Above the bridge
Above the bridge
Episode 130 ANGIE MARTINEZ (Ms. United States 2024)
Angie Martinez's journey is nothing short of remarkable. From her beginnings as a car salesperson at Mercedes-Benz to wearing the crown as Miss Hawaii United States and Miss United States, Angie's story is a testament to the power of unexpected opportunities and relentless determination. Encouraged by her daughter and a fortuitous recommendation from a customer, Angie entered the world of pageantry with no prior experience and triumphed against all odds. Tune in to hear her inspiring journey, filled with challenges and triumphs, as well as her plans to make a meaningful impact through her advocacy for suicide prevention.
The episode also sheds light on Angie's role as a trailblazer in the automotive industry. As one of the few women in a predominantly male field, Angie has shattered stereotypes with her hard-earned expertise and unwavering dedication. Learn about the unique challenges she faces and the strategies she employs to build lasting relationships with clients, proving that exceptional service and integrity go a long way in overcoming barriers and misconceptions. Her story in the automotive world is as captivating as her pageant journey, offering listeners valuable insights into achieving success in unexpected places.
Angie's candid reflections on parenting as a single mom and the balancing act of her dual careers enrich her narrative, adding layers of depth to her achievements. Discover how her faith and personal values have guided her through nerve-wracking moments and served as a beacon for others. Through heartfelt anecdotes and a commitment to community involvement, this episode offers an engaging blend of professional triumphs and personal victories, highlighted by Angie's embodiment of the spirit of aloha and her dedication to making a positive impact in both the pageant realm and the world of car sales.
okay, welcome to another edition of the above the bridge podcast. I'm your host, thaddeus, just want to apologize, for last week I had some technical difficulties with my computer and wasn't able to edit or um launch the episode, so here's the episode. First thing I want to do is shout out our sponsors. First, we have Defend Hawaii. Go check them out at no One at Windward Mall. Also, go check out no One's Instagram. They have a lot of cool skits and funny videos they've been putting out recently. But go to Defendaiicom check out what they have. You can get their new drops for the season. Um.
Speaker 2:Christmas is coming up, so a lot of good christmas present options. Go check them out. Defend hawaiicom. Promo code atb pot. Upon checkout, you'll get 15% off whatever you order. Next, we have irep detail and they're your one-stop shop superstore for anything you need to detail your vehicle. I got my dad a buffer to buff out his car last year, so for Christmas Christmas is coming up A lot of good gift ideas. They also have a store in Temple Valley Shopping Center and also in Las Vegas. But go check them out. I rep detail supply dot com. Promo code ATB pod. Upon checkout and you'll get 15 percent off your entire purchase order.
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Speaker 2:If you go on their website, med Mushroom High it'll explain to you all the benefits of each and every one of these mushrooms. If you decide to order, go to medmushroomhighcom. Use promo code ATBPOD upon checkout all capitals and you'll get 45% off your first tincture of extracted mushrooms Med Mushroom High. Go check them out. Aloha, all right. This week on Above the Bridge podcast, I have the newly crowned Miss Hawaii, united States as well as the Miss United States. Did I say that right?
Speaker 1:Yes, you did.
Speaker 2:Okay, her name is oh, she also is a car salesperson for Mercedes-Benz, so we're going to touch on that, but her name is Angie Martinez. What's up, girl?
Speaker 1:What's up? Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2:Thank you for agreeing to be on my show. I technically was going to ask you prior, when you were just a salesperson, because I thought a woman that's a salesperson in such a male-domin dominant field. I wanted to talk to you about that. And now I have way more things to talk to you about, since you're newly crowned with your pageant success. I want to know how all this started and how this came about, because I didn't even know you were into that kind of kind of stuff.
Speaker 1:You know I'm getting that a lot. So, um, long story short, I had a customer that was actually asking me for many years to compete and she's one of the pageant directors for the state of Hawaii and she asked me for like the last two years, like, oh, you got to compete, like you know, not just the looks, but you have everything and I think you'll do well. And I was like telling her I've never, ever done anything like that. I've never stepped on a stage, I've never modeled, like I like to look nice and put myself together, especially for work, being professional and all but um, she just kept like pushing me, like every year she would ask me again.
Speaker 1:And then one day I had my daughter at work with me and the pageant director came by and she spoke about it again and then my daughter looked at me and she's like wait, you've been asked to compete in a pageant. Like, mom, you have to do it. And I said what are you kidding me? She's like no, you have to do it. And I'm like you know what, let me think about it. And I said what Are you kidding me? He's like no, you have to do it. And I'm like you know what? Let me think about it. So I went on a quick trip to Cali. I was talking to my family and then they're like you should do it. So I actually signed up super last minute. I had less than three months to compete in the state pageant but thankfully the state state they helped me kind of do certain meetings where we would learn how to walk and and talk and certain things like that. So, um, I ended up doing the competition in Kaneohe at Wimber Community College. Peliku Theater in.
Speaker 1:June and I basically gave it my all and I won as Ms Hawaii. And from there they told me okay, if you win, you'll go to nationals, which is in Tennessee, and that would be October. And it wasn't until like two months before October that I decided to actually go to nationals. Because a lot of people don't know it costs. A lot of people don't know, um, it costs a lot of money, like to get your hair, makeup, dresses, like everything just adds up.
Speaker 1:And it wasn't until like a couple of months before that my company decided to sponsor me, cause they said, hey, are you going to go to nationals? And I'm like'm like no, you know, I don't like to ask for money and I don't think I have enough time to fundraise. But you know, I I think I'm just gonna pass on that. And they said, no, like we'll sponsor you guys like it, or you excuse me, so if you hit a certain amount of cars and we'll give this much money and then the owner will match it. So basically our goal. And they wrote a check and I was like, okay, let's do it.
Speaker 1:So I've been put a couple of months for nationals and that's a whole another level where it's all the other states and, um, these women super nice, I thought it would be catty, but turned out super nice. They've been doing it for many years, like in Hawaii. We're really relaxed here, we don't take too much stuff seriously like that, but in the mainland they're born that way and yeah, I just kind of said you know what, I'm just going to give it my all. If they like me, they like me. If not, then it's cool. At least I had the opportunity to compete and ended up winning that too.
Speaker 2:I didn't think I would when you told me this story the other night over the phone, I I had no idea that this was your first time. And for you to win not only just the state title but the national title is mind blowing. And, like you said, those women competed. They probably competed in pageants their whole life and you kind of just pulled the rug from under them.
Speaker 1:I felt a little bad, not going to lie, but I was like you know what I wasn't expecting to win, to be honest, I said I'm just going to give it my all and again. If they like me, they do. But you know, I just kept praying every time before I stepped on stage because it was a two day competition preliminaries and finals and I just said you know what, please God, like let the word come out of my platform and let me not fall, let me not stutter. And each time I stepped on stage it was like it couldn't have gone any better. So I'm so thankful I didn't fall down.
Speaker 2:That's awesome. How nervous were you Because you said you'd never been on stage before. How nervous were you just with the Hawaii competition.
Speaker 1:Hawaii competition. So Hawaii was a bit nerve wracking too, because you know you're competing and representing as a state title holder and I didn't want to disappoint anyone. I don't want to embarrass myself or my family or anyone, but again I just kind of I don't know what it was. It was just kind of like, you know, do what you got to do but also be yourself, Cause I didn't want to be fake. I didn't want to be fake, I didn't want to. There's actually such a thing as getting overcoached, where you sound super fake.
Speaker 1:And I said I don't want that. The only help I want is basically how to walk in these like huge platforms and also to pose, and also to pose. So other than that, you know it was. It was very nerve wracking because I've never spoke really in public Like I'll talk to customers and people every day, but it's different when you're being filmed and when you're on stage and when you're being judged.
Speaker 2:So it took a lot, but yeah and um, the theater at windward is the way it's angled, is everybody's like right at you looking down? Yeah, my daughter danced over there and we used to go to her shows over there all the time and it's great viewing. But as a person on stage, you're just it's right in your face oh yeah, you put in the light.
Speaker 1:So you're like you want to look at your family and like, have that, you know, okay, comfort there, they're there, but at the same time you can't see anything and the judges are right in front of you, so yeah.
Speaker 2:So when you went to the mainland, did you bring a crew with you?
Speaker 1:Like, did the pageant director from Hawaii come with you, or so? No, um, I just went by myself. And yeah, I'm like, okay, I'm gonna go by myself. But but thankfully, the Mrs Hawaii, united States. She also went up because there was like four categories M-I-S-S, m-s, m-s, woman which is older than 36, I believe, and then Mrs. So she came up with me. Um, we were in separate rooms because we had our own. Um, our contestants were in our rooms together. We had a bunk bed person, um, but she went up with me we're in different rooms, but she was at least there for emotional support. And then my family flew up um the day of the pageant and then the next day so I yeah, was your daughter there?
Speaker 2:did she get to watch?
Speaker 1:well, I pulled out of school, which I've never done like you know what this is like a once in a lifetime thing. So they definitely came by and it definitely like helped calm my nerves that they were going to be there. But leading up to that, I had to fly up. I was there for almost 10 days. I had to fly up for rehearsals, for events like fundraising events and just so much things that they had us doing. So I was up from like 6 am and not going to bed till 11. Oh, wow.
Speaker 1:To the pageant with all day everyday events. But yeah, I went up by myself, oh, everybody.
Speaker 2:So I'm like, oh, did I forget to bring people? That's insane. So you went up there by yourself and with no help, throughout the 10 days. Did your friendships grow with the women in the pageant? Or, like you said, they weren't caddy, so how was interacting with them for those 10 days?
Speaker 1:it was amazing, honestly, because I've heard horror stories where I literally bought locks for all my suitcases because we're going in and out from like changing rooms, and I've heard stories where they cut your dress or like spill something on it or just crazy stuff, but thankfully nobody did that. No, it really happens, though, but everyone's super nice, like especially us being from Hawaii. It's like an automatic oh my God, you're from Hawaii, that's so cool, we love you, you know. So I opened my mouth. I said Hawaii. They're like oh my gosh, like we love Hawaii. This is this. So everyone was super cool, and I'm really close with like a lot of the girls that throughout my year of reign, I'm going to be going to like California and doing collaborations with them.
Speaker 1:I'm also going to go march to Louisiana because one of my other contestants, she's from Louisiana. She invited me over. So a lot of traveling this year, but with all the pageant Queens we call them.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's super. So what is your responsibilities for being crowned this um honor and what do you have to do?
Speaker 1:So thankfully, with this pageant system it's not like the other one, the the big one that everyone knows, miss usa um, they have to take like a whole year off kind of thing. But with our pageant, they know that we're mothers, they know that we're single mothers, they know that we're working women, married and everything um, so they actually are really about how can we help you and your platform. There's going to be a few mandatory things that I'll be doing throughout the year, like, um, miami swimsuit week new york fashion week.
Speaker 1:Oh wow, yeah, I know.
Speaker 1:When I heard that, I'm like okay and then also I'll be obviously going up next year to pass down my crown. But they're all about every week they check in with us and once a month we do a Queens zoom call with all the other girls and we have like group chats and everything like that. So we're just all, or they're just all about supporting us in our platform and I'm like I couldn't believe that. I thought it was all about looks and and photos and all this other stuff. But it's not. It's about our platform and mine being suicide prevention and something that is very close to my heart that I never thought I would be an advocate or be able to publicly speak out about it. But now having that platform is like changing my life and changing our state and hopefully taking it to the nation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I didn't know that was your platform. While I was kind of researching before our conversation, I seen your speech about it and for me it hits home and in certain ways and not the best ways, but I feel like that's something that needs to be talked about a lot and I feel a lot more people need to be open about their feelings and how to relieve the pressures and stuff. Before it comes to that, and I had no idea that that was your platform and how strongly you presented it when you're on stage. It was pretty cool to see. And how, how, why did you choose that as your platform?
Speaker 1:so, um, with the pageant system, there's basically four categories that you get judged with and one of the main ones, which they told us from the beginning, is pick a platform. I've done research at first because, again, this is all new to me. So I'm like, ok, what can we talk about? What can't we talk about? And I've noticed a lot of people do things from like animal rights or women's rights or mental health, which is all really good platforms. But after researching, I already kind of knew what was what spoke to me, which was suicide prevention. But I wanted to research it and I've noticed that people don't specifically talk about suicide. And I get it. It's a very touchy subject, but for me it was something that I didn't really have to find. It found me, but I was just kind. For me it was something that I didn't really have to find, it found me. But I was just kind of questioning if it's okay to talk about and I said you know what? I'm just going to do it. It's going to not be comfortable and people might not want to hear it, but it needs to be talked about, like you said.
Speaker 1:And so, with my platform, unfortunately I actually lost two of my sisters to suicide. One of them was in 2007 when I was in high school, and the other one was in 2016. And this changed my life. It changed my family's life. You know. It affected us big time. It affected us big time and even with myself I've struggled with mental health issues, especially my senior year in high school, just losing my older sister. We were super close. It was pretty unexpected. But learning now, with seeing the signs and everything, I now know that I mean maybe I couldn't have prevented it and I was too young to understand, but I could have seen the signs if I was educated about that.
Speaker 1:And before I even went up to nationals, and right when I started the state pageant, I actually reached out to AFSP American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. There's chapters in every state. So I reached out to the Hawaii state and I said, hey, I'm doing a pageant, I want to know more about your, you know your whole system and everything and I want to see how I can help. So please let me know. This is something I'm very passionate about and I want to spread the word. And they reached out to me immediately and they helped me, kind of give me more information about it and till this day.
Speaker 1:I'm doing a lot with them. I'm doing a lot by myself, like holding sign waving events, but then the next step is actually to be certified to become a speaker so I can go to schools. I want to go to high schools, I want to talk to the kids about it, I want to go to places of employment and talk about it. So the whole thing is talk saves lives. We have to talk about it. It's not going to be comfortable, but if you can just help one person, that's, that's one person.
Speaker 1:that's one life, and one life loss affects families for for generations. So it's something that I'm going to continue to do, and I'm so, so ready for this.
Speaker 2:That's awesome. I think that that platform has a good representation through you and I'm hoping, like you said, you can change some lives, and the more communication and conversations that are having is the more people that will be saved, and sometimes it just takes someone to listen, not even anything more than that, and it could make all the difference in the world. I think using your platform, especially now that you're you won for this topic, you can touch a lot more people, not just here in hawaii, but now nationwide, and that that takes a super strong individual. So I hope you know that I'm kind of kind of impressed that you're that strong to take that on. It's pretty cool.
Speaker 1:Thank you. It's not easy, but I'm starting off small and kind of getting there. But with something as simple as a sign-believing event that I hosted, I gathered a bunch of people to come to my job when they can and make some signs, and it was signs of resources like hey, call 988 if you need help or you're in a crisis. A lot of people know 911. They don't know 988 and that one you don't even have to call. You can text someone if you're not feeling well or you're you feel like suicidal or just a breakdown or something. There are professionals that will talk to you.
Speaker 1:So just putting that on signs and putting words of affirmations like hey, you are loved. Um, tomorrow's another day, please stay things like that. Even if people don't know what I'm talking about or sign waving about, they could have a bad day and look at that sign and be like, oh, that's nice, and it was. I had the Kaneohe sign waving event at Wimbledon City Shopping Center. This was back in August I believe no, September for Suicide Prevention Month and did the sign waving for a couple hours and literally the next day day I got a Facebook message from one of my classmates since elementary. We'll talk here and there, but you know, it's one of those like we'll always be friends but we keep in touch on social media.
Speaker 1:She literally reached out and said you know, I just want to thank you because I saw the signs that you guys made and I want to let you know that I was actually thinking about ending my life. And just to know that there's people out there who care and who are out there showing that you know we're not alone, it made me want to push to live more, and I broke down in tears because, number one, she didn't have to share that with me, but, two, something as simple as sign waving literally changed someone's mindset, and it's easy to you know, it's easy to say that, oh yeah, we want to do this, we want to do that.
Speaker 1:but actually getting out there and you don't have to like sign up with an organization, but even like a little sign reading like that makes the biggest difference. Or checking up on your friend like hey, how are you doing? Like seriously, how are you Not? Hey, how are you? Okay, bye, Little things like that, Little things like that makes a big difference. So it works. I mean, now you know it works. Oh, the next one's gonna be in Ka'awa by the way nice.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's super cool. So, um, to get back on the pageant, how stoked was your daughter that you won? She must have been blown away, she really was like.
Speaker 1:She actually helped me throughout the whole time for the state pageant. She helped me with, like, okay, if they ask this question, how do I answer it? Okay, if I say the speech, did I say it under a minute? Um, my walk, my poses, even like my outfits I wore.
Speaker 1:She actually picked out my pageant dress for the state on best dress and it was like, yeah, she was like mom, you should wear this. And I'm like that's beautiful. So it was the best bonding experience but this sounds kind of silly, but the best thing out of everything not the crown, not the sash, not meeting the women, it was actually when, after I won, my daughter literally ran to me and started crying, saying I'm so proud of you. And you know, as parents, we hear our kids say I love you dad, I love you mom and all this stuff. But when do we really hear how, hey, I'm proud of you, mom or dad? And that changed everything for me. Like this was everything was worth it, all the stress, all the money spent, all the preparation, like everything was just worth it because of that. And even more so, like we're doing everything together with this pageant, we're doing volunteer work. It's just the best bonding experience. Experience especially for our kids who are in their teens.
Speaker 1:We want to shape them yeah, to start this earlier because I've I've helped out here and there, but I've never done something so much like this.
Speaker 2:So getting myself pushed from my daughter and having this bonding experience is the best experience from this whole thing, that's super cool to hear and, yeah, that that definitely resonates with me because, like, I'm super close with my daughter, so she picked out your dress and you won best dress. Yes, she must have been super stoked, like yeah, she was.
Speaker 1:She's bragging right now, but I'm like don't do it, buddy. You know, like I'm it's kind of weird, like I'm so stoked, but I'm also kind of on the download about download about it, like I don't like to brag about it.
Speaker 2:I'll post here and there, but I'm not out everywhere with my crown and sash like I'm yeah I'm still angie, you know, and that's the thing, like how did you handle and I know you're professional because you're a car sales person but how did you handle suppressing the moke action from kaneohe kahalu when speaking on stage, because I know that's that's hard for me to do it is.
Speaker 1:I mean, you know it's funny because some people, till this day they'll be like hey, where are you from, I'm like here. They're like no, but like, where are you from, I'm like here. Like I'm here. Like what do I look like something else, and I guess it was because of my job, like I learned to dress a little bit more up, you know, but all my days off I have my hat, no makeup, slippers, everything um. But it wasn't too hard because I already, you know, working with the clients, that I have some clients you can speak more. Like some some of my country guys. I'm like oh, yeah, like, this is how we're gonna talk most of the time. You want to speak a little bit professionally and everything. Um, I did get a couple chi-hoos and a chi-hoo back on stage, but other than that I kept it in. Yeah, a little bit, oh that's cool.
Speaker 2:That's cool. So winning. How surprised were you? Like when they're like calling your name, were you like oh shoot, I won this thing.
Speaker 1:Or you're like I knew I was gonna win everyone kept saying oh yeah, I knew you're gonna win. But I'm like I didn't think so, especially with the national pageant. I didn't think so because my competitors I mean I don't want to compare myself too much, but they were, they were skinny, they were great bodies, like fit tone. I mean I dieted, of course, for this pageant but I didn't get enough time to like get all ripped and everything which I didn't want to do that too much either. But, um, I was a little bit worried because, like I said, they had their team there. They've done pageants before, bigger pageants as well, like the Miss USA.
Speaker 1:One of the girls did that one. Yeah, they kind of like came super prepared and I knew that my dress was going to win for the nationals because my dress was amazing. I'm like this is what I'm going to really spend money on. But I was kind of surprised when I won best swimsuit and, uh, people's choice, and the only thing I did was interview, which I knew I probably wouldn't have gotten, only because my interview was at six 15 in the morning, so I had to be up at four. So I'm like I wasn't all there, you know wake me up for this right.
Speaker 1:I was like that's 25% of my judging category, um. But other than that, when they said my name, I was shocked because I really did think my other competitor was going to get it, which this is kind of bad to say. But the day before, when I had some dinner with my dad, then I kind of told him, like you know what dad like I think I'm okay with winning runner up because it's a lot Like. Even the state pageant was a lot on me in a good way. But I don't know how to. It's all new to me. I got to learn again how to manage my time and everything. I'm already a busy person. I'm a single mom, I work full time. So I'm like how am I going to do this? And my dad's like no, don't you dare say that I think you're going to win. You're going to win, Okay. I said okay, okay, let's just do it. So I was shocked, though, but I know I did well, but I didn't think I did that good to win.
Speaker 2:That's just you being humble, but I guess you're always humble, you know what?
Speaker 1:I mean, yeah, I tried my best, that's all I said. I said just please, whenever I step on the stage, please just let me not fall and let me not stutter, don't let me say, um, please, let the words come out perfectly.
Speaker 1:And it did like each time, so I was like, so thankful and you said you prayed a lot about it right, and I did each time, because right behind the curtains there's one girl at a time walking the stage posing, whether it's for her swimsuit, her evening gown or even the uh, 60 second speech. Like each time behind the curtain I'm like hyper ventilated. I'm like, oh my gosh, like this is crazy. And especially the 60 second personal platform promise speech about my platform. You have 60 seconds to say it. If you go over, they cut the lights to cut the mic. If you go under, you're just standing there awkward and then they ask you a question that you don't even know what's gonna be so what was your question?
Speaker 1:you know, it started off as the veteran statistics for men in the military is 30 suicide rate and for women 36. Why is that a difference and what kind of signs can you see? So he started off with veterans, which I understand that they have a higher risk of suicide rate, but I don't know the percentages, I don't know the data. So when he said that, my mind was like oh gosh, and I'm being filmed, my hands on my hip, and I'm just like, oh, I don't know. I'm going to answer this, but I basically took the last part of his question, which what are the risk factors? You can see, and that's a general question, to be honest, it could be veterans, it could be a student, it could be a female or male. So I just spoke from my heart. So, again, it ended up coming out as perfect as it could be. I didn't say um, I'm like thank you.
Speaker 2:That's cool and it's cool that you're. You always turn to God in a not troubled situation, but when you need help, know this. But for the first time I even seen you was at st ann's and your daughter was in um sunday school and she was either getting first communion or confirmation and, um, my daughter was just starting and I remember we were behind you guys a bit and I seen you guys do your thing. I was like, oh, that's a single mom. It gave me more courage, like, oh, okay, if she can do it, I can do it. Because I was a single dad and I was. I wanted my daughter to have at an early age the Christian values and just the knowledge of God and and the fact that she can turn to him in a in a troubled situation.
Speaker 2:And my mom is straight catholic lady oh, I know, I was on sundays all the time yeah and um yeah, just you, your guys presence there and how you interacted with your daughter and it was. It was very strong and that definitely impacted me and gave me strength and Aria got all her sacraments and other than matrimony.
Speaker 2:But yeah and yeah, it was cool and that definitely made a difference in my life as well as my daughter. So I didn't know if you knew that, but that was the first time I even seen you guys. You know what I mean. I didn't know if you knew that, but that was the first time I even seen you guys. You know what I mean and just through Instagram and stuff, I always kind of gravitated towards the bond you have with your daughter, because, as a dad who has a daughter, I kind of want the same bond. Maybe not I can't do all the girly stuff, but I can definitely have that same interaction. Where it's strong, I can tell like your daughter and you are strong, that's a, that's something very strong. And now they're both teenagers and it's getting a little crazy that's crazy.
Speaker 1:Thank you for sharing that, by the way, but I do remember. I remember that because I knew you from um back in the club and everything. You have a boy and everybody. So I remember that. But I remember seeing you at church and then I always like I know we would like comment every now and then about our daughters and and their achievements and everything. So I'm super proud of you, especially being a father single father like that's that's not easy as well. So good job thank you.
Speaker 2:Thank you it's been. It's been probably the most gratifying thing I've ever done in my life was be a dad and I think it changed me. For sure, and yeah, it's challenging at times but, like you said, it was most gratifying. Things come from your kids and I did the Spartan race and my daughter was proud of me and, like I, was pretty banged up after. But yeah.
Speaker 2:I was like a bucket list thing and I I would. I would make sure every morning I would make my daughter breakfast and I'll go run and then take her to school, just so she sees that I'm like training and working for something. Just to give her that example. And it felt good that when she said she was proud and she was stoked that I did it, that it hit home with her what the message I was trying to get across. Yeah, I'm not doing it again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, same and dirty, but it was a cool experience, yeah so my main topic well, not main topic, but a topic I wanted to talk to you about before the whole pageant thing was being a car sell. What are you? A car saleswoman or salesperson? What do they, what do they call you?
Speaker 1:they call me salesman because that's such a. It's always been salesmen. Yeah, I'm actually still the only female. There's 14 of us, so I'm the only female. Um, people can say salesman, saleswoman, salesperson. I don't mind either way, but my title is executive sales and leasing consultant Nice.
Speaker 2:How did you get into that? Were you in sales before? How did you work your way up to that? I of getting a job at Mercedes isn't easy, so um, one is lucky.
Speaker 1:two is with hard work and dedication. So I was actually working at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, um, I was there for a couple of years but Bella, my daughter, was just like in diapers and I was making good money, but I was working six days a week driving from Kahalu to Wahiawa and I'm paying a babysitter like over a thousand dollars, which is still a lot now, um, and I would come home so late. So I'm like I'm a single parent, I'm paying somebody else to watch my kid, I'm coming home and I don't have enough time with her. And then an opportunity came up where one of my dad's previous partners she was a nurse and she was doing something with a patient there and they were talking about kids and she's like oh, my husband has a daughter and she works here, but she's looking for a new job. He ended up being the GM of Mercedes-Benz. Oh, wow. And so they offered me to go and apply there and I actually applied when I was 20 years old and I applied as a receptionist. So I was the receptionist for seven dealerships, because at the time they owned seven dealerships and I would like take all the calls for all dealerships, transfer it, make appointments and so on.
Speaker 1:I did that for a couple of years and then a new role came up called product specialist. So you know, know, as car sales people previously, um, you sell the car, you got to explain at least a little bit of the car. But with technology now it's like the cars are so complex so the it would take time for the salesperson away time away to explain the car. So they said, hey, we're to have somebody to. Literally their only job is to check people in and explain the car. Whether it's you just bought this car I'm going to explain it to you for half an hour or you forgot about the features, you're going to come back throughout the day and ask random questions like, hey, I got a new cell phone, can you pair it? Things like that. So I was the first product specialist and I went to training in the mainland, came back and I basically learned about all the cars and I was teaching people basically how to use every, every button in there. So I know everything on the inside, the engine, like, eh, not too much. But we always tell people don't touch it, don't touch it. Yeah, don't want to modify bins, uh, but yeah, but yeah. So I did that for a couple of years.
Speaker 1:And then there was an opportunity for sales because our guys there, they've been there for a very long time. We do not have a high turnover there. They have like good rapport with their customers. They've been there for like 10 plus years. They have like good rapport with their customers. They've been there for like 10 plus years. So I actually asked, saying hey, I think it would be good if you have a female.
Speaker 1:And I started off as a receptionist, so I know a lot of the customers from being behind the desk checking them in, and also I would look at all the other salespeople and see their style. And then he like, oh, okay, I like how he does that. Oh, I don't like how he does that. And then I knew the product. I just didn't know how to sell. But I kind of didn't want to know how to sell. I just wanted to listen to the customer, teach them what they're supposed to learn about their car and then basically get them to the right car at the right price and so on.
Speaker 1:So at first when I asked they had me go to HR and they didn't want to give it to me because I had no history of sales. I didn't come from other dealerships selling cars. They actually told me to go and work at like Honda or Mazda actually told me to go and work at like Honda or Mazda, get experience and then come back. So I didn't get it immediately, but I was getting a bunch of awards for becoming a product specialist and then I bothered them again. I said, hey, can you give me a chance Like it's not, it's not going to cost you anything if anything were commissioned. So if I don't sell anything, put me back as a product specialist. Yeah, but it gave me the opportunity because I was always a good employee and I sold it. I sold them to give me the job I need at least one female. And yeah, they gave me the opportunity and I've been doing it basically for eight years now that's super awesome, and sales, especially cars, isn't easy.
Speaker 2:It takes a certain kind of person and have you have to have a certain kind of grit. Do you do, uh, use like pre-owns also, or?
Speaker 1:yep, I do new pre-owned and not just mercedes-ben pre-owned. But we have a bunch of a lot of people don't know this, but we have a bunch of used cars non-Mercedes, like Toyotas we have like Mazdas. I took in a BMW M2 competitor, which was a rare car apparently and you get all these cars as trade-ins because they traded it in for Mercedes and priced them really well, like we're not going to price it. Audi's next door to us, BMW and Lexus. We're not going to price a trade-in Lexus for more than Lexus. So a lot of people don't know they can look at our inventory for non-Mercedes-Benz cars, but I basically sell everything, even Teslas.
Speaker 2:Oh wow, mercedes-benz cars, but I basically sell everything, even teslas, oh wow, yeah. Yeah, I used to like selling pre-owned cars because the net was way more.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, a lot of people oh, you sold a hundred thousand dollar car, you must have made like five something. I'm like no, actually they're flats like yeah, penny off, I get x amount. If I give five thousand off, I get X amount. If I give $5,000 off, I still get X amount. But we take it in for a certain amount. We bid it a little bit higher and then from there we transition. But yeah, me too.
Speaker 2:Being that I was a car salesman, I ran into multiple ethical dilemmas and which kind of led to me stopping. I couldn't ethically do certain things and I wanted to ask you if you had any ethical dilemmas while you were working well, not anything that I caused, but in the very beginning, like you said, it's kind of not for everyone.
Speaker 1:There's not that many females and there is a reason, like I mean, it's always been male dominated. But in the beginning it was really hard for me, where I would go into the bathroom and literally cry because people well, I was younger back then, eight years ago and either the customers don't think you know what you're doing, they don't take you seriously because you're a woman and you know the other salespeople. They're, like you know, starting to be a little bit more competitive with each other. Thankfully, we all get along because they've been there so long and they know hey, I'm Angie the receptionist, I'm Angie the product specialist. I've always helped you out. Now's my time to do my own thing.
Speaker 1:And no, especially being a female, a lot of people think it's easier for me to sell cards oh, you're pretty, oh you're a girl Like. No, it's honestly the opposite. Like I would get customers coming in and it's my turn to greet them and it'll be like a husband and wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, and the wife or spouse looks at me and they're like, hmm, not helping, and I always get that. I always get that in the beginning and then, once they get to know me, they ended up like loving me and we're like best friends now. Because, like when I, when I get to that situation, I don't really look too much at the guy, even though he has the money and he wants to buy the car and whatever solution. I make sure the girl, whether she's a friend, girlfriend, wife, fiance I make sure she's included too. I look at her, I acknowledge her and I I always do that. I, I want to treat people how you know I want to them. I, yeah, just it's crazy.
Speaker 2:When I was selling cars and only did it for like a year, I noticed that you have us. People assume car salesmen are sleazy and they lie and all that. My coworkers and I were not like that. What I noticed was the people that were lying to me the most were the customers. Like they would lie to me so much oh yeah, I, um, I'll come back. Or oh yeah, I have this car like they. They I would catch them in so many different lies and I was thinking how can car salesmen be like, portrayed as liars, when the customers lie way more than the car salesmen? I was always honest up front and everything Like especially new cars were so easy because they have a warranty. Like, especially new cars were so easy because they have a warranty. I like that. That was like the easiest thing to sell because I had something that could back up my cell with pre-owns. It was more money, but the warranties weren't as strong, or or the um, things would go wrong or whatnot.
Speaker 2:Right, yeah, right there's a saying buyers are liars yeah, exactly totally, and I I wouldn't get anxiety or anxious, but I would love like they would call them ups when someone walks into the store and I guess you'd for us we would take turns. Oh, when it was my turn, like I would be so stoked to see, but it was. It was like a puzzle to get this person and to be myself and to get them to want to buy something was always the challenge for me. I don't know if it was the same for you, but just to figure them out to where they could feel comfortable and to to figure out how to how to do that not manipulate them, but to do it to where they would be happy with what product or what decisions they made. It was it was kind of fun at at some point definitely no, I, I get it and I totally agree.
Speaker 1:Um, the first thing you do when somebody walks in, what do they say?
Speaker 1:oh, I'm just looking yeah, okay totally fine, let me know if you have any questions. We're not the type of dealership where we're gonna all rush you at once. So I get that people have their guards up because unfortunately, at other dealers you know smaller ones, ones in off Nimitz kind of thing where it's like not even named they get screwed a little bit. You know they're like oh yeah, let me take this car and oh, you're only going to get this much and your interest rate is going to be 25%. And I mean, like they get screwed, I get it, but breaking down those walls from the beginning, like not pressuring them, is the first step Greeting them is the second step, listening to them.
Speaker 1:of course, a lot of times some people just kind of oh you know what, this car has a lot of money. I want to sell them this car. Yeah, it'll make you money, but you're not going to make them happy.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:In the last eight years I've probably had maybe two buyer's remorse customers where they're like oh you know what, I didn't really like this car, but that was for whatever reason. I literally listen, like I'm the type where I'm okay with like giving off so just to make them happy. I could be making more money, honestly, if I, if I don't think if.
Speaker 1:I don't give them honestly, if I don't give them a discount, if I don't give them a good training amount. But my style is one treating them how I want to be treated, giving them a fair deal and giving them the best customer service. I literally have a second cell phone for my customers to call me if anything goes wrong with their car. I want them to know hey, you call me first and if, okay, you need a service appointment, let me make it for you. With a loaner, you need roadside assistance. Here's this number. Like I mean, to a certain time frame my phone will turn off, but they have the number for everything. And that's just my style. Like I want to make it where it's not just a sale for me, like I'm going to be there for you because your house and a car are the most expensive things you're going to buy in your life.
Speaker 1:And this Mercedes Benz. Like not everybody can afford it. So it's a special moment. It's a lot of money, so I want to make sure I'm going to be there for you when anything goes wrong with your car and that's honestly paid off for me from now, because in the beginning I started selling I already my first year I was like top half and each year I was going up, up, up because my managers warned me like you're going to starve for maybe a couple of years. It's going to take you at least three, four years to gain your own clientele and everything but the word of mouth. This island is so small that oh you know Angie, my girl, she's going to hook you up, she's going to take care of you. Like even my service advisors tell customers hey, go see Angie, because they know that I'm really going to take care of them yeah.
Speaker 1:I cannot sleep at night if I know that I didn't do well with this customer or I lied, or I just can't do that. Like my dad raised me better. So I'm like, yeah, but yeah, you are right, buyers, can you know, tip a lot with oh yeah, yeah, I got approved for this. Da, da, da, da da, and then like hours with them and then you finally get down to, oh, let me check your credit or how much money you have, and then it's like you can't even buy a car.
Speaker 1:So yeah, it's just wasted my whole day yeah, I get that like some people just want to look, that's totally fine. But for me like to educate people, like before you come in the dealership kind of look what's out there first, know your budget, know your credit score no, hey, is this even a good time to buy a car? Research the interest rates like right now it's still a little bit high for interest rates. But just like home loans and everything, else and.
Speaker 1:But you know, just doing a little bit of research, especially because nowadays we have social media, we have TikTok, we have Google chat, gbt, all these things that you can do a little bit more research. So when you come to the dealership you're ready, you know exactly what you want and from there we, we help you. We basically help you get what car you're looking for.
Speaker 1:But when you come in and start lying about oh, this is this, and I mean you know what I treat them like. They're the same person. I'm not going to be like, oh, this guy, you know he looks like this. Or oh, this person drove in in this car Because, especially with our clientele, the filthy rich come in in slippers and puka shirts. Yep, you never, Never.
Speaker 2:That's something that I've learned, even through the club industry, and I wanted to ask do those rich, arrogant people come in and how do you handle that? Because sometimes, especially being a female, they'll try to hit on you or stuff like that? How do you handle those, because sometimes, especially being a female, to try hit on you or stuff like that? How do you handle those kind of situations?
Speaker 1:yeah, in the beginning it was very awkward. Um, I didn't want to be. I actually held a lot in like I've had customers say very sexual things to me. One put his hands on my legs in the car before the kahalu in me wants to be like slam dance this right now and like curse you out and everything. But I'm like I can't do that. I know my managers will have my back, but there's a certain way that I had to find to kind of work through that. It sucks, but if you're going to be in this industry you don't have to deal with it. But there's ways to deal with it.
Speaker 1:So I you know, like for customers hitting on me and I know that they're married, I'm just like. I'm just like, ah, and just move on to the subject. You know, I'm not going to pay attention to that, I'm not going to feed into that, I'm going to like, okay, okay, and then so this is the price. Yeah, that's your finance.
Speaker 2:Well, you're strong enough to know how to navigate through that. I think yeah, and it takes a strong person, especially in that industry. It's cutthroat and, like you said, the people that you work with are your competitors. It's a good thing that you have that relationship because you worked your way up in that dealership. They know you, so they're not going to try and stab you in the back.
Speaker 1:Right, right, and if they do like in the the beginning, I'll have a couple of them. Be like oh, angie, you want to help me out? We can have this deal to get you started, and then I'm doing the whole thing yeah, and then I was thinking that, beginning like, oh yeah, give me deals, give me, give me customers.
Speaker 1:And then after I'm like, oh my gosh, you're taking advantage of me. And then it wasn't until later, where I'm like I have a voice, where I'm like uh-uh, or like one of them will be like, oh, he just bought a car because you're pretty, I said, seriously, do you think some rich guy would be like I'm gonna spend sixty thousand dollars just because she's pretty? Like no, no, I listened to them. I got them the car they want. I gave them a good price, like I'm not trying to be oblivious about it, but it's honestly like who would give money just because you're pretty?
Speaker 1:like that exactly yeah, I get buy some bottles and drinks to show off. But sixty thousand dollar car, she's pretty yeah.
Speaker 2:That's one thing I do know like, because you know the product, it's easier to sell. I would study and I would learn every little detail. And then it's like you're, you're going in there with a loaded gun, any question you got I can, I can pound it out. So it was yeah, it was, yeah, it was, it was kind of cool. But yeah, unfortunately for me, I had ethical dilemmas, like I said, and put me out of that business was good money, though oh, I was killing it very good, I mean you have up and down, so you have to learn how to be good with your money, because you'll have a great month and you'll have a not great you, you can
Speaker 1:make 20,000 one month. You can make 5,000 another month, like the just this past month, october. I was gone for 10 days, which is the longest I've ever been, but obviously for a crazy good reason. But when I came back I just pretty much worked my butt off just to catch up, which I did, thankfully. But yeah, you have your good months, you have your bad months. You just kind of learn how to fluctuate with things. But the one good thing, or many good things about my company is that they're not like cutthroat like other dealerships, like okay, you don't sell 10 cars, you're out.
Speaker 1:And that's why you see other dealerships with high turnover. You go there and hey, we're so-and-so. Oh, he doesn't work here anymore. And I get it. They want to make a certain amount of money. But I mean, people are people. They're gonna have bad months, they're gonna have good months. So yeah the company.
Speaker 1:they understand that and, like I said, I've been or I don't know if I mentioned, but I've been 13 years now and I'm I started off at in my 20 years old and everyone else at my dealership during their like 50s, 60s, 70s. They've been there a long time, so it's definitely not easy to get in. But I feel like I'm so blessed the way that I went about it, where I started off from the bottom. I learned the company, I learned my coworkers, I learned the cars and I learned the clientele. So I'm very blessed to have started that way, because if I just kind of went in and sold, I don't think I would have made it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for sure. So what is your future goals with the company? Where do you see yourselves in the future with doing what you're doing now?
Speaker 1:I still want to stick to sales. Like everyone was like, what about management or finance manager? They make a little bit more money, for sure, but their hours are brutal. They're not really out there. They're stuck in an office all the time Pitching someone. After you just bought, like, an $80,000 car, hey, you want to spend 10 more grand? Yeah, like for me, I love my job, I love Mercedes-Benz, I love all cars, but I really do believe in our cars. I love our cars. I love our clientele. I love getting out there. You never know who you're gonna meet. It can be someone from, like, kaneohe. It could be someone from the mainland. It could be someone who always wanted a Mercedes Benz and saved up so much, has a decent job, but you know, and then the full pitch, like you just never know. But it's exciting knowing people, meeting people and I've, like became friends with customers, like it's just such a great experience and I want to see themselves because I like the flexibility, I like my hours. I got grandfathered in where I'm nine to five, so nice.
Speaker 1:I mean I'll come the days off and I'll stay later if I need to, but it's really flexible and I mean the management and everybody there is just I can't complain, I'm just so happy. I literally that's super awesome yeah, all right.
Speaker 2:Well, I got all the questions I needed to ask you for both uh topics. Um, I don't want to see. I want to see your crown. That thing was huge on the, on the, on your instagram video, so I wanted to see it I now have four crowns.
Speaker 1:Oh wow, entry as miss wimmered, then miss hawaii, united states, then people's choice and then my ms united states crown. So that's the big one box, I think oh, y'all that's legit it's so big super legit. I know it's not real diamond, so don't. It's so big, that's super legit. And no, it's not real diamonds, so don't For me. But yeah, this is a statement right here.
Speaker 2:I love it. That is a statement your daughter must put it on and stuff.
Speaker 1:I was like you can be Miss United States for Halloween. She's like no, I'm good, mom's pretty.
Speaker 2:I have one request. I don't know if you can make it happen, but you need to represent your uh, what you want and your crown in, because we've never had one in the kanye christmas parade. You gotta, you gotta, be on the float or one of those convertibles going through cam highway, because it's a big honor for kaneway, you know, I mean I do, I'm hoping so.
Speaker 1:I was just in one of the parades which was my first one. I'm gonna have another one for the pearl harbor one, but I definitely need to reach out for that one because I used to walk in that parade when I was at castle high school rltc in my uniform and hot sun, walking all the way to castle. So I'm like now's the time where I sit in my convertible and just wave yo, you got it. I'm gonna be reminding me.
Speaker 2:Yes, that has to happen. It's coming up in a couple months, so you gotta make it, make it happen, right I'll put it on my to-do. Yeah, I'll be there, so I'm going to be watching. Okay, it goes right in front of my house. Yeah, you're right.
Speaker 1:You're right. I'll put that in right away.
Speaker 2:Yeah, all right. Well, we've been going for an hour. I wish you the best representing your platform this year and I hope you do reach a lot of people and change some lives. And I think, minus all the glitz, the glamour, the crown, the makeup and all that, that's what's driving you and I think that will always be your strength and I think, hopefully, you will change lives and make a difference, because, at the end of the day, that's what aloha is and that's what you're being the ambassador of. Being from hawaii going to the mainland is showing everybody aloha yes, thank you.
Speaker 2:I really appreciate this opportunity too, so happy for you and thank you for having me on yeah, so where on social media can people find you and where can people go to get a mercedes from you?
Speaker 1:okay, so I have a couple accounts, but, um, my personal, excuse me, not my personal. My, uh, official account for ms united states is official ms united states, and then for my car one it's at Angie, underscore Martinez, underscore MBH MBH for Mercedes-Benz of Honolulu. So you can call, text all the information's on there, email, whether you want a special appearance as Ms United States or if you want just basically to look at your options for a car, just call or email me.
Speaker 2:That's so random.
Speaker 1:No. I'm like oh gosh it's too different, but I'll add this yeah.
Speaker 2:Nice and for us, as always, you can find us on Instagram at Above the Bridge Podcast. You can find us on Instagram at AboveTheBridgePodcast. Our YouTube is AboveTheBridgePodcast, our website is atbpodcom and my Instagram is DaddyDaddyHi. Well, I hope to see you around Kaneohe and I hope that I should come to one of your sign waving things.
Speaker 1:I'll be down for that.
Speaker 2:I always want to try and do more community stuff, so I I'll be down, especially in kaneo, for sure yes, I will definitely let you know, yeah that would be cool. Well, thank you again for coming on. Shockers for the cameras thank you yeah, you gotta practice that one. Huh, I know I was like going like this before.
Speaker 1:I'm like oh, this is why right on, we're out.
Speaker 2:Shout out to the artist group network. Aloha, thank you.
