Working Your Way From Lube Tech to Owner With Brad Updegraff, Owner of Dave's Ultimate Automotive

Brad Updegraff is the Owner of Dave’s Ultimate Automotive, which has six locations in Texas. He started as a lube technician in a small, Austin-based gas station and repair shop in 1998, and moved into the front office as an advisor in 2001. Brad worked his way up to being manager, acquired his ASE certification and started working for Dave’s Ultimate Automotive as an advisor in 2010. He bought the original location in 2012 and expanded to six locations by 2016.

In this episode…

If you’re an employee at a tire and auto repair shop, you probably enjoy what you do. Have you ever thought about moving up within the industry? Are you a good technician? Do you like communicating with people? If so, you may have what it takes! To hear the story of someone who successfully navigated his way to the top, check out this episode of Gain Traction!

Brad Updegraff of Dave’s Ultimate Automotive started as a lube technician and now owns six locations. He said he had been working in the industry for about two years and one day, “I just remember stopping when I was under the hood and realizing that I actually understood more of the mechanics than I had in previous days, and it gave me this confidence that I needed to continue to build on this, and move forward and see what that turned into.” Brad built on his passion for helping people solve their car problems.

On this episode of Gain Traction, you’ll hear from Brad, who joins Mike Edge for a conversation about advancing through the automotive industry. He shares how he got his start, gained confidence in his abilities, embraced his passion for helping people, and developed his skills as a leader — “I was the first to show up and the last one to leave. I was accountable for everything” — shaping the culture of his shop. Tune in to hear Brad talk about how a positive environment can impact a customer’s day!

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

• When Brad Updegraff knew he wanted to own his own tire and auto repair shop
• How a robbery at a pizza restaurant motivated Brad to work in the automotive industry
• Why each Dave’s Ultimate Automotive shop is in its specific location
• How leadership can positively impact business culture
• The perspective Brad has gained from being deaf in his right ear
• Brad’s top travel destination

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Brad Updegraff on LinkedIn
• Dave’s Ultimate Automotive
• Mike Edge on LinkedIn
• Tread Partners

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.

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Visit www.treadpartners.com or email info@treadpartners.com to learn more.