How a Farmer Turned a Small Tire Shop into a $26M Business

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 relationship-driven service, Jesse has grown his team from just a few employees to over 80 across multiple locations, all while maintaining his small-town values.

In this episode…

How do you take a rural tire shop doing $1.2 million in annual sales and scale it to over $26 million in just seven years? According to Jesse Wickel, it starts with relationships; with your customers, your employees, and your community.

On this episode of Gain Traction, Mike Edge sits down with Jesse to talk about how his background in farming helped shape his mindset around service, hard work, and leadership. Jesse explains why growing in a rural market requires more than just good pricing; it takes trust, reliability, and genuine connection. From opening day to serving 8,000 hot dogs at their expansion event, his story is packed with authenticity and grit.

Jesse also shares his people-first philosophy: that success isn’t measured in number of locations or fleet trucks, but in whether employees are happy, families are thriving, and customers feel truly taken care of. Whether you’re running a farm or a tire shop, Jesse believes the formula for success is simple: work hard, stay humble, and build real relationships.

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

• [01:31] Jesse shares how he was drawn into farming after college out of necessity
• [03:26] How the opportunity to buy a small tire shop came unexpectedly
• [04:59] How Jesse's business grew from a $1.2M operation to 80 employees and multiple locations
• [07:09] What Jesse enjoys about working in the tire industry
• [10:15] Jesse opens up about his family life
• [13:13] Jesse’s goals for the business over the next few years
• [16:26] What guiding principle does Jesse live by and share with other shop owners?
• [17:54] How does Jesse find employees for his growing business?
• [23:17] Jesse talks about his strong relationship with Titan International

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Wickel Tire Pros https://wickeltirepros.com/
• Titan International https://www.titan-intl.com/
• Tread Partners https://treadpartners.com/
• Gain Traction Podcast https://gaintractionpodcast.com/
• Gain Traction Podcast Episode #187: The Council That’s Quietly Shaping the Future of the Auto Industry https://gaintractionpodcast.com/the-council-thats-quietly-shaping-the-future-of-the-auto-industry/

Quotable Moments:

• “Our customers aren’t buying tires, they’re buying from people they trust.”
• “If we take care of our employees and their families, the rest will follow.”
• “Success isn’t how many shops we have, it’s how well our team is doing.”
• “In a small town, everyone knows your name. You’ve got to earn that trust every day.”
• “We didn’t know we’d serve 8,000 hot dogs at our grand opening… but we did.”

Action Steps:

1. Invest in relationships: Treat every customer like a neighbor, not a transaction.
2. Measure what matters: Focus on family, team morale, and service, not just revenue.
3. Create workplace wins: Support your team in hitting personal and professional milestones.
4. Involve your community: Make them part of your journey and growth.
5. Hire early, hire right: Seek people who want to work and grow, not just fill a spot.