For three decades, Shanti Gooljar has taught New Yorkers how to drive with a style that’s equal parts tough love, humor, and total confidence.
Empire State Driving School owner Shanti Gooljar gives Yahoo Finance’s Brooke DiPalma a taste of what it’s like to be one of her students. Shanti discusses building one of New York City’s most sought-after driving schools, charging roughly $100 to $150 an hour for lessons, running a business almost entirely through word of mouth, and why she says 99% of her students pass their driving tests.
Shanti also explains why she refuses to negotiate on price, how getting fired from other driving schools ultimately pushed her to start her own business, and why she believes nobody else can teach quite like she does.
Shanti is featured in the short film “Shanti Rides Shotgun,” selected as a finalist after Yahoo Media Group and The Nonfiction Hotlist partnered to recognize 20 standout short films.
Watch “Shanti Rides Shotgun” on Yahoo’s Nonfiction Hotlist.
👉 https://youtu.be/whkG9UEqQlY?si=8x5ojO9PQJcihM8q
Timestamps
00:00 Brooke gets a driving lesson from Shanti
00:30 How Shanti built her reputation
01:04 Why Shanti refuses to negotiate
01:40 What a driving lesson costs
02:08 How much Shanti can make in a day
02:49 Shanti’s early-morning schedule
03:09 Her 99% driving-test pass rate
03:29 Why Shanti doesn’t advertise
04:00 “There is no next Shanti”
04:10 Why Shanti started her own driving school
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