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Meet Peter Sanchez of Oily in Valley Wide

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Peter Sanchez.

Peter, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I was 13 years old and growing up in a low income household, I wanted to get a job to help my single mom with the house expenses. But sadly, I was too young for anyone to employ me. I knew that I had to do something unique and innovative to get out of my unfortunate circumstances. Brainstorming for days, I had an idea of “inventing” something that I could patent and sell (without knowing how hard that is). Eager about my idea, I called one of the smartest people I knew, my uncle Gustavo, who happened to be an engineer. Intrigued by my motivation, he decided to help me with the design. My uncle expressed interest and curiosity about my project, perhaps because he appreciated my young entrepreneurial mindset. We discussed my idea for hours, drawing sketches and proposals. In the end, the idea never came to be, due to financial, personal and logistical reasons this project would entail.

Looking back, this was the spark that started it all. Ever since that day, I have always looked for ways to innovate, improve and develop ideas into businesses. Attending ASU and becoming involved in their entrepreneurship programs taught me valuable skills to start my own company. My first startup was Twyns, an Uber-like startup in the ride hailing industry that my twin brother and I started during my senior year in college. After developing the company and launching a mobile app with paying customers, the ride hailing sector proved to be a massive cash-burning burden that was not sustainable for our goals. After two years in business, we were forced to shut down Twyns. There is no shame in failing, as long as it is done early and cheaply. Although this was a huge blow to our moral, the experience gained was worth all of the cost.

After my first startup failed, I decided to start living a relatively normal Millennial life: get married and work a regular 8-5. Spending several months focused on my job, my innovative soul became stuck in idle. After many months in this cycle, my true passion, entrepreneurship, kicked in again when I had a bad experience getting my car serviced. This is how I started Oily, an automotive startup focused on providing on-demand maintenance services for today’s digital era. Oily has proven to be effective, innovative and an industry game-changer in the first six months since launching. Currently operating in the Phoenix Valley, my startup is looking to expand to other major cities across the country and become a national player in the automotive world.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Overcoming obstacles is part of every entrepreneur’s routine, but as Jack Ma, the richest man of Asia said, “Every mistake is a wonderful revenue.” Entrepreneurs need to keep this advice in mind, maybe even tattoo it somewhere so it can serve as a reminder for when things get hard (because they will get hard). Keeping this in mind, it is always imperative to never give up and keep pushing forward.

As the first person to graduate from college in my family, I am used to pursuing unknown and often difficult goals. Creating a company from the ground up when no one in my family nor myself has had any business experience has been extremely challenging. Learning from trial and error, costly services and expenses that have often drained your energy and resources can make any smart person quit their startup idea, but I always find a way to continue forward. It is important to keep in mind that nothing worth pursuing in life comes easy, and therefore, it is important to never give up. As my favorite quote by Robert F. Kennedy goes, “Only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly.”

We’d love to hear more about your business.
My current startup is Oily, and AI (Automotive Intelligence) company aiming to disrupt the automotive maintenance industry in Arizona and the U.S. more broadly.

Today, you can request a ride, food, groceries and even have your dog walked with the push of a button. Servicing your car shouldn’t be any different. Oily provides on-demand mobile auto maintenance. Our services range from oil changes, battery replacement, multi point inspection, fluids check and top off. We save people time and money by providing a modern maintenance experience that is convenient and transparent.

I am extremely proud to be able to start and grow a company that has the potential to change and improve the way car ownership works. What truly sets Oily apart is our convenient business model that is mobile and 100% online. Traditional brick-and-mortar auto shops are not enough to stay ahead in today’s digital era. Americans want convenient, hassle-free experiences and Oily offers exactly that.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment in my career thus far has been the moment I got my first customer. It is an extremely reinforcing and satisfying moment when a stranger trusts our product and pays for our services. Getting the first paying customer is also super inspirational to continue with our venture and try to recreate the same experience from our first client into hundreds and thousands of customers.

Pricing:

  • Service starts at $49 for most vehicles
  • Premium and Luxury vehicles is $79
  • Please reference our website for details.

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Sebastian Sanchez

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