Dorsey Tire Co.
1476 East Hwy 80
Pooler, GA 31322
What inspired you to start your own business?
Dorsey Tire Co. was founded by Mr. Billy Dorsey in 1977. He started Dorsey Tire with one service truck. We have grown since then and now have five locations, three in GA: Pooler, Dublin, and Darien, and two in SC: Charleston and Summerville. We now have about 50 service trucks and we are on call 24 hours a day to keep our commercial trucking fleets moving. We also have a manufacturing retread facility here in Pooler. We retread between 350 to 400 tires per day and supply most of the tires for the chassis coming to and from the port.
What inspires your work and what sets you apart from everyone else?
Mr. Billy had hired me as his CFO back in 2001 so we had some history before he provided me an opportunity for ownership. Dorsey Tire now has three owners: Mr. Billy Dorsey, Myself and Bruce Chamblee. Mr. Billy is our visionary and always comes up with inventive ideas to provide more efficiencies and safety for our industry. Bruce is our COO and oversees all operations. I handle all the financial aspects of the business. I think the biggest part of our success is that we all work together, and we really love what we do.
What is your background and how did you develop the skills to start your business?
I started my career as a CPA and worked for Arthur Andersen. It was a great firm and I learned a lot in public accounting. I believe if you watch your numbers closely, they can really help you isolate problems before they get out of control.
What has been your biggest success to date?
Our biggest success is our team of people. We have worked for years to hire, develop and surround ourselves with the greatest management team. We do not micromanage our team and we trust them to run their divisions. Our company motto is “Our People Make the Difference” and we live by this.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Our biggest challenge has been our recent growth. We purchased Dublin Tire in September. We then purchased Gibson Tire (in Charleston) in January. Bruce has been out of town since last September supporting and training our new locations.
Which small businesses are you inspired by?
I’m inspired by many small businesses, especially during this Corona Virus pandemic. We have depended on many small local businesses to keep us up and running. More specifically, Gary McBride plumbing; Total Phase; handles all our electrical needs, Integrated Network Solutions (INS) handles all our computer/data processing issues. They understand how to take care of their customers in a timely manner and we appreciate them.
If you could go back to the beginning knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently?
If I could go back to the beginning, knowing what I know now, I would not have done anything differently. I have made many mistakes in my life, but they have all made me stronger and better. I try not to look back to what I cannot change but focus on the future.
What’s your best advice for someone who wants to start their own business?
My best advice would be to surround yourself with a team of people that will always have your back and are not afraid to tell you when they don’t agree.