Meet our Victoria!
Pinar O.
There are some people whose energy affects you tremendously, even if you don't communicate at all. Their presence is enough. The positive energy they spread and the kindness and love you see in their eyes are worth everything. Our Victoria is one of them. She is one of the most sensitive people in the world, but she is also strong and brave. To me, she carries enormous secret wings on her back.
She settled in East Cost, left where she was born and grew up, and her family and her boyfriend, whom she loves very much, chased her dreams and passions and joined us.
It's not easy for any woman to work in a male-dominated world, and Motorsport Industry is one of them. But girls like Victoria never give up.
Here's another Wonder Woman from Glickenhaus.
Please meet Victoria Sweeton and have your sisters and daughters read her story too. Because there is nothing in the world that only men work. Every young woman has the right to follow her dreams. And here at Glickenhaus, it's our responsibility to support women who want to work in this sector.
Enjoy!
Pinar Ozyigit
I went to school for psychology to help people fix problems, and then I found the same love in fixing cars.
Can you tell me about Victoria in your own words? What do you see when you look at yourself from the outside?
I'm a Southern Woman that loves a creative challenge and working with her hands. I also see myself as a work in progress. Constantly changing, evolving, and striving to better my skills as well as myself. There is always room for improvement, but looking to the past, I am proud of the progress I have made. I will never stop doing what I can to improve, not only in my career but in life as a whole.
How did your passion for cars and mechanics begin?
During college, I always worked at least two jobs to get myself through school, so getting from Point "A" to Point "B" was critical for me. When it came to getting my car serviced or repaired, I often felt vulnerable and worried that I was getting taken advantage of due to the fact that I was a woman with zero knowledge of cars. It came to a point where I was so fed up, I knew if these guys could learn how to fix cars, then so could I! So, I took it as a personal challenge and off to trade school I went. Since then, my ultimate goal has been to help educate people on navigating the industry and becoming more knowledgeable with cars in order to feel more confident and less vulnerable when dealing with car issues.
You are incredibly talented; where did you learn the things you know? How did you learn? I want you to tell everything so that women who want to work in this sector can be inspired.
Truthfully, I'd like to substitute the word "talented" with "resourceful" or "determined". As a teenager and young adult, I didn't have many resources, but I was always curious and found great joy in creating and fixing things. With this curiosity, I took interests in many things like glassblowing, painting, wood working, and making simple household and automotive repairs. Although I seldomly had the answers, I was determined to find the best solutions. I sought every resource I could find, no matter what the challenge was. Along the way, I picked up a few skills and had the opportunity of helping others with the knowledge I acquired. It brought a sense of completeness and happiness to my day to day. This was the point when I knew what I was meant to do- create and fix things, work with my hands, and help as many people in the process. Follow your curiosity, feed it with the resources around you, and create something beautiful.
everyone was extremely supportive and now very proud to see me pursuing my dreams with a company like SCG.
How did your family and friends react when they learned what to do to earn a living?
I didn't really discover my love of fixing cars until I was 25. My Dad is one of my best friends and his perspective speaks it best. I came home with less than a year of graduating with a bachelor's in psychology, and I said "Dad, I don't see myself being happy in this career... I think I'm going to go to school to be a mechanic." Although he was convinced it was another one of my "pipe dreams" of trying something radically different, I surprised him a few months later when I started taking automotive courses at a technical school. A few months after that, I landed my first job as a tech at a local Honda dealership. As I worked my way through express to the line, my family was shocked. None of them saw this drastic career change coming, but everyone was extremely supportive and now very proud to see me pursuing my dreams with a company like SCG.
"I went to school for psychology to help people fix problems, and then I found the same love in fixing cars."
What was your favorite mistake? A mistake you felt terrible about while living but learned a lot afterward, a life lesson?
I wouldn't necessarily say that I have a favorite mistake, but rather, a favorite life lesson. Going into college, I had no real idea of what I wanted to do with my life, and I think more kids should be introduced to the idea that it is okay to not know what you want to do for the rest of your life. I must have changed my major at least 5 times and dabbled with many different career choices.
Although it took time, I have zero regrets. I was able to learn so many things and I consider this endeavor 100% necessary to eventually finding what made me happy. it's the journey to getting there that is important. That was one of the most influential lessons I've learned in life. Trial-and-error is your friend; you will make mistakes, but never give up and you will find your answer.
To be completely honest, I have faced my fair share of discrimination in the field. I'm a woman who likes to do her hair and makeup, and because of it- some people hear what I do for a living, take one look at me, and completely doubt my skills and abilities.
Considering your field of work, what was the most challenging thing for you? As a woman in your career path, can you share one of your experiences that made you feel sad or mad, or what was that? Did anyone mention that you cannot because you are a woman by words or behaviors?
To be completely honest, I have faced my fair share of discrimination in the field. I'm a woman who likes to do her hair and makeup, and because of it- some people hear what I do for a living, take one look at me, and completely doubt my skills and abilities. Regardless of any negative feedback or sexist commentary, spending any time or energy into focusing on the naysayers or disbelievers would be a waste of time. I learned early on that it was always best to focus on the good things and to stand tall and have great confidence in myself and my work. Over the last few years, I can say that it has made me so much stronger, and I am so proud of myself and how far I've come.
And those who support you? Who did you get support from? Are there any names that are milestones in your life?
Well, my father is definitely my biggest cheerleader. Even though he doesn't always understand technical side of things and the difficult process it takes for certain repairs, he always listens to my stories and celebrates my victories with me. In my first job as a technician, most days I would come home covered with grease all over my face, hair, and clothes. The dirtier I was, the more hard work he knew I put in that day. My boyfriend and my mom have also been amazing support systems over the years and actively sought ways of trying to support me when I'm going through a periods of struggle. Being away from home, the support that my family has given me from so far away has been the biggest blessing. I don't know how I could do it without them.
I saw SO MANY WOMEN working with the teams, and alongside them, to make that race happen. It was so absolutely amazing that I could scream.
As a woman, what do you think about working in the automotive sector and motorsports? Do you think women get enough support? Or do they support each other enough?
To be completely honest, I think it differs. As a female mechanic in the south, I felt high on life just to have my own bathroom! As of now, female technicians are few and far between, but organizations like the WEC give me great hope. My first experience at Sebring was the biggest breath of fresh air. I saw SO MANY WOMEN working with the teams, and alongside them, to make that race happen. It was so absolutely amazing that I could scream. Although women are completely outnumbered in the automotive and motorsports industry, we are growing in numbers and strongly support one another. I think that as time goes along, the more presence women have in the industry, the more likely it will be for younger generations to see the opportunity for themselves.
Do you have any recommendations for women who want to work in the automotive sector?
Absolutely! Any women interested in becoming a mechanic/technician that are just starting out with little knowledge at all-try trade schools! I got SO much out of it and as a woman, I found there to be many financial resources and scholarship opportunities. If the schooling route isn't for you, then just start somewhere and work your way up. Ignore the naysayers and the negativity. We are so unbelievably strong as women and I am so proud to be a representative in this field. You are just as-if not more- capable, of doing every single thing that everyone else can do and has done. The trick is to find the smartest way of doing things and to be open to adaption to make those ways work for you.
Don't doubt yourself. Don't let ANYONE tell that you can't do anything.
And, if you would advise things like "don't ever do these things," what would you say?
Don't doubt yourself. Don't let ANYONE tell that you can't do anything. Even if they do- don't believe them, because at the end of the day, your belief in yourself if the key to doing anything. No matter what you want to do, use your resources, be tenacious, and ignore the negative commentary.
Where/What was your first job? What was the first thing you accomplished as an individual that made you scream joyfully?
*SPOILER ALERT: It has nothing to do with automotive* I started at 15 working odd jobs, mainly cleaning houses. From 18 to about 24 I worked many jobs: I worked in food industry (server, bartender), as an assistant at a glassblowing studio, and then traveled the US with a leatherworking company that made renaissance-style armor and costumes. However, the job I found the greatest satisfaction in was with the American Cancer Society at the Atlanta Hope Lodge. I was the coordinator/night/weekend manager working one-on-one with cancer patients and their caregivers. Although the job was very real and difficult at times, but I found so much happiness within it. There was so much opportunity to above and beyond to show kindness and compassion towards people. It was absolutely wonderful.
Let's talk about SCG. How did your paths cross with Glickenhaus? Who and how did you meet, and how was the process of joining us? Can you talk a little bit about that?
Surprisingly we crossed paths on social media. Jesse reached out to me about a potential job opening, and although it was a job 17 hours away from where I was in Atlanta, I loved what they were doing, and I applied. After a few meetings and interviews, I was hired onto the team and moved my whole life up here to Connecticut. I had lived my whole life in Atlanta, so it was a crazy jump for me.
Being away from my friends and family has been the toughest part of my life, but I have found a new sense of family here with SCG, and I am extremely grateful for it.
So how do you feel now? Can you talk about the team you are involved in and your work family?
I feel great! I was so nervous at first. It took a good while to get adjusted, but I am so happy to have made this choice. Back in Atlanta, I had worked at a Honda dealership where everyone felt like family. Being away from my friends and family has been the toughest part of my life, but I have found a new sense of family here with SCG, and I am extremely grateful for it.
Here at SCG, we are a small group of people, and all of us wear many hats. No matter what project we are working on or what challenges we face, we truly are a cohesive unit that works together as a team and gives support to one another. It amazing how strong the SCG family is and people from such diverse backgrounds and have come together to create something so wonderful. I feel blessed to be a part of it.
How are your days going? Did you get used to Connecticut? What are you doing on weekends or in your spare time? We know that you have many artistic interests. What else is there that we don't know? You are like a magic box that emerges with different skills.
As a Georgia girl, Connecticut is cold enough to freeze your peaches off!
My days are well. Living in warm, humid Georgia weather my whole life, I never thought I'd be in a position where wearing two pairs of pants wasn't enough to stay warm! I feel like the kid in the Christmas story every time I walk into work in the winter. All jokes aside, I think I have adjusted quite well. When I'm not taking a weekend trip home to visit my family, I like to stay busy with volunteering on the farm I live on or working on stained glass projects, both of which are new hobbies I started getting interested in when I moved here.
Kindness is one of the most powerful tools that we have to make a positive impact in the world around us- and yet is one we don't use enough.
I want to talk a little bit about the act of kindness that you support wholeheartedly. You even carry a tattoo about it on your arm. Even your Social Media account names are about courtesy. Do Something Kind Today. I agree with you wholeheartedly. I want to hear the story.
Kindness is my BREAD AND BUTTER, my personal mantra, and the one thing that makes me feel so incredibly alive. It started out from someone showing me a random act of kindness when I was in college and for some reason, something in my brain just clicked. Kindness is one of the most powerful tools that we have to make a positive impact in the world around us- and yet is one we don't use enough. Now a days, there is so much going on in the world. You never know what someone is going through or the hardships they are facing and more importantly, you never know the impact that one caring thought or action could make on someone's life. It is unreal how positive of an impact you can make by just doing simple acts of kindness. This is what I aim to live by and regularly seek out ways to show love and appreciation to others. It's makes a world of difference.
What is Victoria doing these days?
The last movie I watched and liked very much.
Cars 3
The book I'm currently reading.
Atomic Habits by James Clear
My favorite film character.
Wonder Woman and Lucy Ricardo.
The songs that I get motivated and inspired by when I listen.
1. Under Pressure (Queen feat David Bowie)
2. Break My Stride (Matthew Wilder)
3. What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
4. Raising Hell (Kesha feat. Big Freedia)
5. If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out (Cat Stevens)
My favorite dish is.
Tomato soup and grilled cheese.
My favorite dessert is.
Nana's Banana pudding.
First thing I do when I wake up in the morning.
Think of three things I am grateful for.
The place that I love most.
Walking the gulf beaches after dark.
The thing that excites me the most lately.
Celebrating holidays.
The only thing that motivates me when I feel down.
Remembering that life is magical. Positive things will always come your way when you focus on the good things in life. Word hard, stay grateful, stay humble.
The would-be better place if we….
All were more kind to each other, took the time to be patient, and to be more understanding of each other.
