How Tommy Fell Into Growing the Best Auto Repair Software

Getting in under the hoist

First, Tommy started as a technician working the busiest lift in Carolyn’s shop, Luscious Garage. “It was a baptism by fire,” he says of those early days.

Later, he moved to the role of parts and inventory manager. However, he kept getting drawn into helping his boss evolve her prototype into the best auto repair software.

In 2016, Carolyn hired him as the first employee of Shop-Ware, just months before Monique Mondragon joined the software team.

In those early stages of the company, Tommy did product support, brought customers aboard, migrated data and worked with partners. He wore the title of director of operations then chief operating officer.

As demand grew, it became obvious that he could no longer do all this on his own.

In 2020, Tommy changed roles so he found solutions early in the auto repair software process rather than later. He has served as the Technical Product Manager ever since.

His commitment to creating the best auto repair software

All along, Tommy saw how previous versions of shop management systems didn’t serve the car repair industry well. He and Carolyn wanted to change that trend.

“Shop-Ware really enticed me to deliver a higher quality service than what was offered at the time,” he says.

“The customers we serve are one of the last great American industries that illustrate the best of the American workforce.”

Techs use mobile mechanic software to solve problems and stay resilient without the support of car makers or OEM, he notes.

“Shop-Ware has a mission to unshackle these shops from these anchors and let them do what they do best,” Tommy adds.

In other words, he remembers his experience as a tech and how the best auto repair software makes the workday easier.

Above all, he enjoys the flexibility to explore different aspects of the industry as it changes. And he loves working with his 100 co-workers who:

• Solve problems well
• Commit to high-quality results
• Take care of each other

“These things rarely occur in our industry,” he says. “And it’s interesting to start in a company with nothing and create something.”

At one point, Tommy oversaw two engineering teams with 18 developers. These days, the structure of the teams has changed to deliver better results faster. As a result, his crew is now smaller and more nimble.

Getting out on the open road

Outside of work, Tommy gets out on his Aprilia Falco motorcycle from his home in San Francisco. He also keeps a Moto Guzzi V11 on the east coast so he can ride with his father in his hometown of Providence.

He often rides along California Highway 1 to Half Moon Bay, often with a stop at the legendary Alice’s Restaurant.

At home, he nurtures a different type of creation. He grows roses, fruit trees and vegetables in his garden. He also cares for a family of California scrub jays and one rogue opossum.

Most of all, he takes pride in growing both an auto repair shop management software and the small corner of his garden.