Joe Tomarchio, the man who helped Monro Inc. more than triple in size through 60-plus acquisition deals, doesn’t think tire dealers should fear the growing interest of private equity in the tire industry. He explains the positives he sees for independent tire dealers as they face new competitors, and new buyers in the market.

Join Tomarchio for this exclusive conversation, and learn what he’s doing in retirement, on The Modern Tire Dealer Show. (Hint: he’s not really retired. He’s just slowing down from 90 mph to about 70 mph.)

There’s a lot that can be said about Joe Tomarchio. A co-founder of the Mr. Tire store chain that he and his brother sold to Monro Inc. in 2004, he has spent more than 50 years in the tire industry. He has fine-tuned his retail strategy after also leading more than 1,100 tire and automotive service locations in 27 states for Monro. He sees things as black and white — and that includes everything from the importance of human capital and paying employees well to charging customers appropriately and operating profitably. (He says tire dealers always know prices, but they don’t know their own value.) Tune into this episode of The Modern Tire Dealer Show for a pep talk, and some tough love, from Tomarchio.

Finding the right vendor is crucial to the success of an independent tire dealership. In this episode of the Modern Tire Dealer Show, Steve Kruse, co-owner of Mitchem Tire Co., a four-location dealership in Springfield, Mo., shares insights on the importance of vendor relationships and how to identify the right partners for your business model.