Tristin Wurzbach: A Positive Transition
By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter
SUNNYVALE — Tristin Wurzbach began his professional career working in auto insurance, but he ultimately found greater fulfillment in the auto body field. “Following college, I got a job with GEICO as a claims adjuster, where I learned about estimating, collision damage and other aspects related to auto body,” he explains. “However, as time went on, I became less enthusiastic about the work environment at GEICO. Fortunately, I found an opportunity to get out of the insurance side of things and go to work for an auto body shop, which was much more to my liking.”
Today, as general manager of B2 Perfection Auto Body, Tristin explains why he prefers his current livelihood to his prior career in auto insurance. “The difference between auto body and auto insurance is basically one of positive versus negative. Since the insurance company’s motivation is to spend as little money as possible, their default is to say ‘no’ whenever possible. In contrast, an auto body shop’s goal is to help customers get everything covered, which is why they’re more about saying ‘yes.’ Consequently, auto body provides a more positive work environment, so it has been a really good transition for me.”
A resident of Newark (where he lives with his wife, Amy, and their daughter), Tristin expresses his appreciation for life in the Bay Area. “The best thing about living here is all the opportunity. There’s so much to do, from outdoor activities to different types of food and entertainment. There’s a reason it’s such a hot spot for people to visit and relocate.”
Outside of work, Tristin likes taking advantage of all the opportunities the Bay Area has to offer. “I’m an avid skier and enjoy hitting the slopes at Tahoe with my friends and co-workers,” he says. “During the summer, I like going to the beach and wine tasting in Napa. Other than that, I enjoy spending time with my family, taking my dogs on walks and playing video games.”
In his life and career, Tristin believes in the value of over-performing. “I believe that if you continually outperform your pay, one day, your pay will outperform you,” he says. “In work, this means going above and beyond your job description and pay grade—one day that will reward you. It’s the same with your personal life. My wife and I recently had a baby, and I help as much as I can because I believe it’ll reward our relationship, resulting in a stronger bond and a better marriage.”
When asked the first thing he’d do if he were to retire tomorrow, Tristin says he’d start small. “I would probably take a week off just to relax and regenerate. After that, I’d probably do some light traveling—maybe spend some time in Napa and other somewhat local areas. Eventually, I’d like to go to Europe and other parts of the world, but I think I’d build up to that by doing some smaller stuff first.”
Ask Me Anything!
Q: What’s your favorite sports team?
A: The Golden State Warriors.
Q: Music or talk radio?
A: Music.
Q: What kinds of music do you like?
A: Rock and hip-hop.
Q: What’s your favorite movie?
A: “Ip Man.” It’s based on the life of the martial arts master who trained Bruce Lee.
Q: What’s your favorite type of food?
A: Ramen.
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