With a long history in the C-suite of Mr. Lube + Tires֫—formerly Mr. Lube Canada—president and CEO Pamela Lee has unmatched knowledge of the inner workings of the company and where it’s going in its branding renaissance
By Jordan Whitehouse
Take a look at Pamela Lee’s LinkedIn profile, and one thing quickly becomes clear: she likes working for fast-paced, dynamic, and high-growth companies. In a word, innovative ones.
When she was getting her chartered professional accountant licence, for instance, she apprenticed at various tech start-ups. Later, there were her four years at cutting-edge telecommunications company 360networks, followed by another three years at Bell as the director of performance management.
So in 2007, when the chance came about for Lee to join Mr. Lube Canada as the vice president of finance, she jumped in with both feet. “I immediately loved it,” she remembers. “Automotive is just a cool industry already—it’s a global powerhouse, everybody can relate to cars—but it was the constant innovation that drew me.”
It also helped that Lee joined the company at a unique point in its now 48-year history. Boston Pizza International Inc. had just acquired an equity stake in Mr. Lube, injecting decades of experience in running a successful national franchise chain. Before then, the company had been mostly family-owned, and the new board of directors wanted to balance those strong family values with a management team that could enhance the governance and corporate structure to support franchise growth.
It really was the best of both worlds for learning, says Lee. “Going into those board meetings was like going into Dragons’ Den every quarter. We would have to be on point, totally prepared, and I don’t know of any better way to make you a better professional, better executive, than going through that type of training.”
Now, 17 years and a few C-suite promotions later, Lee is putting all that training to use as Mr. Lube’s newest president and CEO. A lot has changed since her early days—from the franchise growing to 175-plus locations nationwide to its recent rebranding to Mr. Lube + Tires—but she says that the company’s focus on innovation and the success of its franchisees has remained constant.
Looking forward, Lee says her role is all about building on the historical foundations of a company that has become the Canadian leader in quick-service oil changes and preventative maintenance. “There are three pillars that we stand for: building our brand, delivering exceptional customer experience, and growing franchise profitability,” she says. “And so now as we supercharge our growth, I see my job as doing so while strengthening our culture around those values.”
Evolution of a leader
That historical foundation that Lee talks about is a storied one. The business started on something of a whim by a young stockbroker from Edmonton, Alberta, named Clifford Giese and his dad, Arnold. The two thought that oil changes should be done quickly while you wait, so they came up with a plan for a new business: fast, hassle-free oil changes, without having to make an appointment.
They were clearly on to something. In 1976, the father-son duo opened their first Mr. Lube in Edmonton, and by 1981, they were franchising. Fast-forward to 1986, and there were 47 Mr. Lube locations across Canada.
That pioneering spirit has become part of the company’s DNA, says Lee. Not only did franchising start accelerating over the years, but the service offerings also started diversifying. “When we began back in 1976, it was all about the oil change,” says Lee. “Now over half of our revenue comes from sources other than oil changes—things like maintenance work, light mechanical, and tire services.”
The tire sales and repair business is here to stay, she adds, hence the rebranding to Mr. Lube + Tires. It was a savvy move that also took into account the coming boom in electric vehicles (EVs), which have been found to wear out tires up to 20 per cent faster than internal combustion vehicles.
EVs and evolving vehicle technologies in general have been a point of focus at the franchise for several years now, says Lee. “Even though the adoption rate of EVs hasn’t been as fast as what people might have thought, we know that vehicle technology is constantly changing. Whether it’s an EV or some other source of power, we remain committed to innovating and training our people so we can always be prepared for what comes next.”
Technology has been a great accelerant for innovation, Lee says. A company’s technology platform has the ability to greatly enhance a customer’s experience while also facilitating the workflow for its frontline workers. This is a big reason why the company is heavily investing in technology, she says. “We want to make sure our customers receive relevant messages from us. Gone are the days, for instance, for customers to get a reminder to come for a service they’ve just done. Technology allows us to engage predictively with our customers.”
All these investments fit into the company’s ethos of being “future-facing,” says Lee. “And that requires innovation. We’ve got what we need for today, but the challenge is really understanding where the industry is going, how to prepare for that, and laying the bricks and foundations today for that future.”
Putting people first
Franchisees play a huge part in preparing for that future, says Lee. When the company looks at investing in a new technology or service, for instance, those decisions are often largely informed by input from franchisees.
“A lot of our franchisees have been with us for decades—about 40 per cent of our locations are run by second-generation franchisees,” says Lee. “They know the business, and that allows us to really work with them and talk about where we want to be in the future, and how do we get there.”
For new franchisees, Lee says the company makes the whole onboarding process as turnkey as possible. The initial training program is about three months long and includes both online and in-store instruction with other franchisees and a dedicated franchise coach. Franchisees also have access to a payroll service provider they can use, and the brand has insurance options and partnerships with all the big banks if they need financing support.
“We don’t expect franchisees to know everything, especially when they’re just coming in,” says Lee, “so we make it very easy for them to understand what they’re getting into.”
One of the biggest expectations is that franchisees truly care about the customer experience. It’s a people-driven business, says Lee, so franchisees have to show a willingness to invest in their people, be in front of their customers, and do everything they can to ensure customers are receiving the best service possible.
Finding partners with that kind of people-first mentality isn’t always easy, admits Lee. But that’s okay; the discovery process for both franchisors and franchisees takes the time it needs to. Her advice to any prospective franchisee is to do their research, have extensive talks with franchisors and franchisees, and make sure that they understand what the brand stands for and what’s expected of them.
“But I wouldn’t stop there,” says Lee. “Once they join the company, they need to continue to communicate. We love hearing from our franchisees. We talk to them all the time. And I know that our franchise system is successful because our franchisees are successful, and that comes from a lot of communication.”
As for the advice that Lee tries to take herself these days, it’s simple: take more time to stop and smell the roses.
“Looking back to when I first started here, I wish I knew how fun it was going to be,” she says. “It’s been an incredible journey, and I get to work with a wonderful group of franchisees, vendor partners, and employees. The past 17 years have gone by so quickly. I wish I would have taken more time to enjoy every moment—which is exactly what I’m trying to do now.”
Learn more about franchising with Mr. Lube + Tires
