Ryan Friedlinghaus Desires To Assist Younger Other people Be successful In The Auto Trade

Ryan Friedlinghaus is an entrepreneur, manufacturer, trainer and TV character.

He’s highest identified from his days at the hit MTV display, Pimp My Experience, and in addition for his unbelievable auto customization store, West Coast Customs.

He has acheieved large luck in his occupation however he began as only a child who used to be into automobiles.

His first undertaking used to be customizing his brown 1985 Mazda pickup truck. He did such an implausible activity on it, that it used to be featured in numerous automobile magazines.

Friedlinghaus mentioned, “I constructed my first mini truck in my storage when I used to be 14. We lived in a pleasing community and the neighbors have been complaining as a result of I used to be spraying primer within the driveway.”

He later borrowed $5,000 from his grandfather to open West Coast Customs.

He used just right out of date paintings of mouth advertising to develop his trade.

Shaquille O’Neal heard a couple of dually truck that Friedlinghaus did and sought after him to paintings on his Lincoln Navigator. That used to be the beginning of an extended courting.

Friedlinghaus mentioned, “Shaq used to be the primary large superstar shopper that allowed us to construct ridiculous issues that didn’t exist. We did his Navigator and 65 automobiles later we’re nonetheless pals. Our youngsters grew up in combination. And he nonetheless calls me, like, ‘We’ve were given to construct this.’ Now, he’s into boats that seem like automobiles. He’ll ship me hyperlinks and be like, ‘Construct me this sort of however a truck.’ And it’ll be a Mustang that you simply see out within the water.

And that used to be at all times the demanding situations with him. Like, ‘How can we do these items?’”

Across the time that he got to work with Shaq, he used to be approached concerning the TV display Pimp My Experience.

Friedlinghaus mentioned, “MTV wasn’t concerned to start with. A manufacturer got here to me and used to be like, ‘We now have an concept to shoot this pilot however we will be able to’t to find any place round the town that may do the whole lot beneath one roof. And we don’t have a large funds. And we don’t have a large number of time.’ So, I’m like, ‘Nice. They checked all of the fallacious bins.’

He mentioned, ‘Mainly, we need to do a automobile makeover display. To take an previous automobile and make it glance great. And we need to name it Pimp My Experience.’ And I laughed as a result of no person used to be going to shop for that display. Again then no person used to be the use of the phrase “pimp.” After which they sought after to peer if Shaq will be the host.

There used to be no means they may have the funds for Shaq however I used to be like, ‘What about my boy Xhibit? He’s my pal. He’s at all times on the store. He hangs out with us so much. He’s nice.’ And certain sufficient, we shot that pilot with him and the remainder is historical past.”

There have been no customization displays again then. This used to be lengthy earlier than Overhaulin’ or Orange County Choppers.

Friedlinghaus mentioned, “It would have long gone on ceaselessly. However for me, it used to be harmful my emblem. It helped to start with. However Pimp My Experience took over my store. It hit me on the SEMA display that yr. I’m strolling round and everybody saved announcing, ‘Please don’t pimp my journey.’ I sat again and considered it and we have been making those automobiles that the manufacturers sought after: Like placing a fish tank or a washing machine and dryer in a automobile. So, it in truth wasn’t on emblem. And that’s once I made up our minds to get out of it.”

He endured to develop his trade once a year however then the monetary disaster of 2007 got here.

It hit West Coast Customs onerous. Other people now not had massive sums of disposable source of revenue to spend on their automobiles.

So, Friedlinghaus did what any good entrepreneur would do: He pivoted.

He mentioned, “I considered manufacturers. Manufacturers wanted my assist. And they’ve cash. And they’ve advertising budgets. And so they don’t know what’s cool. I will be like a trainer to them. So, we got to work with large manufacturers and I’d pitch them those loopy concepts. And the entire room would have a look at me like I used to be nuts. However then we’d construct them they usually’d grow to be their greatest activations.”

In about six months he grew to become the trade round.

Friedlinghaus mentioned, “I don’t come from a wealthy circle of relatives. I don’t have a monetary backer. I don’t have financial institution traces of credit score. That is all me. I constructed all of this from the little amount of cash that I began with and simply grew it. There used to be no Plan B. You’ve simply were given to determine it out. And that’s what I’ve completed my whole occupation. There used to be no person else who used to be going to determine it out for me.”

The automobile trade has been excellent to him and now he needs to cross alongside his wisdom to the following era.

Careers within the auto {industry} are steadily appeared down upon however what humans fail to comprehend is that there are techs, upholsterers, frame store humans, and so forth. making six figures a yr.

He mentioned, “Considered one of my passions is bringing early life into this {industry}. It’s so wanted. Should you have a look at colleges now, there’s no picket store. There is not any auto store. There is not any younger ability in our {industry}. There are not any new youngsters who need to come into this {industry} and construct with their fingers. So, that’s my hobby. That’s what I’m taking a look to modify.”

He based the West Coast Customs Academy, which is designed to turn the early life {that a} occupation within the automobile {industry} is amusing and funky. And that you’ll additionally make a super residing in it.

Friedlinghaus mentioned, “We partnered with the Burbank Unified College District to roll this right into a full- time faculty program subsequent yr. We’re taking a look to tackle 50-100 youngsters. At the moment, we’re within the incubator degree. We would have liked to start out small. We pulled in youngsters from the Burbank College District who have been about to graduate or simply graduated. It makes me so glad to assist those youngsters.

I noticed them spray primer remaining week and I sat them down and advised them how proud I used to be of them. After which I advised them that in the event that they completed the truck on time, that I used to be going to take them, and the truck, to SEMA this yr. And their mouths all dropped open. They couldn’t consider it! However I’m best doing it in the event that they hit their time limit.”

As a result of Ryan Friedlinghaus at all times hits his time limits. And now his scholars will too.