Mandatory Questions –
Q: Kindly give our readers an introduction to your business. Please include what your business is all about, in which city you are located and if you have offices in multiple locations/ cities.
A: Front Range Mobile Tire is a veteran owned; family business based out of Severance CO. We specialize in matching customers with the correct tire for their vehicle by providing a more concierge approach to tire buying. We ask what an owner is looking to get out of their tires, what driving style they have, specifics about towing and hauling and other pertinent questions. This way we can match a tire to their vehicle that will last the longest, be the safest and provide the best ride. After several poor experiences at other tire shops, we really thought there has to be a better way to provide customers with a higher quality of service and decided on a mobile tire store that can do everything that a brick and mortar store does, but conveniently at your home or business.
Q: Kindly give us a brief description about yourself (it should include your brief educational or entrepreneurial background and list some of your major achievements).
A: Jacob: My name is Jacob Oettel and my wife is Melissa. Together we have 2 children, Willow 4 and Barrett 1. My wife and I have owned several businesses including a forestry company that specialized in mulching trees and shrubs in the mountains of Colorado to help with fire management. We also have a consulting company that specializes in oil and gas operations and we shortly owned a rental company that provided containment systems to reduce the possibility of spilling chemicals while moving equipment on job sites in Pennsylvania.
Q: What inspired you to (start a new business venture) or (to make significant changes in an existing business)? How did the idea for your business come about?
A: Jacob: After several bad experiences at local tire shops my wife and I thought that there had to be a better way to provide a service to residential and fleet customers. We thought of how much time had to be wasted by individuals and companies that send their vehicles into shops for service and found a consultant out of Alabama to help us put together a mobile tire store. With the help of Scott Blair and 2U mobile solutions we put together a Mercedes sprinter van and started our own mobile tire business.
Q: What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
1. Go for it. It takes a lot of work and dedication but the satisfaction of working for yourself cannot be replaced by anything.
2. Get help. Do not do it alone. Find someone that is interested in what you want to do, or currently does the something similar and make sure you bounce all your ideas off someone to guide you to success.
3. Make sure you document everything. Talk to a financial advisor, CPA or tax professional to make sure you are accounting for everything needed. It is much easier to start off with a plan then have to go back and redo a year worth of documentation.
Q: What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
1. Work ethic
2. Humility (get help)
3. Documentation.
Q: How many hours do you work a day on average?
A: Jacob: All of them. Many days are 7:30 am until late in the night. It is important though to make time for family.
Q: To what do you most attribute your success?
A: Jacob: Hard work and knowing that it will all pay off in the end. You just have to keep it up.
Q: How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
A: Jacob: I try to use social media and some tried and true mailers as my main ads. Most successful for my type of business has just been facebook marketplace.
Q: Where did your organizations funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
A: Jacob: Overall, my wife and I had been successful in other ventures and we were able to use that capital to invest in this company. I have borrowed from friends and family and had an SBA loan in the past as well.
Q: What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
A: Jacob: Constantly strive to learn and move with your market. You must constantly adapt to changing business models and customer demands. Go where the market pushes you to go.
Q: Where you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?
A: Jacob: I would like to expand this business to multiple mobile tire vans, a service truck for semi trucks and most exciting for me is I am looking to start and OTR (off the road) tire department for construction equipment tire replacements.
Q: Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
A: Jacob: SpaceX. The advancements they have made and the engineering coming out of that company is unbelievable.
Recommended Questions –
Q: How important have good employees been to your success?
A: Jacob: Good employees are one of the most important parts of any company. With our business a bad employee with ruin any future sales we may be able to make with a customer.
Q: How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
A: Jacob: As long as the math makes sense. If you can see sales increasing or light at the end of the tunnel, you keep going. As soon as the math says it is a failure you need to take the emotions out of it and try something else.
Q: What motivates you?
A: Jacob: All the possibilities that come with a successful busines.
Q: What are your ideals?
A: Jacob: Customer satisfaction, continuing to grow a company.
Q: How do you generate new ideas?
A: Jacob: Research and asking other business owners about their successes and failures.
Q: How do you define success?
A: Jacob: Making a living that will allow you time to spend with your family.
Q: How do you build a successful customer base?
A: Jacob: Constantly proving outstanding customer service so you are referred multiple times.
Q: What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
A: Jacob: Working for myself and making my own decisions.
Q: What do you feel is the major difference between entrepreneurs and those who work for someone else?
A: Jacob: Entrepreneurs are willing to take a chance and know there is a definite possibility of failure but do it anyway.
Q: What kind of culture exists in your organization? How did you establish this tone and why did you institute this particular type of culture?
A: Jacob: For us, we work hard to take care of customer needs. We expect our employees to communicate with us and the customer about any issues that may arise and we always work with anyone we can to help out.
Q: In one word, characterize your life as an entrepreneur.
Eventful.
Optional Questions –
Q: If you had the chance to start your career over again, what would you do differently?
A: Jacob: Plan for taxes and save more.
Q: How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life?
A: Jacob: Its been difficult to start and operate a business and still make time for friends and family.
Q: What is your greatest fear, and how do you manage fear?
A: Jacob: My greatest fear is failing as a business owner and knowing I could have been around my family more and missed out.
Q: How did you decide on the location for your business?
A: Jacob: My business model works well with our currently location since we are a mobile store.
Q: Do you believe there is some sort of pattern or formula to becoming a successful entrepreneur?
A: Jacob: No, you must know your market and your customers. Each business model is different.
Q: What book has inspired you the most? (OR what is your favorite book?)
A: Jacob: Your broke because you want to be by Larry Winget
Q: What are some of the biggest mistakes you’ve made?
A: Jacob: No saving and investing at a much younger age.
Q: How can you prevent mistakes or do damage control?
A: Jacob: Adapt as you learn. Mistakes are inevitable. Ask for help and listen to people in your industry.
Q: What are your hobbies? What do you do in your non-work time?
A: Jacob: Motorsports and classic vehicles.
Q: What makes you happy?
A: Jacob: Smiles on my wife and kids faces.
Q: What sacrifices have you had to make to be a successful entrepreneur?
A: Jacob: Devoting most of my time to work.
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