Gain Traction Podcast Por Mike Edge arte de portada

Gain Traction

Gain Traction

De: Mike Edge
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The Gain Traction Podcast features top tire and auto repair professionals, shop owners, industry executives, and thought leaders.© 2025, All Rights Reserved. Gain Traction Podcast. Economía Gestión Gestión y Liderazgo Liderazgo
Episodios
  • How Do Peer Groups Help Auto Shop Owners Grow?

    How Do Peer Groups Help Auto Shop Owners Grow?
    Mar 25 2026
    Nick Fox is a Pro Service Coach and Facilitator with Elite Worldwide and a former multi-location auto repair shop owner. After helping grow and operate his family’s automotive service business for more than a decade, Fox sold the operation and transitioned into coaching independent shop owners across North America. His work centers around helping operators improve leadership, operations, and profitability through structured collaboration and shared learning.Today, Fox works directly with independent operators through auto shop owner peer groups, helping them compare strategies, challenge assumptions, and solve real business problems alongside other experienced shop owners. His perspective combines firsthand shop ownership with years of facilitating leadership discussions among some of the most growth-focused operators in the automotive industry.EPISODE SPONSORThis 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.comIn this episode…Running an auto repair shop places enormous pressure on leadership. Owners make financial decisions, manage employees, solve operational problems, and plan long-term growth, often without trusted advisors who understand the realities of the automotive aftermarket.That isolation explains the rise of auto shop owner peer groups across the industry. These groups give operators a place to share real numbers, discuss operational challenges, and learn from people running similar businesses. The conversation with Nick Fox reveals how these environments accelerate leadership development and decision-making in ways that traditional business advice rarely achieves.Fox explains how structured collaboration between shop owners creates a powerful feedback loop. Operators bring real problems to the table, receive direct input from peers who have already navigated those challenges, and leave with solutions that impact staffing, workflow, and customer experience. For many leaders, auto shop owner peer groups function like a board of directors built specifically for independent repair businesses.Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [01:15] Background on Nick Fox and his role at Elite Worldwide[01:51] Nick Fox shares his transition from shop ownership to coaching[03:44] How peer groups shaped Nick Fox’s leadership development[05:53] Key differences between one-on-one coaching and peer group collaboration[09:33] Overview of Elite Worldwide’s master meeting structure[11:56] How host shop visits create operational feedback and accountability[18:09] Membership criteria and entry points for Elite Worldwide peer groups[20:16] How members are grouped based on business size and goals[21:04] Ways members connect and collaborate beyond their core group[24:39] Closing reflections and personal recommendationsResources mentioned in this episode:Nick Fox on LinkedInElite Worldwide WebsiteTread PartnersGain Traction Podcast on YouTubeGain Traction Podcast WebsiteMike Edge on LinkedInQuotable Moments:“Life changing.”“I personally prefer a peer group setting because I don’t get only one opinion, I get numerous opinions.”“It’s almost like having your own board of directors to bounce anything you want off of them.”“Being an entrepreneur or a business owner can be very lonely.”“Eighty minds is a lot better than one mind.”Action Steps:Build a leadership sounding board. Strong operators surround themselves with people who challenge their thinking. Auto shop owner peer groups create structured environments where owners review decisions, financial strategies, and operational challenges with experienced peers.Compare operational systems with other shops. Workflow bottlenecks, service advisor processes, and customer experience systems improve quickly when shop owners see how other successful operators run their businesses.Bring real problems to the table. High-performing peer environments focus on real numbers, real staffing challenges, and real operational constraints. Honest conversations lead directly to practical solutions.Treat leadership development like a business investment. Shop owners invest heavily in equipment, tools, and technology. Leadership development delivers the same level of return when operators actively learn from other experienced shop owners.Expand your professional network inside the industry. The strongest operators maintain relationships with other shop leaders who openly share best practices, industry insights, and operational lessons learned.
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    28 m
  • Are Cheap Truck Tires Actually Costing Fleets More?

    Are Cheap Truck Tires Actually Costing Fleets More?
    Mar 18 2026
    Matt Gibbons is the Sales Director at Ozarko Tire Centers, one of the largest commercial tire distributors in Missouri and Arkansas, operating 12 locations and multiple retread facilities. With more than a decade of experience in the commercial tire industry and previous roles working with Michelin North America, Gibbons has built his reputation helping fleets improve operational performance through smarter tire strategies and disciplined maintenance programs. His work focuses on helping operators reduce fleet tire costs by shifting the conversation away from purchase price and toward long-term performance metrics.At Ozarko Tire Centers, Gibbons leads teams that consult with trucking fleets across the region on tire programs, cost-per-mile analysis, and preventative maintenance systems designed to reduce fleet tire costs while improving uptime and operational reliability.EPISODE SPONSORThis 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.comIn this episode…Cheap tires feel like a smart business decision on the surface. The invoice is lower. The purchase looks efficient. The problem appears later on the highway.One fleet spent $2.8 million on roadside tire failures in a single year, driven entirely by preventable tire issues. That reality exposes a hidden operational blind spot across the trucking industry: most fleets measure tire cost by purchase price instead of cost per mile.Matt Gibbons explains why that single mistake quietly drains profit from fleets across the country. Tires that fail early create emergency road calls, driver downtime, missed deliveries, and operational disruption that rarely gets tied back to the original purchase decision.Shop owners and tire dealers who understand this shift hold a strategic advantage. Operators looking to reduce fleet tire costs stop thinking like buyers and start thinking like fleet managers. The difference shows up in uptime, service revenue, and long-term customer relationships.Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: [01:02] Mike Edge introduces Matt Gibbons and Ozarko Tire Centers[02:16] Matt Gibbons’ unexpected path into the commercial tire industry[08:17] How Ozarko Tire Centers expanded into a multi-location commercial operation[11:20] The scale of Ozarko’s sales force, service operations, and retread facilities[12:04] Tariffs, inflation, and pricing pressure across the commercial tire market[13:01] The biggest operational mistakes fleet managers make with tire programs[16:24] Why premium tires often deliver stronger ROI than cheaper alternatives[17:10] Understanding cost-per-mile and why most fleets calculate it incorrectly[19:09] The hidden risks of buying cheap tires without performance tracking[20:27] How roadside service calls impact fleet profitability and uptime[21:58] A real-world example of millions spent on preventable tire failures[23:56] How proactive tire programs dramatically reduce roadside breakdowns[28:28] Challenging industry habits and the danger of “the way we’ve always done it”Resources mentioned in this episode:Matt Gibbons LinkedInOzarko Tire Centers WebsiteOzarko Tire Centers LinkedInTread PartnersGain Traction Podcast on YouTubeGain Traction Podcast WebsiteMike Edge on LinkedInQuotable Moments:“You can’t buy cheap and get ahead in the tire business.”“Most people think cost-per-mile is what they paid for the tire, but that isn’t the real cost.”“The longer a tire stays on the truck, the more money that fleet saves.”“If we can prevent those tire failures before they leave the yard, we’ve just saved the customer hundreds of dollars per road call.”“Since when did the status quo become the standard by which we operate?”Action Steps:Start tracking tire cost per mile immediately.Audit fleet tire failures and roadside service calls.Build preventative lot checks into your service workflow.Shift customer conversations toward long-term tire strategy.Challenge the “cheap tire” buying mindset.
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    38 m
  • What Makes an Auto Repair Business Last 30+ Years?

    What Makes an Auto Repair Business Last 30+ Years?
    Mar 11 2026

    Eddie Butler is the owner of Butler Automotive, a multi-location auto repair business based in Augusta, Georgia. Raised in a family garage environment, he combined hands-on shop experience with formal business education to steadily expand operations over several decades while maintaining financial discipline and brand consistency; a real-world example of auto repair business longevity.


    Under his leadership, Butler Automotive focused on controlled expansion, consistent marketing investment, internal talent development, and long-term operational stability. His approach reflects a measured growth philosophy built on sustainability rather than rapid scale.

    In this episode…

    Auto repair shops close every year because growth without discipline burns cash, weakens culture, and erodes brand trust. Rapid expansion grabs attention, yet staying power comes from steady decisions repeated over decades. The industry now faces higher equipment costs, evolving vehicle technology, workforce shortages, and fragmented marketing channels.


    Multi-location operators recognize the pressure to grow while protecting profitability and culture. Real auto repair business longevity demands consistency in branding, careful capital decisions, and leadership that prioritizes people development alongside operational performance.

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

    [01:06] Background and introduction to Eddie Butler

    [01:41] Early exposure to automotive repair environment

    [03:41] Post-college business strategy and operational direction

    [05:36] Expansion timeline across multiple shop locations

    [06:31] Owning real estate and equipment to reduce financial risk

    [07:19] Promoting younger managers and workforce observations

    [11:52] Internal talent development and long employee retention

    [15:02] Leadership philosophy on adaptation and long-term success

    [17:40] Branding consistency and transition toward digital marketing

    Resources mentioned in this episode:

    • Eddie Butler LinkedIn
    • Butler Automotive Website
    • Tread Partners
    • Gain Traction Podcast on YouTube
    • Gain Traction Podcast Website
    • Mike Edge on LinkedIn

    Quotable Moments:

    • “Success is not final, but failure is not fatal.”
    • “It’s a completely different business today than what we were in 25 or 35 years ago.”
    • “We never missed a month of advertising since 1988.”
    • “You have to be willing to adapt.”
    • “Family businesses are pretty dynamic.”

    Action Steps:

    1. Commit to a consistent marketing cadence that reinforces brand recognition year-round.
    2. Prioritize ownership of key assets and control debt to strengthen auto repair business longevity.
    3. Promote younger managers early and train internally to build leadership continuity.
    4. Evaluate expansion timelines based on financial stability rather than market hype.
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    27 m
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