AutoCate: Helping Women Car Owners Drive with Confidence

In this episode of GVCA Deconstructed, host Mandy Bujold chats with Stefanie Bruinsma and Emily Pyke, co‑founders of AutoCate, about their mission to help women feel confident in the garage and behind the wheel.

They share how AutoCate’s hands‑on workshops teach practical skills—like changing a spare tire, boosting a battery, and reading your owner’s manual—while tackling the “pink tax” and breaking down stereotypes in the trades. You’ll hear how their work is inspiring new confidence, building community, and showing that everyone belongs in the shop.

00:00 – Stefanie’s journey into the trades
04:15 – From shop class to engineering
06:45 – The inspiration behind AutoCate
08:03 – Workshops: spare tires, batteries, and more
10:15 – Hands‑on learning builds confidence
11:30 – Tackling the “pink tax”
13:30 – Stories from participants
21:23 – Emily’s perspective and Women of the Year award
24:54 – On‑call advice for car owners
26:21 – What better looks like in the industry