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Leading The Way In Tire Industry Recruitment

Tire Talent is a boutique search firm that specializes in tire, auto, truck, OTR, farm and ag, and the rubber industries. With over 30 years of experience in talent acquisition, we are your trusted partner for reliable and skilled professionals you can depend on.

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Why Work With Us?

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Industry Focused

We are a dedicated Talent and Recruiting firm that specializes in Tire, Auto, Truck, OTR, Farm & Ag, and Rubber industries.

Tested and Proven

Tested and Proven

With years of industry experience helping our clients recruit top talent, we’re known for doing one thing well – delivering results.

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Community

We’ve built a community of active and passive candidates who are interested and passionate about their careers.

Connecting you with quality

Connecting You With Quality

In our industry, hiring managers face the challenge of quickly forming high-quality teams. With numerous job openings and a full schedule of other duties, finding the best talent remains a daunting task. At Tire Talent, we recognized this need for a specialized service tailored to our industry's unique demands. We bridge the gap between employers and both passive and active qualified candidates. This ensures hiring experiences and facilitates informed hiring decisions for all parties involved.

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> 90%

Client Retention

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5:1

Roles To Recruiters

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1,000+

Successful Searches Completed

Industry Challenges

Our Team Helps You Overcome Tire Industry Challenges

team help

Every Rockstar has a great agent who’s behind the scenes lining up shows and setting the stage for success. We don’t want to be your recruiter – we want to be your agent, and we’ll work tirelessly to set the stage for you to be successful in your career.

We're not here to simply place a candidate and vanish into the ether. Our aim is to cultivate a lasting partnership with you. As specialists in the tire industry, our expertise runs deep, ensuring that we understand your needs inside and out. Just as you entrust your finances to a financial advisor, we invite you to entrust your career journey to Tire Talent.

Testimonials

What Our Client Say

“The process flowed very smoothy and efficiently. The response time, in terms of follow up, was prompt and it was very user friendly. They were focused on candidates that were qualified and had the requisite experience and tools that we were looking for. The pre-qualification work that’s done upfront by Tire Talent is very good and helpful.”

Mike Blackburn

Director of Sales

“It was clear they were connected, they know the key players, they work with the stakeholders, and they have built those relationships over time which became very valuable in our search process. Tire Talent is an organization you can certainly rely on and talk to about the true issues within the bringing on tale.”

Mike Turturice

Director of Human Resources

“Tire Talent was referred to me by Pirelli’s main Human Resource department. Mike knows the tire business which is key to our success. We tried two roles to start with Tire Talent and it was very fast. We wasted no time with candidates. I am very happy the process is very efficient and very fast.”

Aleksandar Gramatikov

CEO, Prometeon

“I had the pleasure of working with Mike and his team for many years, and consistently deliver top-tier, A-player candidates. Their professionalism, insight into the Tire Market has always helped me find the right candidates for the positions I was looking for in the company I was working. I appreciate that Mike runs his business with a strong ethical foundation. In other words, you can count on Mike and his team to always be truthful and deliver on his commitments with excellence. I will continue to use Tire Talent's services and would recommend them to anyone who wants to grow their own team by partnering with Mike and Tire Talent.”

Douglas Kershaw

Head of Operations at Ferentino Tire USA

“Mike and his team have engaged with our organization in order to understand our culture, values and objectives. This has enabled them to specifically target talented individuals that align with all 3 of these – many of whom have become valuable members of our team. We have valued our partnership with Mike and his team for many years now and look forward to many more to come.”

Rachel Revilla

Regional HR Director

“From the very beginning, they showed a great interest in understanding my skills and professional goals. Thanks to their guidance and personalized advice, I was able to improve my profile and highlight my strengths. Their constant follow-up throughout the selection process made me feel valued and supported. I am very grateful for their help and would not hesitate to recommend them.”

John Jairo Duque

Sales Manager

“The opportunity I wound up taking was presented to me within 24 hours. I can’t imagine a better service in any industry like yours. I am forever grateful for that. The professionalism is bar none one of the best— through interview coaching, through the overall process you were extremely clear about what would happen next. It almost seemed like you were coaching both parties which created a great relationship in the end.”

Jeremy Guy

Director of Sales

“The Tire Talent group is a working team environment where they are actively keeping the candidates they’re in contact with in the loop. It’s a true partnership between their organization and the candidate. In the past, LinkedIn is a good location to identify opportunities and networking from your past experiences. The huge uptick with Tire Talent, is that they are not searching for an opportunity— they are searching for the right opportunity. The communication piece was a great thing throughout the process. When Tire Talent would receive information from the employer, they were very proactive on providing that information and feedback. The communication was excellent, everything that was setup was on-time and executed accurately.”

David Miller

MidWest TBR, Farm & AG Regional Sales Manager

“Like all career changes or job hunting efforts, you find yourself part of the sea of many other people looking. One of the things Tire Talent did was took my talents and magnify them. They were able to, byway of the knowledge they had of employers that were looking for certain types of recruits, match my talents with what they were looking for. It was very effective, professional search method. Rachel’s follow up, intuitiveness, and dogged nature seemed as if she was keeping me on the front burner of ‘Things To Do’ and had my best interests at heart the whole time. Again, because of Tire Talents focus and knowledge in the tire industry, they knew what it was I was looking for and that was refreshing and professional in nature the way they do business.”

Mike Zayatz

North East US Territory Account Manager

Our Blogs

Discover Our Latest Blogs

Retire Without Letting Go: How to Hire the Right Successorew Blog Post

Retire Without Letting Go: How to Hire the Right Successor 

May 19, 20256 min read

By Mike Cioffi


For many business owners, the word "succession" sparks a difficult choice: sell everything and step away completely, or cling on until burnout forces your hand. But what if there was a third, smarter option, one that lets you ease out without giving up everything you’ve built?

In today's consolidating markets, especially in industries like tire manufacturing, distribution, and the automotive aftermarket, forward-thinking owners are discovering that selling doesn't have to mean surrendering. Instead of walking away and watching someone else reap all the future rewards, more entrepreneurs are finding creative ways to stay involved, keep equity, and secure a smooth transition on their terms.

This article explores how partial sales, and well-structured earn-outs are changing the succession game. Whether you're a business owner nearing retirement or just starting to think long-term, learn how you can reduce your day-to-day involvement while preserving your legacy and your upside.

From Avoidance to Advantage - Rethinking Succession Planning

At first glance, succession planning seems like a practical, even straightforward task: choose a successor, set a timeline, and make a smooth exit. But in reality, it’s a process that many business owners avoid or delay, often until it’s too late. The hesitation isn’t just procrastination. For many founders, the business is far more than a financial asset. It’s a reflection of their identity, their purpose, and in many cases, their social world. Letting go of that can feel like letting go of a part of themselves, especially when most of their net worth is tied up in the business, making the idea of retirement seem more like a financial risk than a reward.

Family-run businesses face even deeper layers of complexity. The emotional investment is high, and the stakes are personal. Conversations around bringing in external leadership or outside capital can quickly turn into family disputes, especially when the business is viewed more as a legacy to preserve than an enterprise to evolve. Owners often struggle to reconcile their own long-term goals with the expectations of children, relatives, and long-standing staff. And when fairness across generations becomes a concern, decision-making can grind to a halt.

Ironically, the very process owners tend to avoid the planning for succession. By confronting leadership gaps, clarifying roles, and aligning strategic goals with personal objectives, businesses often become more focused, resilient, and valuable. Succession planning isn’t just about preparing for the end. It's about building a better, more durable organization that can thrive with or without the founder at the helm.


Building a Lasting Legacy: A Practical Framework for Successful Succession

In the tire industry where relationships, reliability, and reputation are everything, true leadership isn’t just about growth, it's about longevity. Whether you're running a multi-location retail chain, a specialty distributor, or a manufacturing operation, the real test of success is what happens after you step away. A well crafted succession plan ensures your business continues to thrive, preserving your legacy and protecting what you've built over decades.

Succession isn't just a task for retirement, it's a long-term strategy that starts today. For tire business owners, planning early means you’re not just replacing a leader, but ensuring the ongoing strength of supplier partnerships, customer loyalty, and operational consistency. Here's a framework designed specifically with the nuances of this industry in mind:

The Four Pillars of Effective Succession in the Tire Business


1. Strategic Preparation

Effective succession begins with a deep understanding of your business’s unique value drivers. Whether it's exclusive brand relationships, specialized service offerings, or a fiercely loyal customer base. Documenting these strengths and revisiting them regularly helps ensure you’re preparing to preserve what makes your business stand out in a competitive and consolidating market.

2. Talent Acquisition & Development

Succession doesn't always mean choosing the obvious next in line. In the tire industry, a promising service manager might grow into a strong GM, or an external operator might bring the systems and scalability your team lacks. Scaling your tire business often requires an external perspective, a CEO who brings proven systems, strategic vision, and the ability to navigate industry consolidation. This is where specialized hiring partners prove invaluable. With access to broader talent pools, data-driven assessments, and industry expertise, third-party recruiters can identify leaders who combine technical knowledge with the soft skills to motivate teams, strengthen vendor partnerships, and maintain customer loyalty through transition periods. The right hire doesn’t just fill shoes, they pave the way for your business’s next chapter.

3. Structured Training & Transition

Like learning to mount, balance, and sell tires from the shop floor up, successors need hands-on, in the trenches experience. This phase should include more than job shadowing, it should immerse future leaders in day-to-day operations, vendor negotiations, P&L responsibilities, and customer interactions. Customize the process based on whether you're passing down a stable operation or one that’s primed for transformation.

4. Managed Exit & Ongoing Support

A strong transition is rarely abrupt. The most successful handovers in the tire business are phased, allowing the new leader time to gain traction while the current owner gradually steps back. Set expectations, establish milestones, and create a clear line of communication. Your continued involvement, whether as a mentor or board advisor can help reinforce confidence and continuity.

Why Succession Planning Matters More Than Ever

With increased consolidation, private equity interest, and competitive pressures across the tire sector, businesses that proactively plan for leadership transitions are more likely to survive and grow. According to Harvard Business Review, companies with a clear succession strategy are 2.5x more likely to outperform their peers. Whether you’re planning to exit in five years or just want to protect your legacy, starting now gives you control over the outcome.

The most respected leaders in the tire industry aren’t just known for building strong operations, they're remembered for building businesses that last. Plan your transition with intention, and you won’t just step away successfully you’ll leave a mark that rolls on for generations.


Conclusion

Succession planning in the tire industry doesn't have to mean stepping aside and watching your life's work become someone else’s opportunity. With the right approach, it can be a strategic evolution. One that protects your legacy, retains ownership, and brings in leadership aligned with your values. Whether you're gearing up for retirement or simply planning ahead, remember this: transitioning out doesn’t mean losing control. It means building a foundation that allows your business to outlast you stronger, smarter, and still guided by the principles you put in place.

By embracing structured succession planning from identifying leadership gaps to recruiting top-tier operators and guiding them through a thoughtful, phased handover you’re not just planning an exit. You’re engineering a future. One where your customers, employees, and partners continue to trust in the name you built. And one where your story doesn't end it evolves.

Mike Cioffi is the founder of Tire Talent, a boutique recruiting agency dedicated to our industry. You can reach him directly: [email protected] if you have any questions about this article.


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