Gain Traction

Mike Edge
  • 4.2 (5)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

The Gain Traction Podcast features top tire and auto repair professionals, shop owners, industry executives, and thought leaders.

  1. Why Long Car Loans Are Changing Auto Repair

    22h ago

    Why Long Car Loans Are Changing Auto Repair

    Tim Szabo is the owner and president of Trail Tire stores in Edmonton, Alberta, and Hoosier Tire Western Canada. He grew up working in his father’s repair shop, became a journeyman technician at 21, and has spent nearly three decades in the automotive industry. His experience spans vehicle repair, shop operations, customer service, and business ownership. That background gives him a clear view of how long car loans and repairs are changing customer behavior, maintenance decisions, and the role independent shops play in keeping aging vehicles on the road. In this episode… Eight-year auto loans have changed the repair cycle. Drivers reach the five-year mark still owing years of payments just as suspension work, fluid services, leaks, tires, and other major expenses begin appearing. Trading the vehicle often means carrying negative equity into another long loan, so repairing and maintaining the current vehicle becomes the more practical path. That shift creates a new responsibility for multi-location operators. A declined repair no longer means the customer sees no value in the work. Many customers lack a clear picture of what the vehicle is worth, what they still owe, and what continued neglect will cost. Shops that explain those numbers, document developing problems, and present financing without pressure become trusted advisers rather than another unexpected bill. Customer education also protects future revenue. Clear recommendations, digital inspection records, and documented “next time” items give customers time to plan. They show exactly how a small leak, skipped service, or delayed repair turns into a larger failure. The shop earns trust by helping customers avoid the same financial situation again. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:  [01:02] Tim Szabo’s automotive background and career path [05:03] Long car loans reshape vehicle repair decisions [08:20] Trail Tire’s approach to customer financing [14:34] Deferred maintenance reduces vehicle value [18:36] Customer education prevents repeat repair problems [22:47] Education as the foundation of a successful shop [25:05] Digital records strengthen transparency and trust [27:09] Tire preferences and budget tire demand [29:46] Business lessons from Ford v Ferrari [35:01] Tim’s guiding philosophy and closing advice Resources mentioned in this episode: Tim Szabo on LinkedInTrail Tire Tamarack WebsiteTread PartnersGain Traction Podcast on YouTubeGain Traction Podcast WebsiteMike Edge on LinkedInQuotable Moments: “Mileage doesn’t kill cars, neglect does.”“People’s vehicle is their freedom.”“The customer needs to know everything we’re doing, so that we don’t hide anything from them.”“Educating your customer is a key foundation in owning a successful shop.”“You never get in life what you deserve, you only get what you negotiate.”Action Steps: Review how service advisers explain negative equity.Create a standard process for presenting repair financing.Document every developing problem.Build a maintenance plan around long car loans and repairs.Track declined work and revisit it at every visit.

    37 min
  2. The Simple System That Can Add 5% Profit to Your Shop

    Jun 10

    The Simple System That Can Add 5% Profit to Your Shop

    Jim Noblitt is the District Manager at Auto Care USA in Houston, Texas, with more than four decades of automotive experience. He entered the industry in 1979 as a mechanic’s helper, advanced into technician and dealership roles, and later helped launch Cornerstone Automotive; a business that contributed to the early operating model behind Christian Brothers Automotive. Noblitt went on to build and operate Mission Car Care in Katy, Texas, for 20 years before selling the business in 2022. His experience as a technician, owner, consultant, and multi-location operator gives him a practical view of recovering lost profit in an auto repair shop through disciplined processes, stronger financial controls, and better use of shop data. In this episode… Revenue does not disappear only through weak sales or low car count. It also disappears through unreturned cores, defective parts, missing credits, incorrect shipments, and paperwork that never gets reconciled. Noblitt estimates that these overlooked details can represent four to five percent of annual sales losses, money the shop has already earned but failed to collect. Multi-location operations carry even greater exposure because the same process failure repeats across every store. A return shelf filled with aging parts represents trapped cash, and an unverified credit slip represents money that has not reached the bottom line. Shop metrics expose another layer of lost opportunity. An extremely high close ratio often signals that advisors are presenting only the customer’s original concern. A very low close ratio signals that customers are receiving large estimates without clear priorities. Digital vehicle inspections, average written repair orders, and close ratios reveal whether advisors are identifying needed work, communicating value, and separating urgent repairs from services that belong in a future visit. Recovering lost profit in an auto repair shop requires owners to study what the numbers are saying, assign accountability for routine financial controls, and correct small operational gaps before they spread across multiple locations. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:  [01:17] Jim Noblitt’s four-decade automotive industry career [03:25] Advancing from technician to dealership operations [04:12] Helping shape Christian Brothers Automotive’s early model [08:46] Building and selling Mission Car Care after 20 years [12:20] Applying decades of experience through shop consulting [14:24] Recovering profit through stronger parts return controls [18:55] Using shop metrics to diagnose operational weaknesses [22:54] Why experienced shop owners still need business coaching [24:34] Leadership built on fairness, trust, and quality work Resources mentioned in this episode: Tread PartnersGain Traction Podcast on YouTubeGain Traction Podcast WebsiteMike Edge on LinkedInQuotable Moments: “The numbers will usually tell you where your holes are.”“Knowing your numbers is so important.”“You’re presenting all the facts now.”“Nobody cares like the owner, you know.”“Do a good job and treat people the way you want to be treated.”Action Steps: Audit every return shelf tomorrow morning.Assign one person to own parts returns and credits.Create a weekly return-credit report for every location.Review close ratios beside average written repair orders and DVI results.Build recovering lost profit in an auto repair shop into the management scorecard.

    33 min
  3. Meet AACF: The Foundation Quietly Backing the Aftermarket Industry

    Jun 3

    Meet AACF: The Foundation Quietly Backing the Aftermarket Industry

    John Kairys is the Executive Director of the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation (AACF), a position he has held for the past two and a half years. Before stepping into the role, he served on the AACF board, giving him deep organizational context from both a governance and operational standpoint. Kairys brings more than 40 years of experience in the automotive aftermarket to the foundation. He is a consistent presence at industry conventions, trade shows, and annual meetings; including Auto Care Connect and the APSG, working to raise awareness of the AACF across every segment of the aftermarket. In this episode… Most shop owners know their employees by name. They know who just had a baby, who's been with the shop for fifteen years, who's holding things together and who's quietly struggling. What they don't always know is what happens to that person when a car accident totals their vehicle, a house fire displaces their family, or routine back surgery leaves them unable to walk. The automotive aftermarket has a safety net built specifically for those moments. It isn't workers' comp. It isn't a GoFundMe. It's a 501(c)3 nonprofit with a 29-person volunteer board, a mid-90s approval rate, and a five-day window from application to ACH deposit. The people it helps aren't just technicians and counter staff; they're marketing managers, warehouse drivers, and executives. Anyone employed in the aftermarket qualifies, whether the hardship is work-related or not. John Kairys runs that organization. He's spent two and a half years as Executive Director making sure shop owners and their employees know it exists because awareness is still the AACF's biggest obstacle. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:  [01:01] Meet John Kairys, Executive Director of the AACF [02:15] Who qualifies and what hardships the AACF covers [06:01] The annual Classic Car Sweepstakes: How to donate and enter [07:54] Stories of hope: A routine surgery that changed everything [12:42] Stories of hope: A totaled vehicle, then a house fire two weeks later [15:39] Corporate giving, sponsorships, and the annual SEMA fundraiser [19:28] Two paid staff, a 29-member board, and how to connect [22:14] The Aftermarket Hearts Giving Circle: Recurring giving for industry insiders Resources mentioned in this episode: Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation WebsiteJohn Kairys on LinkedInTread PartnersGain Traction Podcast on YouTubeGain Traction Podcast WebsiteMike Edge on LinkedInQuotable Moments: "We like to say we take care of our own.""Our biggest challenge is awareness, and that is getting people to know who we are and what we do.""The AACF is the on-ramp to the freeway of recovery.""After losing so much so quickly, the AACF gave me hope and a way to start over."  — AACF recipient, shared by John Kairys"God forbid, if ever you need that help, the AACF will be there for you."Action Steps: Share the AACF with your team this week. Send an internal message or post a one-pager in your break room with the link to aftermarketcharity.org. Make a corporate donation or explore sponsorship. The automotive aftermarket charitable foundation is a 501(c)3, meaning contributions are tax-deductible. Sign up for the Aftermarket Hearts Giving Circle. Recurring donations start at $5 a month.Add AACF to your employee onboarding materials. The application is at aftermarketcharity.org, reviewed within 24 hours, and results in a direct ACH deposit within five days.Attend the SEMA events if you're in Las Vegas. Reach out to John Kairys directly through the leadership page at aftermarketcharity.org to get involved.

    29 min
  4. How AI Is Changing the Way Consumers Buy Tires

    May 27

    How AI Is Changing the Way Consumers Buy Tires

    Komal Choong is the co-founder of Tire Pig, an AI-powered tire shopping platform, and Zohr, a mobile tire installation service operating in Kansas City and Dallas-Fort Worth. Born in India and raised in Kansas City, Komal and his brother cut their teeth in the restaurant business before turning a shared obsession with cars into a venture; flipping parts, then full vehicles, then launching Zohr in 2015 to fix the tire-buying experience they kept finding broken. A decade in, Komal has built a customer base of premium-vehicle owners who pay for convenience, and he's now putting that audience in front of an AI engine that ranks tires by performance data rather than brand relationships. Tire Pig's public beta is live, with a membership model that pairs tires with roadside, flat repair, and road hazard coverage built around the same service-first thesis. EPISODE SPONSOR This episode of the Gain Traction Podcast is sponsored by Cosmo Tires. Cosmo Tires offers a wide range of tire solutions designed for durability, reliability, and performance across multiple vehicle segments. Learn more at https://www.cosmotires.com In this episode… The tire-buying decision is moving out of the shop and onto the customer's phone. Komal's platform pulls thousands of data points on every tire available in a buyer's market, weights them against where the customer lives and what they drive, and surfaces three options out of 150, with zero brand favoritism. Brand-loyalty pitches at the counter are losing power because the customer walks in already knowing which three tires fit their car best. The install side is shifting just as fast. Mobile installers run on the customer's schedule, not the bay's. Online buyers expect a concierge handoff that puts tires in their driveway or routes them to a partner shop without a phone call. Shop owners who treat themselves as the destination keep losing margin to brokers who treat themselves as the network. Komal lays out the model, DoorDash for tires, plus a membership wrapper, that's pulling high-value customers off the dealership and chain-shop conveyor belt. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:  [01:30] Komal's path from restaurants to flipping cars to founding Zohr in 2015 [05:27] How Tire Pig's AI ranks tires against where you live, what you drive, and your priorities [08:51] The two install paths: ship-to-door DIY or concierge handoff to a partner shop [12:12] Inside Zohr's mobile tire shop model running in Kansas City and Dallas-Fort Worth [15:26] The Tire Pig membership: flat repair, roadside, road hazard, and monthly coffee [17:34] Why "nerd mode" gives enthusiasts the full data stack behind every recommendation [19:05] Cutting brand bias by narrowing 150 tires to three based on performance data [22:13] Leading with empathy and putting the customer's perspective ahead of the sale Resources mentioned in this episode: Komal Choong on LinkedInTire Pig WebsiteZohr WebsiteTread PartnersGain Traction Podcast on YouTubeGain Traction Podcast WebsiteMike Edge on LinkedInQuotable Moments: "We want to give the power back to the consumer.""We're simply trying to provide the best unbiased recommendation based on data that's available online.""It's as easy as buying something on Amazon, maybe even easier, because the decision process has been simplified significantly.""The whole entire idea is trying to make tires a little bit less confusing, so people can make a better decision for themselves.""We've always kind of put ourselves in the consumer shoes before we even put ourselves in our own shoes sometimes."Action Steps: Audit last month's tire tickets to see how often the same three SKUs show up, then align your counter pitch with the data-backed shortlist customers now expect from AI-powered tire shopping platforms.Apply to become a Tire Pig install partner in your market before a competitor down the road claims the default spot on the network map.Stand up a mobile install option, even a single van, and route it to fleet accounts and high-end residential customers willing to pay a premium to skip the lobby.Bundle every tire install into a 12-month membership at checkout that covers rotations, alignments, a flat repair credit, and road hazard coverage.Train your service writers to confirm or beat an AI-vetted top three with local intelligence on regional wet-traction performance, fitment quirks, and current rebate stacking.

    26 min
  5. Why Acquired Auto Repair Shops Grow 50% Year One

    May 20

    Why Acquired Auto Repair Shops Grow 50% Year One

    Jesse Jackson is the co-founder and operator of Mango Automotive, a multi-location auto repair group running eight shops across Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. After a career in software, Jesse pivoted into the trades alongside her partner Brian, building Mango into a regional operator focused on acquiring auto repair shops from retiring owners whose businesses are already profitable but under-marketed. Jesse is the creator of a free acquisition-evaluation tool at autorepairqueen.com/shop It's the same model Mango Automotive uses internally to underwrite its own deals. Her perspective sits at the intersection of operator, acquirer, and brand-builder, which is why shop owners modeling their first or fifth acquisition keep coming back to her playbook. EPISODE SPONSOR This episode of the Gain Traction Podcast is sponsored by Cosmo Tires. Cosmo Tires offers a wide range of tire solutions designed for durability, reliability, and performance across multiple vehicle segments. Learn more at https://www.cosmotires.com In this episode… The Boomer generation built most of the independent auto repair shops in this country, and a huge share of them are heading toward retirement with thirty years of word-of-mouth equity and zero modern demand generation on top. That's the deal flow most multi-location operators are sleeping on. Acquiring auto repair shops at this stage means buying already-profitable businesses and unlocking the growth the previous owner stopped chasing a decade ago. The 50%+ year-one number comes from three layers: Google Maps SEO, Local Service Ads, and AI search visibility on the marketing side; a transition protocol that retains every technician on the people side; and the right district manager, finance, and HR hires at the three-shop and five-shop inflection points. Jesse Jackson of Mango Automotive has run this playbook across eight locations and three states, and this conversation breaks down exactly how it gets executed. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [01:14] Guest introduction: Jesse Jackson, Operator of Mango Automotive [01:41] The career pivot from software into the automotive trades [04:49] Building Mango Automotive into a multi-state operator through acquisition [06:41] Navigating the three-store and five-store inflection points in multi-location growth [12:00] The transition protocol for retaining staff through a change in ownership [14:14] Customer acquisition strategy and cost-per-acquisition in secondary markets [18:29] Local brand-building and the role of community partnerships in market penetration [24:16] Operator mindset and the discipline of career reinvention [25:31] Leadership lessons from It's Not About the Mangoes [31:57] The free acquisition-evaluation tool Mango uses to underwrite deals Resources mentioned in this episode: Jesse Jackson on LinkedInMango Automotive WebsiteFree Acquisition Evaluation Tool (Mango Automotive)Tread PartnersGain Traction Podcast on YouTubeGain Traction Podcast WebsiteMike Edge on LinkedInQuotable Moments: "The shops we buy are already successful, the previous owner just stopped pushing for growth.""We wait in the parking lot while the owner tells the team, then walk in so nobody has time to get paranoid.""Customer acquisition in our secondary markets runs about $150, and that's with the referral base already working for us.""I'm rebuilding our website because I don't like what ChatGPT or Gemini says when I ask for the best repair shop in town.""The three-shop and five-shop inflection points are where most operators break; district managers, finance, and HR are what get you through.""We've never lost an employee through a transition, and that's not luck, it's benefits and how you walk in the door."Action Steps: Underwrite every deal on year-one marketing upside, not trailing revenue. Assume a 50%+ lift when acquiring auto repair shops from retiring owners who never invested in modern demand generation.Run the parking-lot transition play on day one. Let the seller announce the sale to the team alone, then walk in within minutes with the full benefits package in writing.Audit AI search visibility this week; ask ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude for the best repair shops in each market and treat every gap as a website rebuild priority.Hire the district manager, finance lead, and HR seat before hitting five locations: those three roles carry multi-location auto repair operators through the inflection point.Pull Jesse's free acquisition-evaluation tool and run it on the next deal in the pipeline, it's the same model Mango uses to pressure-test year-one assumptions before signing an LOI.

    34 min
  6. AAA’s Playbook for Fixing the Technician Shortage

    May 13

    AAA’s Playbook for Fixing the Technician Shortage

    Jim Sennett is the manager of repair programs at AAA (American Automobile Association), where he oversees the Approved Auto Repair network of roughly 6,000 shops across the country, about 5,000 independents and 1,000 dealerships, along with the club's emerging technologies work on EVs and hybrids. He came up through Goodyear, starting as a tire changer and working through alignment tech, service advisor, service manager, and store manager across two stints with the company. Between his Goodyear years and his current role he spent nearly a decade in law enforcement before returning to the industry. Jim has been with AAA for 12 years and serves as Vice Chair of the ASE Education Foundation, which puts him at the center of how the industry is responding to the technician shortage in auto repair; both through the certification side and through the apprenticeship program AAA built with NAPA to bring new people into the trade. In this episode… The technician shortage in auto repair stopped being an abstract talking point around 2022-2023, when AAA's approved shops started telling Jim Sennett the same thing in different words: the tows keep coming, the waiting rooms keep filling up, and there's nobody behind the bay door to do the work. AAA's response was to stop waiting for the trade-school pipeline to fix itself and build a parallel one, partnering with NAPA on an apprenticeship program designed to take someone out of a grocery store, a fast-food job, or a closed-down factory and turn them into a working technician in 18 to 24 months. Jim walks through the actual mechanics: $300 a year per person, free for shops already running NAPA, but built parts-supplier agnostic so O'Reilly, Advance, and AutoZone shops are not locked out. The program is self-paced and mentor-based inside the shop, and the apprentice finishes with four ASE certifications; brakes, steering and suspension, A/C, and electrical. He also gets into why the recruiting pitch itself is part of the problem. The trade is still being sold as the "Cooter from Dukes of Hazzard" job; greasy coveralls, wrench in hand, when the actual work is a laptop in one hand and a diagnostic tool in the other. The shortage closes faster when the marketing catches up to what the job has become. The other thread worth following is Jim's story about a Buffalo shop owner who was a few months from closing. Jim sat down with him, looked at the numbers, and made him do two things first: raise labor rates and raise parts margins. The shop is now operating out of its second, bigger location. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:  [01:14] Introducing Jim Sennett and his role at AAA [02:45] Early career path from college into a general service technician role at Goodyear [04:26] Overseeing AAA's Approved Auto Repair program [08:49] The three-decade partnership between AAA and NAPA [09:40] Reframing the technician's image in the modern trade [10:36] Formative lessons from Goodyear's management training [13:28] Addressing the technician shortage through the AAA/NAPA apprenticeship [17:30] Rescuing a Buffalo shop through disciplined pricing and margin strategy [21:06] Leading with a firm, fair, and consistent standard [24:35] The under-promise, over-deliver principle and the Five Guys case study [26:48] Closing reflections and hometown conversation Resources mentioned in this episode: Jim Sennett on LinkedInAmerican Automobile AssociationASE Education FoundationTread PartnersGain Traction Podcast on YouTubeGain Traction Podcast WebsiteMike Edge on LinkedInQuotable Moments: “These men and women are professional people out there, you got a laptop in your hand now, you're doing more work on a computer than you are turning wrenches.""You find the right person, the right personality for you, and we'll give you a program, and we'll make them into a technician in 18 months to two years.""Always be firm, fair and consistent every day.""I'm always a fan of under-promising and over-delivering.""If you can't be your word, or you can't have someone that believes in you, it kind of sets a bad foundation and we know what happens with bad foundations, the building tends to crumble."Action Steps: Audit your labor rates and parts margins this week, raise both if the math says so.Enroll one career-changer in the AAA/NAPA apprenticeship at $300 a year and assign a senior tech as mentor.Rewrite your tech job postings to lead with diagnostics, scan tools, and EV work, not wrench-turning.Pick one customer promise: timeline, price, or scope, and engineer the over delivery.Join AAA's Approved Auto Repair program to access the apprenticeship pricing and the nationwide warranty.

    31 min
  7. The Franchise Advantage Nobody Talks About Enough

    May 6

    The Franchise Advantage Nobody Talks About Enough

    Joe Happel, Desiree Elliott, Steve Towers, Charlie Alexander, Tim & Terri Hollander, and Gary Skidmore represent a cross-section of some of the most experienced operators and leaders within Big O Tires. From Hall of Fame-level leadership and second-generation ownership to multi-state expansion and corporate strategy, each brings decades of real-world experience in building, scaling, and sustaining automotive service businesses. Their combined perspective reflects what actually works inside high-performing tire shop networks; not theory, but execution. Across their roles as franchisees, operators, and executives, they reveal how tire shop owners grow through standards, accountability, and long-term relationship building. Their insights are grounded in running multiple locations, navigating growth cycles, developing teams, and aligning franchise systems to support both independence and scale. EPISODE SPONSOR This episode of the Gain Traction Podcast is sponsored by Cosmo Tires. Cosmo Tires offers a wide range of tire solutions designed for durability, reliability, and performance across multiple vehicle segments. Learn more at https://www.cosmotires.com In this episode… The industry doesn’t have a growth problem, it has a standards problem. Shops chase tactics, marketing angles, and quick wins, but the operators scaling from one location to ten and beyond are playing a different game entirely. Growth is being driven by discipline, culture, and consistency, not creativity. Inside Big O Tires, the pattern becomes clear. The operators winning long-term don’t reinvent systems, they refine them. They build pressure into their culture, hold teams accountable, and treat customer relationships as assets that compound over time. The gap between average and top-performing shops isn’t access to better tools. It’s the refusal to let standards slip. This is where most operators fall behind. Weak retention, inconsistent service, and constant hiring challenges aren’t random, they’re the result of operating without a defined standard. Meanwhile, the shops that understand how tire shop owners grow are building businesses that scale predictably, retain customers for years, and create internal leadership pipelines that sustain expansion. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:  [01:11] Joe Happel on maintaining high standards and prioritizing work over recognition [09:09] Desiree Elliott on generational leadership and scaling a multi-store operation [14:05] Steve Towers on expanding across multiple states and building brand consistency [22:23] Charlie Alexander on acquisition-driven growth and co-op structure advantages [27:04] Terri & Tim Hollander on customer retention through long-term relationships [35:01] Gary Skidmore on franchise growth strategy and system-wide collaboration Resources mentioned in this episode: Big O TiresBig O Tires Franchise OpportunitiesJoe Happel on LinkedInDesiree Elliott on LinkedInSteve Towers on LinkedInCharlie Alexander on LinkedInGary Skidmore on LinkedInTread PartnersGain Traction Podcast on YouTubeGain Traction Podcast WebsiteMike Edge on LinkedInQuotable Moments: “You just have to listen… and you learn a lot.”“Pressure creates diamonds.”“You can’t teach somebody to care.”“Delight the customer, not just satisfy them.”“It is cheaper to keep an employee than to find and train a new one.”Action Steps: Establish one non-negotiable service standard across every location and enforce it daily without exception.Build structured mentorship inside your shop by pairing experienced operators with newer team members to accelerate learning.Audit your customer experience and shift from satisfaction to retention-driven service that builds long-term trust.Identify where inconsistency exists in your operations and eliminate it through repeatable systems and accountability.Study how tire shop owners grow by focusing on culture, employee retention, and execution rather than chasing new strategies.

    40 min
  8. The New Playbook for Independent Tire Dealers

    Apr 29

    The New Playbook for Independent Tire Dealers

    Peter Greenberg — owner of City Tire Co., a business operating since 1927 with a long-standing presence in retail, commercial, and retread segments. With decades of industry experience, he brings a strong perspective on vendor relationships, buying group strategy, and the operational decisions shaping how independent tire dealers compete today. David Zeller — owner of Zeller Tire & Auto Center, a multi-location operation established in 1952. His experience centers on integrating tire sales with automotive service, refining internal systems, and driving profitability for independent tire dealers in an increasingly competitive market. Bob Amenta — President of Modern Tire, where he oversees a service-focused operation that complements tire sales with long-term maintenance and repair. His approach emphasizes operational structure, customer retention, and sustainable growth within the independent tire dealers segment. EPISODE SPONSOR This episode of the Gain Traction Podcast is sponsored by Cosmo Tires. Cosmo Tires offers a wide range of tire solutions designed for durability, reliability, and performance across multiple vehicle segments. Learn more at https://www.cosmotires.com In this episode… Independent tire dealers are losing margin in plain sight, and the root cause sits inside their own operations. Pricing no longer defines competitiveness. Buying power, service integration, and internal alignment now determine who grows and who gets left behind. Peter Greenberg, David Zeller, and Bob Amenta expose a shift that many operators still overlook. Running a shop in isolation limits leverage with vendors, restricts access to best practices, and slows down operational evolution. Their collaboration through Tire Team Partners reveals a model where shared intelligence and complementary strengths unlock both cost advantages and revenue growth. The pressure from consolidation and rising customer expectations continues to intensify. Shops that fail to modernize purchasing strategies and service mix face shrinking margins and weaker retention. Growth now depends on executing both sides of the business; tires and service, with precision, while building systems that scale beyond a single location mindset. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:  [01:10] Overview of panel guests and their operations [01:54] Formation of Tire Team Partners and collaboration model [05:39] Strategic importance of balancing tire sales and service revenue [07:23] Role of advisor recommendations in tire purchasing decisions [08:08] Impact of internet-informed customers on the sales process [10:13] Guest backgrounds and industry experience [11:01] Leadership perspectives and operational philosophies [15:09] Business outlook and collaboration strategy for 2026 [17:16] Leveraging buying power to improve pricing and margins [19:44] Future direction and potential expansion of Tire Team Partners Resources mentioned in this episode: Peter Greenberg on LinkedInCity Tire Co. WebsiteDavid Zeller on LinkedInZeller Tire & Auto CenterModern TireTread PartnersGain Traction Podcast on YouTubeGain Traction Podcast WebsiteMike Edge on LinkedInQuotable Moments: “70% are going on the recommendation of the advisor.”“The real diamond in the rough is doing both—tires and service—and doing both well.”“The price largely is determined by the market, not by my cost.”“We have to control our own destiny.”“Small tweaks can turn out to be incredibly profitable over the course of 12 or 24 months.”Action Steps: Audit purchasing strategy and consolidate vendor relationships to increase leverage and reduce cost per unit.Rebalance operations to ensure tire sales consistently drive service opportunities and long-term customer retention.Build peer-level partnerships or join collaborative groups to access shared best practices and scale advantages.Standardize internal processes across locations to eliminate inefficiencies and improve profitability at scale.Implement a dual-focus growth plan that strengthens both service operations and tire volume to position independent tire dealers for sustained expansion.

    22 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.2
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

The Gain Traction Podcast features top tire and auto repair professionals, shop owners, industry executives, and thought leaders.

Information

  • Creator
    Mike Edge
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    232
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025, All Rights Reserved. Gain Traction Podcast.
  • Show Website
    Gain Traction

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