Retired

Bill did.

Bill ran a small double bay garage in Wainwright, Alberta … fixing cars and changing tires. He loved what he did … and wanted to make sure his staff did too.

When it came to ownership and management ideas Bill was a veritable fountain of them. So after careful consideration Bill did something a little unusual … he decided to build a series of partnerships … with his staff. Bill developed a unique structure to drive growth …When managers proved they could profitably meet the needs of their customers, they were given the opportunity to own the business and become 50/50 partners in their individual operation.

The strategy worked extremely well … before long Bill and his managers owned 19 stores … and things were looking up … then tragedy struck … Bill was killed in a car accident. Now most young businesses don’t survive such an event … but Bill’s managers vowed to carry on … and carry on they did staying true to Bill’s vision.

In fact, a few years later they struck a virtually unprecedented deal with a major tire manufacturer to sell a 49% non-controlling share and secure future growth.

Today, the company Bill Fountain started in Wainwright has over 150 locations across Canada, is still owned by its managers and Goodyear … and, of course is still name after him. Fountain Tire.

Fountain Tire is a great idea … because wheelly good ideas can start anywhere … even in garages in small towns.