Despite a self-professed “late start” to a career in the automotive industry, Faye Hadley has turned her life-long love of mechanics into a successful career. We spoke with Faye to hear about her journey and how her gender has provided unique opportunities in a male-dominated industry.
Meet Faye Hadley
Faye has always been a car enthusiast. She has loved cars from a young age, and in her own words, says, “If you asked my mother, she would tell you I came out of the womb loving cars, going fast, and really —I loved anything with wheels.”
At her father’s encouragement, Faye went to Harvard University and earned a degree in Psychology. She worked as a therapist full time but apprenticed after hours with a mechanic in Providence, Rhode Island, to learn the trade and work with her hands. She later went to a community college, where she completed several mechanic classes.
After years of apprenticeship and working evenings to hone her skills, she took the leap and became a full-time mechanic. She worked for a Toyota dealership and later a popular independent shop. Now an ASE-Certified Master Automobile Technician and proud owner of Pistons & PixieDust, (a repair business in San Antonio, Texas), Faye has become an expert and educator in the field. She is also the co-founder of Women and Machine, a trade program for female empowerment. Faye also co-hosts MotorTrend’s All Girls Garage.
Faye’s greatest achievement was having the courage to begin. She had a degree from a four-year university and a high-paying job in her field, but she wasn’t happy with her work. She walked away and started fresh, taking a huge risk in the process.
Defying the Odds
Statistically, it is a male-dominated industry. She has done well for herself, despite the odds. She’s dedicated part of her career to creating women-focused trade assistance to help others follow her example. We asked her how it felt to be a woman in the automotive industry, and her answer was as unique as she is.
“I know this isn’t the ‘popular’ answer or what folks want to hear,” she told us, “but it feels like being a mechanic. It’s honestly not something I think about. I’m lucky I haven’t run into any of the issues with which I have heard other women express frustrations. Don’t get me wrong, I did have issues getting my first job in the industry, but that could have also been because I hadno formal automotive schooling or experience on my resume.”
Faye has faced skeptical customers and coworkers, but their doubt quickly disappears once they see her at work. That, she says, is how she has built her reputation. She’s been lucky enough to surround herself with respectful coworkers who treat her the same way they treat their male colleagues.
According to her, the only adversity, negativity, or doubt she has received has come from people on the internet who have never met her or seen her work in real life. She doesn’t pay them any mind, because to her, they have no real-life assessment on which to base their assumptions.“For me personally,” Faye told us, “being a woman in this industry has opened more doors for me than it has closed.”
Toyota Specialist / Supra Enthusiast
“I knew that I wanted to specialize in something so that I could have the opportunity to learn it well, as opposed to being a more general technician who knows a little about everything. I wanted to choose a brand that I could stand behind: known for longevity durability, but was also cutting-edge with technology and made rad products.
“I feel like Toyota embodies all of those goals perfectly. We all have a story of a Toyota in our lives —whether it’s our car or a friend or family member —with exceptionally high mileage that seems never to quit. Toyota was the first large manufacturer to make a name for themselves, dominating the hybrid, electric, and alternative fuels vehicle space.”
In addition to Toyota vehicles, Pistons & PixieDust works with other car manufacturers. The team at Pistons & PixieDust keeps things interesting by working on projects that range from a brand new Tesla to a ‘40s Oldsmobile, a Corvair, and a McLaren.
Advice for Young Woman in the Automotive Profession
“Everyone would be doing it if this job was easy. The main difference that I have seen between women and men who are just starting is where they place the blame when things get tough. Women tend to place the blame internally, whereas men place the blame externally.
“If a job is incredibly challenging, I will hear women blame themselves and wonder what is wrong with them. When men find a job challenging, they blame the vehicle or the job itself: ‘I’m not capable,’ or, ‘I’m not cut out for this,’ versus, ‘This car is dumb!’ or ‘This job sucks!’
“This is by no means universal. Still, I have noticed it’s a trend, so I always encourage young women to remember that this job is hard. Challenges will continually come at you for your entire career, so when the going gets tough, don’t take it personally. That car probably really is dumb and that job probably really freaking sucks.”
Faye Hadley's YouTube Channel
“When I left the dealership to go to an independent shop, I found myself working on a whole slew of new vehicles I had never touched before. I relied heavily on YouTube to learn tricks of the trade that I couldn’t possibly get from a quick scan through ALLDATA or Identifix —and many vehicles at that shop were too old to even have information in either of those databases anyway.
“It was helpful to skim through a YouTube video and get an idea of what the job would require. And because I gained so much from the YouTube community, I decided I wanted to give back.”
Her first video taught viewers how to locate the battery on a Smart car. The video went viral, and people in the comment section were grateful for the help. “It made me feel good to know that by sharing a little bit of knowledge, I was making someone’s day easier.”
Video: Faye demonstrating how to your our Capri Tools Torque Sticks
