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Gain Traction

Mike Edge

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

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  • 23 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 32 min
  • English

Episodes 23

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  • #226
    April 22 · 47 min

    The Real Issues Independent Tire Dealers Are Facing in 2026

    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: ITDG (Independent Tire Dealers Group LLC) Jeff Webster LinkedIn Take Ten Tire & Service Lex Brodie’s Tire Company Montana Tire Distributors Inc. Youngblood Auto & Tire Jay Baxter LinkedIn Delaware Tire Centers City Tire Company Rick Benton II LinkedIn Black’s Tire Service Tread Partners Gain Traction Podcast on YouTube Gain Traction Podcast Website Mike Edge on LinkedIn 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
  • #225
    April 15 · 30 min

    Why Most Auto Shops Fail When They Try to Scale

    Phil Carpenter is the Director of Operations at Urban Autocare and Avalon Motorsports, overseeing seven locations in the Denver, Colorado area. He began his career as a technician and became the first employee in what was once a two-person shop, eventually helping grow the business into a 55-person operation. His experience spans every stage of scaling an auto repair shop; from turning wrenches to leading teams, building systems, and managing multi-location complexity. That progression gives him a grounded perspective on what actually breaks, evolves, and demands attention as shops grow beyond a single location. 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… Growth doesn’t fail loudly at first. It slips in through divided attention, stretched leadership, and roles that multiply faster than the team can support. Scaling an auto repair shop introduces a different kind of pressure, one that doesn’t show up in car count or revenue reports. It shows up in managers juggling three roles, in culture that starts to drift, and in decisions that carry more weight than they did at one location. The systems that once worked stop holding, and the habits that built the business begin to limit it. This conversation centers on what actually changes as a shop grows. The shift from technician to leader, the cost of trying to do everything at once, and the reality that profitability is what allows a business to stand behind its work when things go wrong. Scaling an auto repair shop demands sharper focus, stronger systems, and a clear understanding of where leadership attention belongs. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [01:15] Background and introduction of Phil Carpenter [02:39] Early career path and entry into the automotive industry [04:15] Building culture through care and accountability [07:16] Early challenges and stagnant growth in the first location [10:57] Transition from technician to advisor and manager [14:40] Operational strain from wearing multiple roles [20:33] Profitability as a foundation for stability and customer care [22:50] Leadership framework: execution, preparation, and review [26:48] Personal background and life outside the shop Resources mentioned in this episode: Phil Carpenter on LinkedIn Urban Autocare Website Avalon Motorsports Website Tread Partners Gain Traction Podcast on YouTube Gain Traction Podcast Website Mike Edge on LinkedIn Quotable Moments: “I can be a very good technician and I can be a very good service advisor, but I cannot do them at the exact same time.” “We know how to take care of people, and we’re going to do that really, really well.” “We can love and care about you, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t expect you to do a really good job.” “If we’re not running our businesses soundly and with profit, we start squeezing pennies and stop standing behind what we do.” “Feedback is a gift.” Action Steps: Audit current roles across your team and eliminate overlap where one person is carrying multiple critical functions. Divided attention is one of the fastest ways scaling an auto repair shop breaks down operationally. Define clear accountability standards for each role and enforce them consistently. Culture weakens when expectations stay informal. Review profitability at a granular level. Margin is what allows the business to take care of customers without hesitation when mistakes happen. Identify one process that worked at a single location and stress-test it across multiple locations. Systems must evolve as complexity increases. Build a leadership habit of preparation and review. Go into key conversations with intent, then evaluate performance immediately after to improve the next decision.

    • Transcript
  • #224
    April 8 · 32 min

    The Process That Took an Auto Shop from $40K to $100K a Month

    Adam Dixon is the Director of Operations at Urbs Garage, a multi-location auto repair business serving the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky markets. He built his career from the ground up as a technician before moving into leadership, where he developed and implemented scalable systems that drive consistent performance across locations. His hands-on experience across dealerships, independent shops, and multi-store operations gives him a practical, execution-first perspective on what actually works in the bay. Today, Adam is known for turning underperforming locations into high-revenue operations by focusing on process, speed, and accountability. His approach to strategies to grow an auto repair shop centers on operational discipline rather than marketing spend, proving that growth is built through execution, not theory. 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… Most shops don’t stall because they lack ideas. They stall because execution breaks under pressure. Revenue leaks out in the space between inspection, communication, and approval. Cars sit too long before being checked. Customers wait too long to hear back. Decisions get pushed later into the day, and with that delay comes hesitation, lost trust, and missed sales. The industry continues to push marketing and expansion as the solution, yet the real constraint lives inside the shop’s daily workflow. This episode shifts the focus back to what actually drives growth; speed creates confidence, clarity increases approvals, and consistency compounds results. The operators who scale are not chasing tactics, they are controlling the flow of work, removing friction, and building systems that perform every single day. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [01:15 ] Introduction of Adam Dixon and Urbs Garage [01:31] Early interest in fixing things and technical curiosity [07:15] Transition from dealership environment to independent shop [09:52] Learning operational processes and identifying inefficiencies [13:05] Attempted business acquisition and corporate transition [14:28] Joining Urbs Garage and stepping into leadership [17:54] Importance of mindset and saying yes to customers [19:08] Marketing strategy differences across locations [20:17] Rebuilding trust in underperforming shop locations [21:27] Managing and optimizing digital marketing spend [24:09] Customer attrition and need for consistent acquisition [25:12] Speed to sale and importance of fast vehicle inspection [27:15] Personal philosophy on accountability and follow-through [28:37] Personal interests and hobbies outside the business Resources mentioned in this episode: Urbs Garage & Tire LinkedIn Urbs Garage Website Tread Partners Gain Traction Podcast on YouTube Gain Traction Podcast Website Mike Edge on LinkedIn Quotable Moments: “Just changing processes, just how they did things.” “You have to say yes.” “Plant the seed of confidence in the customer that they’re always going to call Urbs Garage when they have a problem.” “You’ve got to get the car checked out really fast.” “You don’t want to have the customer have the doubt that they’re going to get the car back today." Action Steps: Audit your check-in-to-diagnosis time. Set a standard that every vehicle gets inspected within the first hour to eliminate hesitation and increase approval rates. Train your team to present findings early in the day. Speed to communication directly impacts close rate and customer confidence. Standardize your workflow across all locations. Consistent processes create predictable outcomes and are foundational to effective strategies to grow an auto repair shop. Shift your focus from lead generation to conversion efficiency. Increasing approval rates on existing car count drives faster revenue growth than adding new traffic. Build a “say yes” culture at the front counter. Confidence at first contact sets the tone for the entire customer experience and drives repeat business.

    • Transcript
Showing 21–23 of 23 episodes