Brandi Brydges talks leadership, mentorship, and building a career in auto care
As part of International Women’s Day 2026, AIA Canada is recognizing women from across the auto care industry, highlighting the experiences, achievements, and successes in their careers. Throughout her career, Brandi’s career journey has highlighted the importance of mentorship, adaptability, and long-term vision in the industry.
Getting started in auto care
Brandi’s entry into the industry began during her senior year of high school through a co-op program at a local collision centre. The organization took a chance on her, welcoming her onto the team and providing mentorship from skilled technicians and the shop manager. That early exposure proved pivotal and became the catalyst for her career.
Following graduation, Brandi returned to the collision centre in an office role, where she built a strong foundation in the administrative and business side of operations. After completing college with a focus on Business, she re-entered the collision sector with a powerful combination of hands-on shop experience and formal business education.
Career milestones shaping leadership
Two accomplishments stand out as defining moments in Brandi’s leadership journey.
The first came in her initial role as a manager, where she was tasked with revitalizing an underperforming collision centre. Over ten months, Brandi and her team restructured staffing, elevated customer satisfaction from struggling to industry-leading, and transformed the branch from a financial loss to an all-time record profit. The experience equipped her with the core business and leadership tools she relies on today.
The second milestone occurred during her time as regional manager with ACX, where she led the Collision Center Acquisition Integration Team. Over three years, Brandi helped successfully integrate 12 high-performing collision centres into the ACX portfolio—an experience she considers one of the most rewarding of her career.
Overcoming challenges through perspective
One of Brandi’s biggest challenges came early in her leadership career during her first turnaround assignment. Rather than reacting quickly, she focused on gaining a deep understanding of the situation and leaned on her professional network as a sounding board. The experience reinforced that effective leadership is driven by collaboration, perspective, and clarity—not speed alone.
The impact of mentorship
Mentorship has played a critical role throughout Brandi’s career. She credits Peter Scheibler, the shop manager at her hometown collision centre, as the first person to take a chance on her.
Her most influential mentor has been her current leader, Arthur Crawford. Over the past ten years, his trust and guidance encouraged Brandi to take calculated risks, embrace challenging opportunities, and grow as a confident leader. She attributes much of her success to his unwavering belief in her potential.
Supporting women in auto care
Brandi hopes to see a future where women are no longer a minority in the auto care industry. With opportunities spanning technical, operational, and leadership roles, she encourages women with passion and curiosity to pursue careers in auto care.
While women’s support networks have grown significantly, Brandi believes the industry can further strengthen its impact by prioritizing mentorship and building foundational programs that support women entering and advancing within the sector.
Advice for women entering the industry
Brandi reminds women new to the industry that auto care is driven by people building toward the future—and by joining it, they become an essential part of that progress. She encourages curiosity, asking questions, and proactively seeking support when needed.
About Brandi Brydges
Brandi is director of operations – private insurance region, collision centres at Auto Canada, with experience in business management, and acquisition integration. She has built her career through mentorship, hands-on experience, and strategic leadership, and remains passionate about supporting the next generation of women in auto care.