Franchisee Bevin Fink and her husband Troy are focusing on appealing to female customers with the launch of their new Milex Complete Auto Care/Mr. Transmission auto repair store in Concord, North Carolina.

Prior to becoming a franchisee, Bevin Fink supported her family as a stay-at-home mom and homeschool teacher to four children. Her experience on the homefront provided her with the tools and perspective required to manage a busy auto repair shop. Recognizing that women are the taskmasters in many families, she designed the waiting area of her franchise with females in mind. It features a warmer, more welcoming appearance similar to a hotel lobby. The location offers free WiFi and complimentary beverages, as well as a shuttle service for their customers who would like to be picked up or dropped off. She also plans to hold car care clinics for women in the Concord area to teach others about the basic parts and maintenance of vehicles.

“Being a stay-at-home mother for so many years, I was usually the one who took our vehicles in for service. I noticed that most of the shops had waiting areas that were geared toward men, even though the majority of the people in the lobby were women. There weren’t many women’s magazines, and it wasn’t a comfortable atmosphere for females,” Bevin Fink said. “There is still a feeling out there that most women don’t feel comfortable going into automotive repair shops. I’m hoping to change that with our store, and I feel empowered to do this after hearing what Barb Moran has done to grow the franchise over the years.”

Barbara Moran is the Co-Founder, Chairwoman and CEO of Moran Family of Brands. Her guidance and knowledge helped grow the company, which has more than 130 franchise locations under the Mr. Transmission, Milex Complete Car Care, Turbo Tint and Alta Mere brands.

The Finks’ new store in Concord, which opened its doors in February, operates from a fully refurbished 3,500 square foot facility with six car bays. The pair initially hired two full-time employees, a master mechanic and a lube tech. They plan on hiring additional staff in the coming months as the business grows.

While Bevin Fink will spearhead sales, service writing and marketing, her husband will use his business degree to manage business operations, financial work, human resources, managing inventory, and workflow. Troy Fink also has experience working on vehicles and building Freightliner trucks while working for Daimler Trucks. The couple was interested in operating a family business, and they admired the guidance, support, and roadmap Moran provides to all of its franchisees. At the same time, they felt Moran gives their franchisees the freedom to make their own decisions and run the business the way they need. “They provide the support, infrastructure, and a guideline with the processes they have in place to help their franchisees succeed,” Troy Fink said.

In addition to working at their new location, Bevin Fink will continue to homeschool her youngest child, who also attends a co-op three days a week. She plans to conduct many of his lessons from their auto repair shop because she thinks it is important for him to see how his parents operate the family business.

Despite their short tenure as owners, the Finks have already dealt with adversity and successfully navigated through it.  The pandemic put their dreams of opening a family-owned business on hold for nearly a year as they waited for approval of their loan from the Small Business Association. After the outbreak of the pandemic, the SBA prioritized emergency funding for existing small businesses feeling the effects of government shutdowns.

Luckily, the seller of their building was patient during the lengthy waiting period, which allowed them to line up contractors for renovations. When they finally got the keys to their shop, the pandemic also contributed to shipping delays on essential equipment and slowed the training process for their employees.

“Auto repair is an essential business. Our goal is to treat all customers with honesty and quality service,” Bevin Fink added.

For more information on Moran Family of Brands, please visit moranfamilyofbrands.com.