---
title: "Crain's: Christian Brothers Automotive Founder and CEO Explains How He Built the Successful Business"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/563ab0e1-a0af-4ff4-9587-97794ca703a3
source: "1851 Franchise"
original_url: https://1851franchise.com/crains-christian-brothers-automotive-founder-and-ceo-explains-how-he-built-the-successful-business-7152
category: "Repair & maintenance"
industry: "Automotive"
segment: "Repair & maintenance"
topics: ["Finance & M&A","People"]
published: 2016-10-31T15:10:33.000Z
modified: 2026-11-01T02:35:47.304Z
image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/423582fbad92e611b39b1c6d239c30d1113.jpg
---

# Crain's: Christian Brothers Automotive Founder and CEO Explains How He Built the Successful Business

**TL;DR:** Christian Brothers Automotive founder Mark Carr shares lessons learned in building the successful business. Carr emphasizes the importance of doing due diligence when working with business partners and finding a good lawyer in the beginning.

*originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2016-10-31. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/crains-christian-brothers-automotive-founder-and-ceo-explains-how-he-built-the-successful-business-7152).*

## Story

When Mark Carr first started Christian Brothers Automotive, he learned many valuable lessons that led him to where he is today. For example, when working closely with business partners, it is important to do your due diligence in investigating the person and making sure they're the right fit for a partner and your company. Carr advices that everyone should pull their weight in order to have a successful business relationship.

"Not everyone is as lucky as I am," Carr told Crain's. "My attorney was my first friend in Houston and we’ve now known each other 35 years. In the beginning, when you’re starting a business you don’t have any money. You’re just broke. Finding a good lawyer in the beginning is tough to do. If you have friends that are attorneys ask for their help or ask other successful business people for advice."

## Entities

- 1851 Franchise (publication)
- Automotive (sector)
- entrepreneurship (topic)
- Christian Brothers Automotive (company)
- business partnership (topic)
- lawyer selection (topic)

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Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/crains-christian-brothers-automotive-founder-and-ceo-explains-how-he-built-the-successful-business-7152). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/563ab0e1-a0af-4ff4-9587-97794ca703a3).