Franchisee Spotlight: Tom Watson, Prior Lake, MN

Tom Watson grew up In Brooklyn Center, Minn. and has lived in the Metro area his entire life. He has been working for Jim Henkel, the Honest-1 Auto Care Area Developer, since 2010 — when Henkel only had one store in Minnesota. Watson began his Honest-1 career focusing primarily on outside sales and providing back-up support in stores as needed. Over time, through extensive training and education, he assumed the role of Operations Manager of the Minnesota market.

Watson first met Fred Haynes, remote franchisee of Honest-1 Prior Lake, when he accepted the position of general manager at Haynes’s Burnsville, Minn. store. Haynes is based in Chicago and is a remote owner, leaving most responsibilities to Watson, who will continue to manage the day-to-day operations for the Burnsville store while overseeing the new Prior Lake location.

Watson made his debut in the automotive industry as a general service technician changing oil, tires and performing light duty repairs. Eventually, Watson realized that he would be better suited in sales and took up the opportunity when a position became available in the company that he was working for at the time.

How did you learn about Honest-1?

I found Honest-1 through an ad posted online, and after one interview, I knew it was where I wanted to spend my career. The very philosophy of how business is conducted, combined with the unique service offerings, makes Honest-1 stand out far ahead of its competitors.

What do you hope to achieve as the general manager of this store?

As manager I hope to provide 15-20 new jobs to the Prior Lake area, set a new standard in customer service and earn a fair profit to generate humble growth for the company.

Do you have any plans to broaden your managerial responsibilities?

My goal is help to educate and inspire teams of automotive professionals all over the Twin Cities and eventually own my own Honest-1 Auto Care stores.

Are you involved in any charities or community groups?

I am active in the Girl Scout Troop that my seven-year-old daughter belongs to. 

Honest-1 Featured on ABCNewspapers.com

Honest-1 was recently featured on ABCNewspapers.com in an article titled, "Honest-1 Auto Care business in Blaine expanding".

The article discusses the success of the location in Blaine, Minnesota and why owner Evan Staples decided to open a secondary business in the auto-care industry.  As a semi-absentee business owner, Evan discusses his background in finance and how opening Honest-1 has been a rewarding and lucrative opportunity for him and his family. 

Click HERE for the full article or begin reading below:

Honest-1 Auto Care business in Blaine expanding

By: Eric Hagen

The business owner overseeing the expansion of the Honest-1 Auto Care facility in Blaine on University Avenue has very diverse experiences so he can better support his family.

Evan Staples of Brooklyn Park continues to work full-time helping people invest in mutual funds at Nuveen Investments, but he chose to purchase the Honest-1 Auto Care business at 10705 University Ave. NE Feb. 20, 2012 because he wanted another stable income to support his family. His wife Jessica and he have an 18-month-old daughter, Brynn, and another baby is on the way.

Honest-1 Featured in Star Tribune

Honest-1 was recently featured in the Star Tribune in an article titled, "On the Job with Terry Mary". 

The article discusses Terry’s background and his career path from his beginnings as an automotive technician to now, where he is shop foreman at Honest-1 Auto Care in Cottage Grove, MN.  The article discusses how there will be 120,000 automotive technician jobs available next year.  The article also discusses what the industry has to offer, the changes seen in the field, and Terry’s favorite part of the job.

Click HERE for the full article or begin reading below:

On the Job with Terry May

By: Laura French

“My dad bought a ’63 Ford Fairlane in 1973, and the thermostat needed to be changed. At age 13, I was told to give it a shot.” That was the beginning of Terry May’s career as an automotive technician.

May’s first paying job was at age 16, in the small garage in Roberts, Wisconsin. Then he honed his skills as a jet engine mechanic in the U.S. Air Force for four years. When he came out of the military, he went back into automotive repair. “I’m pretty much self-taught,” he said. “I took a lot of night classes. I got the CERTITECH certification from Amoco. I went to foreign car schools.”