved. All services are available both in-person and virtually. We do still offer second opinions on automotive repair quotes, which on average, saves people about $700 in 20 minutes. We also offer a 1:1 info session with your personal vehicle in order to gain knowledge and resources that can be used for the rest of your life driving and owning vehicles.

It is unique to be a woman in a male-dominated industry, and I would say that the level of care combined with brutal honesty/transparency is the real differentiator.

We are most proud that after 2 years we are still reaching new people to help, every single day. The Girlie Garage YouTube and Instagram platforms provide a much further reach to hundreds of thousands, inspiring others to pursue their passions as well as teaching those who may be more vulnerable to use the free resources available to them.

It’s Girlie Garage’s mission to make women safer and more confident on the road.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Honesty, being blunt, and actually caring. When it comes to cars, ignorance is not bliss. It helps to know enough to be able to understand what the “experts” are saying, or at least to have the resources to decipher what they are saying. Personally, I love learning. Knowledge is something that no one can take away from you. I feel like the people who want to work with Girlie Garage, are the ones who want to better themselves by learning something about the machine that they climb into every day.

It might sound funny, but we care about happy customers AND happy cars. When a car is well-maintained, it runs more efficiently and is better for the environment. I usually ask people if they have a name for their vehicle.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Instagram and YouTube. A picture is worth a thousand words and the people that work with Girlie Garage get excited and want to share their new found confidence and knowledge. This is contagious and is easily shared across picture and video platforms.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.girliegarage.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girliegarage/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GirlieGarage1/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/girlie-garage
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/girliegarage

Image Credits
Troels Graugaard