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Episode 226

Jeff Webster, Josh Porter, Ryan Anderson, Katie Youngblood, Jay Baxter, Peter Greenberg, & Rick Benton II

ITDG-Independent Tire Dealers Group, LLC.

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Jeff Webster is the owner of Take Ten Tire Service, with nearly three decades in the tire industry. He has expanded his operations beyond Oklahoma through recent acquisitions and is an active member of the Independent Tire Dealers Group, where he values long-term relationships and peer collaboration.

Josh Porter is the owner of Lex Brodie’s Tire Company on the Big Island of Hawaii, where he operates multiple retail locations alongside commercial tire centers, car washes, and service businesses. With over 20 years in the industry, he focuses on staying relevant in a geographically isolated market through diversification and industry connections.

Ryan Anderson is the president and owner of Montana Tire Distributors Inc., a business that combines wholesale distribution with retail operations. Having grown up in the industry, he emphasizes the financial and competitive advantages of group buying power and has helped lead the company through continued expansion.

Katie Youngblood is a third-generation owner of Youngblood Auto & Tire based in Texas, overseeing both retail locations and a large-scale mobile commercial service operation. Her business primarily serves commercial clients, with a strong focus on roadside service and fleet support across a wide regional footprint.

Jay Baxter is the president of Delaware Tire Centers, where he operates a smaller independent dealership. With decades of experience, he highlights the challenges faced by independent operators and the importance of joining networks like ITDG to remain competitive.

Peter Greenberg is the owner of City Tire Company and serves as chairman of the Independent Tire Dealers Group. Coming from a multi-generational business, he focuses on helping independent dealers compete against large chains through private brands, collective buying power, and shared strategies.

Rick Benton II is the president of Black’s Tire Service, a long-standing family-owned company known for its strong community involvement and internal culture. He advocates for collaboration among independent dealers and emphasizes adapting to industry changes while maintaining core values.

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 shop owners are losing margin in places they don’t even see, buried in pricing, sourcing, and deals that were never built for them to win. The big chains aren’t just bigger; they’re buying better, negotiating harder, and moving faster. That advantage shows up every single time a customer says yes to a quote.

The operators in this conversation aren’t guessing what’s wrong. They’re seeing it firsthand: the cost of staying independent without leverage is rising, and it’s showing up in tighter profits, tougher competition, and slower growth. Meanwhile, shops that have aligned themselves with groups like ITDG are playing a different game: better pricing, stronger supplier relationships, and a seat at the table they didn’t have before.

This is the shift most shop owners feel but haven’t fully defined yet. The shops that recognize it are already adjusting how they buy, how they price, and how they scale. The rest are still trying to outwork a system that was never built in their favor.

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

[01:11] Jeff Webster on ITDG value and industry relationships

[06:23] Josh Porter on ITDG benefits and business expansion

[12:43] Ryan Anderson on buying power and profit impact

[17:36] Katie Youngblood on commercial operations and scale

[25:10] Jay Baxter on challenges facing independent dealers

[28:59] Peter Greenberg on competition and private label strategy

[37:21] Rick Benton II on culture and industry evolution

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

“You just never know where you’re gonna run across the same people, it’s a great family of people.”
“It’s the difference between competing and succeeding and thriving.”
“When we come together, we’re a really big fish; it’s hard to beat us.”
“As an independent, you’re faced with private equity getting bigger, how do you compete?”
“It’s not just about making a living, it’s about making a difference.”

Action Steps:

Join or evaluate a dealer network to immediately increase buying power and reduce cost per tire, independent tire shop owners who stay isolated are overpaying.
Audit your current supplier pricing and compare it against group purchasing benchmarks to identify margin leakage.
Diversify revenue streams by adding commercial services, mobile support, or complementary automotive offerings to stabilize cash flow.
Build relationships with other operators in your market or network to share strategies, vendors, and operational efficiencies.
Develop a private label or alternative tire strategy to regain pricing control and protect margins from manufacturer restrictions.

Transcript

00:00
Welcome to the Gain Traction Podcast, the official podcast for tire business. I am Mike Edge, your host and I have the privilege of interviewing the tire dealers, shop owners, counter sales reps, technicians, industry executives and other thought leaders of our industry. This episode is brought to you by Tread Partners. Tread Partners is the leading digital marketing agency that specializes in digital marketing for multi location tire and auto repair shops. Tread Partners works with clients that have hundreds of locations down to five locations. Get a professional, unbiased opinion and let Tread Partners review what you’re doing. It starts with a simple conversation. To contact tread partners, visit treadpartners.com so let’s get started. Hey folks, Mike Edge here with the Gain Traction Podcast. I just want to make you aware we’ve got a great new sponsor, Cosmo Tires.

00:47
You can find out more about [email protected] they sell about every tire on the market. Here’s a short video about one of their products. Slaying that brown mud kicker Mud kick up Never getting stuck Digging down deep while we crank. All right, we’re here at the ITDG annual conference in Orlando, Florida. I’m with Jeff Webster who owns Take 10 Tire and Service and Thompson Tire and Service in Ponca City, Oklahoma. But you’re. You’re beyond just Oklahoma now, aren’t you?

01:25
Yeah, the Thompson Tire and service is a. Oh, 30 day go. 30 Days ago acquisition in Iowa. Three store commercial operation.

01:35
Congratulations.

01:36
Well, thank you.

01:37
So you’ve been in the business how long now?

01:39
Bought my first store in 1998.

01:41
So okay.

01:43
Yep.

01:44
How long have you been a member of ITDG?

01:46
Not for sure. Probably joined about 2012. 10, 12 Years now. Been a shareholder the whole time. Yeah.

01:52
Awesome. What’s your biggest benefit from itdg and then also coming to the conferences.

01:58
You know, like a lot of things we do in our business. You know, I joined 20 groups back in like 2009 when the first 20 groups joined this in 2012, 2013, like anything, just networking, getting to know all the people. You know, there’s nowhere in the country I go today that I don’t feel like I know somebody the entire business. Yeah, I feel like, you know, 28 years in, that I spent the first 12, 15 years trying to like build something up, cash out, get away and get out of the tire business. But it’s a great business.

02:29
Yeah.

02:30
So now, you know, 28 years in and where we’re at, this is like I don’t want Avatar business. This is a great business. Great people. If I was out, what would I do? Where would I go? All these friends, associates, you guys, it’s, it’s good.

02:44
Well, it’s also like, you know, once you find quote, unquote, happiness, then what else would you do, you know, with this. Right.

02:51
So.

02:52
And if you know how to make money at something, why would you leave that?

02:55
Yeah, you know, you make money. That’s a byproduct, you know, but it’s just again, coming to these things and seeing everybody once a year at a minimum. A lot of these guys I see throughout the year, whether it be SEMA, 20 groups, dealer meetings, just different things. You run across so much. It’s a, it’s a great family people.

03:15
What dealer group are you part of now?

03:17
So we’re in a commercial 20 group. We’re in a retail 20 group. You were a Bridgestone dealer? We’re a Goodyear dealer. You know, you go on these incentive trips. You know, we’re direct with so many people. I mean, it just. You just never know where you’re going to run across the same people that you see here. It’s incredible.

03:32
Yeah, no, it’s cool. I’d like to know, like, your take with regards to selling tires, what’s your favorite? Itd. ITDG Tire to sell that you guys buy through them.

03:44
You know, our biggest supplier is nactr. We call it North American Commercial Tire Group. We buy the TBR from them. We buy the OTR from them. We do a lot of both. There’s many other programs we use, but that they’re. They’re the largest. Kind of caught me off guard thinking about different ones.

04:02
No, I hear you. Yes.

04:03
Yeah.

04:03
Yeah.

04:03
But you can’t. When you look through the year purchases, whether it be the. The auto suppliers, the parts suppliers that make the equipment suppliers, it’s just, it’s. It’s such a diverse group or so many different things that add up to a great value.

04:17
Yeah.

04:19
On a personal level, what’s. What do you do for a hobby?

04:23
I enjoy golf. Play golf today. Oh, playing golf tomorrow. Playing golf Saturday.

04:27
Nice.

04:27
Yeah.

04:28
You came well prepared.

04:29
Yeah, well, you know, going spurts. You play a little bit, then you go work.

04:33
Yeah. No, no.

04:34
But yeah, that’s probably the number one.

04:36
Are you a scratch golfer?

04:37
I am not. Harder.

04:39
No.

04:39
Who is right outside the guys on the Masters right now?

04:42
I don’t know this. There’s a stat out there. I don’t know if you’ve ever heard this, but 80% of the golfers, if they were to keep score accurately can’t break a hundred.

04:53
Yeah, I’ve been hearing that.

04:54
Yeah.

04:55
Which is surprising, but it’s probably true.

04:57
I know. I start to wonder if it is too because, you know, I know a lot of toe kickers and.

05:03
Yeah.

05:04
All right.

05:04
Do you golf?

05:05
Yeah, I do. Yeah. And I like it too, but I don’t. No, not really. I’m. I’m a realist. I actually, I. When I play with my buddies. No, we’re not doing anything. I’m. I don’t. You know, we’re not. Now, I don’t mind the little.

05:19
What.

05:19
What are the. Maybe the. The first mulligan, like off of the first tee, just if you didn’t get breakfast ball.

05:25
Yes, that’s it.

05:26
But outside of that, I really. I think everybody, let’s just go hardcore and let’s suck it up, you know, And I don’t care how nasty the car, the scorecard looks.

05:35
Yeah, I agree. And you know, golf, like a lot of things tells you a lot about the person, you know?

05:40
Yeah.

05:40
And we’re the same way. You know, the ball. I go and roll around here, you know, I hit it here, I got to play it here, right?

05:47
Who cares?

05:47
I know it looks like the worst line. Make it fun.

05:51
If I roll this around, who am I trying to impress?

05:53
You.

05:56
I know. Anything else you can tell me about itdg? What makes them great?

06:00
If you’re going to be in this business, you gotta. You gotta have a family. If you’re, if you’re going to be independent like you don’t want to, you don’t think you need help, you don’t think you need friends, you don’t need. Think you need different things and you know, good for you. But if you’re going to be in this business, you need to invest in yourself and your business. Get out to know people, find the best value, best suppliers and these events where that doll comes from.

06:23
All right folks, I’m here with Josh Porter, who is the owner of Lex Brody’s tire company in Hawaii.

06:28
Yes sir.

06:29
From what island?

06:30
So we’re on the big island of Hawaii. So it’s actually the island of Hawaii, which confuses a lot of people because island’s the same as the state. So we say the big island. So southernmost island populations just over 200000 people.

06:42
Nice. So you were telling me there’s two Lakes Brodies though, so let’s clarify which one you are.

06:48
Sure.

06:48
Yeah. So the original Lex Brodies was started by Alexander Brody on the island of O. That’s owned by A separate group and I think they’ve got four locations at this point. We’ve got five location retail locations on the big island of Hawaii. And yeah, that’s under our ownership and management, so keep them busy.

07:09
So how long have you personally been.

07:12
In this business as an active person? As an adult, I would say 23 years. I got a call ago, I got a call from my dad and said, hey, I don’t know if you’re thinking about coming home. I had, I was out of college. Good path forward corporate America. And he just said, hey, I think it’d be kind of fun if we got into business together and. And I said sure, why not? And sold everything so I could buy into business with him and said that was 23 years ago. Prior to that though, growing up in high school, like many people in our industry do, I was spinning wrenches and sweeping the floors and changing tires.

07:46
And so it wasn’t completely new to you then?

07:49
That is correct. Yeah, yeah. And so we just went from my dad being the operator for absentee owner, if you will, to us being owner operators and also took on two stores at the two more stores than my dad was overseeing at the time.

08:03
And now your business is just in Hawaii or do you have business elsewhere?

08:08
That is correct, just in Hawaii. So we’ve got five locations as I mentioned and to put that in perspective, there’s on our island two Goodyear stores, two Firestones, one Costco, there’s a couple other independents as well. We but all with one or two locations. So with five locations, we felt we had the island fairly blanketed as far as if we’re going to be first into a community or market. So we decided to diversify a little bit because we didn’t want to travel off our island, although we wanted to expand our business. So we’ve also now got a couple commercial tire centers to like self branded Jiffy Lubes, Fast Lubes, as well as two large commercial car washes as well. So we expanded in that fashion.

08:52
So a couple of our locations you can come and we’ve got a tire repair center, we’ve got a fast Lube and we’ve got a car wash with the mindset of whatever your vehicle needs this week or whether it’s the annual state inspection or the tire repair or the quick oil change or the weekly car wash, just come to us.

09:08
Itdg. That’s where we’re at right now at this annual conference. We’re in Orlando. It’s been beautiful. Why are you a member of IT Sure.

09:17
So, like, a lot of the. I think the same reasons that a lot of people joined was the buying power, if you will. Another part of it for me that I was always concerned about was relevancy. How do I stay relevant and being so isolated where we are, understand the industry and the trends and making those connections and seeing the people. So I think maybe that was maybe another layer that I looked at that was just as important for me on the. Another opportunity to come up and really see what’s going on in the industry and not be left behind. Just a better opportunity to keep up.

09:53
And hopefully be ahead of it on the buying power. You guys are roughly at, I think, 12, 1300 rooftops now.

10:00
Yeah, we grew over a thousand last year. So, yeah, we’ve. We’ve blown that up. And they’re doing a great job adding more and more. Even with private equity buying, we’re still growing.

10:08
That’s fantastic. So in that, though, you. I mean, you guys marginally gain the whole time. I mean, you as an independent down in. In Hawaii, you’re basically the bigger they get, the better you get.

10:18
Absolutely.

10:19
Yeah. Yeah.

10:20
And it just opens that door to other things that again, with isolation, I. I don’t have the opportunity to go. Go to the wholesaler or see what’s available and then talk to the supplier directly. So this just cuts to the chase for me.

10:33
That’s beautiful for you, big time. How long have you been a member of independent tire dealer group?

10:38
It’s been about 15 years, I would say.

10:39
Okay, you’ve been around a while then.

10:41
Yeah.

10:41
So you’ve really seen some changes.

10:43
Yeah, were just laughing about that last night. I’m kind of on the. The. The younger side of the older guard as we’re seeing it. Change guard. So when I came in, I was a puppy. There’s for sure.

10:52
Yeah, for sure. But you’ve probably seen the most dramatic changes, I would say, in the organization.

10:58
Yeah, well, I don’t know if dramatics, that might be a strong term, but I’ve certainly enjoyed the changes and have enjoyed seeing us grow. Developing the relationships with some of the people that I’ve known here for years and getting to meet new folks as we’ve expanded has been awesome.

11:13
Call out.

11:14
Chris Barry just took our picture, I think.

11:16
Yeah.

11:16
Yeah. He just spent Thanksgiving at my house this year.

11:18
Oh, did he really?

11:19
Yeah. That’s awesome. And again to that comment of just great people just, you know, it just becomes a family.

11:25
No, it has, and I like it very much. Let me ask you a personal Question. Just allow people to get to know.

11:31
You a little bit better.

11:32
What’s your favorite movie?

11:34
Man, I don’t watch a lot of tv.

11:35
All right, how about I take that back?

11:38
Well, it’s kind of more of a series that was on TV I used to watch with my dad. What was it, Gus? It was the old Western, Lonesome Dove.

11:46
Are you kidding me? Yeah. Dude, I love that movie.

11:49
Yeah. How can you not?

11:49
That is. And it’s. What I loved about it was like, there’s. It’s not all happy. Like, it’s realistic. It’s real shit.

11:57
People.

11:57
Sorry.

11:57
I swear I did the best.

11:59
But it’s like. It’s like people that you like in the movie die. Yeah. And you’re like, man, you know old Gus. Oh, yeah.

12:07
My dad had a bird dog named Gus. Because of the movie.

12:10
Yeah. Oh, my God. That’s awesome. I’m glad you. I’m glad I asked you that question, but that. Now people don’t know that movie because it was made in the 80s and it was made for TV.

12:19
Yeah.

12:20
But if you get the set and you. Or you just go Netflix now and watch it all, I mean, it is an epic six hours long, but you can do it in three nights easily. Yeah. And then it’s just. Yeah, man. I like you even more now that I know that one’s yours. That’s awesome.

12:35
Why?

12:35
We’ll let you go. But I’m glad you came on the Gain Traction podcast, and maybe we’ll have you on sometime for a full one.

12:40
All right, boss.

12:41
All right, take care.

12:42
Pleasure meeting you.

12:43
I’m here with Ryan Anderson at the ITBG annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, this year. He’s with. He’s the president and owner of Montana Tire Distributors. And you’re in Billings, Montana, Correct?

12:55
Yeah.

12:55
Pleasure having you on the Gain Traction podcast.

12:57
Yeah, thanks for having me.

12:58
Yeah. So how long have you been a member of ITDG?

13:01
We joined. My dad joined ITG originally, I believe in 2013 or 14. Okay.

13:06
So you got a little time under your belt here. Yeah. Did you always know you were going to be in the tire business?

13:11
I did, yeah. I grew up in the tire business. Ran around there in diapers when I was a kid. Went to school in Missoula, Montana. Got business degree and knew this was my future.

13:21
Well, that I. I love asking people that question. That especially, you know, when they grow up, generationally speaking, because some try to escape. Right. And then they don’t, you know, they get back in it, and they love it.

13:31
Right.

13:31
But they try to find a way to be independently home or whatever. And then, you know, the tires called and the rubber, the bike smell, whatever it is. But everybody, they say once you’re in. You can’t get out. You get out for a little bit.

13:43
That’s right.

13:44
But you find yourself pulling you back in. Right. Yep. So why or why did your dad join itpg?

13:51
Honestly, it was just buying power. We were at a point in our company where we just need a bigger buying power.

13:57
Yeah.

13:57
And looking back at it was probably the best decision he made as a business owner.

14:01
I got a question for you because I know a couple independents out there that still are real independent, if you know what I mean. What percentage of profit increase did it help you to your bottom line by being in a group like this on just like versus being by yourself? Right now you’re in a 1500 roof.

14:19
Oh, I mean, at least 5%, if not better. I’d say 5 to 10%.

14:23
That’s, that’s big.

14:24
That’s huge.

14:25
Yeah.

14:25
I mean, that is a difference between competing and succeeding and thriving.

14:29
Well, I mean, it’s your, it’s, and it may be your portion of your income for the year in a sense or less, you know.

14:36
Absolutely.

14:37
That’s a. Yeah. The big deal.

14:39
Yeah. Anymore. I don’t see how, if it’s hard for independence not to be a part.

14:42
Of something anymore, but you also get buying power. I mean, I know we talk about tires, but you’re also getting buying powers for parts, Correct.

14:49
Yeah. Yeah. Napa O’Reilly.

14:51
Yeah.

14:51
You name it.

14:52
And then the more rooftops you guys get in this family, the stronger you are, right? Yeah. Yeah. You got some muscle to flex.

14:59
Absolutely. And I think has grown tremendously in the last, you know, 10, 15 years since we’ve been a part of it.

15:04
Yeah.

15:04
No, I’m not exactly sure the numbers.

15:05
Wise, but just in the last couple years.

15:07
Last couple years, yeah.

15:08
And it seems like even some big organizations have realized, hey, I want to, you know, team up here because it’ll even help me even more.

15:17
They want to be a part of it. Absolutely. They see what we’re doing here and the IT guys doing a great job and cook programs together and everyone wants to be a part of it.

15:24
I get a, I get a vibe being here that there’s momentum.

15:27
Absolutely. Yeah.

15:29
And there’s momentum to other organizations. Like, you guys got some Canadian numbers now.

15:34
Yeah, I met one for our first one Just yesterday.

15:37
Yeah. Trail Tire.

15:38
Yep.

15:38
It’s fantastic.

15:39
James, great guy. Yeah. They had our podcast up at their conference last year and we got to go up there and, you know, had. Didn’t even see the connection at the time. And then now it’s here and I saw James here and I was like, wow, that’s a big deal.

15:51
Right. And I think the more M&As that happen across the country is more reason for independence to join a group like this.

15:57
Yeah.

15:58
I mean, it’s kind of the. You’re better off in a herd than by yourself.

16:02
Absolutely.

16:03
100. Well, how long have you personally been in the business? Like, since you came back from college. Sure.

16:10
So I took over the company in 2018.

16:11
Okay.

16:12
Been in the business. I graduated college in 2009, so worked in the business ever since then full time.

16:17
And you guys have always been on the distributor side?

16:19
So we do both.

16:20
We do wholesale and retail.

16:21
Okay.

16:22
But yes, we have a DC and Billings. Then we have one retail location in Billings as well.

16:26
Okay. Did you start out in both?

16:28
So Montana Tire started originally as a wholesale company.

16:31
Okay.

16:31
We didn’t do retail until 2004.

16:33
What made you jump into retail?

16:35
It was just another sector to maybe gain some income and some profit.

16:38
Yeah.

16:38
And it’s just grown steadily ever since 2004. We’re actually just about to open our first ground up build retail location.

16:46
Congratulations. On a personal level, what’s your favorite food?

16:50
Favorite food?

16:51
I’m a steak and. Steak and potatoes kind of guy.

16:53
Yeah. It’s hard to get away from that. And yeah, I do have a lot of favorites in food, though. Everybody knows that the. Listens to the show. I. I’m a big barbecue guy.

17:00
Okay.

17:01
Yeah. I mean.

17:03
Oh, yeah, ribs is probably my favorite because. Yeah, it’s the easiest one to travel around and sample. Like, and then, you know, I don’t know, pulled pork. To me, it can be really bad.

17:14
Yeah.

17:14
You know, because some people, it’s just bland. Yeah. You just don’t know how to cook it.

17:18
It’s like, man, a good rack of ribs, man.

17:20
You can’t beat it.

17:20
No, you can’t. And it’s always fun to the to. And you’ll know by that first bite, you know. Oh, yeah, your teeth get stuck in it or. You know what I’m saying?

17:27
But yeah.

17:28
No, that’s cool. Well, I can’t say enough for you being here on the Gain Traction podcast. I’ve enjoyed getting to meet you. Yeah.

17:33
I appreciate it. Thanks a lot for having me. Absolutely.

17:35
Take care God bless you. All right, folks, I’m here with Katie Youngblood at the Independent Tire Dealer Group Conference in Orlando, Florida. She is the owner of Youngblood Auto and Tire. And you’re out of Hutto, Texas? It.

17:49
It’s a small town, it’s just north of Austin, Texas. So we are based in Texas. We have a pretty big corridor in central Texas.

17:57
So itdg. How long you been a member?

18:01
So my family has been with them for a decade now. Okay, so 10 years.

18:05
So you say your family were you born and raised?

18:07
Born and raised. So I’m actually third generation tires. Yes, sir. My grandfather started it, my dad took it.

18:13
Over what year did your granddad start it?

18:15
In the 50s. In the 1950s.

18:18
Yeah. So y’ all got some history.

18:19
Absolutely.

18:20
How many stores?

18:21
So we have retail locations, we have 10 across Texas, but we spread our mobile commercial service across Central Texas. So if you’re know a little bit about Texas, we kind of range from Waco to San Antonio and then Brenham, College Station area out to West Texas.

18:38
Okay.

18:39
We cross a really big T.

18:41
So tell me about mobile commercial. What are you defining that as?

18:44
So what we do is we help people on the roadside. So we go to the construction site and we help them right then and right there. They call us, we go to them. We’ve got anything from a small plumber body truck up to a big old hand truck.

18:57
So, okay, so you have eight retail locations. But that sounds like pretty heavy part of your business, is it? The majority of our business.

19:03
Commercial is majority of our business, yes. So we really have retail locations. We’re getting into that game a little bit. We’re trying to spread out a little bit more with that. But our bread and butter is commercial. We’ve got a lot of trucks. We’ve got about 50 commercial trucks on the road, 24 7.

19:18
Wow, that’s big.

19:19
Yes.

19:20
You were born and raised in this. What do you see the advantages of being in itdg?

19:27
It makes us a bigger animal. I think when we come together.

19:30
I like the way you say that.

19:31
Yeah. It makes us look, you know, we’re smaller companies, small and medium sized companies. So when we come together, we can compete with the big boys because we come together as a team to the market and we’re a really big fish together. It’s hard, it’s hard to beat us when we all have the connections that we have with our vendors that spread.

19:49
Considering where you guys were last year, I think it was just around 1200 stores. And now you’re at 1500, we crossed the big threshold.

19:56
Yes, yes. You were in Francisco. And Jason, they do a great job of expanding our team. They pick the right team members across the board. We, you know, we’re for us, we’re based out of Texas, but when we’re with itdg, we’re nationwide.

20:10
Right, right.

20:11
We cover that whole map.

20:12
And you guys get that like that. It’s like you’re. You’re a big animal all of a sudden.

20:16
Exactly. And we’re a lot of dots on the map is what I like to say. A lot of dots now.

20:21
And I’ve seen that just in the last few years. I mean, that growth from even just 1200 to 1500, you don’t realize, but that’s like a 25% growth in a short period of time.

20:30
Yep. And we. And we have a little West Texas. East Texas or not West. West side. East side, like south side. We do a little bit of challenges even within our. Our itdg. We got a little Texas versus California. That happens a little bit. But it’s all good and fun, competitive.

20:45
I’ve been picking up a lot of business.

20:49
We beat him in. We beat the California team in sand volleyball every year. So it’s tough talking smack right now. We do. We do. Yeah.

20:55
Did you guys hear that particular. I bet you’re trying to point out Chris Berry, maybe.

20:59
Absolutely. I’ve got a trophy in my lobby at one of my retail locations for the volleyball tournament. So this. And you need him and. Absolutely, Chris.

21:11
They’re talking smack. I like this. This is fun. So is this annual event?

21:16
This is annual event.

21:17
This is great.

21:18
Absolutely.

21:18
All right, so we talked a little bit about food. Let me ask you a question. What’s your favorite place to visit?

21:24
Ooh, man.

21:27
If you had to go anywhere and spend a year, where would you want a year?

21:31
Wow.

21:32
I really enjoyed Croatia last year. I really did. And I don’t know if that was because it’s so tied to Game of Thrones, but I really did. It was the perfect amount of food and drinks and scenery and just lax. Everybody just is.

21:49
I heard that about the people. Yeah.

21:50
We take our lives very serious here at Merta, which is great. We work really hard, but they. They know how to relax over there.

21:58
I. I met a Spaniard that I did business with, and he. He ended up meeting me and my partner in New Orleans, and we. My partner knew New Orleans real well. Took it to through there three nights. So went to the three best restaurants. Anyway, he couldn’t believe the food. But his thought was Americans. He goes, I thought you guys just ate McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken.

22:24
Yeah. And very large portions of all said things.

22:27
He goes, but this. He really meant this, too. He goes, I’ve traveled all over the world. This is the best food I’ve ever had.

22:33
Really?

22:34
New Orleans. But New Orleans has great.

22:37
I played basketball my freshman year in New Orleans, and I still gained 17 pounds. And I was on a college basketball scholarship. So the food is fantastic.

22:47
And it’s a blend of a lot of things everybody doesn’t realize. You got the Southern stuff, you got.

22:51
The island stuff, the Creole stuff.

22:53
Yeah. You get a lot of mixtures, and these chefs really mix it up well. The guy said, though, he goes, I couldn’t believe the flavor. And I. And I agreed with him, but I was biased already, you know, But I thought it was pretty cool and outside perspective. But speaking of Americans and everything, he said to me, but you guys are extremely entrepreneurial.

23:11
Yes.

23:12
He said. I. He goes, they tried a shark tank on TV in Spain. He said, it didn’t work. Nobody cared.

23:18
No, they were like, this idea might work, maybe. I don’t know.

23:22
It didn’t last. He said, maybe two years, two seasons or whatever. He said, they just couldn’t. Nobody. He goes, whereas you guys are so. There’s so many people that are constantly thinking, well, what am I doing now?

23:31
Absolutely. If you’re not growing, you’re essentially dying in this market. So.

23:35
And, I mean, I think it’s a great quality of us, but at the same time, it’s a little bit overkill. Like, you would recognize when you go to certain countries, sometimes you could be a little more chill.

23:43
Well, and I think that’s where your family comes into. They balance it out. Like, we have a family business. Right. So, you know, our, you know, partners and in our lives, they. They remind us, like, what we’re working for.

23:54
Are your parents still involved?

23:55
Yes.

23:55
Okay.

23:56
Yes. My dad is still heavily involved. We’re not. We don’t want to see him go anywhere. He knows all the trade secrets that we don’t fully know yet. But myself and my two brothers are in the Are. We’re the third generation.

24:08
That’s awesome.

24:09
And we’re going to soak up as much knowledge as we can from him and try to take it off.

24:13
We’ll leave on that note of wisdom right there. Thanks for being part of the Green Traction podcast.

24:17
Thank you. I appreciate it.

24:18
All right. Hey, folks, Mike Edge here with the Gain Traction podcast. Real quick, we get A lot of people ask us, they know, gain traction. But. Who’s Tread Partners? Well, Trey Partners is our parent company, and they’re a marketing agency dedicated strictly to tire and automotive repair shops. Anywhere from five locations all the way up to hundreds of locations in primarily one field that is always a pain for most people is paid search or PPC or Google Ads. We see enormous amount of waste in it, and we see inefficient spend in it. If you want to know if you’re doing well or not, give us a call. We’ll help you. We’ll audit your account. We’ll look under the hood and tell you if you’re doing things the right way or the wrong way and help you optimize that spin.

25:02
You can reach me, and I’ll direct you in the right direction@mike treadpartners.com or feel free to go to treadpartners.com the website. Thank you. All right, folks, we’re back here at the Gang Traction Podcast. At the Independent Tire Dealer Group annual conference. I have Jay Baxter, the president of Delaware Tire Centers. Jay, welcome to the Gang Traction Podcast.

25:22
Thank you very much.

25:23
Glad you’re here. Let me ask the basic question I’ve been asking everybody. How long have you been part of itdg?

25:30
Third year.

25:31
Third year. Okay. So still kind of a newbie, right?

25:33
We’re new. They were after us for a few years beforehand. I just finally signed up.

25:38
Awesome. How long did it take you to convince you?

25:42
Mike Burns would say five years to convince me.

25:45
So he called on you for about five years?

25:47
Yeah.

25:47
Wow.

25:48
Okay. What eventually pushed you over?

25:52
Challenges of being a smaller dealer.

25:53
Yeah.

25:54
Right.

25:54
So you.

25:54
You’re looking for help in all kinds of different ways, and that just became a little overwhelming. So we’ve signed up with ITDG to help us.

26:02
How many stores do you guys have?

26:04
Three.

26:04
Okay. So, yeah. You’re out there swimming by yourself, and now you part of an organization with 1500, I think, rooftops.

26:13
This group.

26:13
Yes. Yeah.

26:14
Somewhere that ballpark. Yep. So you get that growing.

26:16
Yeah.

26:16
And you get that muscle power.

26:18
Mm.

26:18
But, you know, there’s a lot of good people in this organization.

26:20
It’s. I can remember when were BFG dealers. 70S, the 80s. Or I came along in the 80s.

26:27
Yeah.

26:28
And having that small group of BF Goodish dealers got together year in, year out. Right. And they. The same people, same friendships built over the years, and then that went away. And now part of this group and it exists here, so we see the same people year in, year out. So like screening an old friend almost, Right?

26:43
Yeah. That’s awesome. It is awesome. So how long have you personally been in the business?

26:50
1991. Full time.

26:53
Wow. Okay. Yeah. So you’ve got.

26:55
Did you.

26:56
Did you grow up in it?

26:57
Well, I started out when I was 16 or 17, changing for my work there in high school, my summers, college.

27:04
So you’re up from. You’re in the Northeast, and this is a big topic. And you guys in the Northeast have done a better job with it. But right. To repair. Is that a big topic around Delaware?

27:13
It’s. Delaware does not have a well organized smaller group of repair shops. They’ve tried to put it together a few years and just kind of keeps falling apart. So for us to participate at any level, we’d have to join Pennsylvania per se. They have a more organized group. So the answer to the question is no, I’m not very involved.

27:30
I just know it’s a big deal and we need to see it pass. We need something nationwide for it.

27:34
Right.

27:35
But I mean, I don’t think the Joe consumer knows that. How serious it is an issue. It is that you may not have the right to repair your own car or decide on who’s going to repair it.

27:46
Yeah.

27:46
It’s very interesting and challenging times. Plus, the consumer is inundated with all kinds of other things to think about all the time. Are they going to pay attention to what we think is important to our small business, critical to us?

27:58
Yes.

28:00
On a personal level, I like to ask people something that lets the audience know a little bit about you, but do you have a hobby?

28:07
Golf?

28:08
Water ski. Water ski. Okay.

28:10
I did a lot of skiing when I was younger. Hurts a little bit more now, but my family, my kids are into it. My. All my nephews are into it. So it’s a great bonding thing for us to go out and hit the skis for a day or a wakeboard.

28:23
Yeah.

28:23
Yeah.

28:23
It’s awesome.

28:24
Yeah. But you’re probably now the guy driving the boat and trying to knock people off.

28:27
I might surprise you.

28:30
Yeah, but I could see you taking. I could see you trying to knock some youth off behind you, like get them to fall or whatever when they.

28:37
Were 10 or 11 maybe. But now they’re all 20 and in their 20s and they’re excellent skiers.

28:42
Are they hard to bring down?

28:44
The happiest day was the day they quit doing the tube.

28:47
Right.

28:47
The tubing drove me crazy. Now they’re all on skis.

28:50
That’s good. That’s good. Well, I got to tell You. I really appreciate you being on the Gang Traction podcast. Thanks for showing me.

28:55
I appreciate you guys inviting me.

28:57
Have a great day.

28:58
Thank you.

28:58
Good luck out here. All right, folks, we’re at the Independent Tire Dealer Group Conference in Orlando, Florida. I’m with Peter Greenberg. Peter is the owner of City Tire Company out of Springfield, Massachusetts. Welcome to the Gang Traction podcast.

29:12
Thank you.

29:12
It’s great to be here.

29:13
You’re also chairman of Independent Tire Dealership.

29:15
Yeah, this is my second year as chairman.

29:17
Congratulations, maybe, I guess.

29:18
Right?

29:19
Oh, no, it’s been great. It’s been great working. I’ve been on the board now for nine years, so it’s been a great experience.

29:27
How long have you been a member?

29:29
We became members in 2016.

29:32
Okay, so you’ve been. You’ve been a member for a little while.

29:34
Yeah, were probably the second or third member east of the Mississippi.

29:39
Really?

29:40
Yeah, it was. When we. When we joined, it was very. It was based mostly on the west Coast.

29:47
Yeah, I knew that, but I didn’t realize that it was that recent. I mean, I know, you know, you. It’s not. We’re talking about 10 years, basically, but still, that’s a lot of. Because there’s quite a few members now on the east side.

29:57
It’s. It’s been. There was. There was a big push to move.

30:01
East, so I mentioned this earlier on another interview, but there’s roughly, what, 11 to 1200 or 1200, 1300 rooftops now represented.

30:09
We’re up over 1500.

30:10
Oh, over 1500, right. Wow.

30:12
Yeah, we added a. We added a lot of rooftops. We’re up 33% in the last two years now.

30:19
When you guys see that growth like that, and I know you belong to the organization because it helps you with buying power with tires. Right. As a group, you’re no longer like, you know, an individual store owner.

30:30
You’re.

30:30
You’re part of a 1500 rooftop group. I mean, it’s got to flex a lot of muscle in the marketplace.

30:36
Well, I think what’s happened is if you look at the independent. The space. My business is 99 years old. I’m third generation.

30:43
That’s awesome.

30:44
And as an independent tire dealer, we’re faced, you know, more and more with, you know, private equity and the big guys getting bigger and how do we compete? And so, you know, itdg is one way to do it, because it kind of levels the playing field.

31:00
Yes.

31:01
And so I think what’s happened is you look all over the country, and there’s people just like me. Whether they have one store or they have, you know, 120 stores, they are looking to remain independent and be able to compete, you know, with what’s going.

31:17
On in the industry. Yeah.

31:19
And I think that’s where the growths come from.

31:21
So usually. And you’re saying it’s kind of organic from people looking around and seeing their situation and it’s gotten more competitive, obviously, with private equity, etc. They feel the pressure and they look around and go, where can I huddle up with?

31:31
Exactly. Because it. Because, you know, they’re. We had a, you know, we had a meeting today where, you know, where we had a facilitator and we kind of all talked about what our. Our SWAT do. We did a SWOT analysis and everybody has very similar problems. And so it was a great opportunity for people to kind of share their ideas and what’s worked for them. And I think that everybody has a great takeaway from that. But I mean, you know, most of us aren’t competitors, so we can open up about the issues that are. That we face either as a company or as an industry. And, you know, I think it’s just a great opportunity to like, you know, walk away with something that, like, hey, take back to my business. Hey, listen, let’s try to do this.

32:14
And so I think that’s where the opportunities are with, you know, with this, with itdg.

32:19
What is your best tire or your favorite tire to sell that you, you get throughout tdg.

32:24
I would say at this stage, you know, we. We work for many years to have our own brand. And that’s, you know, right now it’s our road X. And, you know, I was on the board when we first started having, you know, discussions with Salem, who built it for us, and that. That line has come off and that’s. That’s our brand now. We’ve been marketing that now for four years. And, you know, they. Salem has provided the products that we need. It’s high quality, it’s competitive for our space. And, you know, it’s really been something that we can kind of get behind, you know, because as an independent tire deal, like, you know, the customers come in and like, you know, you have 10 customers walk in the door. You know, one wants Michelin, one wants Pirelli.

33:09
Yeah.

33:10
One has two good years. Okay. So, you know, we need to have something that we can be competitive, you know, be competitive. Well, but we can control our destiny as far as pricing goes. You know, with the industry now, like most of the major brands are ba. You know, it’s is map price, so, you know, we’re stuck with that. So how do you go ahead and have something that you can make, you know, 30%, 40%, 50%, and that’s what, you know, that’s what the RoadX provides us today.

33:38
That’s fabulous. Yeah. And it allows you, I mean, well, it’s your own brand. I mean, you feel better about it, too.

33:43
Yeah. Plus our, you know, our salespeople aren’t looking over their shoulder when they quote a price. I mean, I hate to say that’s what it comes down to.

33:48
That’s awful. That’s an awful feeling, too. It is, yeah.

33:51
You know, so, you know, we want to take that away. We got to be competitive with the other tier 4 brands that are out there.

33:55
Right.

33:56
But we feel that we have a high quality product. I mean, I probably, you know, I probably sold, you know, 20, 25,000 in the last few years. We haven’t had the first bravo. We haven’t had the first comeback then.

34:07
That make you feel great?

34:08
Yeah, exactly, because we could promote that.

34:10
But not only. Not only did you probably hear that before and, you know, but once you’ve gone, gotten a little history, like you said, a couple of years, and you’re able to look back and go, I haven’t. I haven’t had any problems. Right. I can vouch for it now.

34:23
Right. And that’s how we market it. So, I mean, so that’s what, you know, that’s what it has provided us. The group is consistently looking for products that we can call our own, so we can give our, you know, our members something, you know, what. Something in, you know, whether it’s a road X for plt. We have our Camden brand, which is now in trailers. You know, we’re looking at, you know, potentially looking at our own private brand, plt, or truck tires. So, I mean, as we grow bigger, you know, we have. We have the numbers that we can go ahead and go out to the manufacturers and say, okay, you know, what can we do for ourselves real quick?

35:00
What. How have tariffs affected itdg?

35:03
Well, I think it’s. It’s impacted everybody. You know, we see it in all the brands we sell, so it’s nothing different, you know, so, you know, we’re trying to.

35:12
But collectively, I think it’s interesting that back to the original point were making, being in a large organization sure helps you absorb that a lot better than if you’re an independent, like, with no family.

35:22
Yes. Yeah. So our, you know, so our manufacturer so our vendors are, you know, because of our buying power, our group buying power, it’s reducing it, the impact somewhat, but, you know, we’re still all feeling it.

35:34
Oh, yeah, 100%, you know.

35:36
So, you know, what we’re trying to do is, you know, over the, you know, we’re going to try to look at ways that we can somehow reduce costs outside of tariffs, you know, maybe shipping, you know, maybe having our own brand where we can, you know, we can reduce the acquisition cost. And we’re working with our current suppliers to, you know, to, you know, offer them, you know, if we can give you X amount of business, where can we save, you know, save on acquisition costs, you know, for our members.

36:01
So I got another one for you. What about right to repair?

36:05
Well, we’re. I’m from Massachusetts, so, you know, that’s been like a, you know, it’s. That’s, that’s an issue which, you know, the state of Massachusetts, the, you know, the voters voted for it, but, you know, we’re still in a kind of a holding pattern. So my feeling is that as cars get more and more complicated. Yeah, we’re in that service space.

36:23
Okay.

36:23
We need to have the ability to.

36:24
Be able to get the information to.

36:25
Repair the tire, repair the vehicles for our customers.

36:28
100%. Man, there must be a lot of power and money and push because there are obviously tens of thousands of independents out there, and yet this thing can’t get across the.

36:39
It’s gotten political, and that’s the problem, you know. You know, so it’s not fair to the. It’s not fair to the consumers at all.

36:45
Well, I like to bring it up on the show a lot. I have a lot of folks that we mean, it’s a big issue for our industry and got to have right to repair. I mean, and the fact that it just seems to stall in different areas. But you guys have done a little bit better job of it, I think, in the Northeast than the rest of the country.

37:00
Yes, yes. But it’s still stuck in the. Yeah, still stuck in Boston in the halls. Yeah. So, you know, we’re, you know, we’re. We’re trying to push it through, but, you know, it’s. You know how politics is.

37:12
I get you, man.

37:13
Sometimes you scratch your head.

37:14
Well, Peter, I appreciate you being on the Gain Traction podcast.

37:18
Thanks.

37:18
Stopping by the booth.

37:19
Appreciate it.

37:19
Yeah, thank you.

37:20
Take care. All right, folks, we’re here at the Gain Tracks and podcast, and I’ve got Rick Benton live. We’re face to face, man.

37:27
Yeah, man.

37:28
It’s our honor. Hey, glad you’re here. I’ve been waiting for this day a long time.

37:31
Well, listen, Black’s Tire in North Carolina, its name precedes itself, but you guys have a great reputation in the tire industry. But one of the reasons I think is you like to give back is a big part of who you are, isn’t it?

37:45
You know, one of my, you know, favorite things to think about and kind of what I’ve mentioned to a lot of our people, you know, whether it’s our customers or vendors or, you know, teammates, is, you know, we’re here to make a living. But more than that, we’re here to make a difference, and that’s what we try to do. That’s what black national culture, one of our core values is to serve, and we just take a lot of pride in that. So in our local communities, we, I think in this time of business consolidation in a lot of industries, especially in the tire and automotive business, more so is the culture and that, you know, the give and buy part is a big piece of it.

38:22
And, you know, we’re big about supporting the communities that support us and not just through our net worth of our, you know, like our retail network. But I fault it. I mean, we’re really, I think, unique in that fight is that, you know, we’re open book, we’re our dealers, and, you know, we really want to see the families, family, business and the independence, especially in our areas. If, if we can be an asset and we. We can be anything to help them be more successful. And in turn, we all more successful together. So it’s a little different. It’s a little different feeling. But we really want to not only make a difference with us, but making a difference with other families and other business too. You know, some of our best friends in the world, you know, they work with us and.

39:12
And again, you won’t. You won’t hear me say work for us or you won’t hear me say the word employee, because in our culture is that we work with each other. We’re not big on titles. One reason why we’re here at the, you know, ITDG this weekend is the fact that a lot of independents and a lot of families, it’s pretty special. I mean, this is. This felt like the old dealer conferences in the trade shows of the past because, you know, we have a lot in common, you know, and you’re, you know, you fight in the same fight the change and the things that in this industry, a lot of uncontrollable. But you know, I think if we all, you know, focus on the things that we can control.

39:53
And again, like I mentioned, everything, we can control our core values and we can control what, how we take it to our customers and our team members and also our vendors. I mean we had the same relationship with our vendor partners. And so family’s big. Family is important in the end of the day. Again, that’s why I go back. It’s about making a difference. And again, as you get older, you know, life is pretty short. What are you doing with it? And I know a lot of people, you know, talk about the different training things and say, okay, you know, your years, what do you do with the dash in between?

40:22
Amen.

40:23
And you know, that’s what I’m really trying to preach to myself about it. But how can you put that on beyond yourself? How can you get the people on your team and your family and not just talk about it, not say they believe in, but live it, you know, live it and live the positivity about. Because I’m gonna tell you, I mean we get caught. I get caught up in the negative every single day. And I remind myself, yeah, I remind myself though, how do you turn it into a positive? So. But yeah, family’s big to us and I.

40:53
Well, there’s several things you’ve said. Well, I think it’s interesting like when you talk about turning things into a positive. The older I’ve gotten, the better I’ve gotten it. Looking at negatives as an opportunity, you know, whether it’s to teach somebody something or to improve a circumstance or even, you know, in my world, a customer. And I just want to. This is where I get to prove to them what I mean when I say that I’ll back up what I’m going to do, you know, like I’m going to fix the problem because they’re always going to be problems, there’s always going to be hiccups. But it’s usually how do you handle it? Is what sets you apart from the next guy.

41:26
So I’m trying to catch myself each day now and I say, hey, you know, we talk about our problem. I said I’ve tried to catch myself in mid sentence opportunities. Things are changing so fast. I had a comment a little meeting earlier today is, you know, and were talking is about another third, you know, third generation company. And he was talking about now basically we had something in 30 minutes. We’re doing more in 30 minutes than we used to do in three weeks. Not amazing. And the way technology and everything is so fast. And it’s hard, you know, even for me. I catch myself here, even thinking about, you know, in the past, because I’m old school, but I’m new school and I’m trying to adapt.

42:05
And even my, you know, my boys in my family, they’re reminding me a lot of times too, and I got to listen sometimes, too, because, you know, there’s a different way to do it. Who’s your customers today? Your customers are different and then, you know, from the online customers or the people, what they expect, you know, they won’t lease interaction. They won’t, you know, whether it’s Internet or text messaging or whatever, they’re wanting something different. So how do we adapt to that? And just think about, just because I’ve been doing something for 30, 40 years, my way is not always the right way. But when you combine everybody, when you combine the several generations together and you can win on all fronts, that’s how you can make a tremendous difference. And we just got to sit down and communicate as an industry.

42:53
I think as an industry, we need to, I mean, I think we got to make tires sexy. I think dealerships have done a good job. You walk into a dealership now there’s not tire walls. You walk in a dealership, it’s like going into a nice restaurant or a nice coffee shop. So I think is. Is independents and tire dealers across the board. We got to, I think we got to work smarter. And again, knowing the customers is changing and, you know, it’s just. We got to listen and. But again, we got to make it convenient. But it is a challenge today with the workforce is a little different. So it goes back to the challenges have with the workforce. If you don’t have culture, team, family, trust, serve.

43:33
If you don’t have core values and if you don’t, again, we could talk about, I can tell you my core values, but if we’re not living them and breathing them and putting them into action, their lip service.

43:42
How long have you been a member of it?

43:44
Only like, say from the first. For first year. So a few months. Yes. So just joining in. And again, like.

43:50
But I think it says a lot that you recognize the value that they. They’re doing and the country as a whole, but also a value to your family of companies and yeah, the whole coming together as independence because you remain completely independent. You’re just circling up to build strength.

44:07
In numbers and I think dealers are, you know, they’re, you know, again, in all the world of consolidation, you know, the dealers, and I just think it gives them more support. And I mentioned earlier, this is. It feels like this conference here feels like the old days, whenever I was raised in the business, in the early 90s and the 90s and coming into different conferences, it feels more like that in the last several years, again with.

44:29
Consolidation, that leads into the whole right to work things. Yeah, a right to repair. Right to repair thing. What about that? Where is that? In North Carolina?

44:39
Well, yeah, I mean, so far, I mean, it’s, you know, we’ve got people fighting for that, and so far over many years that we’ve been able to do that. And the legislature is, you know, supported that. And I think that’s very important for the future because, I mean, got a lot of cars on the road. And then now, as we heard today, what’s average age of a car is 12.8 years old. I mean, so the needs out there and being able to provide the needed repairs and to keep the scene. It’s like even safety inspections, you know, a lot of states get away with safety inspections, but I mean, how can you do that? It’s about like take, you know, you.

45:14
I think every state should have a safety inspection, you know, because I mean, again, what about the car running and no brake lights in it? I mean, what. More safety than you need on that, you know, so. But. But I think that’s a need. Some states have eliminated that. But, you know, I just think, you know, we got to drive more, you know, really more awareness to the tyrant automotive industry. And again, and how do you do that? We do it together. We do it as a groups, you know, really blessed to have, you know, my family in the business and next generation and, you know, with Cody and Cole both. And, you know, Trey, my oldest, he’s. He got recruited up to the major leagues of baseball. Unfortunately, it’s with Black Star, you know, but he, you know, he’s.

45:53
He’s come in with us now and he’s helping us, you know, with the north transition. And we got so much more work to do. I mean, in there too, you know, personally, you asked me personally about. I’m big on trying to make a difference too. And he was asking me about my videos and different things is I’ll try to. How can you make a difference and how can you light somebody’s day up because you got too much negative all around you know, and so how do we turn things positive and again. And one thing about the tire business, it’s positive because people are rolling. People need, there’s, I guarantee you go out in the parking lot and I guarantee you half of the people you talk to either need your brakes checked or need an oil change, probably right now.

46:28
And the tires need rotating and probably half of them need tires. So that’s a good thing about what we do. We’re blessed to be in that industry. We just got to find the ways to work together and get margins up and keep working on, you know, the different, you know, from the vendors and the, you know, again we talk about the legislator and all this to just try to help our industry, you know, become stronger and stronger. And I think it’s a, I think a good, it’s a good time now.

46:51
You’re, you’re outstanding spokesman for the industry and I really appreciate you being on the Gain Traction podcast.

46:56
I appreciate you guys having us on.

46:58
Thank you, sir.

46:58
Thank you.

46:59
All right. To all our listeners, thank you for being part of the Gain Traction podcast. We are grateful for you. If you’d like to find more podcasts like this, please visit gaintraction podcast.com if you’d like to make a guest recommendation, please email [email protected] this episode has been powered by Tread Partners, the leader in digital marketing for multi location tire and auto repair shops. To learn more about tread partners, visit treadpartners.com.

Contents hide

1 In this episode…

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

3 Resources mentioned in this episode:

4 Quotable Moments:

5 Action Steps: