Lynnetta Rogers, Owner of 2nd-to-None Service – SUCCESS STORY!

Astonishingly, many women in general have a hard time talking about their successes, especially in the auto industry. I am no different. Maybe it’s because the auto industry seems like such a male-dominated field. However, every year I witness the numbers of women in this profession grow. We shouldn’t stay silent any longer about how this industry offers limitless opportunities for women! The money is great, the schedule can be flexible, and every day is different and stimulating, as well as extremely rewarding.

If my story can inspire more women to become a part of this billion-dollar industry, then I am honored to share my experiences. My name is Lynnetta Rogers and I am a success story in the Automotive/Diesel Repair industry.

My Role in the Automotive Industry

Currently I own two thriving diesel and auto repair shops in New Mexico, even though my state is troubled by economic challenges. In my opinion, one of the main reasons we stay successful is because we promote and hire women at our shop. And why wouldn’t we? Our female customers like to work with women and they feel comfortable around women. Our male customers like working with them just as much. But back when I first started my profession, this wasn’t always the case. I definitely felt the gender stigma. But times are changing for the better. More women are making the decisions about their vehicles. More women are driving the big semi-trucks or becoming owner/operators. This really is an amazing time for women to join this industry.

For those of you who haven’t met me, I do not look like the stereotypical woman who would work in this industry – and there most certainly is a stereotype! I am a small, petite woman who dresses very professionally and is not drenched in grease every day. I am not a mechanic; however, my role at the shop is just as important, if not more so at times. I am the oil that keeps everything running smoothly. I am a ‘numbers’ kind of girl & the numbers in this industry just make sense. No matter how bad the economy gets, people still need a reliable vehicle to get to and from work. That’s why the auto repair industry offers such great job security. If run right, an auto repair shop could be a very profitable business to own. This is where Management Success! made a difference in my life. They helped mold an already ambitious business owner into a very successful ambitious business owner, and trust me, my size or lack thereof has not affected me at all!

My Early Background

As a young girl, I didn’t dream of working in this industry. I guess I had always thought I’d end up as a doctor or a lawyer because my schooling taught me to believe that those were the only credible professions. Thinking back on it now, I can almost laugh, because I never would have been happy doing those things, not when the automotive industry had always been a part of my life because my dad. I used to follow him around everywhere and I was always interested in what he was doing. Some of my earliest memories involve tinkering around in his old garage and riding along with him in the tractor, backhoe, or truck. I was a curious child as well, asking questions like, “what does that lever do?” or, “can I try that, dad?” When I got a little older, I knew my way well enough around the garage to start helping out and handing him tools he needed, like a 5/16” wrench or a ¾” deep impact socket. I was always happy to help him and the inside of his tool box became comfortable to me, his garage like a second home. As a little girl, I didn’t want to be inside baking or cleaning, not when dad was outside teaching me new and exciting things.

In high school, I studied very hard and went off to college with a scholarship studying micro-biology and physics. But college did not hold my interest for very long and I became bored with the monotonous class schedule. I didn’t want to become a doctor or a lawyer, or even a scientist. In fact, at that point in my life, I saw that I didn’t really need a formal college education to make good money in this world as long as I had the motivation, a good head on my shoulders, and a tolerance for getting a little dirty.

My Entry into the Automotive Industry

College isn’t for everyone and it just didn’t push me or reward me in the same way as working as a receptionist at my Uncle’s gravel yard did during summer vacation. One day when all the guys were out at lunch, a customer came in looking for a load of gravel. Instead of telling him he had to wait, I took the initiative and never thought twice about getting on the loader and loading that customer up with his gravel. So here I was, a 5’2”, 98-lb. girl, operating heavy machinery, shocking this poor man senseless. The man was so impressed with what I did he kept coming back even when he didn’t need gravel just to watch me use that loader. I loved that feeling of accomplishment & showing others I could do it even though I wasn’t a man. I loved the heavy machinery and the hands-on work. I never looked back after that and my job title steadily rose from simply being a receptionist. I had finally found my passion. Later on, I worked as a bookkeeper for a local truck stop in my area and was quickly promoted to manager.

Starting My Own Shop

This is the part of the story where I introduce you to my husband, David, who had been working as a lead tech at a dealership in Albuquerque. He also had big dreams, motivation, and a good head on his shoulders. But because he was so valuable on the floor at the dealership, he was continuously passed up for management opportunities. They didn’t want to lose him, so they held him back. Their mistake was our ticket to business ownership. Together we built 2^nd-to-None Service, a diesel repair shop in our local town of Moriarty, in 2007. It was a huge leap of faith and it wasn’t easy, but with his super tech skills and my bookkeeping abilities, we knew we had to try. We wanted to have something of our own, something worth the sweat and blood. On our journey to running a stable and profitable shop, we wouldn’t have been as successful without the help of Management Success! They gave us the training, knowledge, and tools to be where we are today. Currently we have two locations, with more planned for the future. Our dream of owning a shop, along with spending more time with our children, is now a reality.

What the Automotive Industry Offers Women

In conclusion, this industry needs women! The possibilities are endless, the money is excellent, and the schedule can be flexible if you have kids at home. There is never a dull day at the shop – every customer, vehicle, and issue is different. Learning how to excel in this career path is no different from succeeding in any other as long as you have motivation, sound judgment, and have no fear of getting a little dirty.

Whether you love dealing with people as a Service Writer, enjoy creating marketing pieces, are adept at numbers and finances, excel at managing businesses, or like being creative and fixing things with your hands as a technician, the automotive industry has it all. When people ask me why a woman would want to be in this industry, my answer is always, “WHY NOT?” Let’s create your own success story!