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Empower Your Audience with Fun and Informative Tips They Auto Know
Audra Fordin is the author of End Auto Anxiety, CEO of Women Auto Know, and owner/operator of Great Bear Auto Repair in Flushing, NY.
When she isn’t busy writing or fixing cars, Audra loves to speak about her experience as a woman who found success in a male-dominated industry.
Audra took over her family’s auto business during the Great Recession of 2008. She remembers driving past her customers’ homes on the way to work and seeing their cars parked in the driveway.
This was a sign of incoming trouble. A lot of folks lost their jobs and couldn’t afford to maintain their vehicles. After a few sleepless nights, Audra became possessed by an idea that saved her business from disaster.
Audra hosted her first Women Auto Know workshop in 2009. She collected donations from participants and area businesses, which were used to provide single moms with free repairs. Since then, Great Bear’s revenue has quadrupled.
Audra writes a column for Ratchet+Wrench, an industry magazine that is syndicated to more than 100,000 auto repair shops nationwide. Her story has been featured on:
Awards:
- 2013 Small Business Achievement Award Women Owned Business
- 2013 American Heart Association Honoree
- 2012 and 2013 Best of Queens Award
Rank & Review Web based community.
- 2013 – ABC “Under Cover Mechanic” with Nightline “The Lookout”
- 2013 – “Mechanic’s Corner” Exhibit traveling into Children’s Museums throughout the U.S
- American Express Passion Project 2013
- 2013 – NBC Today Show with Erica Hill
- 2013 – NBC Univision Desperieta America
- TV Host of the “What Women Auto Know” Segment on Verizon Television
- Live Radio Expert Panelist on “the Auto Lab” Segments Streaming radio on 570AM and 970AM “The Auto Lab”
- CEO and Founder of What Women Auto Know
- CEO of Great Bear Auto Repair and Auto Body Shop
- Recipient of 2011 New York City Small Business Of The Year
- Rising Star of Queens 2011
- Small Business Strategy Award 2011
- 1st recipient Female Auto Shop Owner of The Nation 2011 from The Women’s Car Care Council
- Women Who Rock award 2012 CapitalOneBank
- Outstanding automobile repair service and consumer education award 2012 NyPress
- Outstanding Citizenship Award November 2010
- Outstanding Girl Scout Troop Leader award 2011
- Outstanding Girl Scout Volunteer 2012
- Womens’ Professional and Business Achievers Award 2012
- M3 Make Mine A Million Award winner 2011
- Press Conference with Senator Gillabrand and Grace Meng 2013
- Audra on Rachael Ray 2015
- Unsung Hero’s of NY 2014
- Veterans of Northport, NY working with Women Auto Know
Advisory boards:
- Women’s Board
- Queens College (entrepreneurial division)
- SUNY Farmingdale automotive technology
- Suffolk County Automotive Technology
- Long Island Children’s Museum
- FenderBender Magazine
- Ask Patty .com
- Undercar Service Magazine
As seen on:
- ABC News
- Eyewitness News
- Today Show
- Anderson Cooper
- NY1
- Yahoo homepage
- AOL homepage
- About. Com
- Motor Age
- Huffington Post
- Ratchet and Wrench magazine
- Vehicle Service Pros Magazine
- Standard Motor Products 2012-13 Campaign
- MSNBC
- Upworthy
Certifications:
- ATTP
- MACS
- ASE
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