AJ Nealey is the owner and “Chief Cheerleader” of Nealey Tire & Auto, a rapidly growing multi-location auto repair business in Maryland. A self-taught technician who began his career turning wrenches in a one-bay garage behind his home, AJ built his company through relentless curiosity, hard work, and a passion for serving people. Over time, he shifted from technician to leader and eventually into multi-store ownership; a journey marked by both breakthrough growth and painful lessons. His story highlights how vision, faith, and perseverance can transform a small operation into a purpose-driven organization.

In this episode…

Growing an auto repair business is never a straight line and the wrong decisions can derail even the strongest momentum. Many shop owners underestimate how quickly expansion can expose weaknesses in leadership, staffing, finances, and operations. So, what are the biggest mistakes shop owners make when scaling, and how can they avoid them?

According to AJ Nealey, it starts with understanding the difference between opportunity and danger. In this candid conversation, AJ opens up about the auto repair business mistakes that nearly halted his growth, including buying distressed shops that required more time, money, and emotional energy than expected. He explains the hidden challenges behind reviving broken locations and why shop owners must stay aligned with their values, systems, and operating model before expanding.

AJ also shares the mindset shifts that helped him evolve from technician to leader. From learning the business side through RLO Training, to letting go of the tools, to building a team-based culture centered on service and purpose. AJ reveals what truly drives sustainable growth. The episode also explores how his faith shapes the way he leads, mentors employees, and views his business as a platform for service.

On this episode of Gain Traction, Mike Edge sits down with AJ Nealey to discuss the realities of scaling an auto repair business, the mistakes that taught him the most, and the vision that continues to move his company forward.

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

[01:03] Who is AJ Nealey?

[01:34] How AJ entered the auto repair industry as a self-taught technician

[06:40] The biggest challenge he faced in buying his first store

[08:09] How moonlighting in a one-bay garage became the start of Nealey Tire & Auto

[09:01] The turning point: discovering RLO Training and learning business fundamentals

[11:20] The long road to opening his first full shop location in 2016

[13:39] What AJ learned about hiring, delegation, and transitioning into leadership

[15:53] The expansion mistake he warns shop owners never to repeat

[18:10] Why AJ doesn’t regret the struggle and how hardship built resilience

[22:18] What motivates him internally and how faith shapes his business

[26:30] The mantra AJ lives by as a leader and business owner

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Gain Traction Podcast on YouTube
• Gain Traction Podcast Website
• Mike Edge on LinkedIn
• AJ Nealey LinkedIn
• Nealey Tire & Auto

Quotable Moments:

• “Don’t buy a dumpster fire.”
• “You have to go through the valley to appreciate the win.”
• “It’s not what you get paid for the hour, it’s the value you bring to the hour.”
• “Customers vote with their wallet.”
• “We look at our business as a ministry.”

Action Steps:

1. Evaluate expansion opportunities carefully: Avoid distressed shops that drain time and capital.
2. Strengthen your leadership skills: Learn to delegate, coach, and develop your team.
3. Align acquisitions with your operating model: Ensure new stores fit your systems and values.
4. Invest in training: Like AJ, consider formal business education to support smarter growth.
5. Build a purpose-driven culture: Lead with service, celebrate wins, and create meaningful employee experiences.

• AJ Nealey
• Gain Traction Podcast
• Mike Edge
• Nealey Tire & Auto
• Tread Partners

Transcript

00:00
Don’t buy a dumpster fire. That’s how I, that’s how I, that’s how I sum it up. Well, I thought were so blessed. I can just sprinkle that fairy dust, you know, on these other stores. There’s no shortcut to success. Like you have to go through the crap.

00:14
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 specialize 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. Welcome to the Gain Traction Podcast, the official podcast Retire Business. My guest today is AJ Neely, chief cheerleader and owner of Neely Tire and Auto with five locations in Maryland.

01:04
AJ, welcome to the Gain Traction podcast.

01:07
Hey, happy to be here, Mike. Thank you so much, man.

01:09
Man, I was excited to have you because I got to read that article and about you and you guys have grown a lot in a short period of time.

01:20
Yeah, yeah. I can also say we’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way too, so. But no, it’s been fun. Yeah. Five locations now and, and continuing to grow. We’ve been very blessed.

01:30
So for our audience sake, tell us a little bit about AJ did you, were you born and raised in the industry?

01:36
No, I would say that Legos got me into the industry. So at the ripe old age of five, I just, I realized I could work with my hands. So Legos morphed into RC cars and racing them and my dad kind of building those as a kid. And then when I got my license, I was just fascinated with how things worked and my dad was really good at like explaining things mechanically and so I just, you know, so once I got my own set of wheels, that was the start of that and I got my dream job right out of high school. Worked as a technician at a independent Honda and Acura shop in Pasadena, Maryland.

02:14
I worked there for almost 10 years, learning the trade and progressing and working my way up before I kind of went on my own and I knew I was very blessed. I’ll say this I knew what I wanted very early in my life and I know that’s very difficult for a lot of the younger generation and people today, they don’t really want. I knew that very early and I knew too at some point that I was going to be a shop owner of some sort. I just didn’t know when that would kind of come into play. But that, yeah, that journey of ownership started in 2011.

02:46
Man, that’s so cool. I think it’s a, that’s a massive blessing because I, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I did like a lot of things, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. And I think it’s interesting. I had a brother similar to you. I mean he didn’t go into Otto. He ended up being a football coach, but he knew he wanted to be in football ever since he was like 14 and not necessarily that he had to make it to the NFL. He ended up playing in college, but he always knew he wanted to be a coach. And I always thought, man, how cool is that when you already know, you know?

03:17
Yeah.

03:18
And, and so his whole career has been coaching and he’s had very successful career and fun doing it, but it’s always been on that trajectory. And I think that makes you what you’re good at because you guys that know early, it’s like it’s already in you. It’s not a question of what am I going to do. You’re already doing it in a sense.

03:38
Yeah. I would say that if like somebody would you know, find like five words to describe me, I’m pretty sure passionate would be one of those words to describe me that’s in there. And, and if I get into something, whether it’s a hobby or a trade or work, I’m gonna, I’m all in. I’m all the chips are on the table. So yeah, I was very passionate about this. Like, gosh, when I was working in the industry I was a sponge. I mean I, I just, I was trying to. It’s self taught by the way. I didn’t, I didn’t go through any trade school. I wish I had known that there was an automotive vocational trade school actually near me. I wish I had known about, I would have definitely signed up for it.

04:17
But yeah, I just kind of, I spent my time in the books and learning and reading, you know, things about engine theory and this, that and the other and learned on the job. I had, I was very blessed. The job That I had my boss was allowed me to be very hands on very early and put a lot of trust in me to learn along the way. And I had great mentors around me, you know, and so I was able to be t the right way very early on how to work on. On vehicles. So yeah, just having that curious mindset, being very passionate about it and it didn’t look at it as a job. I just, I loved it. I absolutely loved it.

04:51
Well, you know, in complimenting that I, I mean it’s just I experience in life. I look, I’m a big believer in education and but at the same time, if you had, if I had to choose a way to learn, I would go your route just simply because did you learn through the way of hard knocks but you also learned with the mentor and I don’t think there’s a better way to learn and you were not, I mean it wasn’t like you had to go, you know, read about it in a, in from a classroom kind of standpoint to, to practical. You were in the practical learning the whole time. And man, there’s something to be said about that probably accelerated your learning in some way. Not, not to mention, I mean you had curiosity, you already liked it.

05:36
It wasn’t like had to drive you and say hey, go do your work or whatever. You were already right, you already committed, you know.

05:42
Yeah, yeah, 100%. And, and I, as a result I could really just like learn what I needed to about the work that was in front of me, you know, so you think about it like back in the day, this is before we really had access to this stuff online, but were, I was reading Helms manuals, you know, if anyone that’s a Honda Acura guy knows they had the library of books along the shelves that you could just pick up and source your service information and learn this stuff from. So. But yeah, and I learned a lot of the I’d the really as a result, we had to be very productive. So kind of I, I say that flat rate mindset, moving and hustling, working with efficiency, staying on your feet, it just, it was required.

06:21
So I learned that in a very busy shop about high volume and, and quick work ethic and hustle is absolutely required to do very well in this industry too.

06:32
So when you fast forward for me because I think a lot of our listeners would like to know what when you got to the. Well, first of all, when you got to the ownership, I Think you had a big challenge buying your first store, did you not? Yeah, yeah.

06:47
So. So yeah. And I’ll tell you a little bit about that too. Like there was a, a trajectory in my life where I, while I was working as a technician for about 10 years, I would say it was most of the 2000s working as a technician at another independent shop. I was, at the same time I was pursuing a racing career and kind of moved my way up kind of the ladder. It kind of went up to a semi professional level. But I realized in about it was like at the end of the 2009 season, 2010 season, I realized that like I think that I could see that there really wasn’t much of a, there wasn’t another career or another season on the horizon.

07:23
So I had made that IND that switch at that point in the winter of 2010 that you know what, I’m going to hang my hat up. I gave this a good run, I had a lot of fun doing it, put a lot of passion. But now it’s time to reallocate my and funnel that energy into something that’s going to last into the long term. So. Which was a career path in starting my own business. And so I had bought a house here in Edgewater, Maryland. I had a great one bay garage behind the house. And, and the first two words in the, the home description was mechanic’s dream. And I was like all right, I gotta check this house out. Had this awesome one single bay garage but had an in ground lift and 14 foot ceilings.

08:04
And, and so I was moonlighting as a technician, you know, working on neighbors, cars, friends cars, things like that. So in 2011, it was February 1, 2011, that was like the first day that were kind of, you know, in business. I guess you can say I still have. My mom gave me that $2 framed, you know, the 2 bill in the frame, you know, so hey, go get them kid. You know. So that was on February 1st and so that was the start of it, you know. And I would say I kind of goofed off for about three years where I was, I, I really wasn’t taking it seriously because I was also, I was a at the time a bachelor and I was living, you know. Yeah, you’re making money. Yeah, doing it. I was a one man band doing everything myself.

08:46
But it really wasn’t until 2015 I decided to kind of take it seriously. He’s like. And, and so I, I found I knew everything about Working on cars knew nothing about running a business. And I learned about a, an automotive training group called rlo training Robert L. O’ Connor and his training a group. And so I took a class that was just, I felt like it was suited for, called the Gorilla Shop Management course. And it was like, I called it like a 12 week boot camp. And, and it taught, it was virtual, it was done online and it was like after hours, like from 6 to 9pm like twice a week for 12 weeks. And I learned everything that you could about running an automotive repair shop, less the fixing of the cars.

09:29
I knew that part right, but it was how to create a, you know, a business plan. Establishing a relationship with a banker, marketing technician, time management, I mean, you name it was in there. And I was just like again, that curious mindset. I was all in, so passionate about this. You know, as I was learning this, were, you know, implementing new tactics next day. And so we started implementing the things that I was learning. And so before you know it, were just kind of on this fast track and this trajectory is moving up and to the right and were very quickly overrunning our, you know, one bay, you know, one bay garage behind our house.

10:06
So I started that process about, you know, working to move my way out of that one bay garage and you know what’s funny is working behind your house, you know, look, it’s not legal. You know, I didn’t have the right zoning and the permitting and this, that and the other. But I knew this wasn’t a long term thing, but at least got me by. And so, but you know, on my test drive route in the neighborhood, I always drive by this one shop on Mayo Road, which is right down the street. And I’d see the same four vehicles on the same four lifts. Every day I drive shop, I’m like, oh my goodness, there’s nothing going on here.

10:40
So I realized that, you know, and look, I know we only have 20 minutes on this podcast, but my goodness, the story of getting and opening our first location. It would probably take two episodes, part one and part two, to really talk about and explain everything that happened and the divine intervention that occurred for us to be able to get into that property with not having any money attached to my name, but finding a handful of people that just really believed in me and knowing that I would make this work and we wouldn’t be where we are today without them. And they knew who they are and what we opened our Doors and let’s see, it was July of 2016 when we opened our doors to our like first legitimate location, nine bay operation.

11:27
We were able to buy the location, buy the property as well. And that’s still our flagship store today. And then we, as far as that’s concerned, you know, as you’re grow learning this, right, you just, you have to continuously develop yourself because you are going to be the, I guess, constraint in your business. And you know, when you’re a one man band, you’re wearing every hat, you know, but then when you, okay, now you’ve got a location. And then I, I had to like the first big like shift for me, the mindset shift was, wow, I actually had to take my toolbox home. Meaning that I’m not allowed to work on cars. Aj, you’re not allowed to work on cars anymore? You gotta, you gotta be right now.

12:06
You are able to pull yourself out of that?

12:08
I had to.

12:09
Yeah, I had to. I mean, because that. Right. I mean, but that’s the struggle with a lot of you guys, like your personality to get out of that. So, so that was your first, so was your first employee a technician to support you or was it some office personnel?

12:23
Yeah, no, it was, it was a technician kind of like a shop helper, you know, kind of inexperienced. And that’s the thing. These are the things you like learned along the way because then that person was also the first person that had to fire, you know, that was like so traumatizing, you know, so there’s, there’s so many firsts along the way that you just, but you just gotta keep your head up high. Just can’t, you can’t give up. You can’t surrender. You know, you just. These are the trials and tribulations that we must rejoice in because it’s what builds our character. Right? This is difficult stuff. You know, I’m going to get into that in a bit. But you know, that’s the thing is the mindset must shift. I realize I can’t.

12:56
If I’m going to be the biggest constraint in the business, well, then I have to let go. I have to surrender certain roles and responsibilities if we are to flourish and grow. And I was surrounded by great coaches and mentors as well. That that kind of helped me and was, were able to guide me because that training group that I was a part of, I got affiliated with the 20 group, you know, of other shop owners in that group that were we would kind of call them our board of directors, you know and called a bottom line impact group. And I’m still in touch with a lot of the members and former members of that group and they’re very inspiring and again I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for them and John Walter, our coach at the time.

13:33
But so anyway, to have that help, you know, in that sounding board as we’re growing the stor. Yeah, it was initially hiring some technicians and then taking my toolbox home, letting go of that aspect, having other technicians perform the work. Then I’m just the loan service advisor. Then I hired my first service advisor, then my second service advisor and then I realized, wow, I’m like a shop manager now. So now I have to be a coach. So it’s just that mindset has to shift. And then before you know it, I remember distinctly, I think this was in the year 2020 or maybe 2019. I think it was before the pandemic, but I was giving a customer a ride home and I remember, I still remember it like it was yesterday.

14:14
I’m sitting at the light and I just, I said to myself out loud, I was like is this it? Is this, is this? Is this it? Because like I kind of, I felt like I kind of made it. I felt like I kind of arrived because I had a great crew of technicians, I had a great crew of advisors that were like there. And before he knew it, I was just, I was like a shuttle driver. I was just giving customers rides home and I was like, wow, just kind of helping out here and there. I’ve kind bought some freedom, you know, but I gosh, I have so much fire in the belly. I’m like this can’t be it, right? Yeah, because I actually, at the same time I said that I was out loud I actually had a sense of dread.

14:49
And so I realized like, oh my goodness, like is this it? Like, like I’m like what’s next? Like I’m always looking for then searching for that next thing. And so it was at that point that I realized like no multi store ownership is what I want to get into. And I thought 2020 was going to be the year and then we know how that kind of panned out. But I’d say it was a blessing in disguise because you know it g access to capital and being able to borrow money. We’re never going to be able to borrow money this cheap again. And so in 2021 that’s when we kind of got into multi store ownership and we added four stores in 18 months which started in 2022. My last store was closed on in October of 2023 and was a very.

15:33
I’ve, I’ve made again. I’ve made all the mistakes that you could think of under the sun, I can definitely tell you. And what doesn’t kill you just, you know, only makes you stronger. So. Well, just, just curious because we.

15:48
Get a lot of listeners that are in your, you know, thinking about expanding and whatnot. Tell them one thing they don’t want to do. What’s a big lesson that you learn?

15:57
What’s not. Yeah, yeah. Don’t buy a dumpster fire. That’s how I, that’s how I, that’s how I sum it up. Don’t do that. Oh my goodness.

16:04
So you probably had the attitude which I had was a young man too, but you had the attitude that I can overcome the problems that everybody’s telling me exist here.

16:13
Right, right. 100 well I thought were so blessed with how well our first store went with Edgewater and we came up to speed and we did that so quickly and we grew that store. I’m like, oh wow. I can just sprinkle that fairy dust, you know, on these other stores. I, we can give it the Midas touch and this will be easy, you know. And oh my goodness, you just get slapped with some humble pie right in the face because yeah, I was buying a lot of distressed shops. I was buying a lot of broke which requires, yes, you might get a deal, quote, unquote deal but you know, buy nice or buy twice as people say. Right.

16:49
And so, and you know, when you buy a, like a, just a, an empty building or a bad reputation or whatever it might be, the sweat equity involved, the marketing you have to overcome for from the bad brand reputation that was there, you know, that existed before. It takes so much time. Like that stuff doesn’t just happen overnight. So my biggest takeaway and advice is save the money but buy something that is in align with your core values and your business practices and how you operate. Find something that’s in alignment with that and something that’s already profitable. That way you’re making money on day one. Yes, of course you’re going to spend more money on it, but it’s well worth the investment.

17:29
And what I did was buy, I bought four broken stores that either they were operating but not with the same model that we had or they were just Empty shells. And I had to hire people, market it, staff it, equip it, you know, you name it. And doing everything and it takes so cash and capital and stress and time and this, that and the other that moving forward, if were to. Gonna, you know, expand or add any more existing locations, you know, I know now what not to do.

17:58
So I have those stores. I mean, obviously they turn the corner. So you. You now believe in them. I mean, they’re.

18:05
Yeah, yeah, definitely. Definitely. And I, I don’t. I don’t regret. I have absolutely no regrets either because, like, there’s no shortcut to success. Like, you have to go through the crap. You got to go through the junk and got to go know if you’re just. If you’re, you know, because you, if you don’t have the failures, then you can’t celebrate and, or even recognize what a win feels like. Right?

18:26
Yeah.

18:26
And so you have to go through that. You know, like, you have to. I was actually just listening to someone today, a CEO of Intel. You know, he talked. Or not Intel, Nvidia. And he talked about, you know, you, you actually should, look forward to pain and suffering.

18:43
Right?

18:43
Because through the pain and suffering, that’s what, what. That’s what’s going to build your character. And again, that’s biblical, right? We’re joy.

18:50
Oh, yeah.

18:50
And tribulation. So that’s a big thing. So no. No regrets at all.

18:54
That’s interesting. You say it. Like I try to tell my kids, look, you got to find something that you’re going to like the grind. Not the high moments, but you’re going to like, you got to like the grind. And if you like the grind, then you’re going to be just fine. Yeah, whatever it is, 100%.

19:08
Yeah. The passion. The passion. You know, I’d say, like, you know, when you’re going through the. The grind, as you say, you know, people from outside of your sphere will be looking at what you’re. And think that you are just insane, that you are just crazy. Like, what are you doing? Like spending 18 hours a day on this thing. But I’ll tell you what, like, as I look back at those times, like when were growing and building that. Building out that first location, like, you know, they were. I had to work all day in my one big garage behind my house.

19:35
And then when I was done work at my house, I would go and walk to the shop down the street, put in another eight hours at that location, either painting or building a bathroom or moving equipment around or, you know, epoxy in the floors or whatever it took. And. But I loved every minute. Like, yes, you would just be dead tired at the end of the day and rinse and repeat it every day. But you just. When you have that vision, you can see it. You know exactly like, what it looks like again, that’s whole. That holy spirit is just driving you, man, just driving you forward into making it happen. And so let’s. Loved every minute.

20:08
You say a word that I think people take for granted. And I’m gonna. I want to say it and use it, but I think when people use the word vision, sometimes you can have a go, but sometimes that. That can sound weak, if that makes sense. I think when you have a vision like you did, you knew what the destination looked like. I think you got to be. I think you got to be convinced of what the destination looks like so that you can. You can get there. And then, like you said, you can. You’re not. You’re not wandering around each day. You literally know what you’re trying to do because the vision’s so clear. Does that make sense?

20:41
Yeah. And I think you got more to.

20:42
Hold on to sometimes. I think when people have goals, it’s like, yeah, they throw it out there. Okay, I’m going that direction. But I think when you have a vision, I think we underestimate the power of that word. Because I think when you visualize something, then it’s like, you’ve already done it. Now you just. You know what I mean it. You already. You know it’s there. All you got to do is, like, you’re doing. Build the tracks to get there.

21:04
Filling in the blanks. Yeah, that’s a good point. Like, the vision. You can see it, smell it, taste it. That’s everything, right? All your senses know exactly what that looks like. And then you. It’s a good point, because the goal. You know, when you’re describing a goal, it’s. It could just be. It’s just a written statement, you know, and it’s a smart goal. It’s.

21:22
Well, how many of us have been to those things where they say, right. Right down your goals, you know, all this stuff, it sounds now, I mean, at my age, it just sounds like it’s too frivolous, it’s too flighty because, oh, I’ve got this going, you know, people write them down or whatever. No, what is your vision?

21:37
The vision, man. What gets you up every day? What’s that purpose, man? Like, what’s that thing? You’re, you’re willing to just put it on the line.

21:44
I love the fact that you had that where when you put in the 18 hour days, you can look on it and you rejoice with them. Like, I loved when I was doing that.

21:53
Yeah, yeah. I was just, I was blasting Sturgill Simpson in the shop and you know, I would take a 12 pack of beer in there, I just get to work, I would just grind, you know, But I love that. I loved every minute of it. And, and you know, and I, I only wish that others could experience the same level of passion that’s kind of required to do a great thing, you know, and it’s part of your story, it’s part of your testimony.

22:14
So what motivates you internally?

22:17
That’s a great question. Because, you know, my faith, I would say really in the last couple of years is by far the motivating and driving force as far as, like, why I get up every day. We’re here for the Great Commission, man. We are here to save souls. You know what I mean? Jesus Christ and my Lord and Savior. I love what we get to do. We look at our businesses and ministry. We’re not shy about it. We bring it up in our interviews, we talk about, we pray over our meetings. And, and so what we do is biblical, man. Like, we get the ability to serve just as jes. Us. So I love the fact that we get to do that every day. Right.

22:52
But it’s funny, like, you know, when I killed the old me, you know, and I looked at the prior version of myself. Yeah, there, yes, there, it still existed, this inner drive and this inner passion, you know, But I would say that my parents were by far a great example of work ethic. You know, having seen what they had gone through to get to where they’re at. I mean, we really start. We started some very humble beginnings. You know, my parents were, you know, building a. They, they lived in a geodesic dome in the mountains of North Carolina, you know, with no running water, in an outhouse. So like, they, you know, I.

23:22
Knowing where we’ve come from and, and being part of that journey with them as they kind of grew, you know, professionally, I just, I saw what the output would look like of hard work ethic. Right. And so I, I’d say that was definitely ingrained and instilled with me. But yeah, by Far. My, My. My faith has been this driving force, you know, just using that holy spirit to just.

23:47
By far. The people I meet that are motivated like you, they go deeper and farther, if that makes sense. It’s. Because it’s not about. It’s. It’s, it’s. It’s. It’s more. I don’t know how. What the right word is.

24:01
It’s.

24:01
It’s. It’s more eternal, I guess you’d say, more divine. It’s, it’s. It’s a bigger purpose than themselves, if that makes sense. And, and so your motivation just gets. Like you said, you may have started out, that old man was just, hey, wanting to do it for himself or whatever. And the old guy, the old person in yourself is what I’m referring to. You know, you’re doing it kind of for the selfish reason of, hey, this is my job. This is what I do. I’m gonna go make some money. But all of a sudden you start recognizing, I got this purpose and I’m doing good for people or I’m helping people or whatever it may be. Maybe it’s the employees, the customers or whatever. And you realize now I want to do it for a greater cause and Jesus Christ is the reason, period.

24:38
Yeah, absolutely. Be again, serving, right? Serving our people. You know, like, I think especially of our industry, it’s a broken technicians and people in this industry today, they don’t even get a pat on the back, you know, that much. Right? And so, you know, the two most important words in someone’s vocabulary is their first and last name. And so when you get, when you do that, when you shout them out and you say, job well done, and when you can give them a hug and embrace them and thank them for their service and what they do, you know, each and every day. Wow. Like that doesn’t cost you anything, right? But we love it, man. We absolutely love it when we see those life events occur with our employees, whether they get married or have a kid or buy a. Yes.

25:19
You know, like, it just, man, like, wow, look at what we’re doing. This is good. It’s all because we’re serving our customers, right?

25:26
Yes.

25:26
Like, you know, and so again, as you know, the customers, at the end of the day, they do. They pay for everything, right? And so as a result of that, the customers vote with their wallet, right? And so if we’re moving in the right direction, like if we’re crushing it on our revenue goals, like, we don’t look at it at like the dollars are a byproduct of serving the community. Y. But the revenue is just the scorecard in which we measure that. Right. All that’s indicating to us is that, wow, more customers trust us and are exchanging the certificates of appreciation and they’re handing it over to us because they’re voting with their wallet. Right.

26:07
Man, that is a great way. How do we know we’re serving the public? Because they’re paying us. They’re paying us continuously and they keep coming back to pay us because we’re doing it. Man, that’s a great way of. You’re looking at that math. I think that’s a, I think that’s a great connector to that. That. Well, that kind of segues to another question I like to ask. What’s a mantra or code or, you know, something you live by just kind of motivates you?

26:31
Yeah, I, I, man, there’s a lot of love. I’ve got a lot of great books. I’ve read a lot of great mentors that I, I think I’ve referred to a lot of phrases from Jim Rohn. I love, I love him. I think he’s just got some great stuff. And one of the things he says that just, wow, just, it just hits me is it’s not what you get paid for the hour, it’s the value that you bring to the hour. Right. And I think that phrase and that mantra really can. It’s not just for leadership, it’s for anyone. Right. It’s, it’s whether you’re a entry level general service technician, all the way up to a, a level master tech or, you know, a district manager, whatever that is.

27:15
It’s not what you get paid for the hour, it’s the value that you bring to the hour. Right. How are you adding value to the organization and to the people around you? Right. And serving them. And so I, I love that phrase.

27:29
But that can go so many ways in a positive way too, because it can really help you value yourself more. You realize, man, I, I’ve brought a lot in my work ethic or I bought it, brought a lot with my ingenuity, or I’ve brought a lot with my creativity or, and it, that’s a, I like that one.

27:45
I didn’t know. So. And the example we, I love that I use one of my mentors, Hayes from Auto Shop Answers. He’s been, he’s been just a, a huge influence, especially this year with the trajectory we’ve gone as a company. But, you know, think of it this way. You know, you can go to Denny’s, you can go to Outback, or you can go to Ruth. Chris, same cow, right? What, what are they doing differently on that stake along the way that gets Rheus Chris to charge this and then needs to charge this? Yes, of course, the quality of that is, is an improvement. But is it 10x is difference, you know, so other things along the way in service has to. You have to. As far as that commensurate value of service, it’s not just the product.

28:32
Like we, if were to also take the same analogy, it’s not just the part we install. Yes, we can get higher quality parts along the way, but what level of service are we bringing to the experience of that customer?

28:42
Yeah, that’s interesting because it’s interesting now that you say it that way because it’s a sirloin’s a sirloin. Right, Right. I mean, it’s all the same cut of meat and it’s coming off of a. A cow. So why is this one. Yeah, no, that’s cool. Oh, man, I like your stuff. I like your momentum. I like your energy. I could probably talk to you all.

29:02
Day, but I know, man, it’s the time goes like that, doesn’t it?

29:05
It really, it really does. But I will compliment you. I did do a little research on you and I noticed your Google reviews just kill it on all your locations. You’re like a 4.5 or greater, up to a 4.8 and you’ve got hundreds of reviews. I think that’ outstanding. Congratulations.

29:21
Oh, thank you.

29:22
Thank you.

29:23
Yeah, we’re very blessed. We got great people, great customers, and yeah, we’re just hoping to continue this momentum.

29:30
Well, you’re definitely one of these guys that I’d like to have back one day because I feel like this story is just getting started. So if you don’t mind, maybe we’ll check in with you in a year or so and see where you’re at. And then, I don’t know, maybe you’ll be at 10 stores by then.

29:46
That’s one thing I’ve learned, too. It’s not all about store count. It’s all about. It’s about making every store count. So.

29:53
That’s so true. Well, it’s been a pleasure having you. Thanks for coming on.

29:58
Thank you, Mike. It’s a pleasure being here. Thank you.

30:00
And tell our listeners out there and podcast friends, thank you. We’ll see you next time. 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 Gain Traction 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.