Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Miceli.
Hi Michael, 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.
In 2014, I received a call from a friend of mine, Blake Meacham. He wanted to get into the dealership business, so I advised him on how to do so as I was working for Maserati in Pennsylvania at the time. A few more phone calls and e-mails and I made my way to South Florida to start a dealership with him and David Leonard. We become successful with the dealer side of the business but had plateaued with our auto customization firm (E-Tailored). In order to grow, E-Tailored looked for investment and instead sold to a client of ours. I left Exotic Car Trader to build E-Tailored with the new partners. Over the next few years, we rebranded the business into Rebel Motor Company, changed our business model, as well as purchased and built out a new facility down the road from where we originally were. We began taking on larger projects, with less “in-between” work. Then we built out our private membership with our new car club and storage facility. We built a member’s lounge, bar, pool table, three-stack lifts and added our own vibe to the new facility. This all leads us to today, where I have the privilege of being able to live my dream and be able to build a business that people love and enjoy!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely was not the smoothest road getting here. There were plenty of hard times, especially after the initial COVID scare. Working during COVID wasn’t the worst thing in the world, it was the parts availability after the initial phases of the pandemic. Our suppliers and vendors were way behind, putting us even further behind. We weren’t able to source a lot of the necessary parts, so we had to improvise and make the parts or use items and vendors that were initially unfamiliar to use. The uncertainty of parts arriving and such made it difficult. We doubled down and pivoted to build out the private membership and car club. Of course, this came with its own set of challenges. We purchased a new building and had to build it out in order to bring people in. Along the way we had delays on materials as well. With a lot of patience and an even greater amount of teamwork, we were able to complete the buildout and open up in June of 2021.
We’ve been impressed with Rebel Motor Company, LLC., 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?
Rebel Motor Company is an exclusive, members-only automotive club. We store our members’ vehicles in a temperature-controlled facility with top-notch technicians on staff to handle any kind of maintenance or custom work for each of the vehicles stored here. Members also have access to the Rebel Lounge and any Rebel events that we host for the membership. In addition, we build our own high-dollar restomods to sell. We are currently in the process of building a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro and a 1969 Ford Mustang Fastback, each with all the modern amenities and features of a new vehicle.
I am definitely most proud of our team and the brand we have created. We have built a unique culture in-house that cultivates creativity and expression. We are not your run-of-the-mill storage facility. We call those facilities “hospitals,” as they are all white, cold, and have no emotion. When you walk through the door into our facility, there’s an industrial chic. We have Italian tile on the walls, chandeliers in every room, yet exposed rafters, along with amazing wall art by our artist, Rigo Leon. The walls in the shop are what we call “space dust” and are blacklight reflective. This vibe, this ambience is what makes us stand apart (makes us rebels) from others in the industry. We want people to walk through the doors to music, ambiance, and be stunned at how different and unique we are.
Not only do we perform top-of-the-line custom work, but we also host events here at the facility. From birthday parties and holiday parties to car shows, fundraisers, and new member events like “Cars and Caviar,” we do it all. Don’t forget to join us at our weekly happy hour! It’s a great time to come hang out, have a drink and kill the end of the week!
How do you define success?
Success is a subjective term. To me, Success is happiness. Happiness comes from those you surround yourself with, whether it be family, friends, etc. I do think success in business is closely associated though. Success in business, in my mind, is being able to provide people with their dreams and joy in living the lifestyle that we promote. Here at Rebel, we are exactly that: Rebels. We want to build a place where gearheads of all different walks of life can come. Accomplishing this on a larger scale would be my definition of success with the company.
Pricing:
- Builds start at $150,000 and go up
- Membership= one time $2500 initiation fee then $500/month
- Everything else is A La Carte
- Event Space rental is $500 per hour
Contact Info:
- Website: rebelmotorcompany.com
- Instagram: @rebelmotorcompany
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RebelMotorCompany
Image Credits
Mike Miceli
Rebel Motor Company
