After working as a store manager at his local Mr. Transmission® store in Asheville, North Carolina, for 10 years, Adam Caldwell decided that it was the right time to sign on with the brand as a franchisee. By Jessica Petrucelli
After working as a store manager at his local Mr. Transmission® store in Asheville, North Carolina, for 10 years, Adam Caldwell decided that it was the right time to sign on with the brand as a franchisee.
“Mr. Transmission has such a good name and strong network, I knew it was the right place for me,” said Caldwell, who purchased the franchise in March 2024.
However, his path to business ownership was not easy. Caldwell immediately had to relocate to a new facility upon purchase because the old location was being sold under eminent domain. Fortunately, the new business owner executed the relocation flawlessly, never missing one day of operation. His sales rebounded nicely too. In his first seven months of operation, the shop’s numbers increased over the previous year by 30%.
In September of 2024, Caldwell was challenged once again when Hurricane Helene devastated Asheville, leaving his business severely damaged by wind and flooding.
“The storm took my building out almost completely,” he said. “The whole business was pretty much leveled. We were able to salvage a few tools and a couple of lifts, but that was about it. We went from having a full staff of seven employees to just two.”
Thankfully, Caldwell found a small temporary location and reopened within a few weeks. He began working at the new site with a skeleton staff, answering phones, building transmissions and managing the finances himself.
“They say the first year in business is the hardest, and it has to be because I don’t think we could have faced anything harder,” said Caldwell. “But I’m resilient and too stubborn to give up. We’re gonna make this work.”
Established in 1956, Mr. Transmission is one of the largest automotive transmission repair franchises in the U.S. Franchisees provide transmission and drive train component repair as well as maintenance services to customers nationwide. Locations are spread out across the U.S. and internationally in Africa. Part of a co-branded operation with Milex® Complete Auto Care, Mr. Transmission is operated by Moran Family of Brands which has helped Caldwell overcome some of his first-year challenges.
“It’s been quite a whirlwind first year of business for a 35-year-old first time owner,” said Moran Family of Brands President Pete Baldine. “This is literally one of the best success stories I have seen in years; Adam deserves a tremendous amount of credit and recognition.”
Additionally, Caldwell is on track to have his new permanent location opened by May 1, 2025.
“We hope to be back to normal very soon,” Caldwell said. “Our goal is to return to those big numbers that we were putting up in September as soon as possible.”
Despite the adversity he’s faced in his first year, Caldwell still says he has no regrets in choosing Mr. Transmission.
“I’ve learned a lot these past 12 months,” he said. “There was a lesson in all of the obstacles that I’ve faced, and I feel as though I’m getting a second chance to start over. I’m ready for a productive future with the Mr. Transmission franchise.”
Jessica Petrucelli