Adriana Boas interviewed for a position to represent luxury cars in 2015 not knowing much about cars. Months earlier, in Aptos at the shoe and purse shop where she was working, a regular customer presented her with her business card and asked her a question that changed her life.
The card identified the customer as the vice president and controller at San Francisco British Motor Cars and Los Gatos Luxury Cars.
“If you want to change your life, just give me a call,” Boas recalls being told.
It took Boas six months to work up the courage to follow through.
She remembers what this automobile executive then told her: “I cannot promise you a job, but I can promise you an interview.” The meeting was set up with Tim Wood, the general manager in Los Gatos.
“What do you know about cars?” Wood asked.
“Nothing,” Boas replied, “—except that I drive a stick.”
To her surprise, she was hired on the spot.
“I can teach you cars, but I cannot teach people to be you,” she recalls Wood saying. “You have it.”
She started Nov. 2, 2015, and began to learn about the luxury car lifestyle.
On-the-Job Training
One of her teachers at the location was Wout Stockman, who took the time to share his detailed knowledge of the cars.
“What specifications can you order?” he’d quiz her. “What type of engine?”
Boas no longer drives “just a stick,” as she put it. And Wood remains a mentor to this day.
Eventually, Boas became the dealership’s brand manager for Bentley and Rolls-Royce.
The TV Journalist
Boas immigrated here almost 20 years ago. In her native Brazil, Boas had worked as a TV journalist for about a decade-and-a-half.
This included working her way up from radio reporting to scoring a job at ESPN Brazil.
She was a curious person with a keen eye for detail.
But her English wasn’t strong enough to work for a non-Brazilian outlet here. Taking jobs in sales, she found out she was good at convincing people to make purchases. And she took pride in what she was doing.
Boas worked in marketing for TGI Fridays and consistently exceeded her sales goals while at the Aptos shop.
Visit to the Dealership
As we walked around the showroom at 620 Blossom Hill Rd., I was reminded that owning a luxury car is about more than just owning an expensive object.
Boas credits her success to the three main people who gave her a chance in the industry: the woman who offered her a business card; the man who hired her; and the salesman who schooled her on cars. Now this immigrant from Brazil is working in Los Gatos, representing cars from Great Britain.
Bounty of Selection
One has a lot of choices when ordering a luxury car.
For starters, when ordering a Rolls-Royce, there are 40,000 colors to choose from. And the carpeting—perhaps you might go for lamb’s wool shag? For the dashboard, a selection of ethically sourced wood.
Almost every element of a Rolls-Royce is hand-built with expert craftsmanship.
Fun Facts
As the absolute symbol of having it all and needing to spend it, consider the following: Jay-Z and Beyonce have the $28 million Rolls-Royce Boat Tail (it looks a bit like a Chris-Craft on wheels).
Then, there’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, who in 2011 owned around 600 Rolls-Royce cars.
Oh, and have you ever heard about the fleet of Rolls-Royce garbage trucks?
Years ago, it was very important when determining who was allowed to purchase a Rolls-Royce that the buyer would have the resources to take care of it. Chauffeurs were also mechanics, and the cars came with complete tool kits to do repairs on the road.
In the 1920s, Maharaja Jai Singh visited a Rolls-Royce showroom in London. As he was dressed casually, the staff did not recognize him as royalty and he was dismissed rudely, the legend goes.
He left without buying a car and later returned dressed in full royal attire and bought several cars on the spot.
To teach the company a lesson, however, when the cars arrived in India, the royal used them as garbage trucks in his kingdom.
What would you do with yours?
Rolls-ing Around the Peninsula
Since these are high-status cars, one’s behavior while traveling around in one is very important. Good behavior is encouraged, and standing up through the moon roof and waving is discouraged.
(Don’t ask me how I know this.)
One day, I was loaned a Rolls. It was white with a navy blue interior.
My son acted as chauffeur and cruised towards the McDonald’s on Stevens Creek Boulevard.
Then, we navigated up 280 towards Palo Alto.
The machine was huge and barely made it through the drive-thru. But we did get envious looks, even though it was an older model.
There was a privacy window between the driver and the passenger area.
The rear windows had drapes to pull closed in case you did not want anybody to see you.
And there were pull down tables—like on an airplane—and a crystal set for liquor service.
We parked at the Pulgas Water Temple in Redwood City, and both sat in the rear seats to eat our burgers.
Not a bad way to travel. I could get used to this, I thought.
However, the Rolls-Royce was due back, much too soon.
