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Time to read 5 min
All enthusiasts have reached a point during a modification where an obstacle, often caused by the car's overall factory design and pre-conceived esthetics, seems too large to conquer. There is an old saying that humorously states, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions" - funny only to those who have never invested everything in an idea that they were convinced would work perfectly the first time. This is the battle an enthusiast fights each day. Wrestling with that ingenious idea, getting it pinned down, only to be sucker punched because of looking right instead of left. But, in our world, true ingenuity always prevails and allows us to accomplish great things and create unique solutions as long as we keep moving forward. Ingenuity is a trait that runs between the fibers that makes up a Subaru enthusiast's personality.
Subaru lovers are creative people who are always looking for answers and innovative but intelligent work-arounds. Subimods was founded on the idea that doing things differently is not only good but necessary to move obstacles and propel the industry forward. Our team takes pride in bringing the Subaru community the answers they need by highlighting companies that were born because of an obstacle that seemed too big to climb. As always, we draw from a well that is brimming with individuals and organizations who keep the best interest of the enthusiast top of mind, because they are also living the life we all understand. Companies that feel joy by just taking the longer path around the mountain, or just bracing for the challenge and pulling themselves upward - one step at a time.
Brooklyn, New York has always been a symbolic part of a large iconic metropolis and known individually for its toughness, resilience, and diversity. Yanev Mastey, owner of Brooklyn's SMY Performance , is a dedicated member of the Subaru tribe who, like any true enthusiast, exercised his ingenuity and creativity as often as possible to try to find solutions to issues discussed within his circles on a daily basis. Mastey founded SMY ClusterMaker in 2010 while experimenting with several creative, clean and appropriate gauge cluster configurations in his own 2009 WRX and also for the Subaru Forester. Creating prototypes for the GR models while working quickly and diligently to find an intelligent design took Yanev on a productive journey that helped him develop a smart, quality solution for these platforms. Quickly, the SMY Dual Gauge Pod became a success story and marked this product as the top gauge pod solution in the global marketplace.
Currently, the Subimods online catalog is filled with a wide selection of SMY Performance parts which include their Clustermaker Dual Gauge Pods , their Stealth Front and Rear Sway Bar Kits , the robust Tallboy Front Strut Tower Brace , and the performance ready Stealth Pillow Ball CNC Aluminum Adjustable Rear Control Arm and Toe Kit, just to name a few. The team is always excited to speak with customers about SMY's offerings and definitely thrilled to feature their quality performance products in one of our monthly features. As always, aligning the Subaru community with the most appropriate, well-engineered aftermarket components while providing an accurate education is our top priority. Their website states their confidence clearly by saying, "SMY Performance is a manufacturer first of the best made Subaru products in the market, period." After a lot of effort establishing their brand through proven function and customer usability, SMY Performance has grown into an evolving business that has continued to progress with stability.
Subimods had the opportunity recently to ask Mastey to share some personal details about his company and what drove his passions beyond automotive enthusiasm and wrench turning to start a company like SMY Performance. “I was always tinkering with cars, making bits and pieces that I couldn't find in the open market, either because they didn't exist or weren't the best quality’”, Yanev remembers. “When I made my first product, the original SMY cluster, it was by hand, asking a local mechanic to help me cobble it together.” His ingenuity and creative freedom were the most powerful tools he had in his arsenal. His determination and a clear vision for how he wanted the design to develop propelled him quickly into producing something that became a foundation piece of his lasting inventory of offerings. “I saw an opportunity in the market to make something that others in the Subaru community would be interested in, so I found people who helped me refine my designs and create the mold - after many fittings and iterations”, Mastey confirmed. “After almost 14 years and 100 products in the catalog, the original cluster and its iterations are still my most frequently bought products.”
It can be easy for a company in this marketplace to become complacent but arrogant once success comes to the door and allows a level of comfort to throw a blanket over true quality and interest in the customer’s needs and challenges. Mastey has become aware of the importance of quality and customer satisfaction since he has real world experience and always strives to maintain the same mindset he had at the launching of SMY Performance. Mastey had already begun to map out the equation for how SMY was going to function and move forward. “People noticed the part and started asking me where they could buy it”, he said.
“The things that make SMY Performance stand out from the rest is the quality of the products, customer care, and willingness to engage and be part of the community.”, he confirmed. “Many of our customers are simply people who have called looking for advice and many others are repeat customers. Mastey speaks with a spirit of innovation, confidence and empowerment in his words which set his company apart from many others trying to capture the same share of the market. “At a high level, the company creates top quality performance aftermarket products so they last”, he said.
In a sea of copy-cat manufacturers with questionable agendas, Yanev maintains a positive outlook focused on quality and creative individuality. Mastey’s resolve hammers a solid stake in the ground as he says,“Creative freedom lets me see the product from its concept stage to production. This gives me the ability to keep refining my products and to keep making them better.” SMY is definitely on course for the future as they plan to conquer, expand, and continue to grow their productivity and improve upon their level of product offerings. “In the next few years, I plan on continuing on the current trajectory”, Mastey said. “Reaching a wider customer base, and coming out with even more products that are currently in their design stages.”
Subimods can confirm through the conversations and engagement we have with our customer base that SMY Performance is making a positive impact in the marketplace by following their personal mantra that their website clearly explains: "We are constantly looking to change how we present ourselves, the products we offer and the products we create. When we come out with a design we want you to be blown away. We are not like other companies, we want to make you a part that will outlast anything else in the market, while still being functional."
Learn more about the products offered by SMY Performance by visiting Subimods.com!
Bryon Turcotte - Marketing Writer/Analyst
Turcotte has worked as a writer, journalist, and digital content developer for 30 years. He began his career in music journalism in 1995 then worked for several years as both a staff writer, managing editor, and a freelancer for both regional and national music publications. Over the next three decades his contributions extended beyond the music industry as he served within the realms of higher education, science and technology, manufacturing, and finance. He has been serving as a content developer and writer on the Subimods Marketing team since August 2023.
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