Lisa Just Wanted Her Son to Be Safe. What She Built Is Changing the Industry.

When Lisa Bailey taught her teenage son how to drive, she expected nerves, not a business idea. 

But what began as a mother’s concern for safety quickly revealed a deeper problem: no one was teaching drivers how to actually use their vehicle’s advanced technology.

That moment became a mission. 

Today, Lisa’s company, Features First Auto, partners with major corporations, OEMs, and dealerships to close the driver tech education gap. She has already helped train more than 4,000 corporate drivers.

In this interview, Lisa shares the risks she took, the lessons she learned, and why staying niche was the most powerful decision she ever made.

Lisa leads a small but growing team, driven by a shared mission: to eliminate fear and confusion behind the wheel through clear, accessible driver tech education.

“At the heart of it all, I want drivers to feel safe, not scared. That’s what this is about,” she said.

What are you most proud of achieving with Features First Auto so far? 

Without hesitation, Bailey points to a major milestone: a paid pilot with a Fortune 500 company that trained over 4,000 drivers.

“For a long time, it was hard to communicate the value of what we were doing. Everyone agreed it was needed, but they didn’t know how it could scale,” she said.

That pilot changed everything. Not only did it provide validation, but participants reported a 20% increase in confidence using their vehicle’s safety tech.

“We used that data to prove this wasn’t just an idea. It’s a business. It’s scalable. It’s profitable. And we’re showing you how to do it.”

What has been your biggest risk that you’ve taken so far? 

For Bailey, the biggest risk was staying niche when others told her to go broad.

“People kept saying, ‘Why don’t you do general training? Why not expand to other areas faster?’ But I stayed focused. I knew the need was right here.”

Sticking to the vision made her business harder to fund early on. It didn’t fit neatly into investors’ expectations. But that focus eventually led to real traction.

“The risk was staying true to the vision when others didn’t see it. But once we validated it, it paid off.”

Can you describe a significant setback you faced in building your business and how you overcame it? 

The hardest part wasn’t just building a business. It was balancing the big vision with the limited resources of everyday reality.

“Funding was tight. And honestly, that can be discouraging. But I made a decision. I was going to focus on what I could do, not what I didn’t have,” she said.

Instead of waiting for investors, Bailey focused on traction. She prioritized execution, results, and resourcefulness.

“There is money out here for us. But you’ve got to be in the right rooms and build the right relationships. You can’t let a temporary lack of funding stop long-term momentum.”

What is the most critical lesson you've learned as an entrepreneur? 

Her answer is clear. “You don’t have a contract until the contract is signed.”

It may sound obvious, but she learned the hard way. A major deal was in the works.

Conversations had been flowing. It all looked promising. So she started making internal plans, only to have the deal fall through at the last minute due to budget changes.

“If you start building around money you don’t have, you put your business at risk,” she said. “I learned that the only green light is a signed contract.”

Can you describe your experience preparing for the pitch competition and the subsequent crowdfunding campaign?

Preparing for the pitch was energizing. “This was my first pitch focused on being a woman and a Black woman. I didn’t know what to expect, but I leaned into it.”

Practice sessions with the BGV team and feedback from past winners helped sharpen her delivery. But the real surprise came after the pitch, during the crowdfunding phase.

“This wasn’t a typical crowdfunding campaign,” Lisa explained. “It had a points-based algorithm that calculated scores based on donor behavior, not just total dollars raised.”

She created personalized videos for donors and shared them on LinkedIn to highlight how they met. Later, she discovered that larger, single donations earned more points than several smaller ones.

“I realized the strategy too late. If I’d known earlier, I might’ve taken first place. But it brought out the competitor in me and taught me how important it is to play the game well.”

Where did you allocate the funds? “All the funding went toward our next consumer product launch,” Lisa said. “It helped me bring on video editors and content developers, which sped up our production timeline.”

What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs preparing for a pitch competition?

“First, understand the rules of the game, especially if it’s a crowdfunding competition with a scoring system,” she said. “Second, be ready to ask for what you need.”

Too many entrepreneurs, she explains, hold back out of fear. “We don’t talk about our needs enough. We’re scared to be seen. But visibility is part of the work.”

Her reminder to other founders is clear: show up. Own your message. Ask with clarity.

“There’s a game within the game,” she said. “Learn the strategy. Show up early. And don’t be afraid to ask for exactly what you need.”

Because whether you’re behind the wheel or behind a business, clarity and confidence go a long way.

For Lisa, that clarity started with one simple question:

“How do I keep my son safe?”

That question became a mission. That mission became a company.

And that company is now redefining how we teach drivers to use the very technology designed to protect them.

Support for women of color entrepreneurs can be limited. Can you share an experience where this was a significant hurdle? 

She pauses. “Honestly, I don’t have a single moment I can point to. But I know I’ve been underestimated, especially as a woman in a male-dominated industry.”

Rather than spending energy decoding bias, Bailey chooses to focus on execution. “I can’t control every closed door. But I can keep showing up with results.”

She’s faced more skepticism as a woman than she has specifically as a woman of color in this space. But her response is always the same. Keep building, keep delivering, and let the results speak for themselves.

What is an entrepreneur's most essential skill or quality for business success? 

“Stewardship,” she said. “You have to be a good steward of what you already have.”

Instead of chasing outside capital, she built Features First Auto by maximizing partnerships, credits, and non-monetary resources. AWS credits, for example, helped her develop software without traditional investment.

“Sometimes you don’t need more money. You need better use of what you already have. If you tie every problem to money, you’ll always feel behind.”

How do you define success for yourself and your business? 

“Happy paying customers,” she said. “That’s the whole game.”

She believes in sustainable, recurring revenue, not just growth for growth’s sake. For Bailey, satisfaction leads to retention, and retention builds sustainability.

“I want this business to be here twenty years from now. Because the need isn’t going away. It’s only growing.”

What excites you most about the future of Features First Auto? 

Advancements in AI, VR, and simulation tools have opened the door for more immersive training experiences.

“Imagine getting inside a car virtually before you even get to the dealership,” she said. “We want to create learning that feels real, intuitive, and tailored to how different generations learn.”

From teens to mature drivers, Features First Auto is designing tools that meet people where they are while preparing them for where vehicle technology is headed.

What do you envision for the future of Black and Brown women entrepreneurs and small business owners? 

“We’re becoming unapologetic,” Bailey said. “We’re not just building businesses. We’re building solutions our communities have needed for a long time.”

She points to the growth of Black and Brown-owned health tech companies, culturally tailored services, and tech products being built by people who understand the communities they serve.

“And with AI and digital tools leveling the playing field, we have more access than ever. All we need now is the courage to keep building.”

Looking ahead three years, what would you consider a successful outcome for your business? 

“I want to reach $1 million in recurring revenue and train a million drivers,” she said.

Her vision doesn’t stop at numbers. She wants Features First Auto to be recognized as the standard in vehicle technology education.

“We’re building the playbook. So when the competitors show up, great. We’ll have already defined what great looks like.”

Running a business can be demanding. How do you prioritize self-care and maintain work-life balance? 

Self-care isn’t optional for Bailey. It’s scheduled.

“I literally block time on my calendar for me. It shows up as an appointment,” she said.

She uses that time to hike, disconnect, and stay grounded. “If I don’t feel like myself, I can’t show up fully in the business.”

Her approach is simple. Self-care isn’t an add-on. It’s part of how she leads.

What is your favorite quote or mantra that guides you as an entrepreneur? 

Proverbs 21:5: “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”

“It’s not about moving fast,” she said. “It’s about staying steady, being intentional, and trusting the process.”

Are there any particular books or podcasts that have significantly influenced your entrepreneurial journey or life? 

“The Bible,” she said. “It’s the only book that speaks to every role I play. Mother, entrepreneur, woman, leader.”

What is a must-have tool or app that has streamlined your business operations? 

“Calendly. No question.”

Scheduling back-and-forth is one of her biggest pet peeves. Being able to automate meetings gives her time back and reduces friction in her day.

What is one indulgence you can't say no to? 

“Authentic Italian food,” she said, smiling.

During a three-month music tour through Europe in her early years, Bailey fell in love with the way Italians cook. With care, simplicity, and heart.

“You could taste the love in the food. Even the McDonald’s salads were better. I’ve been hooked ever since.”

What are the next steps for Features First Auto? 

''The team is finalizing a new consumer product, deepening partnerships with dealerships, and preparing for collaborations with national safety organizations.

“We want to shape not just how drivers learn, but how the entire industry educates consumers. That’s the next frontier.”

Any last words... 

“Stay focused on solving a real problem,” Lisa said. “The tools will change. The trends will shift. But if you’re solving something that truly matters, you’ll always be relevant.”

She adds that momentum doesn’t always look flashy. “Sometimes it’s one customer. One small win. One ‘yes’ that keeps you going.”

Her reminder to other founders? Keep going. Keep building. And don’t underestimate the power of staying in your lane.

Follow Features First Auto on LinkedIn.

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