Jason Girdner started his business, then failed, restarted, then failed again. Then started again. And it was this real and relatable journey that bore the colossal success he and his wife have today. TECOBI is a Hybrid-Intelligence software that pairs a human’s ability to personalize a conversation with a robot’s ability to consistently communicate with customers. This approach helps to ease the burden of lead follow-up for automotive sales through text message support and is Girdner’s third attempt at entrepreneurship.
This familiar pattern is not-often talked about in the entrepreneurial sphere in such authentic terms but is a fact that every business owner knows is true. Girdner’s rags-to-riches story inspires many, a reminder that success does not happen overnight but is attainable if you work hard and don’t give up (cliches become thus for a reason, folks.)
Girdner, a high school dropout with a disruptive past, started his sales career the way many do, at a desk with a phone. He realized that sales was his ticket out of his former life, one produced by a toxic childhood filled with negativity and loneliness. In Girdner’s words, God gave Girdner a ‘golden tongue,’ which is the key to massive success in the sales world.
“I found a new lease on life in sales,” said Girdner. “The avenue of commission earnings isn’t for everyone, but it gave me a second chance — I never imagined I would become a software developer, but here I am!”
After quitting his job in 2009 and falling flat on his face during his first attempt at entrepreneurship (as a software developer, go figure), Girdner met his now-wife Scarlet Mick.
“She brought me out of my slump and did more for me than anyone could ask for,” Girdner gushed. “If it weren’t for her kindness and selflessness, I would never have come up with the idea for TECOBI.”
Late Night TV Sesh Turned Business Light Bulb Moment
Girdner developed the concept for TECOBI when he saw a car commercial on television one evening. The couple had moved to Denver, Colorado, with their five children and struggled to make a living. When he saw the car ad, Girdner realized the vast disconnect between buyers and sellers.
“‘Why do I have to pick up the phone and call about this truck?'” he explained. “That’s what I thought when I saw the ad. I wanted the truck, but I didn’t want it bad enough to dial the phone number and speak to somebody. If you want me to spend such a large amount of my hard-earned money, you’ll have to make it a lot easier for me.”
That was when he realized, quite simply, that texting would be so much easier. It would offset the pressure that comes with car sales: The salespeople are pressured to close deals, often without concern for the buyer’s ultimate satisfaction, because they want to take home a paycheck. The buyers are constantly on high alert for the wool being pulled over their eyes and either get pressured into buying something they aren’t happy with — or pressured right off the lot and never to return.
First, Girdner began advertising himself as a marketer to car dealerships, offering to take their sales funnels to cell phones through text messages and answer them personally. It worked but became massively overwhelming quite quickly.
Girdner gained 130 dealership clients in the first year but couldn’t keep them due to the startup struggles. So, he concocted a plan using his sales and software development expertise.
Determined to make his company work, he brought Mick into the fold.
“She helped with answering the texts all day, every day,” said Girdner. “The volume was just so much that I needed a helping hand. She is modest, but she was truly fantastic at it and got the hang of it super fast.”
Phase Two: If You Can’t Do It, Get a Computer to Do It
As their client base grew, the volume of text messages overflowed. Girdner decided to build software to solve this problem. Girdner built the TECOBI software that it is today, with just the background of web development he had.
Since its inception, TECOBI has won the AWA Award and served thousands of automotive companies.
Girdner has been through it all and back again. Fighting to be able to use his combined sales and software development skills to run a business he is genuinely passionate about and to feel the security of its success is something of which many budding entrepreneurs only dream. TECOBI is rightfully at the forefront of automotive sales because of Girdner’s unrelenting determination.
About TECOBI
Jason Girdner and Scarlet Mick are the Founders of TECOBI, an advanced communication and advertising solution of SMS and text conversations for the automotive industry. TECOBI has served thousands of automotive companies through their industry-changing software. To learn more, please visit www.tecobi.com.
