Automotive Franchise Interviews

Franchise Interview with 1-800-Radiator

Today, we are meeting with 1-800-Radiator's Mr. Kelly Grace, VP of Franchise Development 1-800-Radiator is one of the fastest-growing franchises in North America. 1-800-Radiator delivers brand-new radiators within two to three hours to its local customers and the next day to customers outside the same-day area. This highly effective franchise model has enabled 1-800-Radiator to become North America's largest independent direct distributor. 

Franchise Interview with AAmco

AAMCO is the world's largest chain of transmission specialists and one of the leaders in total car care services. The AAMCO brand has approximately 900 automotive centers throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Established in 1962, AAMCO is proud to have served millions of drivers. We are meeting with Tony Padulo, VP of Franchise Sales and Development.  

Franchise Interview with Carstar

We are meeting with Sam Freeman, VP of Franchise Development at CARSTAR. CARSTAR Auto Body Repair Experts delivers the highest quality body repair to drivers throughout North America, with more than 450 stores in the United States and Canada. 

Headquartered in Overland Park, KS, CARSTAR was founded in 1989 and has repaired more than three million vehicles since opening its doors. CARSTAR and its franchise network employ some 4,000 automotive professionals throughout the United States and Canada.

 When you choose CARSTAR for your vehicle repair, you’re choosing North America’s largest network of body shop owners. That means you get the national training, quality standards, and resources of the network, along with our local owners’ personal service and community involvement. 

What advice would we give to aspiring frantrepreneurs looking to buy a franchise? You will hear a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast. 

Franchise Interview with Colors on Parade

Inspired by his passion for restoring classic cars, Robert Lowery started Colors On Parade to offer body shop-quality automotive repairs from a mobile unit. In 1999, he began franchising the concept. Colors On Parade franchisees offer mobile on-site automotive appearance services throughout the U.S. to car dealerships, fleet owners, rental car agencies, body shops, individual vehicle owners, and retail customers. 

Consistently ranked by the Entrepreneur magazine as one of the nation’s top automobile franchise systems, Colors on Parade has over 25 years of experience teaching people just like you to perform on-site repairs to minor automotive damage, such as scratches, dents, dings on the outside and tears and nicks on the inside. Our patented process allows our Operators to provide their services on-site to their customer base, including automobile dealerships, fleet operations, body shops, and individual car and truck owners.

Colors on Parade franchisees provide the highest quality in the automotive appearance technology field, and we offer three primary services: Paint Repair, PDR (paint-less dent removal), and Interior repair. All repairs are guaranteed with our Lifetime Warranty.

We are meeting with the President and CEO of Colors on Parade, Jeff Cox.

In part 2, you will hear a clip from our Great Quotes in Franchising podcast. Click the play button below to listen to the show.

Franchise Interview with Cottman Transmission and Total auto care

We have a great show today. We are meeting with Randy Wright, President of the Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care franchise.

Being your own boss at Cottman means you don't have to go it alone. From the moment you become a business owner at Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care, you're part of their family.

Cottman will hand you a well-oiled business model - with the support of a nationwide team, an established system for success, and peers who are just as committed to your success as you are. There has never been a better time to roll into the Cottman family and benefit from decades of experience and a trusted reputation for quality auto care.

Millions of car owners think of Cottman as "my mechanic." It's a national brand that provides local service, offering one-stop service for total car care. After 55 years, we've become an automotive aftermarket industry leader with locations nationwide.

Franchise Interview with Creative Colors international

We have a great show today. Franchise Interviews is meeting with the President of Creative Colors International (CCI), Mark Bollman. Mark is going to discuss this exciting opportunity. Creative Colors International is a mobile-operated service franchise specializing in repair, reconditioning, and color restoration on leather, vinyl, fabric, plastics, and carpeting in the automotive, commercial, and residential markets. Learn more by listening to the show.  

Franchise Interview with Express oil Change & Service Center

Express Oil is a recognized leader in the quick-lube and automotive service industry and the largest independent quick-lube chain in the Southeast, with corporate and franchise-owned locations. This podcast is another timely segment, as many in the auto industry seek new business opportunities. Find out more by listening to our interview with the Express Oil franchise opportunity.  

Franchise Interview with Interstate All Battery Center

Marty and Don found this to be an interesting concept. One of the most difficult times financially for any new business owner is the time between signing the lease and when the cash register starts ringing. Interstate All Batteries Franchise and Development, the franchisor of Interstate All Battery Center (IABC), which has seen record franchisee signings this year, says it has built in a way to ease that with immediate sales opportunities before a franchisee's doors open. As a result, the company experiences increased sales, franchisee signings, and franchisee satisfaction.

Through its proven business-to-business program, franchisees can hit the ground running, ramping up their business much faster than traditional retailers." In most cases, IABC sells franchise markets where the company's commercial inside sales group has already secured existing business. These established commercial accounts provide franchisees with immediate income and offer established customer bases. "In a competitive marketplace like franchising, it is critical to distinguish your concept," said Interstate Batteries Franchise and Development Director Justin Darland. "IABC's concept provides our newly signed and trained partners to begin selling in the business-to-business market immediately, even before they open the doors to their retail location."

Franchise Interview with Honest-1 autocare

We have a great show today. We are meeting with the Honest-1 automotive franchise. Honest-1 leads the industry in many eco-friendly programs, including stern recycling of automotive materials, pollution prevention, resource conservation, and Eco-Friendly Auto Care services such as the ECO TuneUp and ECO Oil Change.

On top of its high environmental standards, Honest-1 has a very distinctive customer-centric attitude to the auto care industry, providing family-friendly centers characterized by clean and upscale waiting areas, Internet cafes, children's play areas, comfortable leather chairs and couches, big-screen TVs and complimentary beverage stations.

Honest-1 was ranked in Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500. Additionally, Honest-1 was ranked as one of the top companies in the Lube and Oil News Top Oil Change-Plus Chains.

Honest-1 Auto Care partnered with American Forests, the leading nonprofit organization that plants trees for environmental restoration, to further show its promise to the environment. Honest-1 Auto Care locations nationwide funded the planting of 100,000 new trees through the charitable donation of revenues collected from repair orders at no additional cost to customers.

We are meeting with Braden Poole, Operations Manager of Honest-1 Auto Care. 

Franchise Interview with Maaco

In Part I, we are meeting with Nancy Weingartner of our favorite magazine, Franchise Times. In parts 2 and 3, we will meet with Rick Obrzut, Franchise Development Manager of the Maaco franchise opportunity. With franchise locations nationwide, Maaco is "America's body shop." Maaco provides auto paint and auto body repair more than any other company in North America. The millions of vehicles Maaco has repaired since 1972 could create a traffic jam 15 lanes wide from New York to Los Angeles. Maaco's advancement in the cosmetic collision ("cosmolision") sector provides franchise dealers massive opportunities for continued growth. Click the play button below to listen to the show.

Franchise Interview with moran industries

We are meeting with Peter Baldine, the Chief Development Officer for Moran Industries. In 1956, Dennis Moran founded Moran Industries on a simple statement: "Americans depend on their cars, and they can depend on us." For over 50 years, Americans have relied on our professionalism and industry expertise to service their cars and maintain them regularly. Moran offers several highly respected and recognized brands that have exceeded our customers' expectations for over 50 years. Each of these brands is a trusted name with a proven, award-winning operating system and a support program that is among the best in the industry! 

Franchise Interview with Pirtek

We are meeting Morgan Arundel, President of Pirtek USA. Pirtek is the fluid power system leader in sales and service, the only brand in franchising in the United States. Pirtek boasts hundreds of units in dozens of countries worldwide and has years of experience in the hydraulic and pneumatic hose-replacement space. Powered by an industry-leading approach to sales and service and backed by a corporate center passionate about its franchisees and customers, Pirtek offers unmatched service and logistics. Listen to the show to find out more.  

Franchise Interview with Radair

We have a great show. We are meeting with Bill Snow, Vice President of Franchise Development & Operations, Rad Air Franchise Systems, Inc. Rad Air has a long history of providing quality automotive repair services and comprehensive vehicle maintenance to Northeast Ohio. In business since 1975, Rad Air started as a small radiator and air conditioning repair shop in Parma Heights, hence the name “Rad Air.” Although we continue to provide superior automotive heating and cooling system repairs, we have become the best choice in Greater Cleveland and Akron for complete automotive repair and car maintenance services at an affordable price. We play a clip from our popular Great Quotes in Franchising podcast in Part Two. 

Franchise Interview with RnR tire express

We are meeting with Larry Sutton of RNR Tire Express and Custom Wheels. Established in 1999, RNR (RENT-N-ROLL) has been a leading provider of custom wheels and tires with easy payment options. RNR has grown to many locations, with several stores scheduled to open across the US over the upcoming months.

In addition to the largest selection of brand-name wheels and tires, RNR offers the best customer service and professional installation.

At RNR, getting the wheels and tires you need has never been easier. With thousands of wheels and tires, their experienced staff will help you select the right product for your ride.

RNR's Services

- Custom Wheel Sales & Service - Top Name Brand Tires - Professional Tire Installation - Advanced Rotate & Balance - Free Flat Repair - No Credit Hassles - Roadside Assistance Program - Guaranteed Lowest Prices

Larry shares his story in this fantastic podcast. Raised by a single mom in a one-bedroom duplex, Larry and his four siblings learned from an early age that if they wanted something, they needed to earn the money to pay for it. Sutton took this lesson seriously and was well on his way to success by his senior year of high school, advancing up the ranks at his uncle's Tampa-based TV and appliance business selling inventory to all the high school teachers. Click the play button to listen to the show. 

Franchise Interview with super wash

Susan Black-Beth is the chief operating officer of Super Wash, Inc., the nation's largest self-serve car wash franchisor, founded by my parents. Before assuming the role of COO, Susan served as Senior Vice President and Director of Franchising from the inception of the Super Wash franchise program in November 2000.

When Susan was 19, she bought her first Super Wash car wash with her sister. Susan was featured in the January 2011 issue of Franchise Times as one of the "20 to Watch" in 2011; received the IFA's prestigious Bonny LeVine Award for mentoring and promoting women in franchising in 2012; and am the proud recipient of the 2013 Crystal Compass given by the IFA's Women's Franchise Committee celebrating leadership in franchising, company, and community.

Franchise Interview with superior wash

We are meeting with Jodi Scott and Brad James of the Superior Wash franchise opportunity. Superior Wash is a national 24-hour mobile fleet washing company. The company is a leader in the fleet-washing industry and services Fortune 500 clients such as Coca-Cola, Fed-Ex, UPS, and Budweiser trucks. Not only does the company help to alleviate the pressure of rising gas costs for corporate-owned fleet systems by conveniently traveling to an accounts fleet site, but it also uses an environmentally friendly water recovery system. Click the play button below to listen to the show.  

Franchise Interview with Team Blue

This week, Franchise Interviews is meeting with the Team Blue franchise. By providing a better-quality hand car wash experience, Team Blue is seeking to change and lead the multi-billion-dollar U.S. car wash industry by opening a national chain of "first-of-its-kind" franchised locations that offer a better quality wash, clean, customer-friendly operations and a unique "brand experience" to customers, while establishing itself as the first national presence in the car wash industry. 

Franchise Interview with Tint world

We have a great show today. We are meeting with Charles Bonfiglio, the CEO of Tint World. Since 1982, Tint World® has provided high-quality window tinting and vehicle accessories to people who love their cars. With a wide selection of automotive products and services, clean, attractive facilities, and superior customer service, Tint World®- has become America’s favorite place for auto styling and accessories.

Franchise Interviews Welcomes back Tint world

We are welcoming back Charles Bonfiglio, CEO and President of Tint World. Charles left Brooklyn, NY, when he was 21 years old for Florida to pursue his dreams of entrepreneurship. Since 1982, Tint World® has provided high-quality window tinting and vehicle accessories to people who love their cars. With a wide selection of automotive products and services, clean, attractive facilities, and superior customer service, Tint World® has become America's favorite place for auto styling and marine styling accessories and residential and commercial window film services.

Now, anyone can be the proud owner of a Tint World® Automotive Styling Center. In 2007, Tint World® began franchising and quickly became the nation's largest and fastest-growing window tinting and auto styling business opportunity. If you're interested in running your own business and being your own boss, you too can enjoy the excitement and profitability of running your own Tint World® auto styling business – all for a surprisingly low initial investment. 

Franchise Interview with Tommy's express car wash

We are meeting with Sean Oatney, Vice President of Franchise Development Tommy’s Express Car Wash Franchise. Built on a legacy of cutting-edge design and operations, Tommy’s Express Car Wash leads the way in Equipment, Facilities, and Operations. Their products will support you every step of the way, from the smallest fitting to a comprehensive franchise solution.

Tommy’s Express Car Wash Franchise is listed in Franchise Times as one of the smartest-growing franchises in the US—best in their category and now the fastest growing. 

Every Business Has A Story

Alex Lemmen, CEO of Tommy’s Express, holds up a grainy photo to prove he started early in the business founded by the Essenburg family of Holland, Michigan. “IT’S A BOY,” says the sign outside the Quality Car Wash managed by his father in 1990, when gas was $1.31 a gallon. “That’s me!” Lemmen said.

But Tommy’s goes back much further, to 1969, when brothers Jun and Sonny Essenburg opened their first Quality Car Wash. “They were partners in life, did everything together,” says Ryan Essenburg, Jun’s grandson, president of Tommy’s Express, and the person who pushed hardest to franchise, starting in 2016. “They always told stories of the Great Depression. It helped sculpt today. He taught us to be conservative, careful, and cautious.”

Tommy’s Express’s record is over 230 cars per hour. Wow!