
Gain Traction
The Gain Traction Podcast features top tire and auto repair professionals, shop owners, industry executives, and thought leaders.
Show episodes

Why This COO Believes Scaling Starts With People, Not Profit with Tyler Paparello of AMG
Tyler 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 sys

How to Scale a Tire Brand Without Losing Community Trust with Christian Seem of Goodturn Tire & Auto
Christian 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, includ

Why Tire Business Became the Trusted Voice of an Entire Industry with Bruce Davis of Tire Business
Bruce 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 mark

Lessons in Customer Service from a Century-Old Tire Company with Don Barnes III of Belle Tire
Don 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 mainta
Jesse 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 relatio
Mike 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 l