Transitions in ownership of a quick lube shop usually come on the heels of a turning point of some sort. An owner is retiring or moving on to another opportunity. Or maybe they’re making a geographical move. There are countless reasons for owners to exit a business.
In some instances, the transition in ownership is anticipated. But in others, it’s due to a random curve ball thrown by life.
It was a little of both at a Maryland Jiffy Lube in 2023, but it was still a transition that came crashing down out of the blue.
In January 2025, Jason Russ became his own boss as a Jiffy Lube franchisee in Maryland and Virginia. His new role as owner followed 25 years of working at the company CB Squared Services, a Jiffy Lube franchise based in Fairfax, Virginia.
At the time, the move to ownership was a change he was expecting—just not so quickly.
“We had a five-year-wind-down plan from the previous owner who’d been with the company for 35 years himself. And he wanted to transition out when he turned 60,” Russ explains.
But in 2024, the owner was diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer, and he passed away in October of that same year.
Long-Term Planning
Despite the tragedy, Russ says the previous owner had done some incredibly insightful things that many never do, and he had created and enacted a five-year plan for a changeover in ownership.
In essence, he had created a roadmap for his leadership team, and he was checking off the list: banking, accountants, attorneys, and even the business’s utilities.
“So, while his passing was unexpected, everything was already mapped out for his retirement,” Russ says. “There were some speed bumps, but we were able to jump-start his plan.”
Based on living through the transition in ownership firsthand, Russ knows full well what an owner needs to do to plan for someone else taking the wheel, in as trouble-free a way as possible.
As he notes, “It’s preparing for the unexpected, the little things, like having the correct signatures on bank accounts.”
Other critical advice from Russ: “Having someone on the payroll who’s a notary always comes in handy at the 11th hour. And make sure there are no secrets, regardless if you’re an LLC or a corporation, so that someone else can guide the ship. Have things in place in advance.”
Then Russ notes, “In our situation (with the CB Squared Jiffy Lube franchise), although it was unfortunate, we were also fortunate. We were able to flip off one switch and flip on another.”
A Foundation for Growth
Thanks to the previous owner’s foresight and due diligence, everyone in his business benefited. And that smooth-sailing transition can be credited for helping CB Squared grow to 31 locations today throughout Maryland and Virginia.
“We had known his intentions as senior managers,” Russ says. “When you make your intentions (as an owner) known, people really don’t have to get into the weeds. It’s like, ‘Hey, this person is getting older and we have a succession plan in place.’”
What about with the public—and what do customers need to know when there’s a change of ownership at a quick maintenance facility in their area? According to Russ, it depends.
“If it’s a single operator with a personal touch, then maybe a handwritten note or a phone call is called for,” he says. “With a message something like, ‘Hey, I’m moving on, but you’re in good hands.’”
When his boss passed away and he took over, Russ says he notified entities like local police and even the plumbers. “We reached out to tell them what happened and that they wouldn’t notice anything different, just that their primary point of contact had changed,” he says.
For long-term large accounts that the quick lube had dealt with—businesses that came into the shop regularly – Russ says he and his team told them what happened and let them know that their needs would continue to be serviced.
“Don’t just cold call them and say the past owner is gone,” Russ advises. Handle each interaction involving the ownership change in a thoughtful manner, whether it’s due to a simple changeover or a surprise and difficult one, like Russ and his team faced.
Open lines of communication and honesty with employees are also critical in ensuring a smooth changeover in ownership.
“You don’t necessarily need point-level detail with everyone, but make your intentions known,” Russ emphasizes to owners who are transitioning out of a business.
Then he adds, “Let them know that if something happens, the doors will still be open tomorrow.”
About the Author
Carol Badaracco Padgett
Carol Badaracco Padgett is an Atlanta-based writer and NOLN freelance contributor who covers the automotive industry, film and television, architectural design, and other topics for media outlets nationwide. A FOLIO: Eddie Award-winning editor, writer, and copywriter, she is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and holds a Master of Arts in communication from Mizzou’s College of Arts & Science.