Today we’d like to introduce you to Farhat Elayyan.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My story starts off in August of 2009, I was attending a local college pursuing a career in Optometry, but life threw a curveball. A motorcycle accident, I was struck by a red light runner at a busy intersection. The injuries sustained from my accident forced me to drop out of college. Every time I would sign up for a new semester, I would get called in for another surgery. During this period of time, I wasn’t able to do much, a shattered pelvis amongst other injuries kept me from walking. Fortunately, I come from a family of shop owners, and they took me in, I helped with whatever I could. My father owned a shop at the time but was not doing well, I saw an opportunity. So I took all my savings and invested it into the business and grew from there. Everything I’ve learned thus far has been self-taught. I’ve learned that all people want is honesty, I’m an open book shop. Here at Advance we’ve broken away from the stigma of “we are the professionals, so trust us”. We take the time to help our customers understand what they need to fix and why it needs to be fixed. I challenge myself everyday from working on Hondas to taking on Lamborghinis and much more complicated cars. I have learned to love what I do. I wake up excited and ready to take on any challenge, though there are stressful days, it’s still all worth it. My misfortune has turned into my success story and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It hasn’t been easy by far. Building a name for myself and a customer base that will trust in my decisions took over 4 years!!! I don’t advertise much so most of my business is through word of mouth.
Advance Automotive Complete Auto Repair – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I do all the diagnostics. People don’t come because I am the cheapest, people come because they know their vehicle is getting fixed right the first time around. No cutting corners. I am most proud because I’m able to do things other shops can’t, and have so much experience, most people can explain their problems and I know what’s wrong before they get to my shop. What sets me apart is I give my customers options. I explain things in detail so my customers can make conscious decisions that will fit their budget and provide a reliable vehicle. Most people feel trapped when they go in for an oil change and other shops will scare them into thinking they need a million things. That’s not us. I allow customers to provide their own parts to work with in their budget. This is a business that that isn’t always about the money and I feel that’s what sets us apart. But there is definitely a sense of pride when cars roll out of our shop that other shops couldn’t resolve. As a company, I am most proud of how far it has come and seeing my hard work pay off.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
To me success is hard work, dedication, and the will to never give up. Success to me is being the best at what you do, there is no “I can’t” in success. The markers I look for is drive, not quitting and even after accomplishing something perfecting it. Avoiding mediocracy.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4403 Hwy 6 North
- Website: WWW.ADVANCEAUTOCAR.COM
- Phone: 281-463-9881
- Email: advanceauto4403@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/advanceautomotivehouston/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/advance-automotive-complete-auto-repair-houston
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
