Gain Traction

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 2...

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 th...

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 o...

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 proc...

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 repai...

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...

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 conside...

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 bus...

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...

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 s...

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...

Michael McGregor is Managing Director at Focus Investment Banking. His experience includes fifteen years of advising on business transfers, capital raises, and management buyouts for middle market businesses. He has been a founder or co-founder of three automotive-related businesses. Michael is author of the book Buy, Build, Fix, Sell , which helps tire and service dealers build better businesses...

Dwayne Myers is Co-owner and Managing Partner of Dynamic Automotive, an independent automotive repair business with five locations in Frederick, MD. He has spent his career of over 30 years in the maintenance and repair industry, ranging in size from lawn mowers to U.S. Army tanks. His skill set includes negotiation, market planning, team building, business planning, and operations management. Dwa...

Sally Thomas is Co-owner of J.P. Thomas & Company. She is most-commonly associated with Thomas Tire & Automotive, a family-owned and operated full-service repair shop that’s been in business since 1981. With 10 retail and commercial service centers in North Carolina, Thomas Tire & Automotive’s mission is to be the first and only choice for all automobile-related needs.  In this episode...

Steven Stamey is Operations Manager at Maxi Auto Service, which has eight locations in the Chattanooga, TN area. He started his career at a Chevrolet dealer in 1999. Steven is also a former college level instructor with ASE L1, L2, and L3 Master Certification.  In this episode… What motivates your staff? Is it strictly financial compensation or are there other, less tangible factors? Do your emplo...

Neal Maier is Co-Founder of Tread Partners, a digital marketing agency that helps auto repair and tire shops drive success through coordinated marketing strategies. He is a skilled negotiator, salesperson, and business planner with expertise in Search Engine Optimization and Customer Relationship Management. Tread Partners has designed a full-scale reengagement program called ReTread that brings o...

Tim Shaffer is Co-Founder and CEO of Search Tires, also known as searchtires.com, the world’s first price comparison search engine. He is also President of YENT, a subsidiary of Prepared Patriot Brands. Tim is a leader, an innovative thinker, and a trusted advisor who excels at guiding businesses from multimillion-dollar start-ups to established companies. In this episode… Have you ever tried shop...

Brian Sump is the Owner and President of Urban Autocare, Klasse Auto Rentals, and Avalon Motorsports. His passion is to transform the automotive industry through innovation and training and to create opportunities for his team to grow. Brian has an engineering degree from the Colorado School of Mines, played for the St. Louis Rams, and is currently a Co-pastor at a church in Westminster, CO. In th...

Doug Miller is President of St. Lucie Battery & Tire, which has 15 locations on the central east coast of Florida. He has taken over operations from his father, Joey — the founder of the company. Doug looks to expand St. Lucie Battery & Tire, which has been in business for more than fifty years, with a focus on integrity and serving the community with honesty and reliability.  In this epis...

Neal Maier is Co-Founder at Tread Partners, a digital marketing agency that helps auto repair and tire shops drive success through coordinated marketing strategies. He is a skilled negotiator, salesperson, and business planner with expertise in Search Engine Optimization and Customer Relationship Management. Tread Partners has designed a full-scale reengagement program called ReTread that brings o...

Patrick Egan is a senior marketing executive and the Founder and CEO of Spark Interactive. Spark Interactive fuses the power of storytelling with professionally-produced video to help business owners attract a high volume of the right customers. Patrick takes a pragmatic approach to product management, marketing and team building, with a focus on the execution of technological vision. In this epis...

Clare Hetherington is the Marketing Manager at DriveRightData. She is a data-driven marketer who is passionate about customer relationship management and the results that strategic marketing and marketing automation can deliver. At DriveRightData, Clare takes ownership of all global marketing activities from branding, strategy, and value proposition building to lead generation and data insight. In...

Chan Patel is Vice President of Sales and Business Development at Autotext.me. His passion and energy is focused on making Autotext.me the leader in digital inspections and workflow solutions for the automotive industry. The company has been experiencing record growth — Chan’s deep experience and proven track record has been the catalyst behind that success. In this episode… As an owner or manager...

Brian Lenhardt is the Owner and Vice President of Operations at Fat Boys Tire & Auto in Wyoming. Fat Boys has provided services to the tri-state area for over 50 years and now operates five locations.  Brian is the third generation in the business and has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old. He now has 17 years of experience in the industry and oversees corporate, national, and...

Keith Heavilin is the President of YellowFin Digital, a full-service creative design and digital marketing agency based in Texas that provides comprehensive website and digital marketing services. Keith is also the Co-founder of Floww Digital, a company that provides digital marketing solutions for independent auto repair and tire shops across the United States. Keith’s management portfolio includ...