CARLSBAD, Calif. —
The next time you sell your car, Brittany Redpath may be the one doing it for you. Cars are her bread and butter and after more than 25 years in the industry, she's learned a thing or two.
"I was in the automotive world for over 28 years," Redpath explained at her office in Carlsbad. "I started working at a small used car dealership when I moved out here from Arizona, in 2000."
After years climbing the ranks, she landed as the general manager and partner of a dealership, making her part of a small group of ceiling-breaking women.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and research firm Deloitte, women make up 24% of workers in car and equipment manufacturing. That number drops to 18% for women working at car dealers. Throw in Brittany's identities as part of the LGBTQ+ community and Latina, and her position becomes pretty unique.
"It was a great position," Redpath said of her peak in the dealership world. "I was one of the only females in the industry doing something I always dreamt of doing, but I didn't feel satisfied with what I was doing on a day-to-day."
That's when she took the leap from employee to employer, founding Driveway Auction. Her company focuses on selling your car for you, taking over the negotiating process and acting as your middleman. In the end-- you drive the car to the dealer that bought it and cash your check.
"It’s been a rollercoaster!," Redpath said. "We really have been lucky with our fan base that’s helped share our story and used us multiple times...The last year and a half, especially post-COVID, we’ve seen the markets been really, really volatile."
The company is now working on an app and is expanding throughout the Southwest and beyond. And while, yes, business is a big part of the bottom line, there's more to it for Redpath.
"By taking the human elements we can take, and actually advise with and use the market data for their (the customer) benefit, we can actually legitimize the market," Redpath said.
Legitimize and level out, regardless of where the seller lives or who they are. It's a tenet Redpath says she brings into her C-Suite position, as she leads a company trying to make business and change.
"The change starts by talking about it and by being visible and making sure people have that connection they need to feel confident enough to take the steps to make a change," Redpath said.
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