Bogi Lateiner: Empowering Women with Auto Education and Atlas Copco

Growing up in northern New Jersey, Bogi Lateiner never thought she’d have a career in the auto industry. A self-proclaimed “girly girl” and “super nerd” with a penchant for pink, Lateiner dreamed of becoming a dancer.

But when Lateiner was 16, she got her first car — and an experience that would shape her future.

“My VW Bug was a piece of junk,” Lateiner said. “I kept bringing it in for service and hated the way people treated me because I was young and a woman. I took it as a challenge, and it made me want to learn about cars to prove I could excel. I already loved building and making things, and wound up rebuilding my entire Bug before going to college.”

Today, Lateiner turned that passion and drive into a career. She works in the auto world as a business owner, teacher and co-host of All Girls Garage on a mission to inspire, empower and educate women about car maintenance.

Just like Lateiner, her garages are one of a kind. Nine years ago in Arizona, Bogi opened 180° Automotive, a unique garage that aims to change the way customers perceive the auto repair experience. Intertwined with the community, the garage greets customers with snacks and toys for children, a relaxed environment to wait while their cars are being repaired, and local artists’ work hung on the walls.

More recently, Bogi has been spending time in her second garage – one unlike any other. Here rather than cars coming in, it is women from all around the US.

“This isn’t a traditional garage,” Lateiner said. “Most women in the industry rarely work with other women, and it’s easy to feel isolated. This is an entry point for everyone to explore, ask questions, make mistakes, learn and grow. It’s all about the tribe and the community we’re building.” 

While Lateiner is passionate about her business, she admits that it’s still work. She quickly dismisses the myth that entrepreneurs have it easy. When people say following a passion means never working a day in your life, she bristles — it’s still work. And she expects her equipment to work just as hard as she does.

“When I initially chose my Atlas Copco compressor and piping for my garage, I was looking for a machine that could handle our needs,” Lateiner said. “Compressed air is life in a shop — there’s very little you can do without it. Having a reliable system is critical, because if it goes down, your business comes to a halt. Atlas Copco has a reputation for the quality. I like what they do and what they stand for.”

Before purchasing her GA11FF air compressor and AIRnet piping, Lateiner dealt with a loud compressor that shook the ground when it turned on, disturbing workers and customers. She also relied on other people to come fix it with solutions that added pressure drops or didn’t produce a noticeable improvement.

“I love our Atlas Copco system,” Lateiner said. “It’s incredibly quiet and never runs out of air. Because of this, we can keep it in our main space. The AIRnet piping is really cool. It looks great, so it makes our shop feel neat and tidy, and it’s so easy to use that I can manage any changes myself. I just love everything about it, and all of my tech friends are really jealous of it.”

Lateiner did her homework before making a purchase, a strategy she strongly recommends for business owners and shop managers. When she chose Atlas Copco, Lateiner worked with a local representative to determine sizing based off of her current and future air needs. 

“In the end, we decided on going slightly larger so I can have room to grow,” Lateiner said. “I appreciated that, because they weren’t just looking at my situation now, they wanted to be a partner and grow with me through the years. An Atlas Copco compressor is a product you only need to buy once — the machine and the relationship lasts.”

To learn more about Bogi Lateiner and her work, visit her website.