Call it timing, reputation, hard work, good luck or all of the above. Regardless of how one sees it, Brandon Lamb has tapped into a very successful niche.
Celebrating two years of business this July, Lamb is the one man show behind Mobile Tire Solutions, a tire business which travels directly to the customer and takes care of their tire needs while they work, attend a soccer game or work from home.
“It’s just something where I thought there was a need for a service like this,” Lamb said, making the switch to mobile after 18 years in the business with a big box tire company.
A job which not only became a profession turned small business, but also brought Lamb and his family to Oakdale from his home state of Oregon in 2013.
After 18 years in the business and seven years in the community, the father of two felt it was time to launch the idea and become his own boss.
“I’ve always wanted to be a business owner. I love it,” he said, noting the flexibility with two active kids as a major bonus.
“It’s been very popular, with people’s schedules,” Lamb said of the mobile business.
Yet it was a risk. With a business plan in hand in early 2020, the small business owner got started as the COVID pandemic shut down the world.
“I got called crazy for starting a business in the middle of a pandemic,” he said. “It actually worked in my favor because everybody was at home.”
Often mistaken for an Amazon delivery driver, Lamb travels in a Ford Transit Van, which is compete with all he needs to handle customer requests for anything tire related. From new tires, tire rotation, flat repairs or rebalancing, the business owner can handle it all from his van.
“I don’t limit it to passenger cars and trucks. I do a little bit of everything,” he said, sharing he works on all tires: not just passenger vehicles which includes semi, tractor, golf cart., etc.
Part of his success, he stated, had to do with flexibility with his customers. With quite a few farming and construction accounts, Lamb tries to be flexible with hours to accommodate their business.
“It’s really nice, because that flexibility goes both ways,” he said of his clients and understanding if he’s not always able to get to them as soon as it may be needed.
That support and understanding, as well as his word of mouth success has been a welcome surprise for Lamb, one he did not expect so soon.
“Word of mouth is really huge for me,” he said of his start as well as his repeat customers.
While he did not expect it to be successful this fast, he is grateful and shared he knew he would be starting in the busy time.
As a mobile business owner, the tire expert said there are often times he can complete a job without even meeting the customer. Through the aid of phone calls, text messages, e-mail or a bit of each, he simply arrives at the home, office, or location of convenience, completes the order and e-mails the invoice.
“I thought there was a need for that service,” he said of starting the mobile business.
From his store experience he always heard the complaint of time from customers.
“People just don’t have time to sit and wait one to two hours for tires to be put on,” he said. “Wherever they have an hour or so and can have tires put on. I go there and put tires on. So it’s been great.”
Even though he’s small and just getting started, Lamb stated that works as a benefit as well by way of his pricing. Since his overhead is low, he’s able to offer competitive pricing to his customers.
“Just because my overhead is lower. I use great suppliers for tires,” he said. “I use seven different suppliers. So I always try to shop my suppliers to find the best deal for my customer. Plus the convenience and ease of it.”
Lamb’s company website is mobiletiresolutions.com. He can be contacted through the website or by cell at (209) 630-0155. Mobile Solutions currently services Oakdale, Riverbank, Escalon, Modesto, Turlock, Stockton, Sonora and surrounding areas.
