I started my career in the automotive industry back in high school, working as an apprentice at a local tire shop. My goal at the time was to become a front-end/alignment technician. I worked nights, eventually leaving to work for GM. Unfortunately, that was short-lived due to the company’s financial troubles (GM filed for bankruptcy in 2008).

Unable to find work in the industry and facing mounting tool bills and a car payment, I made the decision to step away from automotive and pursue my lifelong dream of a music career. From 2006 to 2012, I played in a band called I Saw a Ghost, and we made a name for ourselves in the local Northern Virginia scene. We released two albums, toured, and had some solid success. However, the band eventually drifted apart. Afterward, I joined two other short-lived bands—Lakeview and My City is Rome—but neither of those worked out.

Feeling a bit lost, I moved to Richmond, VA, and continued working in retail, this time at Guitar Center. It was there that I met my wife, and we eventually decided to move forward in life together. Around that time, I decided to give the automotive industry another shot. My grandfather had worked for Toyota for nearly 30 years, so I figured I’d return to my roots. Despite having two expired ASE certifications and being unsure of what I remembered, I started back in the express department, doing basic maintenance like oil changes.

I quickly worked my way up, becoming a line tech. Over time, I developed a love for diagnostics and even became a state inspector. Things really changed for me when we moved to Maryland so my wife could finish college. I transferred to a local Toyota dealership, where I pushed myself to be the best I could be and take my diagnostic skills to the next level. I also became an advocate for salaried technicians—no flat rate—and better training and respect for technicians in the industry.

It was during this time that I networked with other Toyota technicians through Facebook, which was a game changer. I learned a lot about oscilloscopes, particularly the Picoscope, and pressure transducers. But when COVID hit, I started to realize just how little respect technicians were getting. Small issues became huge problems, and the disconnect between the service manager and the industry became too much for me to handle. So, I made the leap and left the dealership to return to the independent side of automotive repair, where I started my journey all those years ago.

I currently work at a shop that I love, but before that, I had planned to go mobile and launched what is now drail.diagnostics. While I scrapped the idea of mobile work, I kept the name as a platform for case studies and automotive ideas. Then, at the end of 2021, I had a random burst of inspiration to start making USB cables. It was really just to fill a personal need for better cable management on my diagnostic carts—I'm kind of OCD about that stuff. A few friends showed interest, and before I knew it, I was making cables for others. What started as a small side project has turned into a business.

Looking back, it’s been a wild ride, but I’m proud of how far I’ve come. From my time in music to returning to the automotive world, every step has led me to where I am today—building my brand, drail.diagnostics, and continuing to learn and grow in this industry I love.