A phoenix rising from the ashes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI had used my house as collateral for a $300,000 loan from the SBA\u201d to fund the sandwich venture, she says, and with her insurance company delaying and disclaiming responsibility for the fire claim, she needed income, fast. But instead of spiraling, she looked at the opportunities on the table and pivoted. \u201cI had been using Turo for a while \u2014 when I listed my Jeep Wrangler back in 2017, almost immediately I was like, this is something that\u2019s going to work well for me\u2026 As far as careers go, Turo has been the one constant \u2014 I\u2019ve never worked a 9\u20135,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So when disaster struck and she saw that hefty monthly payment for her SBA loan looming, Turo seemed like a viable road to economic recovery. \u201cTuro allowed me to hold up my life and get back on my feet,\u201d she recalls. \u201cIt really was because of Turo that I was able to survive [the fire] because otherwise I would have lost my house.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Figuring out her business strategy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Living in Plano, TX, near Dallas, she started analyzing trends in her market. The Wrangler performed well, but when she bought a Mercedes to share on the platform, she realized that high-end cars weren\u2019t for her. \u201cAt least 75% of my customers are local \u2014 Dallas doesn\u2019t have a public transportation system so you really need a car to get around,\u201d she says. \u201cReliable, affordable cars\u201d are what her clientele needs, \u201cToyotas, Fords, cars with great gas mileage to get you from point A to point B on a budget,\u201d she observed. So she ditched the Mercedes, and pursued the more budget-friendly options, leveraging her network of mechanics and vendors to get well priced, well maintained cars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, because of her focus on procuring affordable, well priced cars from her network, she\u2019s paid off all her cars and is in a good position to weather the COVID-19 storm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When COVID-19 started to really affect travel and everyday life in March and April, Aubrey definitely noticed the slow down. \u201cThere are still people booking, but it\u2019s significantly slowed down. About three weeks into all of it, the cancellations started, and international travel ground to a halt.\u201d She notes that she\u2019s still been sharing every day, \u201cjust less often.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike other hosts who have been adjusting their car sharing practices to account for COVID-19 trends<\/a>, Aubrey already had her listings optimized for the current climate \u2014 by catering to local guests on a budget, she hasn\u2019t had much adjusting to do. She also is a firm believer in contactless check-in, and has always been a stickler for cleaning, using an Ozone machine and disinfectant spray between trips to clean the interior, so the societal focus on physical distancing and rigorous cleaning practices were already folded into her routine. \u201cFrom a liability standpoint, I don\u2019t want any trace of COVID-19 coming back to me, so I\u2019m extra cautious\u201d when it comes to cleaning, she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When asked what recommendations she would share with other hosts weathering this strange storm, she conceded that she was in a fortunate position because her cars were paid off. So as a general piece of advice, along with fellow host Alex P<\/a>., she recommends not overextending yourself financially \u2014 \u201cit\u2019s important to buy your cars responsibly,\u201d she calls out.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n She also recommends keeping up with the terms of service, so you never get caught off guard and are well versed in the nuts and bolts of what is and isn\u2019t allowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As we start to rebound from this broad public health and economic challenge, Aubrey is a shining example of the economic opportunities in sharing economy work. \u201cIt is because of Turo that I did not lose my home, it is because of Turo that I have been able to make a good living for myself, and quite honestly if it wasn’t for Turo I don’t know if I would be here today,\u201d she reflects. Aubrey\u2019s tenacity, innovation, and calm in the face of adversity is an inspiration to us all, and we\u2019re honored to have played a part in her story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.turo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/t_2v276CQj6Ld-Jcrpc9mA.jpg?fit=762%2C572&ssl=1\")
When coronavirus strikes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
An economic opportunity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n