How To Smoothen Your Acquisition Process

Chris Garman is the Vice President of Business Development at Sun Auto Tire & Service. Sun Auto Tire & Service is the leading provider of quality aftermarket automotive repair, maintenance, and tire service in the Southwest. Chris oversees Sun Auto Tire’s merger and acquisition activities. Before being acquired by Sun Auto, he was the President of his family’s automotive store, GB Auto in Phoenix. 

Tommy Gaynor is the Pacific Northwest Market Director at Sun Auto Tire & Service. Tommy was the General Manager at Gaynors Automotive before joining Sun Auto Tire & Service. He is an accomplished leader with a proven track record of winning in multiple business units. He is also an entrepreneur and innovative problem solver with cross-functional skills and adaptability across various industries.

In this episode…

Are you running an automotive shop, making some money, but stuck in the same position and not growing? Have you thought of the opportunities that would come with acquisition by a large and expanding company? 

As a leader, you want to give your employees a place where they can spread their wings and grow and provide your clients with quality service at the same time. Acquisition by a larger organization with the resources and finances can be a unique way to better serve your clients, employees, and business. But what’s the best way to go about the acquisition process?

In this episode of the Gain Traction Podcast, Neal Maier and Mike Edge are joined by Chris and Tommy to discuss how to have a smooth acquisition process in the automobile industry. Together, they talk about the strategies used to acquire other companies, employee opportunities that come with a company acquisition, and how long an acquisition process takes.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• What’s causing growth for Sun Auto Tire & Service? 
• The strategy Sun Auto is using to acquire other automotive companies 
• Why Sun Auto is more interested in the employees of the acquired company
• How being in a family business helped Chris Garman and Tommy Gaynor run Sun Auto perfectly
• The employee opportunities that come with acquisition by a larger organization 
• Making the seller feel comfortable through the acquisition process 
• How long does an acquisition take, and how can you speed up the process?

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Sun Auto Tire & Service  
• Chris Garman on LinkedIn  
• Tommy Gaynor on LinkedIn 
• Mike Edge on LinkedIn
• Neal Maier on LinkedIn
• Tread Partners

• Chris Garman
• Mike Edge
• Neal Maier
• Phoenix
• Sun Auto Tire & Service
• Tommy Gaynor
• Tread Partners

Transcript