Trusted Tech: Have No Fear
Asking questions is part of the journey, according to Trusted Tech Fernando Lopez, who encourages others to share knowledge and grow through connection.
Words by Rosa Sophia
This year’s Trusted Tech, Fernando “Nando” Lopez, worked various jobs before entering the mobile electronics industry. Lopez never finished school, he said. Although he hadn’t intended to get into 12-volt, he always enjoyed music. “In Mexico, I worked for guys who did [DJ for] parties and concerts, so that’s one of those things that drew me into electronics.” In 2004, he moved from Mexico to the United States in search of something different. “Everything was the same, and I didn’t want to be the same.”
Now in 12-volt for 16 years, he got his start at a different shop before arriving at Five Star Car Stereo in Clearwater, Fla. “I’ve always come to Five Star to buy equipment,” he said. “Any problem I have, I ask Dean [Beyett]. I always came here and asked him about any vehicle I was working on. And he’d say, ‘No problem. Let me help you.’ One day, they were looking for someone because they had a lot of work, and they asked me if I wanted to work with them. I was scared, but I said yes.”
Five Star provided a big change from his previous job, Lopez said, noting that his first experience in car audio had been with a shop that “just cut wires and didn’t know the proper equipment.” The prospect of working at Five Star, he added, excited him due to the quality of work he’d observed in the shop.
Today, as his coworker, Beyett continues to inspire him. Lopez said he wasn’t initially interested in pursuing the Industry Awards. “I wasn’t that guy, but Dean pushed me all these years to be better.” He continues to admire the work of many people in the industry, he said, adding, “I feel lucky.”
The Art of Listening in System Design
At Five Star, Lopez and Beyett work together on various projects. While Lopez doesn’t ordinarily interact with customers, he said he recently worked with a customer who brought in a Ford Mustang. “She speaks Spanish, so we got to talking, and I got involved in designing the system,” he explained, adding that he and Beyett balance tasks and play off each other’s strengths. When it comes to integrating a client’s vision with his own designs, Lopez said it’s important to listen.
“We’re fanboys about car audio or the brands we like, but at the end of the day, the customer has a different idea. They don’t necessarily know, so they come here and ask us, because we’re the professionals.” When it came to the Mustang, Lopez said he asked the client a lot of questions. “She said, ‘I want this system. I want it to be loud, but I also want it to be clear.’ I started talking with her about what she listened to, and if she had any [previous] experience with car audio.” When they presented a proposal, Lopez said the customer was surprised, but she added, “Wow, that’s a lot of money, but I trust you guys. Let’s do it.” Listen to the customer, he said. “Listen to what they’re looking for and come up with a solution.”
Recently, Lopez and Beyett installed a new system in Beyett’s car. “We went overkill, designed brackets and made cover panels. We designed every single piece to be more than a regular system. I feel like when you do your own car, you want it to be even better.” He added that the car is used regularly as a demo vehicle at the shop. “Just today, a customer came in and Dean was talking with someone else, and I went and grabbed Dean’s keys, demoed the car and the guy said, ‘Oh my God, this is insane.’” While the customer felt it was too much, the demo still offered a reference point, according to Lopez—a perspective on what’s possible to help the customer decide.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
Throughout his experience teaching at events like KnowledgeFest, Lopez said he learned the importance of narrowing things down and focusing on just one thing for an audience of industry professionals.
“Sometimes we cover so much that it’s overwhelming. Not everyone is at the same level. Some people—you can tell them anything from start to finish and they get it. Other people are not like that. They’re struggling to understand one simple thing.”
In AudioControl trainings, Lopez observed attendees struggling to understand, reluctant to ask questions. “That’s the problem. If they feel like it’s a stupid question, they don’t want to think, ‘I’m the stupid guy over here.’”
During classes, Lopez encourages people to ask questions. “If you don’t want to ask questions in the class, catch us outside. What’s the worst thing that can happen? If I don’t know the answer, I go and ask someone else and we find the answer. If you never ask, you’ll never know the outcome.”
To that end, he felt it was important to narrow the focus enough that attendees leave the class feeling they really got something from it. “Sometimes, we get so much information at an event that we go home and say, ‘I don’t even know where to start.’ If I make things simple, I feel that’s worth it.”
He often gets calls from friends who ask for his perspective on a build they’re working on, and he said he tries to help wherever he can. To new techs, he said, “Don’t be afraid.” When he looked back at his experience moving to a new country and trying to learn the language, as well as adapting to terminology around vehicles and integration, he acknowledged it was scary.
This can make approaching others a bit intimidating. A non-English speaker, he said, might feel judged. But Lopez said he’s had many positive experiences learning from English speakers since moving to America.
“If you don’t ask the question, you’re never going to know,” he said. “People will see that when you ask that question, you’re interested. Always ask questions. Always learn. Don’t be one of those guys who says, ‘I’ve been in the industry for 20 years, I know everything.’”
It’s just not possible to know everything, he said, adding, “At the end of the day, we keep learning new things because cars are brand new every year. The technology keeps evolving and getting better. So, why not evolve [ourselves] and learn more?”
Lopez has a unique perspective, having left his home country and come to a new place where he learned the language and found his true calling. “I’m proud of who I’ve become and who I’m working with—being able to work with someone who’s willing to push me and help me. I’m here because I like to push myself to learn every day.” He feels that everyone, regardless of the field in which they work, should aim to grow every day. “I have friends who’ve been here longer than me and they don’t speak English. Why not? You’re in a different country. You have to adapt. How will you get better?”
Let Go of Old Habits and Help the Industry Grow
There’s an old mentality, he noted: Some people don’t want to help or share information because they think people might “steal it.” Lopez said he’s happy to share anything he can. “There are no secrets anymore. If you do a good job, that means a customer will have an amazing experience. That will bring more people to car audio. And then they trust you even more. If you hide things, people will be more suspicious of you.”
In his previous job, Lopez said, people were willing to lie to the customer to get money. “It was bad. When I came here, I learned Dean [Beyett] is very honest,” which is a trait Lopez values.
It can be a challenge to counter the mindset some customers have of wanting something very good—but for very cheap. “It doesn’t exist,” Lopez said. “If you want something good, you have to pay the money. If you want something cheap, it won’t be any good. You have to educate them.”
He’s able to look back at the person he used to be—10, 20 years ago—and recognize how much he’s changed. “I’m a totally different guy,” he said, in terms of how he handles his work and his attention to detail. The concepts, designs and details he and Beyett come up with, he said, make him happy and proud. He feels he’s become more discerning over the years, as well. He’s able to implement other suggestions and ideas to improve a build.
Lopez emphasized how fortunate he feels to be able to work with Beyett, adding, “to have him guide me in the process, [telling me] ‘You should change this,’ or ‘You shouldn’t do this.’ I’m hardheaded, definitely, but I always appreciate his help. With all the new technology and these new cars, I never thought I’d be able to do this job at this level.” Winning the award was a surprise for him, he said. “I don’t even have words. But I’m super grateful. At the end of the day, it’s a team effort because if it wasn’t for Dean, I wouldn’t be here. That’s a big accomplishment. I showed my son and he said, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe you did that.’” He added that he just wants to keep getting better than he was before. “I think that’s a good goal for anyone. Five years from now? We don’t know if we’re going to be here tomorrow.”
Lopez looked back at his career with pride, especially having come so far from Mexico and settling in America. Winning the award, he noted, comes with a high level of responsibility: “I have to give back. To me, if someone asks me for something—if I’m able to do it, I will help them.”
New Technologies Bring Exciting Challenges
When he was a kid, what did Lopez want to be when he grew up? “I wanted to be taller,” he said, “but it didn’t happen.” Joking aside, he’s always enjoyed drawing. Today, he utilizes this ability in designing systems, and using programs like Fusion 360.
In the coming year, he hopes to hone his skills with Fusion. “I want to get better at designing. The more we learn, the more ideas can come.” This, he said, can relate to anything from a simple project like a bass knob to a full A-pillar. “I’m just learning and keeping up-to-date with all the programs available right now.”
His computer is his most important tool when it comes to design. Five Star has both a PC and a Mac available, and Lopez said this is because one or the other might be necessary to work with a particular DSP software. Additionally, the Apple computer works best with design tools, he added. “I want to understand the CNC better. I think it’s important to learn all these available tools.”
Looking back, Lopez wishes he’d got into car audio earlier. “I hear a lot of stories, people saying, ‘Back in the day, we used to do this…’ I didn’t have that background. I would love to have that story. I started working here in 2013, and I saw everything the team was doing—boxes, integration, all that stuff—and I said, ‘Dude, how can I be in on that?’” Despite wishing he had more of a background in car audio, he said, “I came into the industry at the right time. Now, with the technology we have on our hands, and all this sound processing, I think it’s better.”
