Henrik Hairapetian
World Famous 4X4
Burbank, CA USA
"Success is being able to wake up in the morning and be happy about going to where you’re going, to go do what you got to do. That’s it!"
Career Roadmap
Henrik's work combines: Engineering, Entrepreneurship, and Building Things
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Day In The Life
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
Was a “car guy” to begin with—his favorite car was a Ford Mustang GT 50, which made him feel like the king of the road.
2.
One winter, he got the Mustang stuck in a snowstorm—a friend of his came to pick him up in a four-wheel drive Blazer and he was amazed by its ability to go anywhere at anytime.
3.
A week later he got a Blazer, and from then on, he was hooked.
4.
Started out by trying to build a truck in his parents driveway; when neighbors started to complain about the noise, he rented out a small space to finish the project.
5.
At his first car show, companies liked his truck and asked if he would display their brand on his car at other shows; this led to numerous sponsors and press, which enabled him to grow his company.
6.
He has been running World Famous 4x4 for the last 25 years building and customizing trucks of all kinds.
7.
Defines success as being happy about doing what you do regardless of money or prestige.
8.
Believes that to really make it in the auto industry, you have to carve out your niche—”If you’re known as the person to go to for something specialized, then you will do well.”
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
You can't be making noise this late at night.
How I responded:
When I was young, I would come home at night and work on fixing my car. People started to complain about the noise in the neighborhood, so I rented out a small space in order to finish my project. That move ended up forming the foundation for the rest of my career.