Glossed & Gritty – Mobilizing Collision DisruptHERs

– We’re so glad you’re here!

Dynasty DisruptHER: Micki Woods

Marketing may attract attention, but Micki Woods knows it cannot rescue weak leadership, unhealthy culture or broken trust. After owning a shop, surviving the 2008 recession and sitting in the chair where payroll becomes personal, Micki built a career helping collision businesses become stronger from the inside out. She shares the hard-earned lessons behind her…
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Primed DisruptHER: Madison Warren

At 18, Madison Warren is already a Toyota- and Lexus-certified estimator, a national SkillsUSA champion and a young professional determined to raise the standard of collision repair. Her path from shy freshman to skilled repair planner was built through mentorship, preparation and one lesson she refused to forget: trust the process. Madison shares how OEM…
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Polished DisruptHER: Jill Tuggle

Jill Tuggle’s career changed every time someone convinced her to “hear me out.” From delivering wheels to leading the Auto Body Association of Texas, her unconventional path proves that leadership does not require knowing everything—it requires curiosity, collaboration and the confidence to ask the right people. Jill opens up about loss, faith, imposter syndrome, advocacy…
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In Her Words: Before You Judge Someone, Learn Their Story

After more than a decade volunteering with women affected by sexual exploitation, Jill Tuggle has learned how rarely assumptions resemble reality. She challenges us to look beyond someone’s behavior, circumstances or mistakes and get curious about the story underneath. From strip-club outreach to collision-shop culture, Jill explores dignity, accountability and the difference between excusing harmful…
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In Her Words: Lowered Voice, Stronger Boundaries-Petra Schroeder

Petra Schroeder’s voice may be calm, but her boundaries are anything but weak. In this thoughtful In HER Words column, Petra reflects on respect, cultural differences, harassment, communication, and the quiet authority that comes from consistency. She shares how being believed shaped her, why “no” should never require negotiation, and how speaking up does not…
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In Her Words: Your Voice Matters, So Use It! By: Kristen Felder

(Warning: Explicit language – May be offensive to some readers) Collision repair is the only industry I know, and although I love what I do, I fully realize it’s not pretty for women here. It’s full of double standards, pitfalls and traps. It really sucks to be a woman in this industry a lot of…
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Primed DisruptHER Gabby Held: Wallys and Welds: 15-Year-Old Gabriella Held is Built for Speed

At just 15 years old, Gabriella Held is still too young to hold a driver’s license, but that hasn’t stopped her from steering her future forward! For nearly three years, Gabby has spent a significant portion of her free time in the body shop, learning to weld, paint and repair vehicles through Trade Up Level…
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Polished DisruptHER-Cassandra Thibeault: Promoting Positivity and Cultivating a Community for Bodywomen

Cassandra Thibeault’s path into collision repair did not start with a perfect plan, a polished resume, or a neat little “how I found my purpose” bow tied around it. It started with a woman who once dreamed of fashion design, found out sewing was absolutely not her love language, left retail management behind, stepped into…
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Dynasty DisruptHER: Kristen Felder: The Take-No-Shit & Offer No Apologies DisruptHER

Kristen Felder was not introduced to collision repair later in life. She was practically born into it, with a childhood spent in the body shop and a work ethic shaped by sanding, repairing, arguing, learning, and refusing to back down. In this Dynasty DisruptHER feature, Glossed & Gritty spotlights one of the most recognizable, respected,…
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Gear and Glam: Field Notes from the Show Floor

Trade-show survival requires more strategy than throwing half your life into a bag and hoping your feet forgive you. Collision DisruptHERs share their must-have event essentials, including comfortable broken-in shoes, hands-free phone cases, portable chargers, hydration, snacks and a tiny traveling pharmacy. Pack lighter, move easier and save your energy for the conversations and opportunities…
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Recalibration~Mind & Body: What You Bring Home That Does Not Fit in the Tote Bag

The most valuable thing you bring home from an industry event may be a new connection, renewed confidence or the reminder that you are not navigating this career alone. Collision professionals share how networking, preparation and intentional rest make conferences more useful and less overwhelming. Learn how to protect your energy, plan your priorities and…
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Recalibration~Mind and Body: SPF, Sparks and Skin Survival

Collision repair is brutal on skin, and pretending otherwise is how you end up looking like the shop won custody of your face. In this Recalibration: Mind & Body article, Jannifer Stimmel-Watkins takes on the grime, UV exposure, fiberglass itch, cracked hands, mystery chemicals, welding light, sanding dust, and general shop-floor nonsense that Collision DisruptHERs…
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Weld Aware: Jaime Shewbridge

A weld can look acceptable and still fail when it matters most. Jaime Shewbridge explains why test welds are not optional paperwork, production interference or something reserved for certification day. They are part of restoring a vehicle’s engineered crashworthiness—and protecting the people who may depend on that repair during the next collision. From questionable scrap-metal…
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Pro Tips and Precision

Color match problems and discrimination both have a way of exposing what shops overlook. In this issue of Pro Tips & Precision, women from across the collision industry share the details that can make or break a refinish job, from spray-out cards and spectro prep to lighting, reducer, and viewing angles. Then they get real…
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Pro-Tips and Precision

Welcome to “Pro Tips & Precision,” a space where the technical meets the tactical. At Glossed & Gritty, we know that — while we all share the same dust and drive — no two technicians approach a quarter-panel or a career hurdle in quite the same way. This magazine is built on the foundation of…
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Undiminished Value: Is Your Shop Truly Female Friendly?

Calling your shop “female friendly” is easy. Actually building an experience where women feel respected, reassured, and cared for? That takes more than a pink logo and a lonely succulent on the counter. Micki Woods breaks down what female-friendly service really looks like from the first phone call to vehicle delivery, showing shops how empathy,…
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Undiminished Value: Women, Wealth and the Power of Financial Literacy By: Rachel James

For decades, women were quietly excluded from meaningful financial decision-making — not because we lacked the ability, but because the system wasn’t built with us in mind. Bank accounts required a husband’s signature. Financial conversations happened behind closed doors. Money was something women were expected to manage day-to-day, but not strategically. That era is over.…
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