Inspiration

By Bob Cox

Am I the only person that sometimes feels like I’m on auto pilot, trudging through menial tasks that seem to spill over from one day to the next like a conveyor belt in an old factory? Over time, I have become a man of many rituals and far too many are rediculous. The newest one is making sure that the bills in my wallet face in the same direction and must be in ascending order. Stop the madness!

Fortunately, not all of my rituals are that trivial as I've recently recommitted myself to habitually doing the one thing that helps me snap out of “skyway hypnosis” and get back behind the wheel of life: searching for new stories that are truly inspiring. Inspiration can come from anywhere at any time and from anybody, including the kid you knew or thought you knew that decided to throw caution to the wind and go into business for himself.

When I first met Robert Ballard nearly a decade ago, he had just become the proud new owner of Muffler’s USA in Rancho Cordova. I thought he was still a kid. Isn't it funny how the older we get, the older other people get but we still see them as kids? The other day in our park, a mother who lives with her 70 year old daughter was asked about her daughter’s rocky relationship with her older boyfriend. The mother answered, “I don’t care what those kids do as long as it doesn't interfere with my life!

Nevertheless, Robert grew up around cars, watching his father tinker with them for hours at a time. He shared that he was never great in school, but instead of pouting over what he didn't excel at, Robert chose to go after something he had a passion and talent for, the automotive industry. After finishing high school, Ballard went to trade school for three years, earned a welding certificate and worked in the welding industry for another three years when tragedy threw a wrench into his life.

One day, while driving in his beautifully restored 1972 Olds Cutlass, he got rear-ended by a drunk driver. A week later, he received a modest settlement and made a life changing decision. “Even though I liked my work as a welder, it was hard to deal with the boss at times, so I quit my job and I bought that shop (Muffler’s USA). From there it's history… I didn't even know what I was doing at the time but I made it work. I knew how to do the work, but running the business was something I had to learn the hard way”, laughed Robert!

Robert could've stayed in his comfort zone, doing work he loved in his small shop, but there was one unmet desire he wanted to achieve during his lifetime: to own and operate a full service automotive repair facility with his long-time friend Mike Velasquez. Mike called him one day last year and let him know he was ready to make their childhood dream come true. With several years under his belt working as a certified auto repair technician for a local dealership, Mike’s experience, combined with Robert’s talents with the torch have helped them achieve success in their newest venture: Automotive USA in Carmichael, CA.

The next time your looking for inspiration or you just need to fix a blown head gasket or an exhaust leak in your vehicle, don’t dispair. Stop by Automotive USA and tell those “kids” that Bob sent you!