Introduce yourself
Hi, I’m Ben (though, for reasons no one quite remembers, everyone here calls me Harold). I’m a Product Owner at Car & Classic.

Despite appearances, I’m an avid runner (and eater!) who loves spending my free time outdoors with my family. I’m passionate about everything Car & Classic stands for—spending my days surrounded by incredible cars and finding ways to help people buy and sell their dream vehicles is a dream job in itself!

How would you describe your role to someone outside of your field?
As a Product Owner, my role involves a bit of everything. My primary focus is transforming customer feedback and business initiatives into best-in-class products that truly delight our users.

To achieve this, I collaborate closely with every team in the business and make it a priority to regularly connect with our customers. Understanding what they want Car & Classic to be is at the heart of everything I do!

How long have you been with Car & Classic, and what drew you to join the team?
I joined Car & Classic in June 2020, though it hardly feels like it’s been that long!

At the time, I was working in customer support for a main dealer but wanted more—a chance to challenge myself and help build something from the ground up. Luckily, Car & Classic were hiring for their very first auction support role. Even though the auction platform hadn’t launched yet, the pitch from the CEO and management team sold me immediately. The culture, the people, and the ambitious goals made it clear that if I played my part, I could be part of something truly special—and take my career to new heights.

Four years on, I’ve gone from being the first member of the support team to leading a team of 20 customer support executives. Now, I’m part of the Product team, helping shape the future of the business.

What do you enjoy most about your role?
Everything. I know it’s a cliché, but my role allows me to be involved in so much. I thrive on the pressure it brings and the potential impact my work can have on the business.

I’m given full autonomy to succeed, and while that responsibility is significant, it’s also incredibly liberating. It makes every day feel like I’m building and shaping my own business.

What does a typical day look like for you?
Busy, but fun! My day typically starts with a call to our engineering team to set them up for success, ensuring there are no blockers preventing them from completing their tasks.

After that, it’s all about staying ahead. While our engineers are focused on project 1, I’m already planning project 2.

One moment I’m speaking with stakeholders, and the next I’m in a design session. I might also be analysing data from a recent release to inform our next steps. No two days are the same!

Who do you work closely with, and how does your team support each other?
Engineers.

My role is to explain the vision, and theirs is to bring it to life. We work hand in hand, and it doesn’t get much closer than that. I can’t do my job without them, and they can’t do theirs without me.

Since joining Car & Classic, what new skills have you developed or areas you’ve strengthened?
It’s not just my professional skills that have grown. I’ve significantly improved in areas such as team management, project coordination, critical and commercial thinking, and customer service.

My career has taken me to places I never imagined. Starting in Customer Support—handling inquiries and assisting buyers and sellers with their vehicle transactions—I’ve progressed to becoming a Product Owner, driving measurable business success.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have been given so many opportunities to engage with diverse areas of the business. Experiences like these are rare, and I truly value the journey.

Is there something you’ve achieved here that you’re especially proud of?
I took a customer service operation from a single person managing one auction per day into a full-fledged team of 15, handling hundreds of auctions each week.

Taking on this role was a challenge I embraced—not only to push myself but also to prove to doubters that I could build something from the ground up.

Car & Classic provided me with the opportunity and support to make it happen, and I’m proud of what we achieved together.

What’s been your favourite moment working at Car & Classic?
You might as well ask me what my favourite car is—I couldn’t choose that either.

There have been so many incredible moments here, from the excitement of selling our very first auction to the camaraderie of company-wide meetups in Windsor. Every day brings the potential for something great to happen, and that’s what makes it so special.

How would you describe the Car & Classic culture? How does this resonate with you?
We know how to laugh at ourselves, and that’s a trait I personally value in others.

Thankfully, at Car & Classic, this sense of humour is part of who we are, making daily life an absolute pleasure. It’s so easy to connect with anyone in the business—everyone shares the same goal and enjoys having fun along the way.

What car or bike on Car & Classic would you love to drive?
A Gen 3 Plymouth Baracuda - A unicorn and extremely hard to find a mint one pretty much anywhere in the world due to them being discontinued in 1974.

How would you describe Car & Classic in just three words?
Fun. Passionate. Home.

What surprised you the most about your team or the work environment when you first joined?
What struck me most was how committed everyone was to making the business succeed, while still having so much fun along the way. New joiners are given the freedom to make a real impact from day one.

Some start-ups might be different, but Car & Classic felt like home immediately. You’re instantly drawn into the passion and dedication everyone brings to pushing the business as far as it can go—and then some.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone considering a role like yours?
Just jump in—Car & Classic will give back as much as you put in. Whatever preconceptions you might have about a business like ours, leave them at the door. Come in with an open mind and open eyes, and you’ll love it!

And one more thing: never be afraid to fail. Mistakes are part of the journey, as long as you take the lessons with you.