Gears Transmission and Complete Automotive Repair, Built Not Bought

This article is a departure from my traditional routine. My process for writing GEARS Magazine’s Shop Profiles typically includes gathering details with a written questionnaire followed by a telephone interview with the subject shop’s management team. I always enjoy the process because I meet new people and gain new perspectives about our industry.

I especially enjoyed meeting CJ and Jessica Hicks, the owners of Gears Transmission and Complete Automotive Repair in Ringgold, Georgia. They’re a young couple with 3 children and big plans. CJ comes from a family with a long history in automotive and transmission repair, 3 generations, in fact. More on that later, but first, I want to introduce you to CJ’s wife, Jessica.

Jessica recently left a successful nursing career to become the Vice-President of Marketing for Gears Trans (not to be confused with GEARS Magazine) and launch a new company division, BNB (Built Not Bought) Auto Parts. BNB will have online retail and wholesale presence while also supplying parts to Gears Trans. She attended Savannah College of Arts and Design and has experience in graphic design and marketing. Her new role allows her to blend her formal education with her organizational skills from nursing and her juggling skills as a mother.

As my interview with CJ and Jessica progressed, I became keenly aware that Jessica is more qualified to tell the Gears Trans story than I am. She has an inside, bird’s eye view that I believe you’ll find way more interesting than mine. Plus, I could tell from her written responses in the questionnaire that she’s an excellent writer. After you read Jessica’s narrative below, I’m sure you’ll agree with me. Besides, there’s nothing like a wife getting to brag about her husband.

So, at this point, I’m handing the reins to Jessica to share the story of how, in just four years, Gears Transmission and Complete Automotive Repair became what it is today, one of the fastest-growing independent shops in America.

Jessica’s Narrative

Hi, I’m Jessica Hicks, and I’m excited to share our story with you. The Gears Transmission story is a family affair. CJ’s grandfather, Bill Jarrard, was an automotive mechanic. He had years of automotive experience and operated his own shop for many years of his career. During one of his shop employments, he brought CJ’s father, Chuck Hicks, on board.

Chuck was interested in transmission repair and worked hard to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to become a master transmission technician. He continued to grow in his chosen career and became the manager of a nationally known transmission repair location.

By the time CJ was around 14 years old, he started coming to the shop after school to sweep the floors and clean. Like his father, CJ was eager to learn more about automotive repair, and by the time he was 15, he was removing and installing transmissions. From that point, he quickly started to learn about rebuilding transmissions, with his dad being his primary mentor. At the age of 17, CJ became the youngest certified transmission technician within that national company.

Several years later, Chuck opened his own shop in Dalton, Georgia, with CJ by his side. They grew that business together until it was time for CJ to sow his own seeds in the transmission industry. CJ made the decision to start a transmission repair shop to serve the Chattanooga region. With $5,000 and a vision, Gears Transmission and Complete Automotive Repair was established in our garage in 2017.

Within just weeks, the necessity for a building was apparent. We found a small 3-bay shop in a prime location on a busy highway in East Ridge, Tennessee. It needed a lot of “TLC,” but CJ has never been afraid of hard work. We remodeled the shop and began branding the Gears name. We chose blue, black, and gray as the signature colors on the logos, ads, and even the paint on our transmissions.

Less than 2 years later, a custom-built shop in a business park was the new home for our rapidly growing company. The new shop contains 9 lifts, 10 rebuilding tables, and an in-house parts department, BNB Parts and Performance. CJ himself designed and built the counters, display cases, and the two-level parts department. Many, many hours have been poured into producing the right design and setup for optimum functionality and efficiency as well as our custom branding and marketing.

One unique aspect of Gears is the in-house parts store. BNB Parts is a separate but collaborative business located within our Gears location. By providing transmission parts directly to Gears, we can offer faster turnaround times for our customers. BNB Parts is also set up with inventory management software for E-Commerce, and we have a designated area with a sales counter for local sales transactions. Branding for Gears and BNB Parts has been meticulously integrated to make us stand out from other shops.

As our business has grown, so have our relationships with our customers. Our online customer reviews confirm our commitment to customer service and the quality of work produced by our team. Our customers refer their friends and family members to us, knowing that they’ll also get the same excellent service.

We don’t promise to be the cheapest transmission shop, but we do promise that the job will be done right, and our growth proves people appreciate that.

Through research and experience, we’ve found the products that provide the best performance and durability. We also use our expertise to assist in custom rebuilds for heavy-duty applications that match each customer’s unique needs. That’s a significant reason why our customers choose us over our competitors. We take pride in each transmission we build.

CJ has developed the Gears brand by producing a quality product that lasts for years. He’s not only a talented master technician, but he’s an incredible businessman. CJ has exponentially improved his skills in terms of how to start and grow a business. He, in turn, shares that knowledge with his team to help them grow personally as well.

He has put that knowledge to work and has created processes that promote seamless workflow. His number one piece of advice to his team is to continuously improve by acquiring knowledge by reading books and interacting with other businessmen to succeed in business. It’s truly amazing how God has given him the strength, endurance, and wisdom required to grow Gears from a vision to the thriving business it has become in just 4 years.

We could not have a thriving, efficient business model without the help of our team members. Let me introduce you to the team.

• Bradley Clayton is a transmission rebuilder with 5 years of experience. He brings positivity and righteousness to our shop, as he is also a preacher. We are honored to have him on our team.
• Stephen Ables is a service advisor. He has over 15 years of experience in the automotive industry and exhibits leadership to other team members. He also has experience in management as an automotive shop owner.
• Austin Jones is also a technician. His uncle taught him the automotive trade. He’s always willing to help wherever needed. Austin and his wife recently welcomed a new baby boy, Colton, into the world.
• Tyler Ryon is the newest technician on the Gears team. He and Austin show great teamwork as they complete their duties each day.
• Chris Emerson is another lead technician. He’s been with Gears since the beginning. Chris knows all the ins and outs of the operational processes and is an asset to the business. He also spends time outside of Gears working with his grandfather in a well-established family business.
• Jacob, our 15-year-old son, has also shown interest in the transmission field. He’s begun assisting with removing and installing transmissions just as CJ started. If he decides to make this his career path, he’ll be the 4th generation in our family to enter the automotive repair industry. I enjoy watching Jacob and CJ work side by side and observing the bond developing between them.

We are thankful to have each team member and appreciate the quality of craftsmanship our customers receive because of our team’s commitment and the individual accountability they take on with each vehicle repair.

Even with the changes that have come with each season of the business’s growth, one stronghold remains the same, and that’s family. Our foundation is anchored in our love for one another, our children, and most importantly, our heavenly father.

The foundation of Gears Transmission was built on generations of experience, skill, and knowledge – the type of foundation that can only be Built Not Bought.

Accolades and Awards

Hi, Thom here again. I hope you agree that Jessica did a great job sharing the Gears Trans story. However, I wanted to chime back in with some of their accomplishments.

CJ and Jessica believe in supporting the industry and their community through association with credible organizations. They’re members of the BBB, Be Car Care Aware, ATSG, and of course, ATRA. They’re recipients of the 2020 Top Rated Service Center Award from Carfax. And just this past week, they were nominated by The Georgia Business Journal for the Best of Georgia 2021 Award.

CJ and Jessica bring youth, energy, and professionalism to our industry. It’s great to see their enthusiasm for doing the right things to be successful while putting customers first. Their reviews on social media confirm that they’re dedicated to a customer-first service culture.

CJ and Jessica are attending this year’s POWERTRAIN EXPO. Why not follow their lead and make your reservations if you haven’t already done so? Come on out to Vegas and meet them and other transmission industry professionals. You’ll be glad you did.