Sheri Granger and Susan Trumble are both Mr. Transmission franchisees. As women working in a male-dominated business, they tell us how they lead and how they have learned the business. Both able to adapt their career paths at different times in their lives, they can teach us a lot about going for it!
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Meet Susan Trumble, Owner, Mr. Transmission
Moran Family of Brands is excited to announce that Susan Trumble, owner of the Mr. Transmission/Milex store in Florence, KY is the winner of Mr. Transmission Franchisee of the Year. She has worked tirelessly to grow her store after she purchased it from her father, and she is proud to have earned this distinction from her peers. Her commitment to serving her customers and building a community within her co-branded Mr. Transmission and Milex store has brought her success and joy for many years. We found out her secrets to star-caliber performance, and we’re here to share them with you!
After graduating from high school, Susan became a flight attendant with U.S. Air. Her father had also been with U.S. Air as a pilot before becoming one of the first franchisees of Mr. Transmission. Susan began helping her father in 1992, in an arrangement that was meant to be temporary. However, she took to the business and the customer service like a duck to water and soon became a permanent fixture at the store. When her father wanted to take less of a hands-on role in the business, it made sense to allow Susan to buy the business from him.
When Susan took over the business from her father in April of 1993, people in the area began to doubt how long the business would last under her leadership. Their skepticism about her abilities only served to light a fire under her, and the business is still thriving almost two and a half decades later. From the very beginning, Susan’s focus was on creating a place in her community that people could rely on. Mr. Transmission often sees customers when they’re feeling frustrated, helpless and confused, and the last thing they want to worry about is poor service or exploitative technicians. Susan learned quickly to strike a balance between compassion and honesty that consistently earns her rave reviews and business referrals. Susan loves the ability to be someone’s saving grace in the middle of an automotive crisis, especially for women who may enter an automotive shop feeling intimidated due to a lack of knowledge about cars.
Susan has far exceeded customer expectations to build a business that serves others in need of service to their cars. The people who visit her co-branded Mr. Transmission and Milex Complete Auto Care shop know they can count on getting the best from Susan and her staff. She recalls a time she drove overnight to pick up a customer whose car broke down and how thankful the woman was that she had someone on her side. This is the kind of above-and-beyond service that has shot her to the top this year.
“I think it is important to show people compassion in their time of need,” said Susan, who believes she learned that from her time as a flight attendant. “Nobody is prepared to spend hundreds of dollars on emergency car repairs. I just try to reassure them that this is just a vehicle, and I will help them get through this.”
Susan’s advice for franchisees and potential entrepreneurs alike is to invest in your community. This doesn’t just refer to your customers, but also to your employees. For example, two of her technicians have been with her business for over 20 years. This is a significant investment of time, and clearly, they’ve been happy enough to stay throughout the many changes in the industry during the past two decades. Susan has said they often spend evenings just talking in the shop after the day’s work has finished, which she knows is unique. She also recommends that business owners lose any fear, and reach out for help at every opportunity.
“Prospective franchisees should know there is a lot of support and assistance they can receive from the home office to help them run their business. People just need to know it is there and reach out for help if needed.”
No one can say Susan hasn’t worked hard to earn this accolade, so we want to extend some hearty congratulations her way! Join us in celebrating her win of Mr. Transmission Franchisee of the Year. If franchising with Moran Family of Brands sounds like a winning proposition to you, visit our franchise page and get in touch!
