Boswell Vows to Help Franchisees Grow Profitably and Achieve Their Goals
FullSpeed Automotive, a franchise umbrella of automotive brands, promoted Jim Boswell to chief financial officer (CFO). He joined the company in 2021 as vice president of finance and was named interim CFO in 2022. In his tenure, he built the financial planning and analysis team and launched the organization’s business intelligence function. Franchises in the FullSpeed portfolio include SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service, Grease Monkey, Kwik Kar, Herbert Automotive, Super Lube Plus, and Excel Car Wash.
“I’m eager to use my experience from both sides of the business (franchisor and franchisee) to add value for our franchisees. I strongly believe in building relationships between our support center team and franchise partners. At FullSpeed Automotive, my primary goal is to help franchisees grow profitably and achieve their goals,” Boswell said.
The company’s growth trajectory and the opportunity to be part of the pivotal automotive sector drew Boswell to FullSpeed Automotive. The dedication and professionalism of the entire team, which recently grew to include general counsel Kelvin Sellers, keeps him excited. Additionally, Boswell appreciates the culture of accountability and active engagement that the company fosters.
FullSpeed Automotive’s leadership team believes Boswell will help the company achieve its goals. “Jim’s extensive background has not gone unnoticed. I’ve had the privilege of working with him directly this past year and have been impressed by his growth and contributions to the brand. He has generated meaningful savings, optimized cash flows, and forged solid relationships between accounting and finance while providing incisive support to multiple functional groups, demonstrating himself as an asset to FullSpeed,” said Rob Lynch, chief executive officer of FullSpeed Automotive.
Boswell believes that FullSpeed is at the forefront of innovating the franchise model in the automotive service industry, noting that the company’s strategy ensures its brands retain their unique identity while benefiting from shared best practices, tools, and resources. “FullSpeed Automotive is committed to setting higher standards for franchisor support. As we expand, we’ll emphasize integrating technology and training, ensuring that all our franchisees are well-prepared for success.”
Franchising and Entrepreneurship
In Boswell’s experience, franchising is an incredible path to achieving an entrepreneurial career, giving newcomers an immediate network to guide them towards success with the help of a franchisor. Prior to joining FullSpeed, he worked at Streamline Brands, Marco’s Pizza, and Darden Restaurants.
Boswell advises aspiring entrepreneurs to do their due diligence before investing. Additionally, he believes candidates should focus on brands that value profitability and consistently search for new approaches to improve the business. Values alignment is also important to him.
Boswell urges franchisors to provide technology and reporting that provides instant access to franchisees; foster strong relationships with lenders; and aim to increase the acumen of franchisees to assist with their profitability.
