Dan Spiteri worked in a large vehicle logistics company for nearly 15 years and was familiar with the premium JAX Tyres & Auto brand.

“I was commissioning and decommissioning emergency vehicles and ensuring they were roadworthy-compliant before auction. I used to contract work out to JAX, so I knew them well.”

When Dan opted for voluntary redundancy it was a leap into the unknown. He had no idea what he would do next.

He had built up relationships with local businesses and it was a visit to the JAX Tyres & Auto store at Narellan that sparked the shift into business ownership.

“I went in to tell the store owner I had left, and he told me he wanted to sell the business and asked if I was interested,” Dan explains.

Trialling the tyre and auto model

While on face value Dan understood the JAX Tyres & Auto brand, he knew nothing of the inner workings of the business; he offered to work at the Narellan store for three months to see if it would meet his expectations.

“The trial period was really good, it showed me what the store was capable of, and the level of support available,” he says. “I liked the tyre and auto model and I felt I could do something good here.”

The 11-year-old business had recently relocated to a brand new 800 sqm site. “The store was a huge improvement, four times the size of the previous location,” he points out.

He bought the store in 2018 with clear expectations of what the JAX Tyres & Auto business could deliver and now plans to open a second retail site in nearby Tahmoor. The second store will deliver benefits of pooled resources, staff, stock and tools.

When Dan discussed this with his young manager, Will revealed his ambition to own a store. It seemed like the perfect solution – to bring on Will as a partner.

“I’m funding it on a profit share system. We have a five-year and 10-year goal to transition the business,” Dan says.

“My goal is for Will to manage 50 per cent of the store from the get-go and to help him prepare there are things he can do here every day to boost his learning.”

When the new store opens in early 2025 Dan will divide his time between the two sites and recruit a manager for the Narellan business.

A supportive and proactive franchisor

While Dan’s business has boomed, the store has faced its share of challenges, not least the Covid lockdown.

“JAX has been very supportive, and it stood out to me during Covid,” Dan says. “When I talk to franchisees in other systems I feel JAX excelled and showed their true colours then. I wouldn’t have survived Covid without their industry-leading model.

“We started to diversify a few years ago and the range of services is ever evolving. JAX is always looking ahead at what the industry needs; as a franchisor they have a finger on the pulse. There is an incredibly good culture at JAX,” he says.

Tackling skills shortages

Dan is tackling another challenge head-on: the ongoing industry-wide skills shortage.

“Every one of my 14 staff members is either fully qualified or an apprentice; we are making our mechanics, building from within,” he says.

And Dan led the way, gaining motor mechanic skills and qualifications to deliver services including e-safety checks and rego slips.

“Getting those qualifications was great. I love to jump in and help support staff and customers. I enjoy being out in the shop and working on the cars.

Customers and community

“What I enjoy about the business is my customers. In my previous job, I was talking to car manufacturers and dealers. Dealing with my clients wasn’t rewarding, it was just a KPI.

“Now I am dealing with the end users: families, business owners, mums and dads. That’s what is most enjoyable.”

Dan is a proud supporter of the local community, donating each year to different local charities. JAX Narellan has just started sponsoring a young go-kart racer in the Legend Series Cars.

Sponsorship is something he sees as giving back to the community.

“Our customers are supporting our business as locals, it’s only fair to do the same,” he says.

“I’m most proud of sponsoring the local junior rugby league team which was founded 12 months before I bought JAX Narellan.

JAX Narellan store growth beyond business expectations

“We jumped on board in a small way and are now in our seventh year. The club has grown substantially from 50 kids to now over 500 players. We’ve been very privileged to be part of that,” he says.

Dan is a local, born and raised. “I’ve been in southwest Sydney all my life and we have built relationships and are watching the area evolve in the process.

“There’s been a lot of growth from the new airport to Mittagong, and we see that every year in the business. At least 20 per cent of our new customers are new residents in the area.

“We have I knew it was going to be a good store but perhaps in 10 years. We’ve kicked a lot of goals at JAX Narellan in the last six months, the business has exceeded my expectations. We’re very fortunate.”