Roy Littlefield retired as CEO of the Tire Industry Association in late 2021. He began working there in 2002, and his tire industry career spans over 50 years. As CEO, he grew TIA’s membership from 2,700 to 13,000. He started his career in 1975, volunteering for Sen. Thomas McIntyre, D-NH, and worked for Sen. Barry Goldwater, R-CA, a few years later. His experience in politics taught him the importance of building strong relationships and paying attention to details. Roy earned a Ph.D. and teaches history, politics, and law at Catholic University.

In this episode…

The Tire Industry Association is working with government officials, on behalf of its 14,000 members, on two issues that are very​​ important to independent tire and auto repair shop owners: fines associated with tire registration and Right to Repair legislation. Right to Repair allows independent shops and car owners to repair vehicles on their own without requiring that they be taken to a dealership.

According to Roy Littlefield of TIA, association members have indicated that repair facilities generate about 70 percent of their income — which makes Right to Repair legislation vital for shop owners who are not affiliated with a manufacturer or retailer. Meanwhile, Roy emphasizes that independent shop owners should familiarize themselves with tire registration laws as soon as possible to avoid large fines that could completely derail a small business.

On this episode of Gain Traction, Roy joins Mike Edge for an important conversation about Right to Repair legislation and tire registration fines. Roy provides context on why both issues are important to tire and auto repair shop owners, explains how TIA is working with government officials on both matters and emphasizes the immediate need for shop owners to get up to speed on tire registration laws to avoid devastating fines. You don’t want to miss this episode!

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

• Roy Littlefield talks about how he worked his way into the tire industry 
• The secret to solving disagreements between tire manufacturers and retailers
• Why Roy considers the Right to Repair so vital
• How President Biden feels about the Right to Repair law 
• Roy details the current tire registration issue and the potential risks associated with it
• How the fines for failing to register tires get so large

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Roy Littlefield on LinkedIn
• Tire Industry Association 
• President Biden and Right to Repair 
• Tire registration fines
• Jason Rook on LinkedIn
• Mike Edge on LinkedIn
• Tread Partners

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.