JASON STRETCH
Jason spent his childhood in the tiny community of Nelson, New Hampshire (population 629 as of 2020) where, he says, there were more animals than people. An early indication of Jason’s career was that he fell in love with taking things apart as a kid, even though he couldn’t put them back together. At the age of 12, he acquired a Volkswagen Bug and, from a manual, learned all about its mechanical operation.
Higher Education
Not long after graduating high school, Jason moved to Flagstaff, Arizona to attend Northern Arizona University, mainly so that he could engage in two of his major passions at the same time: mountain biking and snowboarding. He didn’t last long, though, as although he was pursuing a major in hotel restaurant management, he spent most of his time buying and repairing cars. He decided he really wanted a career in auto racing.
Change Of Course
Jason then enrolled in Russell Racing School at Sears Point, north of San Francisco, California. He attended the school for a year, learning how to work on open-wheel formula cars—specifically Formula Mazda—and learning to drive them as well so he could understand how changes he made in suspension related to car performance.
Close to the end of his year at Russell, Jason passed out resumes at a LeMans race at Sears Point Raceway. A short time afterward, the BMW North America team that had run the BMW M3 in the LeMans race contacted him and offered him a job. He accepted, and when his school term was over, he made the move to Virginia. His employment took him all over the world with the American LeMans racing series.
A characteristic that would shape Jason’s life was that he always sought to take on more responsibility wherever he was employed. The BMW team, however, was not willing to let him. He ended up leaving and going to work for American entrepreneur Don Panoz, inventor of the nicotine patch. Panoz was a racing enthusiast who purchased the Road Atlanta racetrack and built his own race cars. Jason’s job was fashioning carbon fiber bodywork for the cars.
Once more, however, Jason was prevented from moving up in the company and left. He had learned a great deal from the Russell Racing School, and from working with both BMW and Panoz, and decided he wanted to start his own company.
Entrepreneur
Shortly after 9/11, Jason loaded his tools and belongings into his 1963 VW panel van and drove it back across the country. He started his own company, catering to the club motorsport level. He found that unlike genuine motorsports, where cost was no object for building what was needed, everyone at the club level had “champagne taste on a beer budget.” He realized this was not the career move for him.
Jason then opened an auto repair business with two others. The business soon failed, however, when one of the partners squandered all the profits on a drug habit.
There was another auto shop in the same town, and Jason begged them for a job, saying he'd work for anything. He made just enough to squeak by, working as a mechanic and writing service. He became proficient in everything he practiced.
While employed in that shop, Jason observed that the owner was not very interested in the business. On the owner’s 50th birthday, Jason gave him a birthday card in which he wrote an offer to buy the shop. The owner accepted the offer and sold out to Jason.
While excited about having his own enterprise, Jason knew little about running a company. He found a mailer from a consulting company and reached out to them. With their help, he took the business to a new height and made substantial profits.
The Move
Jason wanted to expand the business further but knew his options were limited in rural New Hampshire. He and his wife, having already purchased a house in Fort Myers, Florida several years back, decided to make the move there.
Jason took a year off, traveling around Florida and observing different shops to see how they operated. He thought that coming from the mountains of New Hampshire into a fast-paced urban environment, he’d meet shop owner repair wizards who truly knew how to take care of customers, do things right and charge appropriately. He was severely disappointed—he didn’t see any of that anywhere.
Help Through Education
After buying an existing shop, Jason tripled the business within the first two years just on the knowledge and skill he had. He realized, however, that he needed help to take it to the next level.
Instead of hiring another consultant, Jason wanted to understand business principles enough so he would know how to apply them himself. He ended up attending a college of administration in Los Angeles, taking many courses in all aspects of business.
After completing his training, Jason returned to Florida and effected a tremendous difference in his operation. Over the next five years, he took his shop from $750,000 to $2.5 million in annual sales.
Moving Into A Second Location
There came a time that Jason felt he could squeeze no more out of that shop. Like Scotty on the Star Trek Starship Enterprise, he joked, “I’m giving her all she’s got, Captain!” Having continued his education, he came to the end of that five years having learned enough to establish a second location, which at this writing is about to open.
Expansion to Consultancy
Jason also decided that, through all he had learned, he was capable of helping other shop owners attain the same level of success. He could assist them in making a decent profit, live the kind of lifestyle they wanted, and not have to spend every waking moment in their business, instead taking time with family to do things they really wanted to do.
Jason says, “Everything I’ve learned now contributes to helping others achieve success. I’ve been through what they’ve been through, from sleeping on a cot on the floor of my first shop while I got it up and running, draping myself with a wet towel to keep cool enough to sleep in the summer. But I was living my dream, so I know what that feels like.”
There is no issue that Jason hasn’t dealt with that he hasn’t been able to overcome, either in his own shop or in those he was consulting. Having taken the responsibility he has throughout his life, including the demand he’s placed upon himself for doing things the right way, he’s now willing to take responsibility for his clients, caring enough about them to help them reach their goals.
Not “One Size Fits All”
Jason’s consultancy is not the type of “one-size-fits-all” set of solutions seen throughout the auto repair industry. All shops—just like all people—are different, with diverse challenges. This recognition is the uniqueness that Jason brings to the table.
Making You Capable
Any consulting company that tries to lock you in, where you feel like you cannot ultimately do it yourself, should be a danger sign. Unfortunately, that is the case with 99 percent of consulting companies.
Prior to his own training, Jason spent tens of thousands of dollars on a consultant, all the while continuing to feel he had to ask someone else for solutions to problems. He finally began to wonder: shouldn’t it be possible for the shop owner to answer their own questions, and have the certainty of knowing what to do and when to do it?
Jason’s goal is to get you where you can take the reins so you’re not forever tied to a consulting company. You’re making the money, you’ve got the time, and you understand it’s all about having the knowledge yourself so that you can be the consultant instead of needing one for your business.
What Others are Saying
Just as in your auto shop, referrals are everything. In consulting, Jason seeks to obtain the results they’re looking for so they’ll tell others. You can read many of their testimonials on this web site.
Reach out today to learn how Jason can help you boom your auto shop.
