• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Forum
  • Design Studio
  • Upholstery Jobs
  • Newsletter
  • Sponsors

The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

The Value of Finding a Mentor

April 29, 2011 By Nadeem Muaddi

In an article titled “Learning Trim Basics from Experienced Craftspeople”, Ace Eckleberry of ACE Custom Upholstery & Rod Shop encourages up and coming auto upholstery professionals to start off slow, stay humble and learn the ins and outs of the trade from an old-timer. In short, Ace recommends finding a mentor.

Schools teach the basic skill set, just enough for young people to get their foot in the door. With youth often comes an overabundance of confidence and I’ve seen countless young people with drive and determination get swallowed by the lure of starting their own business.

I strongly urge those with high business drive to start their own business, but to first find a successful mentor and listen to them. Nothing can come close to hands-on real-world experience under a master tradesman. If you want to be successful, you’ll want your career to start with the proper knowledge and skill set. […]

Experience is really the only way to learn to glue or sew. There’s no substitute for learning under a master. Humble yourself, respect the many years put in by the old-timers and learn from them. Learning all of the industry’s new ideas and innovations won’t matter if the proper skill set isn’t in place to be able to translate them into a real-world application. [read more]

While Ace doesn’t get into the nitty gritty of how to secure an internship or find a mentor, his advice is solid. Hopefully he includes the  missing information in a future article.

A good way to start, though, is to visit a credible shop, respectfully explain why you want to learn the craft and if offered a gig, be willing to work for little pay. After all, your compensation will be the tips, tricks and skills that only a seasoned pro can teach.

To read interesting stories of how other auto trimmers mastered the craft, check out The Hog Ring‘s article: How Did you Learn Auto Upholstery?

Filed Under: Archive, Better Business Tagged With: ACE Custom Upholstery & Rod Shop, Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Business Tips, Car Interior

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Benjamin says

    February 12, 2013 at 3:25 am

    Would you like a receipt?

Primary Sidebar

anal porno bangbros rus porno yaşlı porno konulu porno olgun porno porno izle sarışın porno bakire sex 69 porno

THR Sponsors

NC Sewing Machines
Miami Corporation - Right Rail Ad 3
  • Douglass Interior Products
  • OEM+ Banner Ad - The Hog Ring
  • Keyston Bros
  • Albright's Supply
  • Hyde Leather
  • Leather Craft

THR Favorites

Shop Profile: Edge Automotive Interiors

Anyone who thinks that auto upholstery is a … [more] about Shop Profile: Edge Automotive Interiors

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - 1973 Ford F100

Putting The Hog Ring Design Studio to Use

Since launching The Hog Ring Design Studio in … [more] about Putting The Hog Ring Design Studio to Use

Top 10 Wacky Car Interiors

We auto upholsterers have seen it all - from … [more] about Top 10 Wacky Car Interiors

The Hog Ring - What Trim Shops Looked Like in the 1800s

What Trim Shops Looked Like in the 1800s

What did auto trim shops look like 150 years … [more] about What Trim Shops Looked Like in the 1800s

The Hog Ring - Real Men Sew

It’s True, Real Men Sew!

Real men sew. We've always known that. But it … [more] about It’s True, Real Men Sew!

The Hog Ring - Vilner Works its Magic on a Tesla Model 3

Vilner Works its Magic on a Tesla Model 3

The Tesla Model 3 is a pretty sweet car. But … [more] about Vilner Works its Magic on a Tesla Model 3

Categories

Footer

Recent Articles

  • Mercedes Reimagines Comfort with Custom Fit, 3D Printed Seat Pads
  • Wishing You a Happy Independence Day!
  • The Viral Headrest Gun Safe Is Going Nationwide with Tint World
  • TMG and Haartz to Open North Carolina Plant, Creating 125 New Jobs
  • Everything We Covered in June 2025

Recent Comments

  • Edward Munday on Hidden Mouse Nest? How to Charge for the Extra Dirty Work
  • Jack on Keyston Bros. Acquires DLT Corporation
  • Brodie Smith on Aston Martin Just Introduced a New Convertible DB12
  • THE CAPTAIN on 6 Tips for Turning Callers into Customers
  • Dmei on Star Wars Seat Covers are ‘So Wizard’

Advertise With Us!

We're always looking for companies to collaborate with. Watch this short video about the benefits of sponsorship and then email us to say hi.

Copyright © 2025 · Magazine Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in