Consultants like their toys. Usually, the newer and shinier the better. But, for Rachel Hollstadt, CEO of Hollstadt & Associates, sometimes old and tarnished is cool too.
Consulting: How long has the car been in your family?
Hollstadt: This car was purchased new in 1910 for $1,495 by my maternal grandfather, Trond Soine. In the 1940s, Grandpa Soine sold the Maxwell to my Dad's brother, Uncle Norman, for $45. This darn car was the source of so many stories on both sides of my family that it became almost mystical to me. I have lusted after this car since I was a little girl, getting a Sunday afternoon ride with my uncle.
Consulting: What attracted you to the car?
Hollstadt: I think what I loved about the Maxwell, other than the family stories, was all the brass—hanging kerosene brass and beveled glass lanterns, brass acetylene gas headlights, brass radiator, every nut and bolt. But because every square inch of brass needs to be polished by hand, I have some very different emotions about the brass today.
Consulting: How did you get the car?
Hollstadt: In the 1990s, I finally worked a deal to purchase the Maxwell, which hadn't been started for over 40 years. My goal was to get the car restored and running so I could give my mother a ride. Progress was really slow for ten years until two guys, who are the national Maxwell experts and amateur restorers, fell in love with my car and took on the restoration project. Mom, who was a baby in Grandma Soine's arms in a photo taken of the family in 1910, did get the first ride. She died of dementia in February of this year, at age 99. She didn't remember my first name, but she remembered that beautiful red and brass Maxwell of her childhood.
Consulting: Now that the car is restored, what else do you do to keep busy?
Hollstadt: A few years ago, I had an "aha" moment. I rethought my priorities and started a new life with an initial goal of connecting on a personal basis with my community. I focused on the Community Action Council. It runs two shelters for abused women and children, the first in the country. After meeting with CAC's CEO, I founded Art with Heart, a fundraiser featuring talented local artists. Now I'm addicted. It's true; the more you give, the more you get back. .
Consulting: How do you manage to find the time?
Hollstadt: I wasn't always this involved. With a full time job, a husband who travels extensively and kids, I barely kept my head above water. Luckily, I have a stellar management team that I trust to run my consulting business so I can focus on these outside activities. My mother lived
to 99, so I could see being involved for the next 20 or 30 years.
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