How long have you owned a Mr. Transmission franchise?
I have owned the Mr. Transmission franchise in Decatur, Georgia for 16 years.
What did you do before opening a Mr. Transmission store?
Prior to joining Mr. Transmission, I owned an automotive dealership in Decatur. Before that, I worked with a company that rehabbed apartment complexes. I received my EPA certification and then opened a turnkey service that handled a wide variety of apartment restoration projects such as painting, HVAC repair and carpet, upholstery and tile and grout cleaning. I also owned several barbershops and hair salons in the Decatur area.
How has that experience helped you now that you own a Mr. Transmission store?
Although I always loved cars and doing some projects on them growing up, my time with the auto dealership gave me a better understanding of how they operate and how to manage others working on them. My experience in owning other businesses made me a lot sharper when it came time to operate a Mr. Transmission shop. Having this knowledge enabled me to hire less staff and cut out the guess work when making decisions for my business.
What drew you to Mr. Transmission as an attractive franchise opportunity?
When I owned the automotive dealership, I purchased cheaper or repossessed cars that required work on them to increase their sales value. Some of the work we did was in rebuilding transmissions. One of my co-workers informed me that the Mr. Transmission shop nearby had recently closed and that I should look into it. I did some research and contacted Moran Family of Brands. A short time later, I bought the store and reopened it for business.
Do you have a certain experience in which you were able to help someone with a transmission repair that was particularly memorable?
I say all of my experiences here in the shop are memorable. A lot of times people may come in to us with transmission repair jobs and not have a lot of money. We try to work with them and be mindful of their situation and sometimes do the repairs at cost. The relationships we have with our customers are very rewarding, and they are good for business as well. It keeps customers coming back to us and also leads to many referrals, which is extremely important.
What has that experience of being on the Moran Franchise Advisory Board been like and how has that benefited you and others?
It has been a great experience. I’ve listened to other experienced owners and heard their ideas on how to grow their business. The franchise owners come from all parts of the country and they may have a different perspective on business than what I have. We all share our thoughts and ideas on how to approach the business and incorporate it into our own operations.
What has been the best part about being a Moran franchisee?Having the freedom to create my own business and determine its success. The harder I work, the more success I have. We get great support from the corporate office. The interaction I have with our customers and the impact we have in the community is very rewarding.
What would you tell prospective franchisees interested in owning their own business?
I would say the #1 rule is to know your craft. I can’t stress that enough. In some businesses, may be able to have absentee ownership but I don’t believe that is the case in the auto repair industry. You have to be familiar with the paperwork and the work that goes on in the shop each day. You need to have just as much, if not more, knowledge than your staff about the work that needs to be done.