“From EPA Fines to $7M Growth—How CDT Automotive Rebuilt Its Legacy” — Thomas Andrews | GGP #050

Thomas Andrews of CDT Automotive turned a four-year EPA battle into a story of resilience and reinvention. What began as a high-performance diesel shop evolved into a people-first repair business generating over $7 million a year. His journey from legal turmoil to leadership shows how to rebuild a business on purpose, community, and integrity.Starting as two best friends modifying trucks, Thomas and his partner Mike Liles transformed their hobby into a performance powerhouse. But an unexpected letter from the EPA changed everything, forcing them to pivot away from emissions tuning and rebuild around sustainable operations and customer trust.The legal process tested their partnership, their mindset, and their mission. Instead of folding, they focused on culture, customer experience, and leadership. They rebuilt CDT Automotive as a same-day, people-centric operation while launching a second brand, Select Auto Pros, to serve a wider market.Through coaching at ShopFix Academy, Thomas learned that growth starts with humility. “Fix the owner, fix the shop” became his guiding principle, leading to exponential growth and renewed purpose.Today, Thomas coaches shop owners across the U.S. and beyond, teaching them how to scale operations, lead with empathy, and create cultures that last. His transformation proves that resilience and accountability can turn crisis into legacy.Guests:Thomas Andrews — CDT Automotive & Select Auto Pros — Fuquay-Varina, NCWhat You’ll Learn (shop-owner takeaways):How to rebuild after a major business or legal setbackWhy “fix the owner, fix the shop” creates real growthStrategies for scaling a multi-location operationTurning passion projects into sustainable businessesHandling negative reviews with empathy and processTraining leaders for consistent customer experienceCreating purpose-driven, loyal shop culturesTurning adversity into long-term competitive advantageCall-to-ActionsGot questions? Comment or post in the FB group—guests will chime in.Subscribe for more shop-owner panels & Origin & Impact stories.Want to be a guest? Share your story in the group.LinksNext Step Guide: https://www.aashopmarketing.com/aashopmktg/public/next-steps.aspxGrid Request: https://www.aashopmarketing.com/aashopmktg/public/grid-request.aspxRequest a Call: https://www.aashopmarketing.com/aashopmktg/public/request-a-call.aspxJoin the Podcast Panel: https://www.aashopmarketing.com/aashopmktg/public/join-panel.aspxPartnership Info: https://www.aashopmarketing.com/aashopmktg/public/partnership.aspxGarage Grit Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/forautorepairshopownersSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1MFNXgGMqMQzKCeDuslkkg?si=42fc7c4da4834993YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@aashopmarketingPodcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/garagegritKeywordsauto repair leadership, shopfix academy, thomas andrews, cdt automotive, select auto pros, shop owner growth, customer experience, EPA compliance, marketing for repair shops, shop operations, business resilience, automotive coaching, north carolina auto shops, team culture, leadership training, brand transformation, shop management, digital marketing, growth mindset, garage gritEPISODE METADATAEpisode number: 050Guests: Thomas AndrewsShop name: CDT Automotive / Select Auto ProsCity/State: Fuquay-Varina, NC