What Happens When a Tire Business Grows Too Fast? with Kamard Johnson of GTT Commercial Tires

Kamard Johnson is the President & CEO of GTT Commercial Tires, based in Richmond, Virginia. With a professional background rooted in sales and customer service, Kamard joined forces with his brother to build a company that started with seven used tires in a shed and grew into a multi-location operation recognized on the Inc. 5000 list three years in a row. His story highlights both the opportunities and the hard lessons that come with ambition, leadership, and scaling too quickly in the tire industry.

In this episode…

Success to outsiders can look like growing or scaling your business at a fast rate. But when is fast too fast? Does it take a toll on your business? In this conversation, Kamard Johnson explores the realities behind tire business growth challenges and what happens when ambition outruns preparation.

Kamard shares his candid journey of rapid expansion, earning national recognition while battling the hidden costs of fast growth. From strained operations to financial pressure and even selling into unprofitability, he reveals the lessons that reshaped his approach. These tire business growth challenges forced him to step out of sales and into a true leadership role, focusing on systems, processes, and long-term strategy.

What we loved about this conversation with Kamard is how real he was about the struggles behind the growth. He didn’t just talk about the wins but he also opened up about the mistakes, the financial pressure, and the lessons that forced him to grow as a leader. Hearing him explain how self-awareness and putting people first shaped his journey gave us a lot to think about, and we think it will hit home for anyone facing tire business growth challenges or pushing their business forward faster than it was ready for.

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

[02:09] The meaning behind GTT Commercial Tires

[02:18] Kamard’s upbringing and how his mother and brother shaped his path

[05:34] How his mother persuaded him to join the family business

[07:01] Working side by side with his brother and defining their roles

[11:46] Why Kamard sees himself as more of an architect than a builder

[16:42] Expanding to three locations and the strategy behind it

[17:27] Lessons learned from pursuing aggressive growth

[19:44] How Kamard adjusted his leadership style after growing too fast

[21:57] Discovering the risks of selling into unprofitability

[24:59] The mantra from his mother that guides Kamard’s leadership

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Kamard Johnson’s Website
• GTT Commercial Tires Website
• Tread Partners
• Gain Traction Podcast on YouTube
• Gain Traction Podcast Website
• Mike Edge on LinkedIn

Quotable Moments:

• “These hands have never changed a tire in my life.”
• “Growth magnifies not just the things you do well, but also the things you don’t do so well.”
• “You can actually sell yourself into being unprofitable.”
• “You take care of the people who take care of you.”
• “The truest foundation of success is self-awareness.”

Action Steps:

1. Evaluate whether growth is exposing weaknesses in your operations before expanding further.
2. Focus on systems and processes that support sustainable growth, not just sales volume.
3. Step back from short-term wins to look at long-term leadership and financial health.
4. Remember the importance of self-awareness in leadership, know what you do best and where to delegate.
5. Embrace the lessons of tire business growth challenges as opportunities for building resilience and sustainable success.