John Teddy is the Chief Executive Officer of Straightaway Tire & Auto, bringing over 15 years of leadership experience in consumer retail and services. Before joining Straightaway, he served as Vice President of Take 5 Oil Change and held senior roles at Driven Brands, including Chief Commercial Officer. His career also includes strategic positions at The Home Depot and Lowe's, where he focused on corporate strategy and performance improvement. John earned his degree from Vanderbilt University and currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and their four children. 

In this episode…

The auto repair and tire industry is rapidly evolving, with shop owners facing consolidation trends, customer service challenges, and the need for sustainable growth. How can independent operators scale their businesses while maintaining control and preserving their brand identity?

According to John Teddy of Straightaway Tire & Auto, the key lies in a partnership-driven approach that allows shop owners to grow without handing over full control. By joining a larger network while keeping their local brand and leadership, operators can access resources, financial security, and strategic support. This model fosters collaboration, helping businesses expand while maintaining the personalized service and trust that customers value.

On this episode of Gain Traction, Mike Edge welcomes John for a conversation about leadership, industry consolidation, and the importance of frontline employees. John shares insights on building strong customer relationships, creating sustainable expansion strategies, and why supporting shop owners through partnership-driven models benefits the industry.

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

• [01:58] How John Teddy's unexpected journey began in strategy consulting
• [02:29] Why John transitioned from consulting to consumer retail
• [07:06] The importance of thick skin in customer service roles
• [15:21] Straightaway Tire & Auto's growth strategy through local brand expansion
• [18:34] The long-term market potential for tire and auto repair
• [21:54] How servant leadership shapes Straightaway's company culture
• [26:42] Leadership lessons from historical and military tales

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• John Teddy on LinkedIn 
• Straightaway Tire & Auto 
• Band of Brothers
• Patton
• Mike Edge on LinkedIn
• Tread Partners

Quotable Moments: 

• "The tire and auto repair business isn’t just about fixing cars — it’s about solving problems and building long-term relationships with customers."
• "We partner with shop owners who want to grow without losing control, preserving their brand while gaining the resources to scale."
• "Great businesses are built on frontline employees — our job as leaders is to support them, not dictate from the top."
• "Customers don’t come to us on their best day, so it’s our job to turn frustration into trust and loyalty."
• "Straightaway isn’t just about acquisitions — it’s about building a network of passionate operators who want to grow together."

Action Steps: 

1. Engage directly with frontline employees: Spending time in shops and talking with service advisors and technicians helps leaders stay connected to daily challenges and operations.
2. Preserve brand identity during expansion: When growing a business, maintain the local brand’s reputation and customer relationships rather than replacing it with a corporate identity.
3. Adopt a partnership-driven growth strategy: Instead of forcing full buyouts, create opportunities for shop owners to take financial chips off the table while retaining leadership roles.
4. Prioritize customer service and problem-solving: Train employees to turn customer frustrations into trust by offering clear solutions and a positive service experience.
5. Leverage industry relationships for growth: Build partnerships with other operators in the market to acquire new locations and expand the business while maintaining quality service.

Sponsor for this episode...

This episode is brought to you by Tread Partners. 

At Tread Partners, we provide digital marketing for multi-location tire dealers and auto repair shops. 

By using our strategy, branding, and marketing services, we help shops sell more tires and put more cars in bays.

We’ve helped companies like Action Gator Tire, Colony Tire and Service, and Ulmer’s Auto Care Center bring extreme growth in paid leads, ROI, and searches. 

So, what are you waiting for?

Visit www.treadpartners.com or email [email protected] to learn more.