Brand Partner Content
Jason Girdner: Self Made Salesman and Software Developer. Scarlet Mick: Woman with History Out to Make History. Each came from a troubled upbringing, then struggled through tough times together as a couple, ultimately building and launching TECOBI: The automotive sales software that provides a solution for lead generation and follow-up.
Girdner is the backbone of TECOBI, while Scarlet Mick is the glue that holds it all together. Here, we break down how this romantic team came to be and what TECOBI is all about.
Software Salesman
Girdner was a high school dropout who thought he knew better than anyone else how to run his own life.
“I made a lot of mistakes, but if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be where I am now,” Girdner said. “I learned everything I used to build TECOBI through trial and error. I’m so grateful to my wife and friend Ryan Flores, our CTO, for sticking with me to the other side of it all.”
Girdner wears two hats, as he has for most of his life. Currently, his head-adornments are Salesman and Software Developer. Girdner tells us that he has a separate personality for each that he can tap into depending on what sector he’s working in.
“I can be the software geek or bubbly salesman for a week,” he joked. “When I’m working with Ryan on IT development, I am a total hermit, barely shave, and just stick my nose to the grindstone. I become quite the introvert. But when I’m in sales mode, I turn on and light up, look the part, and act the part too. It took a lot of practice to be able to do both, but I feel it’s a skill many can master as long as they keep at it.”
Woman on a Mission
Girdner and Mick both have heart, and Mick’s is the kind that sticks out like a fairytale heroine. Her relationship began with Girdner through a mutual friend when he was going through a tough time. She has stuck by him ever since, and this power couple’s energy is brilliantly apparent.
Mick’s story began much like Girdner’s, with different peaks and valleys. Private and hardworking, she put herself through school while single-mothering her children and was a surgical tech for 13 years before meeting Girdner.
“I jump in and save the day,” Mick explained. “I jump in, figure things out, and make the best of situations. This business’ growth was a lot to take in; we both had really bad experiences growing up and to be where we are today is unheard of for people like us. But just because we came from a bad place doesn’t mean we have to end up there. It’s impressive what we’ve been able to do, and we still feel like we don’t really deserve it.”
Mick is bright, and she knows her husband is wise, too. Their secret sauce is trust in each other and willingness to keep working towards a shared dream.
Jumping In: TECOBI
When Girdner started TECOBI, it wasn’t his first entrepreneurial rodeo. He tried and failed, as most do, to start a business and make his fortune — many times coming quite close to grand success before the fall.
TECOBI started with just Girdner texting leads on behalf of his automotive dealership clients. When the volume became overwhelming, Mick jumped in — as she invariably does — and helped with the work, having no previous experience.
“She caught on fast,” Girdner says. “I am so proud of her for getting in there and helping me when I needed her. She’s phenomenal at learning on the fly.”
When the volume became overwhelming for the two of them, Girdner decided to reach out to Ryan, his former colleague with a background in web development. The two created the software that TECOBI is today, and it is now the leading automotive sales software in the industry, winning the 2017 AWA Award and serving thousands of clients.
“TECOBI is an amalgamation of the grit Mick and I have,” said Girdner. “It’s the product of continuing to try even when life kicks you down. Even though my clients are successful companies, that’s what I want our readers to know: There is a place for you in the world. You have to keep fighting to get there.”
Indeed an underdog team to be cheered on; we can’t wait to see where their road of newfound success takes this power couple next.
About TECOBI
Jason Girdner and Scarlet Mick are the Founders of TECOBI, an advanced communication and advertising solution for SMS and text conversations for the automotive industry. TECOBI has served thousands of automotive companies through its industry-changing software. To learn more, please visit www.tecobi.com
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