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Originally Posted by Boosted Performance
Mike,
I appreciate that you took the time to acknowledge and apologize for the degrading comments towards me, and Boosted Performance. I just don't understand why people would work in that type of environment, and knowingly be a part of a VERY shady business that screws people over daily. On the flip side...we all need a job to put food on the table...and I get that. The things you have said in this thread are disturbing, and I knew about most of them....hence the lack of mutual respect I guess....shops do talk amongst themselves....I am sure you know that. Your name was unfortunately associated with the shady business practices, and that is hard to shake.
Maybe Sam felt threatened that he would eventually be out of this market as well due to the competition stepping up, and making (IMO) a better product (especially the TT kit from F.I) than he had to offer? I don't know, as I am just a drop on the bucket (if that) in this industry, and have very different way of doing business, on a much much smaller scale. I don't know how he thought this was going to happen with cheap turbos that would blow up on the first test drive. I guess it just takes that "special" kind of person which everybody knows Sam is. There is something to be said about treating your customers the way you would want to be treated....it goes such a long way.
I think you are a stand up guy, and would want to do thing right by delivering solid products to enthusiast/member. It is unfortunate that you were a part of GTM, who unfortunately has such a horrible reputation. I do wish you all the best in the future, and hope to see you around offering your honest expertise/opinions without the GTM drama that once kept an eye on every move you made.
All the best...water under the bridge, apology accepted.
Sasha
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Sasha,
Thank you for your response. I accept responsibility for having been a part of GTM and having supported the company. I believed in the products and sold them willingly despite Sam's shadiness. As a passionate enthusiast, it is undeniable that the product was solid for the most part. Passion is why I stayed. There is simply no other company within a 30 minute drive of where I live that could even hold a candle to the positives of working at GTM. The negatives, however did motivate me to look elsewhere for employment on multiple occasions. I went so far as to apply to Stoptech in Compton, but since GTM was a commercial customer of theirs, it may have seemed to be a conflict of interest to them. So, yes, working for GTM has definitely been a detriment to my career. That said, I am not above admitting that some of my bitterness and frustration may have shown through in my interviews with other performance companies. It could also be that the companies were hesitant to hire someone that lives over an hour away without traffic. California traffic can easily add an additional hour to a one hour drive and punctuality is important no matter who you work for. Also, with a wife and two kids, it is not as easy to up and move for a new job unless it is very compelling...especially when the cost of living where most performance companies are is almost double compared to where we live.
That all said, I am extremely passionate about automotive aftermarket performance and there are a lot of guys that would give their left nut to work in this industry. That passion is what drives me to bust my *** wherever I work. Hell, my old boss in Seattle has invited me to move back up there and start a new venture with him, especially since my name is untarnished in the Subaru community up there...I just really, really, hate the rain. Seattlites can keep their 40 days straight of rain. lol
I digress. I have to say Sasha that what you do is nothing short of amazing. For you to work full time and come home and weld those beautiful welds, deliver outstanding customer service and put up with the flak and BS you got from GTM shows that you have the kind of drive and passion that few can even understand. I respect you greatly and was really disappointed that Sam wanted to see your hopes and dreams crushed under his boot. There is more than one way to mod a car and while I get that, Sam couldn't tolerate the thought of someone else outshining him in any way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Infiniti370z
Sorry guys I tried reading it all but I'm at work, did mike answer this question directly???
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In all honesty, I don't have an answer for you. There is simply no way for me to truly predict Sam's actions or motivations for doing what he does because the story always changes. It makes it very difficult to discern the truth when you listen to him...even when he's right there in front of you. He's just that skilled with his delivery.