Johnny G & Friends
If you’ve spent some time in the tire industry, you’ve probably heard the name John Gamauf, aka Johnny g. In his 50-plus years of service to the industry, he’s busted tires, survived the largest tire recall in history and made a lot of friends along the way. Meet them in Johnny g & Friends, a monthly podcast in which Johnny g and his friends share the secrets to their success and the memories they’ve made along the way in our beloved tire industry.
Episodes
June 10, 2025 • 35 mins
Now in his mid-90s, Jack Furrier has navigated more business cycles, met more customer needs, and created more solutions than most entrepreneurs could imagine in a lifetime. He's become a legend in Arizona, with his face practically synonymous with Jack Furrier Tire, but his story doesn’t start with tires. It starts in Parma, Ohio, where a young Jack decided that bagging groceries for $4 a week wasn’t going to cut it. So, he bought...
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May 13, 2025 • 35 mins
Some people take over a family business and stay the course. Brandon Harrell took one and completely redefined it. Brandon’s grandfather Luther founded Harrell’s Tire & Auto 80 years ago. Brandon joined the business in 2005 with big plans. He knew he needed to upend the status quo. In 2021, he bought the business from his father, Charlie. In just four years, he grew it from $4.6 million in revenue to more than $30 million annua...
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April 15, 2025 • 35 mins
Nate Zolman, president of Zolman Tire, is known for hard work, smart decisions, and adaptability. He transformed the company into a regional powerhouse in tires and truck repair.
The Origins of Zolman Tire
The story of Zolman Tire begins with Bud Zolman. He built the Indiana-based tire shop from scratch with grit. Nate practically grew up in the shop, changing tires and fixing cars. He learned firsthand what running a business takes....
The Origins of Zolman Tire
The story of Zolman Tire begins with Bud Zolman. He built the Indiana-based tire shop from scratch with grit. Nate practically grew up in the shop, changing tires and fixing cars. He learned firsthand what running a business takes....
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March 18, 2025 • 29 mins
Bauer Built Tire & Service has been a family name in the tire business since 1944. Sam Bauer founded the company in Durand, Wisconsin. It started as a small operation and grew into a powerhouse with 35 locations across nine states. Today, the rich Bauer Built Tire history shows the company’s dedication to growth, service, and community.
Jerry Bauer stepped into leadership at just 24 years old. He guided Bauer Built Tire & Se...
Jerry Bauer stepped into leadership at just 24 years old. He guided Bauer Built Tire & Se...
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October 8, 2024 • 15 mins
Throughout the year on episodes of Johnny g & Friends, Johnny would ask each guest: How do you work on the business instead of in the business? In this Season 4 wrap-up, find out how each guest answered that.
In this episode, hear from this year's guests including Andrew Firestone; Bridgestone Golf CEO Dan Murphy; Bubba, Kim and Pat McMahon of McMahon's Best-One; Sally Thomas, owner of J.P. Thomas & Company; Stacey and Frank...
In this episode, hear from this year's guests including Andrew Firestone; Bridgestone Golf CEO Dan Murphy; Bubba, Kim and Pat McMahon of McMahon's Best-One; Sally Thomas, owner of J.P. Thomas & Company; Stacey and Frank...
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September 9, 2024 • 14 mins
From humble beginnings changing tires in New York snowstorms outside his single-bay corner gas station to becoming President of Tallman's Tire and Auto Repair, based in Utica, New York, Tim Tallman is cultivating a legacy that beautifully integrates family values with his sharp business acumen.
His journey began immediately after high school, fueled by a passion for cars and a keen mechanical aptitude. With his wife’s encouragement ...
His journey began immediately after high school, fueled by a passion for cars and a keen mechanical aptitude. With his wife’s encouragement ...
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August 13, 2024 • 49 mins
John Quirk is a fourth-generation tire dealer with a storied history. His grandfather started in the tire industry opening Quirk Tire in Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1926. Back then, the business grew with the advent of the Interstate Highway System and serviced mainly commercial and off-the-road tires.
But as transportation evolved, so did the business. By 1985, John’s father, Edward S. Quirk, retired, and in June of that year, Joh...
But as transportation evolved, so did the business. By 1985, John’s father, Edward S. Quirk, retired, and in June of that year, Joh...
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July 9, 2024 • 31 mins
Stacey and Frankie Pugh, president and VP of Pugh’s Tire in Greenville, North Carolina, are the embodiment of what happens when four generations commit to hard work, customer care, community involvement, and adapt to change. Their Grandpa George Pugh founded Pugh's Tire & Service Center in 1945 as a corner gas station known as George Pugh Shell Station, and in 1962 their father Sammy Pugh became the mastermind in expanding the ...
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June 11, 2024 • 25 mins
Sally Thomas is a second-generation tire dealer with ambition, grit, and heart for the tire industry. Her father, Paul, founded the business in 1981 out of the driveway of their family home, and he and his wife, Sandra, soon blossomed the company into a full-blown tire and service location in Asheboro, North Carolina.
Sally grew up working in the business but pursued a career in nursing before making her way back. In 2012, Sally, wi...
Sally grew up working in the business but pursued a career in nursing before making her way back. In 2012, Sally, wi...
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May 14, 2024 • 25 mins
Community makes McMahon’s Best-One stand out from the competition. The company was founded in 1969 by Pat McMahon, who bought out a local independent tire dealer in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, with the help of Paul Zurcher.
Pat built a strong foundation for the business, and today, his son, Bubba, who grew up in the tire industry, now owns it with Randy Geyer, a longtime employee. Bubba’s wife, Kim, is now president of McMahon’s Best-One, a...
Pat built a strong foundation for the business, and today, his son, Bubba, who grew up in the tire industry, now owns it with Randy Geyer, a longtime employee. Bubba’s wife, Kim, is now president of McMahon’s Best-One, a...
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April 10, 2024 • 21 mins
Tiger Woods, Jason Day and Freddie Couples are just a few of the names linked to the quality and precision behind Bridgestone Golf – but the man behind the scenes who helped create and catapult the Bridgestone Golf brand to PGA grounds is Dan Murphy, the company's current president and CEO.
Dan has a long history in the golf business and is a golf fanatic himself. However, it wasn’t until the early 2000s when he was recruited to hel...
Dan has a long history in the golf business and is a golf fanatic himself. However, it wasn’t until the early 2000s when he was recruited to hel...
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April 9, 2024 • 29 mins
Tiger Woods, Jason Day and Freddie Couples are just a few of the names linked to the quality and precision behind Bridgestone Golf – but the man behind the scenes who helped create and catapult the Bridgestone Golf brand to PGA grounds is Dan Murphy, the company's current president and CEO.
Dan has a long history in the golf business and is a golf fanatic himself. However, it wasn’t until the early 2000s when he was recruited to hel...
Dan has a long history in the golf business and is a golf fanatic himself. However, it wasn’t until the early 2000s when he was recruited to hel...
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March 19, 2024 • 32 mins
Andrew Firestone is the great-grandson of Harvey S. Firestone, the founder of Firestone Tire & Rubber Company. Andrew’s last name appears on signs in tire stores around the world, but it wasn’t until the early 2000s that Andrew began to delve into his Firestone roots after rising to fame on the series “The Bachelor.” Since then, Andrew has developed a love and appreciation for the tire industry and the Bridgestone-Firestone com...
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December 19, 2023 • 13 mins
Welcome to Johnny g & Friends. Today, we have a special episode for you: The Greatness Round-Up of Season 3. In this episode, we take one question I asked all of our guests this year and compile their answers into one episode of never-before-heard audio.
This year, I asked our guests, “How do you work on the business instead of in the business?” In this episode, you'll hear from:
This year, I asked our guests, “How do you work on the business instead of in the business?” In this episode, you'll hear from:
- Marc Pons, owner of Chapel Hill Tire;
- Beth Barr...
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November 13, 2023 • 24 mins
You know when someone loves what they do when they speak about it with passion and excitement. With an engineering background and a passion for racing, Cara Krstolic, executive director, race tire engineering and manufacturing and chief engineer, motorsports, at Bridgestone Americas, is one of those people.
A native of Akron, Ohio, Cara started her career at Bridgestone as a vehicle dynamics engineer. But her curiosity for learning...
A native of Akron, Ohio, Cara started her career at Bridgestone as a vehicle dynamics engineer. But her curiosity for learning...
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October 17, 2023 • 27 mins
Dennis King has deep roots in the tire industry at Dunlap & Kyle Tire Company. His dad, Denny started out at Dunlap & Kyle in Jackson, Mississippi, working in distribution for Hesselbein Tire. When Dennis finished his computer science degree at Ole Miss in 1990, he planned to work in IT for the federal court system, yet the universe had other plans.
After a conversation with Bob Dunlap, founder of Dunlap & Kyle, Dennis...
After a conversation with Bob Dunlap, founder of Dunlap & Kyle, Dennis...
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September 12, 2023 • 30 mins
TJ Beroth comes from a long line of proud independent tire dealers that have demonstrated passion for serving their community. And TJ is no exception.
TJ’s grandfather, Tom, started Mock-Beroth Tire & Automotive in 1966 with the Mock brothers in the greater Winston-Salem area. It started as a recapping business and has evolved to 11 retail locations today. TJ’s dad, T, took over for Tom in the late 70s and developed the motto o...
TJ’s grandfather, Tom, started Mock-Beroth Tire & Automotive in 1966 with the Mock brothers in the greater Winston-Salem area. It started as a recapping business and has evolved to 11 retail locations today. TJ’s dad, T, took over for Tom in the late 70s and developed the motto o...
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August 8, 2023 • 38 mins
Matt Jensen grew up in the industry under the tutelage of his father, W.R., who founded Jensen Tire & Auto in 1973 with his wife. In the mid-90s, Matt bought out his father’s share of the business and focused on its growth in Omaha, Fremont and Lincoln, Nebraska. In 10 years’ time, he took Jensen Tire from 10 locations to 21.
Throughout the years, Jensen Tire has stayed true to its mission of maintaining long-lasting relationsh...
Throughout the years, Jensen Tire has stayed true to its mission of maintaining long-lasting relationsh...
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July 11, 2023 • 28 mins
Sullivan Tire is a name synonymous with the tire business. Yet when Bob Sullivan decided to take a risk and start the business in 1955, he was working out of a little red garage in Rockland, Massachusetts, that he rented for $150 per month. At that time, the Sullivan family had eight kids—eight mouths to feed—yet Bob was determined to go in business for himself and pursue the American dream.
Fast forward 68 years, and now his kids...
Fast forward 68 years, and now his kids...
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June 13, 2023 • 26 mins
Growing up, Beth Barron watched her father, Charley Gowland and his business partner, Billy Parker, open the first Chabill’s Tire & Auto Service in Morgan City, Louisiana. in the late ‘60s. For Charley, he looked at it as a huge business opportunity, which has blossomed into 19 stores over the past 55 years. Yet if you asked a college-aged Beth at the time if she’d take over the business one day, her answer would have been “No....
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