147: Dave Carapetyan of Rally Ready Driving School wants to teach everybody how to drive a rally car!
Release Date: 08/27/2018
213 - Manufacturing Systems for Small Shops with Richard Fielder
DO IT FOR A LIVING
In this episode, Kevin and co-host Richard Fielder break down the manufacturing systems used by large-scale factories and show you how to implement them in your small shop. Richard is a controls engineer at Peterbilt where he works with the systems that manufacture semi trucks at scale, and he brings that expertise to help small fabricators, tuners, and parts manufacturers work smarter. Whether you're making one-off custom parts or producing small batches, these principles will make you faster, more consistent, and more profitable. We cover 5S for organizing your workspace, shadow boards for...
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212 - Pablo and Alejandro Moreno Update us about Tandem Offroad
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In this episode of Do It For a Living, we sit down for a followup with brothers Alejandro and Pablo Moreno, co-owners of Tandem Offroad. Their shop specializes in off-road truck builds and general maintenance, serving customers who demand both performance upgrades and reliable day-to-day service. The brothers share their journey of building a business together, the challenges of manufacturing their own products, and how they've grown their customer base in a competitive market. One of the biggest challenges they faced was manufacturing their own products without properly understanding their...
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211 - Zach Denney of ECU Master USA returns
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In this episode of Do It For a Living, we welcome back Zach Denney for a follow-up to his first appearance on episode 083. Back then, Zach was running Wholesale POwer (WHP), the US distributor for ECU Master, as a one-man operation out of an 1,800 square foot facility, hoping to hire his first employee. Fast forward to today, and he's now importing several brands including ECU Master, Verkline, and Delta ABS, as well as manufacturing harnesses and components to compliment those product lines. Zach shares how he scaled from solo importer to running a full team, the challenges of navigating...
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210 - Emily and Zach from the 2025/26 UNT Formula SAE Team
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In this episode of Do It For a Living, we sit down with two students from the University of North Texas Formula SAE team. This marks our first video episode and a new format where we explore the next generation of motorsports talent. Emily Gooden is the Operations Manager and Zach Warren is the EV Powertrain Lead - both are seniors studying engineering at UNT. Kevin, who has an FSAE background, discusses what it takes to run a student racing team with Emily, and put Zach's powertrain work to the test in a "Shark Tank" style technical challenge. Emily shares how she discovered FSAE, worked...
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209 - Peter Agapoglou of Autosport Fabrication
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In this episode of Do It For a Living, I talk with Peter Aggapoglou, founder of Autosport Fabrication, about his deep roots in the motorsports industry. Before launching his own shop, Peter built his expertise working for several high-end European and race shops, honing his skills in fabrication, chassis setup, and race car development. Peter also shares his challenges and solutions to running a business that caters to exclusively race cars. We dive into: His journey through prestigious race and performance shops before going solo The turning point that led him to...
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208 - Joseph Potak with HP Cult
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In this episode of Do It For a Living, I sit down with Joseph Potak, host of the new HP Cult podcast. We talk about his journey in the high-performance world, including his history with Texas Speed and how he became an expert in LS engine building. Joseph shares insights from the several books he has written on building LS motors and swapping them into different vehicles, and what led him to start his own podcast. Along with the podcast, he has created a website to share his wealth of knowledge, and his desire to bring back automotive web forums. Whether you're an LS enthusiast or just love...
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207 - Adam Hammer of Hammer and Dolly Restorations
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In this episode of Do It For a Living, I sit down with Adam Hammer of Hammer and Dolly Restorations to explore his journey into the world of classic car restorations. Adam shares how he got started, the challenges of building his own business, and the processes he uses to manage complex, long-term projects. We dive into his approach to business management, car building, and project management—covering everything from billing and customer interactions to record-keeping for both him and his clients. If you’re involved in car restorations or any type of project that takes months or even years...
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206 - Brandon Piper of BSP Motorsports
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In this episode of Do It For a Living, we sit down with Brandon Piper from BSP Motorsports to hear his journey from supporting a Dodge Viper race team to building a thriving business. Brandon shares how creating and executing a solid plan enabled him to triple his business growth in just three years. But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing—Brandon opens up about the unexpected challenges of relocating his business and the hurdles he faced while developing a new facility. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, this episode is packed with valuable lessons on...
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205 - Sasha Anis of Mountain Pass Performance
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In this episode of Do It For a Living, we sit down with Sasha Anis, founder of Mountain Pass Performance, to discuss his journey in building a cutting-edge performance business. Sasha shares insights into starting and scaling Mountain Pass Performance, managing production and sales, and pushing the boundaries of innovation in motorsports. We dive into his experience building hybrid race cars and adapting Teslas for road racing, exploring the challenges and opportunities of electric and hybrid technology in competitive applications. Whether you're an EV enthusiast or a performance shop owner,...
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204 - Richard Fielder with Evolution Dynamics and Scaling your Business Discussion
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In this episode of the Do It For a Living Podcast, I’m excited to introduce a new voice to the podcast: my business partner at Evolution Dynamics, Richard Fielder. Richard will be joining us as a cohost for future episodes, where we’ll dive into the ins and outs of running a business. We start by getting to know Richard better as he shares his personal journey into the industry and the experiences that have shaped his perspective. After that, we’ll dig into a topic that’s critical for any performance shop owner: scaling. We’ll discuss scaling operations, staff, and customer...
info_outlineDave grew up in Austin and has lived there his whole life. During middle school, he played in a punk rock band (look up The Snobs – Schools Out, Let’s Skate) in the early 2000’s. They organized a tour on the east coast and recorded a couple 7” records. While touring and playing shows, he got turned on to street racing. Having no affinity to school, he dropped out of High School and decided he wanted to play music and race rally cars. After some coaxing, he convinced his dad to “invest” in an Integra Type R rally car.
Eventually, Dave decided that this was his future and started instructing others on how to drive a rally car. There have been a lot of hiccups and various partners, but he has finally settled down and got things figured out. He now leases 140 acres outside of Austin and holds various types of classes. He has 1, 2, and 3-day classes, personal training, and group events. And there are various types of vehicles including FWD Hyundai’s, side-by-sides, Evo’s and STI’s, and even Ford Raptor events. Dave runs the place on his own but has about a dozen instructors who help when needed.