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Gain Traction


Oct 26, 2022

Rick Benton II is Vice President of Sales and Marketing at BTS Tire & Wheel distributors and Black’s Tire and Auto Service. Rick is in charge of wholesale distribution, logistics, and purchasing, among many other responsibilities. Rick and his brothers, Ron and Jeremy, are second-generation tire dealers.

In this episode…

As anyone who has been in the tire and auto repair business for a considerable period of time can tell you, it’s not easy. It takes a special place with a unique culture to sustain a tire and auto business through multiple generations. How can that type of culture be built and sustained? Tune into this episode of Gain Traction to find out!

At Black’s Tire and Auto Service in Whiteville, NC, a family culture is what you’ll find when you first walk through the front door. According to Rick Benton II, who has worked there in some capacity since he was five years old, “at the end of the day, we really care so much about family, we want to help. We've been put here, and we've been blessed — so we feel like we've been blessed to help other people.”

On this episode of Gain Traction, Neal Maier sits down with Rick to discuss the business and culture elements that have sustained BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors for more than 90 years. Rick says maintaining their family culture can be challenging, but they make it happen by prioritizing events, community, charity golf tournaments, and relationships as highly as selling tires, products, equipment, and supplies. Don’t miss this insightful conversation!

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

  • Rick Benton II shares how he started working in the tire and automotive business as a young child, washing cars and pumping gas
  • Why BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors is a special place, dating back to 1929
  • How the family culture at BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors contributes to their success
  • Rick details the 25-year history of the Black’s Tire and Auto Service charity golf tournament
  • How BTS Tire & Wheel Distributors overcomes challenges with staffing
  • The valuable advice Rick has followed throughout his career

Resources mentioned in this episode:

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 info@treadpartners.com to learn more.