Joe McDonald is Vice President of Sales at Jasper Engines & Transmissions. With more than thirty years of experience in the automotive aftermarket industry, Joe is skilled in team building, account management, leadership, planning, and sales processes. He began his career in the rental car industry and has been with Jasper since 1996. In this episode… How do you build a culture where your customers notice you do the right thing while having fun? In this era of job hopping, how do you regular...
Apr 12, 2023•25 min•Ep. 80
Craig O’Neill is Vice President of Training at Autoflow, formerly Autotext.me. Starting at a young age, Craig gained priceless experience at his family’s transmission shop, serving in a variety of roles including Service Manager, Technician and Business Manager. Craig’s greatest interest is in technology and since 2018, when he joined Autoflow, he has developed training processes to support shops launching digital systems. In this episode… How can a tire and auto repair shop ensure the safety of...
Apr 05, 2023•32 min•Ep. 79
Angie Oleson is Business Lead at Firestone Direct, the largest mobile tire and service company in the United States. She has led and managed its business operations since it was launched by Bridgestone Americas in 2021. With an ability to translate strategic goals into concrete tactics, Angie has a track record of positively impacting business performance. In this episode… Is there a business or type of business who stands to benefit from the emergence of mobile vehicle and tire service? How abo...
Mar 29, 2023•29 min•Ep. 78
James Krakower is the Director of System Development at JMK Computerized Tire Dealer Information System. He has an extensive background in technology, and his operations experience has provided him with the ability to discern what works and what doesn’t work on a day-to-day basis. James started his career in academics leading a graduate course on how to market tires. In this episode… Are tire and auto repair businesses lagging behind other industries when it comes to the effective use of technol...
Mar 22, 2023•32 min•Ep. 77
Kevin Marley is Managing Director at E-Solution Professionals, who has been developing e-commerce software for the tire industry since 2001. He has worked in the tire industry for more than four decades. Throughout his career, Kevin has worked in positions including store manager, warehouse manager, State Manager for Toyo Tires, and Regional Manager for Goodyear Australia. In this episode… In an industry that is slow to embrace it, how has the tire business been changed by technology? In what wa...
Mar 15, 2023•21 min•Ep. 76
Charles Bonfiglio is CEO at Tint World, a privately-owned window tinting and vehicle accessory center. His areas of expertise include leading automotive companies to maximize profits and market share, along with franchising, e-commerce, web design, software development, and financial management. Charles is also Founder of Cars Cafe and Auto Parts Network, and previously served as CEO and Franchise Developer at Meineke Car Care Centers for over 30 years. In this episode… Have you seen a service i...
Mar 08, 2023•29 min•Ep. 75
Kent Coleman is the Owner of eleven Big O Tire stores in northern Utah and various other commercial properties. He has the ability to ask the right questions to get to the root of an issue and solve problems. As a result, even though Kent is not an avid car enthusiast, his Big O Tire stores are some of the highest-producing in the nation. Kent is also author of the book It’s Not About the Mangos . In this episode… Is it absolutely necessary to be a car enthusiast to be a successful business owne...
Mar 01, 2023•26 min•Ep. 74
Mike Edge is the Director of Business Development at Tread Partners. He has had a lengthy career in his field, having previously been the Owner and Business Development expert for Resource Connection Inc., Director of Business Development at Upright Communications, and Owner of T.M. Edge, Inc. In this episode… What is the best group of potential customers a tire dealer could possibly reach out to? According to Mike Edge, who oversees Tread Partners’ Retread program, it’s past customers who haven...
Feb 22, 2023•22 min•Ep. 73
Tony DeSimone is Executive Director at New England Tire and Service Association (NETSA) and Business Development Manager at TD Consultants. He has led NETSA to be a well-known, active, and growing association representing thousands of members. Tony previously served as president of NETSA before becoming executive director in February 2018. In this episode… If you own a tire and auto repair shop, are there advantages to being a member of a tire association? According to Tony DeSimone from the New...
Feb 16, 2023•22 min•Ep. 72
John Ward is E-commerce Manager at Allen Rubber Co and is Owner and President at Ward Media Services LLC. As the owner of a digital marketing agency with a history of working in the automotive industry, John is skilled in store management, inventory management and customer satisfaction. He’s also a lifelong competitive hockey player. In this episode… Can you make a profit buying and selling discontinued tires? According to John Ward of Allen Rubber Co, that's the focal point of his organization’...
Feb 15, 2023•20 min•Ep. 71
Jay Condrick is the Owner at Boston Mobile Tire. He has worked in sales and marketing for more than 15 years and has owned Boston Mobile Tire, a direct-to-consumer tire business, since February 2020. Jay has been involved in endurance racing and is a racer in ChampCar. In this episode… Is online tire shopping and service the wave of the future? For customers of Boston Mobile Tire, the future is now. Jay Condrick is a Boston Mobile Tire franchisee who says he only shops online whenever his car ne...
Feb 08, 2023•31 min•Ep. 70
Darren McLea is a Business Development Consultant at Molloy Sales Development Group, where he consults with business owners to help identify and implement solutions in their business for training, performance, communication, operational standards, and more. After starting out as a “cleanup kid” changing tires and fixing flats in high school, Darren went on to become the Executive Vice President and a Partner at McLea’s Tire. Prior to joining Molloy, he sold the family business to AAA. His purpos...
Feb 01, 2023•31 min•Ep. 69
Kim McMahon is the President of McMahon's Best-One Tire, which has five locations, one distribution center and one retread facility. She is one of just a few top female executives at tire dealerships in North America and recently won the Humanitarian of the Year award from Tire Business Magazine. She has a banking and financial background and believes culture is more valuable for a company than strategy. In this episode… What’s your strategy when your business is expanding, adding locations and ...
Jan 25, 2023•27 min•Ep. 69
Quinton Molnar is the Director of Marketing and Business Development and the Director of Human Resources at Ward Tirecraft. He’s been a management trainee, marketer, and IT guy for Ward Tirecraft, and his unique set of skills comes from performing similar roles across multiple industries. Quinton prides himself on turning an average customer experience into an exemplary one. In this episode… As an owner or manager of a tire and auto repair shop, do you have a true appreciation for the work that ...
Jan 18, 2023•23 min•Ep. 67
Matthew Peters is the Business Development Manager at Tread Partners. He joined Tread Partners in November 2022 after serving in the same role at Tireweb Marketing for more than three years and at Icon Internet Media for nearly two years. Having worked in the tire industry for more than 30 years, Matthew possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience. In this episode… As a B2B business owner, how do you view your relationships with your clients? Is it a transactional, one-and-done relationship o...
Jan 11, 2023•24 min•Ep. 67
Larry Sutton is the Founder and President of RNR Tire Express, a national tire shop franchise with 155 locations across 26 states. Founded in 2000, the franchise was initially known as Rent-n-Roll. Larry attributes the success of RNR Tire Express to keeping focus on what your shop does well and serving customers — not just providing service. In this episode… As the owner or manager of a tire and auto repair shop, does your store try to be all things to all people? Or does it stick to what it’s g...
Jan 04, 2023•24 min•Ep. 66
Judd K. Shader is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Leeds West Groups, one of the largest and most-respected leaders in the franchise aftermarket automotive repair space. He founded the company in 2009, when he was a student at the University of Colorado Boulder. Judd is active across various automotive industry boards and organizations and resides in Denver, CO. In this episode… As the owner of a tire and auto repair shop, what will it take to expand your number of stores? Have you tho...
Dec 28, 2022•23 min•Ep. 65
Al Pridemore is CEO and Co-owner of Pride Auto Care. He and his brothers became owners in 2005, starting with two shops before growing to six. Pride Auto Care is a full-service tire and automotive center focused on putting their employees first. Their philosophy is that building relationships and leadership, within all of their ranks, results in great service for the customer. In this episode… As any tire and auto repair shop owner knows, building a positive workplace culture can be challenging....
Dec 21, 2022•27 min•Ep. 64
Joe Rush is the Owner of Rush Automotive. He opened his first location in Round Rock, TX in 2011 with just three employees. Since then, Rush Automotive has grown to nearly 50 employees across five locations. The motto at Rush Automotive is “Caring for People and Cars.” As a culture-based company, Rush Automotive works hard to live out that motto. In this episode… People often talk about the culture at their workplace. Is it a positive culture? Is it negative or toxic? Can customers notice the cu...
Dec 14, 2022•22 min•Ep. 63
Randy O'Connor is the Executive Director of MTD TEN. He is a strategic specialist with a talent for analyzing and improving process and procedure. Randy has held a variety of roles in the tire business, from retail to distribution. He maintains a long-range perspective and thrives when he’s in position to handle a problem. In this episode… How are you preparing your tire and auto repair shop for 2023? In the past two years, we’ve seen record-breaking car counts, revenues, and units sold. Unfortu...
Dec 07, 2022•27 min•Ep. 62
Brad Updegraff is the Owner of Dave’s Ultimate Automotive, which has six locations in Texas. He started as a lube technician in a small, Austin-based gas station and repair shop in 1998, and moved into the front office as an advisor in 2001. Brad worked his way up to being manager, acquired his ASE certification and started working for Dave’s Ultimate Automotive as an advisor in 2010. He bought the original location in 2012 and expanded to six locations by 2016. In this episode… If you’re an emp...
Nov 30, 2022•23 min•Ep. 61
Judd K. Shader is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Leeds West Groups, one of the largest and most-respected leaders in the franchise aftermarket automotive repair space. He founded the company in 2009, when he was a student at the University of Colorado Boulder. Judd is active across various automotive industry boards and organizations and resides in Denver, CO. In this episode… As the owner of a tire and auto repair shop, what will it take to expand your number of stores? Have you tho...
Nov 23, 2022•23 min•Ep. 60
Jeff Scherer is the Founder of Ntelegence, which offers affordable communication solutions to help manage multi-rooftop businesses. Jeff is a pioneer in communication solutions for the automotive industry. As a thought leader, writer, blogger, and industry speaker, Jeff specializes in digital marketing, lead acquisition and management, LMS/CRM, business process improvement, call tracking, and process management. In this episode… As the owner or manager of a tire and auto repair shop, do you know...
Nov 16, 2022•24 min•Ep. 59
Max Gardner is the Founder of Tire Max, which has six retail locations in North Carolina. He has been in the tire business for almost 40 years and opened his first Tire Max location about 20 years ago. Max believes in building a culture that employees feel comfortable in, which in turn translates to customers feeling comfortable in-store. In this episode… If you own or manage a tire and auto repair shop with multiple locations, how do you keep everyone on the same page? How do you build a welcom...
Nov 09, 2022•16 min•Ep. 58
Tim Winkeler is the President and CEO of VIP Tires & Service. He is a people-focused leader whose teams are high-performing, with a track record of exceeding expectations. Tim advocates for "right to repair" legislation, which is vital to the continued success of the tire and auto repair industry. In this episode… Where will you take it for repair when your car inevitably needs something fixed? Is there a preferred location, or do you prefer to fix it yourself? What if you couldn't choose wh...
Nov 02, 2022•17 min•Ep. 57
Rick Benton II is Vice President of Sales and Marketing at BTS Tire & Wheel distributors and Black’s Tire and Auto Service. Rick is in charge of wholesale distribution, logistics, and purchasing, among many other responsibilities. Rick and his brothers, Ron and Jeremy, are second-generation tire dealers. In this episode… As anyone who has been in the tire and auto repair business for a considerable period of time can tell you, it’s not easy. It takes a special place with a unique culture to ...
Oct 26, 2022•31 min•Ep. 56
Kate Speelman is Brand Management and Talent Acquisition Specialist at Rice Tire, a fourth-generation family-owned independent tire dealership that began as a gas station in 1929. She previously served as Rice Tire’s Marketing Coordinator for 10 years. Before joining the automotive world, Kate worked as a Graphic Design Specialist for Engage USA. In this episode… How does a tire dealer stay in business for nearly a century? How does that business, with 12 different locations managed by 12 differ...
Oct 19, 2022•12 min•Ep. 55
Michael Mathis is Founder and President at Atturo Tire Corp. He grew up around the tire business working in wholesale, retail, and selling aftermarket wheels. Atturo was among the first to market with a hybrid off-road tire — today, their tires are distributed in nearly 30 countries worldwide. Michael graduated from Webster University with a degree in management and then sold commercial insurance for 12 years, insuring several import tire brands. In this episode… If you were an experienced insur...
Oct 12, 2022•19 min•Ep. 54
Crissy Zellers is the Owner of Accelerate Personalized Sales Solutions, which helps tire dealers succeed with retail tire programs. She uses unique tracking tools and detailed program knowledge to help retailers stay focused on their weekly goals, maximize their earnings and prioritize their purchases. Crissy started her own business in September 2020, after 11 years of working in management and sales for tire distributors Max Finkelstein and Tire Centers. In this episode… As a tire dealer, have...
Sep 28, 2022•12 min•Ep. 53
Dick Erickson is the Founder of Sun Tire and author of How the Rubber Meets the Road: A Blue-Collar Roadmap to Success for Business Owners and Entrepreneurs . He opened his first Sun Tire store in Orange Park, Florida in 1981, and added ten more stores over the next few decades. Dick sold the business to a national chain of tire stores in 2018. His book details his journey from rural North Dakota to flying helicopters in the Marine Corps in Vietnam and covers four key business topics: customer s...
Sep 21, 2022•26 min•Ep. 52
