Franchisee Spotlight: Chris Hamlin of Christian Brothers Automotive

I currently teach high school math and engineering at a charter school in Charleston, Palmetto Scholars Academy. This is my third year at the school. Prior to being a teacher I was an engineer, working in manufacturing management for more than 20 years at U.

S. Merchant Mart, CSX Transportation, Zapp Precision Wire, Sterling Precision Machining, Multiplastics and Byers Precision. I was commuting to North Carolina for more than a year while I was working at Byers Precision but got sick of the commute and the stress the environment caused.

I thought teaching was a great transition and have been with PSA for nearly three years.

Recently, I started looking into owning my own business. I’ve tried my hand at business ownership before and obviously have many years of management experience. I looked into several franchising opportunities and Christian Brothers nearly checked all of the boxes I was looking for in a brand. It’s a faith-based organization, automotive repair is a hobby of mine and the corporate team offered the support necessary for success.

How did you hear about Christian Brothers Automotive and why did you choose to get involved?

When I started my franchise search, I was initially looking into the tutoring segment. Through researching one of the companies, I stumbled upon a Forbes list that ranked franchises from most likely to least likely to fail. The tutoring company happened to be at the top of the list. I immediately scrolled to the bottom to see who had the lowest failure rate, and there was Christian Brothers.

What ties do you have with your local community and how do you plan to serve the community with your new business?

I started a soccer club with two other dads in Charleston about eight years ago and continue to sit on the board as the treasurer of the club. I coach two teams for my kids every season and am extremely active in our church. Two of my daughters have cerebral palsy which impacts their movement and muscle coordination. I’m looking into starting a Top Soccer program which is catered to children with disabilities and would love to get my business involved in the cause.

Right now, I’m focused on getting my first location up-and-running, but hope to have as many as two or three down the line.

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