Today we’d like to introduce you to Travis Gordon.
Hi Travis, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Not many people decide to get into the world of driver education at a younger age. Most people think of a grumpy old guy when they imagine a driver education teacher, but at the age of 24 I was gently nudged into the role of an instructor at the largest driving school in Oregon. After teaching my first class I was hooked and I haven’t looked back since. I have since taught, trained, and tested thousands of students in my years as a instructor. I was also a trainer in Oregon where I was able to help others become driver educators. I also love to present trainings at conferences around the US. I am now proud to say that I am the owner of my own driving school for over a year.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being a driver education instructor at a young age has definitely had its challenges. Most people don’t expect someone younger, especially someone with long hair, to be their driving instructor. Some students didn’t respect me because of my age, some parents questioned whether I had enough experience, and even some adults I trained to become instructors didn’t initially believe I could improve their driving and teaching skills. I’ve almost always been able to win people over with my knowledge, confidence, and ability to communicate clearly .
One of my favorite examples was a lesson with a student who was completing court-ordered driver education. During the drive, he told me he didn’t think anyone should be allowed to get a driver’s license until they were 25. I let him explain his reasoning for a while before finally telling him, “Well, I’m 24 years old right now, and you’ve been learning from me this whole time without any hesitation.” Experiences like that taught me pretty early that I couldn’t rely on people assuming I knew what I was doing. I had to show them.
We’ve been impressed with Gordon Driving School, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We specializes in private, one-on-one driving lessons that are customized to each student. Every person comes to me with a different level of experience, confidence, and knowledge. Some have no driving experience and some already have a license. I don’t believe every student should receive the exact same lesson. I want to figure out what that individual needs and build their lessons around them.
One of the things I’m most proud of is that we have become more than just our physical location and the lessons for students. I’ve built a brand on social media that allows me to educate my community. I share driving tips, explain Oregon traffic laws, and highlight specific intersections, road changes, crosswalks and bike lanes. I’ve also had opportunities to collaborate with organizations like Salem-Keizer Safe Routes to School and Salem Bike Vision to bring more education to different audiences. I want to continue finding ways to work with organizations in our community and make driver education easier for people to understand.
I don’t just want Gordon Driving School to be known as a place you go when you need driving lessons. I want it to be a trusted local resource for anyone who wants to become a safer, more knowledgeable driver.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Networking has been very important to me and getting my business started. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is to have the mindset that you’re allowed to be in the room and you’re allowed to ask questions. You don’t have to be the most successful or experienced person there to have something to contribute. I also try to give more than I take. I think networking works a lot better when you focus on creating actual friendships instead of just business relationships. Switch your mindset to what can I do for someone and not only what can they do for me.
Remembering everyone’s name is hard! You don’t have to remember everyone’s name or everything about them, but If you can remember one thing about a person and ask them about it the next time you see them, that will count for a lot more than a name.
Pricing:
- Pricing is determined by package size.
- See Website
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gordondrivingschool.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gordondrivingschool/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GordonDrivingSchool/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisgordondriving
- Twitter: https://x.com/Gordondriving
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GordonDrivingSchool
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/gordon-driving-school-keizer
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@gordondrivingschool
