Some people take over a family business and stay the course. Brandon Harrell took one and completely redefined it. Brandon’s grandfather Luther founded Harrell’s Tire & Auto 80 years ago. Brandon joined the business in 2005 with big plans. He knew he needed to upend the status quo. In 2021, he bought the business from his father, Charlie. In just four years, he grew it from $4.6 million in revenue to more than $30 million annually.
His secret? How much time do you have?
Scaling the Harrell’s Tire & Auto Way
He started with a relentless focus on staffing, service, and operational efficiency to drive the business forward. While many struggle to find workers, Brandon built a waiting list of people wanting to join his team. He borrowed strategies from Chick-fil-A and added AI to streamline recruiting and phone systems for greater efficiency.
Why Culture and Hospitality Drive Success
Brandon joins the Johnny g & Friends podcast to explain how he scaled the business so quickly and intentionally. He shares why he hires from the hospitality industry instead of the tire business and prioritizes service over price. He also explains why treating employees like customers drives long-term success and loyalty from both groups.
In this episode of Johnny g & Friends, presented by Firestone, Johnny g and Jerry discuss:
- Brandon’s secret to quickly scaling the business (1:55)
- How Brandon’s grandfather started Harrell’s Tire (3:00)
- Why Brandon studied the Chick-fil-A business model (5:26)
- Prioritizing hiring employees outside of the tire business (8:38)
- Building a culture where employees are treated like customers (11:13)
- Advice to help tire dealers exceed expectations with their customers (14:00)
- All business is won or lost on the phone (17:03)
- Why Brandon has embraced AI in his business (21:09)
- Lightning Round (33:26)
For more episodes of Johnny g & Friends, presented by Firestone, click here.
