Today’s episode is special in the whole extension of the word because Gilda Dyckman joins us to tell the story of her identical twins, Troy and Brent. 

The twins, now 22, were blessed with an autism diagnosis, and since they arrived in Gilda and her husband’s lives, they did nothing but bring joy, good laughs, and tons of teachings about love, empathy, patience, and compassion. 

Gilda has owned Cars Muffler & Automotive since 1996, where she recently hired Brent to help her with filing and reconciling statements. 

Throughout our conversation, Gilda shares details of the twins’ journey to incorporate into the American workforce. The challenges they face to get a job and the bitter flavor of negatives from shop owners who (sometimes) can’t grasp the value exceptional adults can add to their businesses. Gilda also debunks some myths about the supposed dangers of hiring special people, explains why sometimes an autistic person might be perfect for specific jobs, and so much more.  

In this episode, you will learn:

• A bit about Gilda’s challenging and fun journey (3:31)
• Some differences between Troy and Brent (6:25)
• A proposal Brent had to think about for a couple of days (10:33)
• What are ILS and Tailor Services, and how do they work (17:21)
• How Trey and Brent changed life also at Cars Muffler & Automotive (23:08)
• Why hiring exceptional adults is an excellent idea (27:04)

Resources

• Cars Muffler & Automotive website
• Collective Social Services website. Regional Centers in California.
• Connect with Gilda on LinkedIn