15 Years Ago, My Journey Began...
A couple of months ago, I spent two weeks in Dallas, Texas, working toward Mercedes-Benz Elite welding certification, a milestone that carried extra meaning for me as a woman in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
And let me tell you, those two weeks were intense.
I knew it was going to be hard. I knew I was walking into a class full of experienced technicians. I knew Mercedes-Benz training was serious. But knowing something is going to be difficult and actually living it are two very different things.
We welded aluminum panels over and over again. Fifty T-plates. Forty butt welds. More than ninety cast welds. Thirty thin-panel plates.
And we were not just learning how to weld.
We were learning why welds fail. How to prevent failure. How the metal reacts. Why precision matters. Why one small mistake can affect the safety of a repair. What it really means to follow manufacturer-approved repair procedures instead of guessing or cutting corners.
That part stayed with me.
Because at Collision Care Xpress, we talk about safe repairs all the time. We talk about training, OEM certifications, procedures, and doing the job right. But being there, under the helmet, sweating through it myself, gave me a whole different respect for what those words actually mean.
“When Robert opened his first location, I was still working as a registered nurse”
At first, I was just helping my husband. That was it. I was supporting him, supporting the business, and doing whatever needed to be done.
Eventually, helping became leading. Leading became learning. Learning became passion.
For the past 11 years, I have worked full-time helping run Collision Care Xpress. This company has given my family and me opportunities I could have never imagined.
But when I really think about it, maybe God was preparing me for this long before I understood it.
I grew up around vehicles. My father is a master mechanic and has been for more than 40 years. I was always in a shop. My parents literally have pictures of me in diapers covered in grease.
So when I stepped into this industry with Robert, I was not scared of the shop. I actually felt like I belonged there.
I loved the cars. I loved the environment. I loved watching something damaged become whole again.
And somewhere along the way, Robert’s passion became mine too.
A lot of what I knew before Dallas came from watching him. Robert started with lowriders and complete restorations. For 20 years, I have watched him weld, fabricate, repair, rebuild, and figure things out that most people would not even know where to begin with.
He has been a Certified Mercedes-Benz Elite Welder for years, so when I said, “I’ll do it,” I am pretty sure he looked at me like I was a little crazy.
And maybe I was.
Because I went into that class with minimal practice.
I was in a room with 14 men, many of them body technicians with 10, 20, or more years of experience. They weld every day. They live this work. I do not.
So yes, there were moments when I asked myself, “Why am I doing this?”
Then I remembered my kids. My husband. My business. My Dream Team. And I remembered that God brought me there, and He would see me through.
I prayed a lot.
And I kicked myself in the butt more times than I can count and told myself, “Suck that shit up. You can’t fail.”
Some days, I went back to the hotel completely drenched in sweat. Exhausted. Mentally fried. Physically worn out.
Three days into the class, I started feeling sick, and all I could think was, “Of course. Of course this would happen now.”
So I got medicine. I went back to class. And I kept showing up.
Because that is what the moment required.
By the end of those two weeks, I had proved something to myself.
I could do it.
But honestly, the bigger thing I walked away with was not just pride in myself. It was respect.
A whole new level of respect for our technicians.
I already appreciated them. I already knew they worked hard. But I did not fully understand it until I stood there doing that work myself.
Technicians are often underappreciated. People see a repaired car at the end, but they do not see what happens in the middle.
They do not see the cutting, welding, bonding, measuring, straightening, replacing, checking, rechecking, and fighting with a job that refuses to go easily.
They do not see what it takes to take a vehicle that has been crushed, bent, twisted, and torn apart and make it safe again.
Our technicians are surgeons for vehicles.
“And this work is not easy. It is hot. It is tiring. It is physically demanding. It takes patience, training, experience, and pride. It takes people who care enough to do things the right way even when the job fights them every step of the way.”
At Collision Care Xpress, our technicians are constantly training because vehicles are not what they used to be. Aluminum. Advanced high-strength steel. Electric vehicles. ADAS systems. New joining methods. New repair procedures.
The industry keeps changing, so they have to keep changing with it.
That is why our certifications matter. Collision Care Xpress is a Mercedes-Benz Certified Collision Center and holds more than 30 OEM certifications, including Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Tesla, Rivian, Lucid, Maserati, General Motors, and Mopar. Those certifications are not just logos on a wall. They represent training, equipment, procedures, and accountability.
They represent the standard we are expected to meet.
And after Dallas, I understand that even more deeply.
“This experience also made me think a lot about the future of this industry. Collision repair still carries a stigma, and I hate that.”
This is a skilled profession. A real trade. A career that can change someone’s life. I have seen people walk into this industry with little experience, learn, grow, support their families, buy homes, raise children, and build futures they may not have thought were possible.
You do not always need a four-year college degree or a mountain of student debt to build a good life.
College is not bad. I have a degree. But college is not the only path.
Robert always tells me about something his high school body shop teacher said to him on his first day:
“You’re going to learn something that will allow you to make a living anywhere in the world.”
He was right.
And to the young people who are not sure what they want to do yet, I want you to know this industry has opportunity.
Come walk through the shop. Watch what technicians do. Ask questions. See the skill. See the technology. See the pride that goes into the work.
“And to the ladies, there is a place for you here. You can run a shop. You can manage the front office. You can be an estimator. You can paint cars. You can be a body technician. You can weld. You can own the damn place. This industry has been male-dominated for a long time, but that does not mean it has to stay that way.”
At Collision Care Xpress, we have strong women on our team who show up, lead, manage, support, solve problems, and dominate every day.
I am proud of that.
Gratitude — The People Who Carried Me Through
First and foremost:
Thank You, God.
Thank You for giving me my health, the opportunities, the drive, the strength, and the will to do this.
Without Him, none of this would be possible.
To My Husband — My Partner in Life and Business
Robert,
How lucky am I that I get to spend every day, all day, with my best friend?
Not many couples could do what we do.
But somehow, it works for us.
You lead with passion and conviction, and your love for this industry is contagious.
I don’t think most people truly understand how deep your passion for the collision industry runs.
They say that if you do something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.
That describes you perfectly.
You push all of us to become better versions of ourselves.
Your vision drives us. It gets our blood running.
Just when the rest of us think we’re out of steam, you come up with another idea, another goal, another challenge—and somehow convince all of us that we can do it.
You see things before anyone else sees them.
You dream big.
And then you figure out how to make those dreams happen.
You are an incredible leader, and I don’t think you get enough credit for that.
Thank you for being my partner for the past 20 years.
One of the greatest blessings of my life has been walking this journey beside you.
It is amazing that we get to work alongside one another every day, build something meaningful together, and share not only a marriage—but a mission.
Thank you for believing in me, even when I doubted myself.
Thank you for pushing me.
Thank you for pushing all of us.
And thank you for working so hard for our family.
I love you, and there is no one else I would want beside me on this crazy journey.
To My Kids — My Why
You three are my why.
You sacrifice more than most people realize so Mom and Dad can build this legacy for your future.
We hate being away from you when we have to travel. But everything we do, every long day, every trip, every sacrifice—is because we want to create something that will give you and your future families opportunities we could only dream about.
RJ, thank you for being such a great brother and for stepping up as the man of the house when Dad is gone.
Gabby, thank you for being the best daughter and big sister. I couldn’t leave and do what I do if I didn’t know you were there being responsible, helping with your brothers, and holding things together.
You are an amazing young woman, and I am so proud of you.
I love the three of you more than anything in this world.
To my Dream Team
One thought kept going through my mind during those two weeks:
“I can’t let them down.”
Followed shortly by:
“And I definitely can’t quit because they’ll never let me live it down.”
Thank you for holding everything down when Robert and I can’t be there.
Thank you for believing in us.
Thank you for showing up.
Thank you for giving us a reason to continue pushing ourselves to be better leaders and better owners.
You have helped us create an amazing company—one of the best in this industry—and that is because of all of you.
CCX Expansion Team
Thank you for always believing in Robert and me.
You guys are amazing and somehow always down for everything.
Every crazy idea.
Every adventure.
Every trip.
Every new location.
Every great time.
Every laugh.
And yes…every absolute shit show we somehow find ourselves in.
You bring so much joy to my life.
When you have people like you beside you, you feel like you can never lose.
You all make being an owner worth it.
To My Dream Team Technicians
I see you.
I see your hard work.
I see the pressure.
I see the challenges you deal with every single day.
You have always held a special place in my heart, but this experience solidified that appreciation in a way I can’t explain.
You guys are amazing.
Thank you for always figuring it out.
Thank you for repairing the impossible.
Thank you for working hard even when the job fights you every step of the way.
And thank you for caring enough to do it right.
I am incredibly appreciative of every single one of you.
Your hard work does not go unnoticed.
To My Instructor & Classmates
Thank you to Kevin, our instructor.
You pushed us beyond what we thought our limits were so we could discover what we were actually capable of.
Thank you for taking the time to teach, explain, correct, encourage, and push me when I needed it.
I appreciate you for helping me see this journey through.
And to all the guys in my class—thank you for welcoming me, encouraging me, helping me, laughing with me, and making those lunches and long days a little easier.
And Mario—
Thank you for standing beside me through this entire journey.
Mario has been with Collision Care Xpress for 10 years and is an incredible technician.
I will always remember that we accomplished this together.
Thank you for being there and helping me see it through.
To My Friends & Family — Our Village
Thank you for always supporting Robert and me.
You’ve supported the crazy ideas.
The adventures.
The risks.
The long hours.
The growth.
And everything in between.
Your support has blessed not only our family but thousands of other families—our employees, our customers, and our community.
Thank you for supporting one boy’s dream from Miami and helping us turn Collision Care Xpress into what it is today.
To the two ladies who always have my back, whether it’s work or my personal life: Thank you Beth and Melissa. Thank you for picking up where I can’t.
Thank you for filling in for me countless times.
I could not do everything I do without your support.
I love you both.
And Mrs. Espinosa—
Thank you for caring for my children when I can’t be there.
Thank you for making sure they have everything they need.
Thank you for loving them.
And thank you for loving us.
God blessed our family when He brought you into our lives.
They say it takes a village.
We are blessed with an incredible one.
This Is Just the Beginning
If there is anyone reading this who wants to learn more about the collision industry, please reach out to me.
Whether you’re a young person trying to figure out your future, a woman wondering if there is a place for you in this industry, or someone simply curious about what we do—I would love to help in any way I can.
Fifteen years ago, I was a registered nurse helping my husband open his first body shop.
Today, Collision Care Xpress has two locations in Florida, and we just opened our third location in Puerto Rico.
And somehow, I became a welder along the way.
We have accomplished so much.
But we have so much further to go.
Collision Care Xpress is just getting started.
Fifteen years later, I can look back at that little girl covered in grease in her dad’s shop and realize—
Maybe this was part of the plan all along.
And now…
Signing off as the first Certified Mercedes-Benz Elite Female Welder.
Christina Molina
Collision Care Xpress
