She answered the phone with a smile. Sitting in our old paint-faded Corolla with my little boy in the back seat, the increasing vibration was really stressing me. The calm voice at the other end reassured me that Andrew had plans to sort it out. It’s not often I get stressed about the vehicles I drive because, after all, I am a mechanic’s wife, but cars need what cars need. Mechanic’s cars are no more immune to needing eventual repairs and maintenance and repairs than a hairdresser needs a haircut.
Over the past couple months Andrew and I have had a stretch of maintenance and repairs due on our vehicles. It may be a tad easier for us sometimes because of our business, but it’s still an investment in time and money to keep our vehicles in a safe and reliable condition. We still have to be intentional about caring for our cars.
That calming voice on the other end of the phone knows how it is. Victoria’s grandfather and father are both mechanics and she grew up around their auto repair shop in Olathe, Kansas – between Lawrence and Kansas City. We first met her when she brought her Grand Am to us with some frustrating symptoms. It was an involved process but we must have done something right because a few months later she trusted us enough to come back when she experienced a tire issue. During that visit she waited in the office for a little while, engaged with our three-year-old and shared some of her passions with me. At the end of the visit we mentioned that if she knew anyone, we were hiring. I also happen to mention that if she was interested herself <wink, wink>, we’d be happy to talk with her about it.
She was a fit! Now if you need a reminder that your vehicle isn’t going to crumble underneath you (it really won’t!) and that we’re going to help you make the right decisions for you and your family, Victoria will be here to walk you through that process. She’s earned her Associates in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Valencia College and is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in business from UCF. She aspires to using her education, skills, and giftings to serve and help others.
I think that one reason she fits in so well is that, similar to Andrew – the oldest of five kids and homeschooled – Victoria was also homeschooled with three older siblings. They were both very intentionally taught the value of problem solving and hard work from a young age. We can see that work ethic in how she’s jumped into her role, is absorbing everything we’re teaching her, and decidedly stepping outside of her comfort zone in areas where she’s gaining new experience.
The daughter of a nurse and a mechanic, a close knit family that spreads across multiple generations, a children’s theater actress at her church, a love of dancing, and her weekend job of modelling wedding dresses (Yes, that’s right. She’s a model. Of wedding dresses. Any young men out there? 😉 ), she can find a way to connect to just about anyone. She has a knack for helping people feel at ease when they walk through the front door or reach out by phone, text, and email. She’s well-rounded, bright, warm, and friendly, and we’re feeling very fortunate!
If you’ve become a friend of the Marinelli’s, you may be wondering what’s happening to me, the Mechanic’s Wife. Well, I’ve never really felt completely at home in the client service’s position and always hoped that we’d find just the right person to take on that side of things. I’m most passionate about and feel most equipped for marketing, communication, community engagement, and staff care.
Beyond that, Andrew and I have a sweet and very intelligent little boy who needs more time with his mom and dad. He needs a mom who can stay home with him when he’s sick and give him a daily routine that’s more suited to a young boy. Victoria being on board is allowing that to happen. She’s just the beginning of some very exciting changes for us, which I’ll be sharing with you soon!
Marinelli Auto Service is an auto repair shop in Winter Park, Florida. We’ve been serving Central Florida since 2015. We provide maintenance and repairs for a variety of makes and models.
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