Brandon Gilbert, owner of Pittsburgh Mobile Tire Shop, had no idea the impact that the pandemic would have on his mobile business. Pittsburgh Mobile Tire Shop provides tire and wheel servicing, including mounting and balancing, tire rotation and repair. While he operated at a slight loss in 2020, that did not stop him from pursuing his dream of expanding the business to a brick and mortar location that would be able to do everything the mobile business was doing and more.
Brandon had developed a business plan and needed financial projections to provide to the bank for the property he found. Unfortunately, he lost out on that property but continued to look for the right space for the business. After months of searching, Brandon found a new location, a former auto garage that fit his needs perfectly because some auto equipment would be sold along with the building. The University of Pittsburgh Small Business Development Center (SBDC) assisted Brandon with a fresh business plan review and new projections for the property.
In the meantime, a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Analysis was done on the business website and recommendations were provided to maximize the websites digital presence.
Brandon successfully closed on the property and is busy making improvements to the building and plans to hire a full-time technician and an additional employee. Brandon is interested in employee retention and plans to work with a Pittsburgh based HR firm to develop an attractive benefits package for his employees.
Pittsburgh Mobile Tire Shop and the soon to be named brick and mortar shop will continue to work with the University of Pittsburgh SBDC consultant to review business operations, pricing, sales goals, and their digital presences. Given Brandon’s strong business acumen and the support he receives from the Pitt SBDC, there’s no doubt the combined enterprises will see nothing but success.