The Expertise That Matters

Jonita White didn’t know much about cars, but she did know about people. That’s how she became a successful Christian Brothers Automotive owner.

- Nina Zipkin

In 2006, Jonita White quit her job in San Diego and moved to Texas. She did it to be closer to family, but she also saw it as a chance to pursue her dream of becoming a real estate agent. Then the housing market crashed in 2007, just as she’d earned her license, and White needed a backup plan—fast. She still wanted to work for herself, but launching a business in a troubled market wasn’t an option. That’s how she came to franchising; it was a way to be entrepreneurial, but with a proven playbook. She started researching opportunities. Since arriving in Texas, White had become a loyal customer at Christian Brothers Automotive. She had no experience with cars but was attracted to the company’s customer service, long history, and values—it’s been around since 1982, has more than 170 locations, and operates under the motto “Love your neighbor as yourself.” She signed on as a franchisee and opened her first location in Frisco in 2011. This year, she’ll open her second, in Little Elm. That backup plan seems to be working out.