Ashley Butler, the franchisor of Ice Cold Air Discount Auto Repair in Tampa, Florida, is deeply committed to improving her community, whether it involves assisting franchisees in achieving their entrepreneurial aspirations, contributing to charitable causes, or enlightening students about the potential of careers in blue-collar fields. Central to Butler’s approach to empowering others is her emphasis on education.
Butler believes that the automotive industry must enhance its outreach efforts to engage students from middle school onwards, enlightening them about the viability and rewards of pursuing a career as a technician. She highlights the success stories of many technicians within her network, who initially earned $15 per hour but progressed to six-figure incomes within four to five years. While Butler values higher education and serves on boards at institutions like USF, she also advocates for showcasing alternative paths to success for students. She believes that reintroducing shop classes in schools is essential, but stresses the need for equipment manufacturers to contribute by supplying tools and resources to facilitate hands-on learning experiences.
In this interview, you’ll learn about Butler’s views on how technology is changing the automotive repair industry, how to present auto repair as a desirable career for young people, The Right to Repair, The technician shortage and the need for mentorship and more.
