Armin and Michelle Barandeh are the husband-and-wife team behind Tint World® of Torrance, California, where they bring a lifelong passion for cars and a strong business vision to the South Bay. Armin, a lifelong car enthusiast, leads day-to-day operations and customer service, while Michelle applies her background in financial planning and analysis to oversee the store’s financial and administrative functions.

Together, they’ve built Torrance’s premier one-stop destination for automotive styling and protection, offering window tint, paint protection film, wraps, detailing, audio, and more. Originally from Atlanta, the couple relocated to California to seize the opportunity in a community rich with car culture. With plans to expand into Huntington Beach, the Barandehs are growing their Tint World® footprint while creating a lasting legacy for their family and serving the needs of local car enthusiasts and dealerships alike.

What inspired you to open a Tint World franchise, and why did you choose Torrance as the location for your first store?

Like many others, during Covid we started rethinking work choices and life goals and took the opportunity to learn more about how business ownership could get us where we’d like to see ourselves in the future. Neither one of us was ever involved with running a business but we’re passionate about what we do, come from service and finance backgrounds and ultimately wanted more independence when it comes to work-life balance. We chose a franchise broker to provide us with options.

After two rounds of options, Tint World came up and Armin instantly knew this was the one. As a car enthusiast that’s always built on, taken care of, and enjoyed spending time in and around cars, Tint World was the one-stop shop that would allow him to fulfill his passion and dreams. After initial calls with the corporate team including CEO Charles Bonfiglio, we knew this was the right fit from a business support as well as industry perspective.

Available territories in the Atlanta, GA area where we lived at that time didn’t speak to us, so we asked for nationwide opportunities. When California came up, we packed our bags and toured the South Bay area to search for the best spot for our growing family as well as business. Seeing so many car lovers in the Torrance and surrounding area, lots of automotive-related car businesses and a welcoming community made us feel right at home. We moved across country shortly after that visit to begin the exact location search and permitting process.

Armin, you’ve described this opening as a “childhood dream” come true. Can you tell us more about your passion for cars and how it shaped your career path?

Like many other children, I played with car toys long before I could even talk. Cars have always been a big part of my life as far as me asking old enough family members to please take me with them on their rides. If my parents couldn’t find me, it wasn’t because I was hiding – I’ve been sitting in their cars in the garage pretending to drive.

As soon as I could I started driving and really created that passion for cars, modifying their appearance by changing the wheels, tinting the windows, updating audio systems and making sure my cars were always clean and well kept. Family and friends began to ask for suggestions for their vehicles. Every vehicle has a story, and memories are made with it. Taking care of your car is a way of keeping these memories alive. Wanting to work with cars is a way for me to connect the dots.

Michelle, you manage the financial and operational side of the business while balancing a full-time career. How do you and Armin divide responsibilities as co-owners, and what strengths do you each bring to the table?

While Armin covers day-to-day operations and ensures guests are satisfied with the service and products and our employees have the support they need to provide quality services, I am on point for analyzing financials, onboarding paperwork, payroll and compliance. In a way we both get to live out our passions while working together. We value and acknowledge each other’s strengths and know that we can rely on each other.

Tint World Torrance is billed as the area’s only true one-stop shop for automotive styling and protection. What range of services can customers expect?

We’re Tint World, but that doesn’t even begin to cover the variety of services we offer. We provide window tint services, paint protection films (PPF), wraps, ceramic coating, paint correction, wheels, detailing and lots more. We welcome everyone to our showroom!

How has the local community reacted so far to the opening, and what feedback have you received from car enthusiasts and nearby businesses?

We’ve had very positive feedback thus far. Guests are surprised that the shop is much larger than they expected, neat and clean. They’ve also commented on the variety of offerings available, knowledgeable staff and a friendly atmosphere. We’ve heard that guests have been waiting for a shop like this and have been driving for over an hour in the past to receive services remotely similar. We’ve been able to establish relationships with larger authorized dealerships as well as other smaller local automotive-related businesses around us and enjoy connecting with and supporting the local community.

You’ve already established partnerships with local dealerships. How do those collaborations fit into your growth strategy?

As we’re thinking about our expansion strategies into new territories, we want our store to be known for producing showroom quality work. Working hand in hand with long-standing local dealerships shows our commitment to quality as well as support. We’d like to freshen up and provide the right care and protection to our communities’ beloved joy rides but also make their brand-new ones and daily vehicles long lasting. Partnering with local dealerships instills trust and commitment and that’s what we aim for.

The grand opening celebration included a car show, ribbon cutting, giveaways, and even support for spcaLA. Why was it important to include both community and cause-driven elements in the event?

We want to be connected, to be able to learn from and grow with fellow businesses in our community. What better way than to partake in the Chamber of Commerce’s events. Meeting their staff and such enthusiastic, welcoming members made us look forward to what’s to come. Our passion, however, doesn’t just cover the car enthusiast scene, we wanted to display that we’re not just business owners, we’re your neighbor, your friend, your family. We have a dog ourselves and deeply care about our fury family members. SpcaLA fit right in to showcase a bit of who we are as people of your community.

What do you think sets Tint World apart from other automotive service providers, both for everyday drivers and serious enthusiasts?

Tint World isn’t the average garage, with a large service catalogue that doesn’t just involve vehicles but reaches marine and commercial services; it is truly your one stop shop for any film services. Paired with other vehicle services like audio systems, wheels, etc., you can find anything you might need to style your vehicle right here. Tint World also is a national brand and offers warranty across all locations. You move; you don’t have to start all over! We pride ourselves on quality services and take care of your vehicle across the country.

You’ve mentioned plans to expand into Huntington Beach. What’s your long-term vision for growing with the Tint World brand?

We’re still a fairly new business and have plans to establish our second location in Huntington Beach. While we haven’t committed to territories beyond Torrance and Huntington Beach, we’d love to see where the brand takes us. The options are endless from expanding into new territories to expanding vertically into mobile, commercial and marine branches. For now, we want to make sure we provide the best service we possibly can and look forward to what’s to come in the near future.

As entrepreneurs and parents, what legacy do you hope to build through Tint World Torrance for your family and your community?

We took a leap switching gears from a very comfortable lifestyle to doing something we’re truly passionate about and we can only hope that our daughter grows up seeing her parents work hard for something greater than themselves, following dreams, loving what they’re doing and creating opportunities for her as well as others. We want to build something that sets our daughter up for success whether she follows our vision or uses it to find her own and think that owning and operating Tint World stores will open doors not just for our family but for others as well. We’ve only been open for a few short months and have gotten to know our employees’ families, and celebrated birthdays and events together. We love meeting and getting to know the people around us and want to create an atmosphere where everyone belongs.

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