EVANNEX has been round because the early days of Tesla, together with a couple of mates who’ve watched the automaker develop into what it’s at present. One such good friend consists of Michael “Mojo” Mogilewski who runs Signature Customized Wraps in Dania Seaside, Florida. Not too long ago, we hopped on the cellphone with Mojo to speak about he and his girlfriend’s Barbie pink Teslas, the group as a complete, and the way far the automaker has come within the final decade or so.

Above: Mojo and Erol’s Barbie pink Teslas (Picture: Used with categorical permission from Michael Mogilewski and Signature Customized Wraps).

Past being Barbie pink, Mojo’s Mannequin S and his girlfriend Erol Brenes’s Mannequin Y additionally embrace miniature Teslas on high, making them among the most original Tesla builds on the market. What’s extra is that the 2 wrapped their Teslas within the vibrant pink colour properly earlier than the Barbie film got here out. Nonetheless, nonetheless, enthusiastic onlookers are completely loving the autos, and their resemblance to the movie’s overwhelmingly pink aesthetic.

You may learn our full interview with Michael “Mojo” Mogilewski of Signature Customized Wraps under, together with extra photos of his and girlfriend Erol Brenes’s pink Teslas.

Above: Erol’s Barbie pink Tesla Mannequin Y and Mojo’s Barbie pink Tesla Mannequin S (Picture: Used with categorical permission from Michael Mogilewski and Signature Customized Wraps).

EVANNEX: Are you able to inform me about how Signature Customized Wraps obtained its begin together with how Erol and the Florida Tesla Membership are concerned?

Mojo: Yeah, it is sort of humorous. I used to work for a nationwide journal, and I labored for my finest good friend Brad Bargmann. He had {a magazine} (me and him had one collectively), and he pulled up someday in a wrapped Mercedes-Benz and I used to be like, ‘What the hell is that?’ He is like, ‘It is a wrap.’ I am like, ‘what’s a wrap?’ And he defined it to me.

And I used to be sort of… not burned out with the journal — graphic design work and all that — however I wished one thing totally different. So I regarded into it, and I put my two-week discover in, began working for an additional firm, and was promised the world and did not obtain it. However I discovered loads. I discovered the ins and outs of methods to deal with your shoppers and all that stuff. And I sort of let myself go and I began Signature Customs with a great good friend of mine on the time, Tate.

We simply began doing jobs after which my finest good friend Brad, once more, obtained a Tesla, and I labored on it. And Vossen, which is a wheel firm down right here, put wheels on it. We wrapped it, put wheels on it, and it was on the Colbert Report on Comedy Central.

I labored on his automotive in 2014, and we took a automotive to SEMA. At the moment there was solely two Teslas there, and one was from Unplugged Efficiency with Ben. He had one and I had one within the Arlon sales space for vinyl wraps.

After which as soon as we did Brad’s automotive, it sort of simply blew up. It was sort of bizarre. I used to be actually the one individual in South Florida who would contact a Tesla, as a result of it was electrical. However I had a good friend that had one, and I used to be working with Byron within the Dania Seaside Service Middle, which was the one service heart in South Florida on the time, and he taught me all the things I wanted to learn about engaged on a Tesla. And it simply sort of snowballed after that.

It was a bizarre factor. It was simply you recognize, it simply occurred to occur. And Brad was at all times like, do not put all of your eggs in a single basket. However look: I am right here now 12 years later. [Laughs] Nonetheless engaged on Teslas, I imply I work on lots of different automobiles, however that is identical to my bread and butter.

And assembly Erol was nearly 11 years, in all probability 10 years in the past, with Larry. Larry began the South Florida Tesla membership, and Erol was large into doing all of the occasions and all the things. We had been invited to the primary grand opening of the primary Supercharger in Port St. Lucie, and that is the place all of us sort of like lastly met. There was a Fb web page that was constructed.

On the time, EVANNEX and the household, the Pressmans, they had been proper down the street from my store, so all of us obtained collectively and we’re making an attempt new issues and testing new issues. That was actually the entire begin of the Tesla period, and aftermarket stuff, and connecting folks with the Fb web page with Larry and Erol and occasions.

And all of us have simply been like a good household. I imply the Tesla group — we had been the unique folks. And it is fascinating to observe EVANNEX develop, the membership develop, I am rising.

[We were] going to SEMA a few occasions, nonetheless in 2014, and taking the Tesla that was utterly decked out. It was wrapped, wheel suspension, audio. We did a starlight roof in it and actually the one different Tesla that was there was Ben from Unplugged and it was fairly cool. After which [we started getting] shoppers from far and wide: Kentucky, New York, Texas.

Once more, no one was nobody was touching these items. Everyone was scared. It was electrical. ‘What’s it going to do? How do you cost it? The place do you cost it?’

And my ace in my pocket was Byron and having a Tesla service heart actually like miles from my store. So, anytime I broke an element, as a result of all of us broke elements, you recognize, [they were there.] And watching these automobiles evolve was the enjoyable half. The membership grew, EVANNEX grew. Occasions had modified after which the Mannequin 3 got here out, after which I went from a 1,200-square-foot store to a 5,000-, to a 6,500-square-foot store.

Above: Mojo and Erol’s Barbie pink Teslas (Picture: Used with categorical permission from Michael Mogilewski and Signature Customized Wraps).

Once more, there have been perhaps a few individuals who had been teasing with Teslas, however I used to be getting them from Tesla, with the safety stuff on them, detailing, tinting them, chrome-deleting them, after which taking them again to the dealership to be delivered. It is cool to see how these items have advanced.

My first one was a Mannequin S P85+, rear-wheel drive, and I did all of it up. As a result of again within the day, you met folks on the Supercharger. That was like an enormous meetup and other people talked. It was nonetheless a household factor, however it’s not like that anymore. And nobody was doing something, so I simply went from Supercharger to Supercharger.

I imply, there was Port St. Lucie and Plantation was the second down right here in Florida. That is the place I used to park my automotive each evening after work and go eat dinner. And that is the place I began assembly [people with Teslas], and actually, my P85+ was my greatest advertising billboard factor that I may have executed for any promoting. The Fb pages had been cool, however on the time you were not capable of promote what you are promoting. They did not need any soliciting. So I had I actually simply did up my automotive and simply drove round.

EVANNEX: Talking of doing up your automotive and driving round speaking to folks, are you able to inform me somewhat bit about these pink Barbie-looking Teslas and what folks have been saying about them?

Mojo: So my Teslas have at all times been known as “Obnoxious.” My first one was “Obnoxious Tesla,” my second one was my “Obnoxious 2.0,” after which this one is “Obnoxious 3.0.” These are all my Mannequin S [vehicles], and I’ve a Mannequin X and a Mannequin Y, too.

So being within the wrap enterprise, it sucks, since you clearly can see the brand new colours, and also you at all times need to change. Being an proprietor of a store, you’ve at all times obtained to be 5 steps forward of everyone else. You are making an attempt to do the brand new factor. You are making an attempt to point out off the issues that individuals by no means thought they may do to their automotive.

I purchased my first Plaid two years in the past. Sadly, I totaled it, after which I obtained this one, and I simply wished one thing one thing silly loud. And I did pink chrome a 12 months in the past, not even something to do with the Barbie factor. It was only a loud colour.

I am an elite supplier for ceramic professional and ceramic professional colour. There’s our black, white and pink. So I used to be like ‘Good, it goes with my firm and goes with ceramic professional,’ like that is the right advertising colour and car for it. After which it was simply loopy, you recognize? Then I did Tesla Con with EVANNEX and Erol and the membership.

And me and Erol have been within the passing for 10 years. We simply did the occasion, the Tesla Con, and me and Erol went out one evening, and we have been collectively since. It has been like 10 years within the making, it is sort of bizarre. We have at all times been doing occasions, she’s been capable of see my youngsters after which I supported her, she supported me. Her and Larry have at all times been nice household.

And it was simply cool to be lastly capable of sit down together with her and and speak and get to know her extra than simply the membership. I at all times was beneath the idea she labored for Tesla. She was the youngest feminine in Florida to have a Tesla. She purchased that, she was going to highschool, she was hustling, a single mother. Whenever you meet sure folks and also you perceive the place they got here from and what they’re doing and what they did… that was actually only a large motivator to get to know her extra, and it has been, thus far, an incredible 10 months.

Above: Tesla Mannequin X STEALTH Paint Safety Movie XPEL | Signature Customized Wraps (Video: Signature Customized Wraps through YouTube).

She had a 2012 Mannequin S 60, and she or he simply turned it in eight months in the past for a Mannequin Y. It had like 100,000 miles on it, and I obtained her into the Mannequin Y and she or he’s ready on her Cybertruck identical to all of us. I could not have her as my girlfriend and never have a wrapped automotive. So, in fact you recognize I present her the ebook, I stated ‘decide a colour,’ and naturally she picks the costliest wrap there’s [Laughs].

And it simply sort of fell in place, not even figuring out something in regards to the Barbie present. That was the humorous factor about it. After which we began constructing her automotive, after which we did an occasion in Orlando. It was a pink automotive occasion. All pink autos automotive occasion in Orlando. And I had these little automobiles sitting round and everybody’s like, ‘You guys ought to simply wrap them the identical colour as your automotive and throw them on high of the automotive.’ And my finest good friend made some rails and all the things.

I informed her about it, and she or he’s like, ‘I am not doing that. I am not doing that on my automotive.’ I stated ‘Okay, properly then I will as a result of we’re gonna roll right into a automotive present, all pink automotive present, with pink automobiles on high.’ And I took photos of my automotive and she or he’s like ‘Okay, I would like one. Now I would like one.’

So it has been going since, after which the Barbie film got here out, and everybody thinks that we did it for the Barbie film, however this was already deliberate forward of time. We did a preview of the Barbie film, we did an occasion. It’s sort of humorous as a result of now we’re making an attempt to do stuff with the Barbie film factor.

However it’s fascinating, this automotive will get extra consideration now, her automotive too, as a result of she lives up in West Palm and I am down in Fort Lauderdale. So folks assume there are sort of the identical automobiles far and wide. However there’s there’s two of them now. My finest good friend has a pink Mannequin S too, a child that works with me has a pink-wrapped automotive additionally. I simply did one other actually large consumer, her Mannequin X, and I did it in my custom-designed pink stuff.

So I believe pink is the colour, and it isn’t due to the Barbie film both.

EVANNEX: Some other notable jobs you’ve loved engaged on over time?

Mojo: I’ve by no means been about exhibiting off or being a part of like the large wrap group — you recognize, I say this as I drive a vibrant pink Tesla. However I actually take delight in it, and when somebody comes into my store, they develop into household. I’d say in all probability 80 p.c of my shoppers I speak to or I do stuff with or we run into one another, I be in contact with them, with their youngsters, no matter, their jobs, something like that. I at all times invite them out to do stuff. They develop into household.

I have not executed actually large stuff. My large factor is if you open up that door they usually see their automotive, which means greater than the rest as a result of they took their thought, I constructed it for them, they usually’re identical to thoughts blown. I actually did not care in regards to the cash or changing into filthy wealthy. I benefit from the response of individuals, after they get to see their automotive lastly they usually get to drive that round they usually’re pleased with it, and each morning they have a look at their automotive they usually’re like, ‘That is my one-off automotive, nobody else has it executed like that.’ And I get to create that. They get to see my work each single day. In order that’s actually my large factor.

I am instructing my youngsters to work with me additionally. My daughter is 16 and my son’s 13, they usually know methods to wrap, they know methods to coat, they know methods to polish, they know methods to PPF. My daughter’s doing the books and the front-end work with the advertising now. Clearly, she’s at school, however when she’s not. It is at all times been a household factor. I have been a single dad just about the entire total time, until I used to be with anyone, however yeah.

Doing this alone with them and their assist, that is larger than the rest. We have executed lots of large exhibits, Electrified, you recognize the Electrified exhibits which can be across the nation. We have executed some automobiles which were to SEMA. One 12 months we took 4 automobiles. There’s different automobiles that we have taken that we simply did not go along with, that had been in SEMA.

Above: Mojo and Erol’s Barbie pink Teslas (Picture: Used with categorical permission from Michael Mogilewski and Signature Customized Wraps).

These are sort of the cool issues, however I am not like, I’ve by no means been that man that may be like flaunting my sh*t, you recognize? However then everybody’s like ‘You drive an enormous chrome automotive,’ however that is like my enterprise. I imply I am very low-key: we exit, we now have a great time, nothing loopy loopy. I used to be simply at all times introduced as much as be as humble as attainable, and be pleased about what you’ve obtained and what you are able to do.

And I like folks, I like interacting with folks, and that was a cool factor with Erol and Larry within the golf equipment, and the Pressmans, like that was the entire household factor of constructing this entire Tesla group up. It is simply everyone seems to be household.

EVANNEX: What would you say makes the Tesla group totally different from the remainder of the automotive group?

Mojo: Now or then? [Laughs] As a result of I believe now the Tesla group could be very watered down. I believe now individuals are recognizing Tesla, the automotive and the wonderful options of it. I believe within the final, I would say two, three years, it is now [become] a family title. Everyone desires it. And I believe these individuals are simply regular automotive folks. They only need that automotive.

At first, it was all in regards to the know-how, supporting a brand new firm, understanding the longer term with sustainable stuff. Lots of them are techies, lots of them are geeky. Sorry, Tesla folks. However you recognize, cash folks, they’re on know-how, they had been at all times about what’s subsequent, trying into the longer term and seeing issues.

Above: Mojo and Erol’s Barbie pink Teslas (Picture: Used with categorical permission from Michael Mogilewski and Signature Customized Wraps).

And again within the day, like the primary 5, six, seven years, man, you met some actually clever folks. Engineers. I imply, lots of these guys to start with had been engineers that purchased into their first Tesla and prayed that it could work after the Roadster. And I believe that was the cool factor with assembly Larry, who began the membership, and Erol, was you’d sit down at lunch after an occasion.

I’d simply sit there as a result of my dad at all times stated, ‘Hold your mouth shut and hold your ears open,’ simply sit there and let folks speak. And also you’re identical to man, you are sitting with a desk of 12 very clever folks figuring out what they’re doing with shares and cash and know-how. Like how many individuals put up cash for this automotive, after they only noticed renderings, after he already took a dive with the Roadster? So once more, taking possibilities however they knew what they had been getting themselves into.

So I believe that undoubtedly modified as a result of again within the day, they had been a good area of interest. All of them talked they obtained alongside they did occasions, stuff like that. However now you recognize the youthful youngsters are stepping into it. The households are stepping into it, and now it is only a automotive for them, the place it was a group and a household for us again then. It is like if you transfer right into a neighborhood and there’s solely like 10 homes, after which 5 years later, there’s complexes throughout and you do not know anyone.

So there’s undoubtedly a change available in the market, and you’ll see the distinction in Florida to California. California’s obtained a loopy, loopy Tesla following with {custom} builds and all that stuff, the place Florida continues to be the older crew. They do not do automotive exhibits. They’re rich, like actually rich CEOs, all these high-end people who actually simply get pleasure from their automotive. They are not there to point out it off.

Yeah, however there’s undoubtedly been a change. I imply used to go to chargers and hang around and speak, and now chargers are simply full and packed and nobody talks to anybody. Nobody will get out of their automotive and says ‘Hey, the way you doing? The place are you from?’ So, bizarre change. However it was it was gonna occur.

EVANNEX: I imply, that sounds fascinating to have watched if nothing else.

Mojo: Yeah, completely proper. And the cool factor is, you recognize Larry, and Daryl and all these guys and me and EVANNEX, we had been at all times seeing the automobiles, we had been at all times in regards to the automobiles, as a result of I see 10-20 automobiles every week. So I see the rising of the automobiles, the altering of the automobiles, the altering of the shoppers. I see the folks from 2012, 2013, 2014, stepping into a more recent automotive, handing it all the way down to their youngsters now.

That is the cool factor, just like the households are rising up with the automobiles and are handing the automobiles down. However you get to see the little youngsters. Even the little youngsters like youthful than youngsters getting excited that their dad and mom obtained a Tesla, and people youngsters know extra in regards to the Tesla than the dad and mom do. That is the perfect a part of this. As a result of I work together with so many individuals all day lengthy. It is humorous to observe a child are available, that is like 10 years outdated, they usually’re actually exhibiting up their dad and mom. That is the perfect feeling on the planet as a result of that is the place my youngsters had been and the place they’re now you recognize?

Above: Mojo and Erol’s Barbie pink Teslas (Picture: Used with categorical permission from Michael Mogilewski and Signature Customized Wraps).

You realize you requested me about doing large builds — I discover that extra satisfying than exhibiting off these large builds that you just do two, three of them a 12 months. That fixed progress is actually what makes me rise up each morning and do that with no issues nonetheless after 12 years.

EVANNEX: Is there the rest that you just need to discuss or any questions you assume I missed?

Mojo: Every little thing’s simply household, you recognize? It is cool. It is like a triangle with Larry and Erol doing the Fb web page that is acknowledged by Tesla, and having the membership down right here, and having EVANNEX and the Pressmans like, beginning all of the little issues, what you possibly can do with what the automotive did not have, they usually created it. I believed that was just like the cool factor, after which we now have me that simply modifies the sh*t out of them. You realize, ‘Hey, let’s drop it. Let’s change the inside and alter the wheels. Let’s change the colour. Let’s do that. Let’s do this.’

It is humorous how all three simply actually meshed collectively so properly over time. And seeing the expansion and all that, that goes with the businesses, and seeing the people who work with Tesla. I nonetheless work with Byron and Ryan and Justin, and these guys are authentic folks, eight, 9 years into the corporate, which could be very uncommon. As a result of normally they are not. Tesla does not prefer to hold round their workers lengthy.

So if you get to see and speak to and nonetheless be finest mates with guys which were round now lengthy with the corporate, I believe that is one other actually cool factor. And also you watch them develop and go up within the ranks within the firm and stuff.

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You may try the Signature Customized Wraps web site right here, or examine them out on Fb right here.