The Gain Traction Podcast features top tire and auto repair professionals, shop owners, industry executives, and thought leaders.
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Davidchristopher Podcasts
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He Started Pumping Gas at 16… Now He Runs a $3.7M Auto Empire
31:08
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31:08Eric Svedberg is the President and Owner of European Autowerks in Virginia Beach, Virginia, a premier independent shop specializing in high-end European vehicles. Starting his journey at just sixteen, pumping gas at a local Amoco station, Eric quickly rose to become the country's youngest Amoco dealer by age twenty-two. Over the years, he transform…
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Celebrating 200 Episodes! How Gain Traction Continues to Connect the Automotive Industry
25:59
25:59
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25:59Mike Edge is the host of the Gain Traction Podcast, the official podcast for the tire and automotive industry, powered by Tread Partners. With a passion for spotlighting the people behind the business, Mike has spent over four years interviewing tire dealers, shop owners, industry executives, and innovators who keep the industry rolling forward. So…
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Is Inflation Reshaping the Tire Industry in 2025?
36:16
36:16
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36:16Mike Griffin is the Sales Manager at Dunlap & Kyle Tire Company in Birmingham, Alabama, that’s been serving the Southeast for decades. With years of experience behind the counter and in the field, Mike has seen firsthand how shifting markets, customer habits, and economic changes affect everyday operations. Known for his grounded leadership and peo…
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The Fastest Path From Tier 4 to Tier 2 in Tire Industry History with Phillip Kane of Turbo Wholesale Tires
22:09
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22:09Phillip Kane is the CEO of Turbo Wholesale Tires, home to brands like Lexani, Lionheart, and Rolling Big Power. With decades of experience at companies such as Snap-on, NAPA, Goodyear, and Pirelli, Phillip blends a lifetime in the automotive industry with a genuine passion for cars and tires. Today, he leads Turbo Wholesale Tires with a focus on he…
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Why Customers Call AutoFlow the ‘Amazon Experience’ for Auto Repair with Chris Cloutier of Autoflow
32:02
32:02
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32:02Chris Cloutier is the owner of Golden Rule Auto Care in Dallas, Texas, and the founder of AutoFlow, a software solution built to improve auto repair customer communication. With a background in software engineering and firsthand experience as a shop owner, Chris recognized the communication gaps that left customers frustrated and shop teams overwhe…
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Why Tire Dealers Can’t Afford to Miss SEMA 2025
24:50
24:50
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24:50Tom Gattuso is the Vice President of Events for SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association. With more than three decades of experience in the automotive events industry, Tom has overseen the growth of the SEMA Show into one of the largest and most influential trade shows in the world, drawing more than 160,000 attendees from 145 countries. Hi…
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From Burnout to Buy-In: How to Reignite Your Auto Repair Team
28:51
28:51
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28:51Josh Parnell is the founder of Limitless Leadership, LLC, and a former Director of Service Development at Christian Brothers Automotive. With a background that spans military service, leadership training, and years of building industry-leading programs, Josh brings a unique perspective on people-first leadership in the auto repair world. His missio…
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What Happens When a Tire Business Grows Too Fast? with Kamard Johnson of GTT Commercial Tires
32:03
32:03
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32:03Kamard Johnson is the President & CEO of GTT Commercial Tires, based in Richmond, Virginia. With a professional background rooted in sales and customer service, Kamard joined forces with his brother to build a company that started with seven used tires in a shed and grew into a multi-location operation recognized on the Inc. 5000 list three years i…
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Overwhelmed to Empowered: How Tire Shop Owners Are Taking Back Control
29:34
29:34
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29:34Tony O’Billovich is the leader of the Master Shop Program for Point S Tire USA. With decades of experience running and growing multiple tire and auto repair locations, Tony has seen firsthand the challenges that overwhelm shop owners and the strategies that turn things around. His focus on profitability, leadership, and people development has helpe…
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Why This COO Believes Scaling Starts With People, Not Profit with Tyler Paparello of AMG
29:20
29:20
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29:20Tyler Paparello is the Chief Operating Officer at AMG, overseeing 28 Midas locations across New England. With a background rooted in sales, Tyler learned early on that while selling can solve short-term problems, it takes leadership, people, and process to scale a business sustainably. Today, he focuses on building systems that empower employees, e…
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How to Scale a Tire Brand Without Losing Community Trust with Christian Seem of Goodturn Tire & Auto
28:55
28:55
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28:55Christian Seem is the President & CEO of Good Turn Tire & Auto, a rapidly growing tire and auto repair company with 55 locations and 16 brands across five states. With nearly 20 years of experience in the automotive industry, Christian has worked in big box retail, commercial parts distribution, and tire retail, including leadership roles at TBC Co…
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Why Tire Business Became the Trusted Voice of an Entire Industry with Bruce Davis of Tire Business
31:06
31:06
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31:06Bruce Davis is a veteran journalist and editor who spent 45 years shaping how the tire industry receives its news, data, and insights. As a founding staff member of Tire Business, he helped launch the publication in 1983, transforming it from an ambitious idea into one of the most trusted voices in the global tire market. Over the years, Bruce pion…
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Lessons in Customer Service from a Century-Old Tire Company with Don Barnes III of Belle Tire
25:38
25:38
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25:38Don Barnes III is the Chief Tire Guy at Belle Tire, a third-generation leader helping steer one of the oldest and most respected tire retailers in the U.S. Founded in 1922, Belle Tire has grown from a local shop into a powerhouse with over 180 locations across the Midwest. Under Don’s leadership, the company has maintained its century-long reputati…
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How a Farmer Turned a Small Tire Shop into a $26M Business
26:25
26:25
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26:25Jesse Wickel is the owner of Wickel Tire Pros in Burley, Idaho. A former farmer with deep roots in agriculture, Jesse built his business from a single tire shop into a multi-location operation generating over $26 million in annual sales. With a hands-on approach, a strong community presence, and a commitment to relationship-driven service, Jesse ha…
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The Council That’s Quietly Shaping the Future of the Auto Industry
17:47
17:47
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17:47Mike Lusso is a seasoned engineer at Coats Company in Nashville, Tennessee, specializing in tire changers, wheel balancers, lifts, and alignment machines. A lifelong gearhead with a passion for modifying cars, Mike channels his love for the automotive space into leadership roles, most notably as Chair of the WTSBC, a leading automotive industry cou…
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Employee Ownership and Rural Market Success With Adrian Rodriguez of Commercial Tire
27:42
27:42
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27:42Adrian Rodriguez is the Vice President of Marketing and Retail Sales at Commercial Tire, a leading tire and auto service provider with over 45 locations across Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and Utah. Before joining Commercial Tire, he spent a decade with John Deere, sharpening his expertise in marketing and retail strategy. Adrian helped lead Commerci…
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Marketing Strategies To Boost Bay Traffic With Joe Schafranek of Tread Partners
24:08
24:08
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24:08Joe Schafranek is an Account Manager at Tread Partners, a marketing agency focused on the tire and auto repair industry. With roots in Detroit and hands-on shop experience at Firestone and Big O, Joe brings a unique perspective to digital marketing through his understanding of both operations and data. Prior to Tread Partners, he helped grow BAIC a…
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An Open and Honest Approach to Marketing With Dan Kahn of Kahn Media
33:16
33:16
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33:16Dan Kahn is the Founder and CEO of Kahn Media, a public relations and marketing agency based in Los Angeles specializing in the automotive aftermarket. A lifelong car enthusiast, Dan began his career at age 16 by pitching and landing magazine features on a Mustang he restored with his father. Before founding Kahn Media in 2008, he worked as an auto…
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Legacy and Innovation With Dennis Feldman, Keleyah Miller and Justin Pursell of ITDG Next Gen
24:17
24:17
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24:17Dennis Feldman is the Chair of the ITDG Next Gen Committee and a third-generation operator at Performance Plus Tire, a family-owned business in Long Beach, California which specializes in classic car tires and aftermarket wheels. Keleyah Miller is the Vice Chair of the ITDG Next Gen Committee and part of the third generation at Main Street Tire in …
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Secrets to Scaling Your Auto Service Business With Joe Tomarchio Jr. of FOCUS Investment Banking
31:59
31:59
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31:59Joe Tomarchio Jr. is a Managing Director at FOCUS Investment Banking, where he specializes in helping auto service businesses scale and prepare for acquisition. Before joining FOCUS, Joe co-founded and scaled a 26-location tire and auto service chain, generating over $50M in revenue before selling it to Monro. With over 65 major acquisitions under …
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Driving Success as a Family Business With Steven and Susan Moss of Wilson Tire Pros and Automotive
36:57
36:57
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36:57Steven and Susan Moss are the owners of Wilson Tire Pros and Automotive, a three-location tire and automotive repair business in Burlington, North Carolina. Steven, who took over the business from his father in 2009, brings a hands-on background in automotive repair and business operations. Susan, after managing military contracts in her family's h…
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Why Racing and Auto Shops Go Hand in Hand With Rob Howden of USF Pro Racing
23:37
23:37
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23:37Rob Howden is the Director of Business Development and Series Announcer for USF Pro Championship Racing. Known as “The Voice of the Series,” he has been a fixture in motorsports media for over 30 years. He’s also the founder of Howden Media Group and eKarting News, where he continues to cover karting events across North America. Rob’s passion for r…
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How To Build a Culture While Scaling Fast With Logan Leslie of Main Street Auto
31:05
31:05
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31:05Logan Leslie is the Founder and CEO of Main Street Auto, a fast-growing network of tire and auto repair shops across the United States. After serving over eight years in the military, Logan pursued a joint law and business degree, which laid the foundation for his entrepreneurial ventures. He launched Main Street Auto in 2021, starting with a singl…
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How SEMA Supports Tire Shops and Small Businesses With Mike Spagnola of SEMA
37:29
37:29
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37:29Mike Spagnola is President and CEO of SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association), a leading trade organization in the automotive aftermarket industry. With over 50 years of hands-on experience in the automotive world, Mike has been deeply involved in everything from car builds to legislative advocacy. Before leading SEMA, he built a career roote…
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From Food Service to Repair Shop Ownership With Nathan Rhodes of Total Automotive
25:09
25:09
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25:09Nathan Rhodes is the Owner of Total Automotive, an independent auto repair shop based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. With a background in machining and welding, Nathan’s passion for cars began as a teenager maintaining his own vehicle. After working his way up from an installer at Pep Boys to a skilled technician, he eventually opened his own shop in 2…
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