She Scaled to $10 Million in 3 Years - with Jesse Jackson - EP 445

Host Tony Whatley interviews Jesse Jackson, CEO of Mango Automotive, which scaled to over $10M revenue in its first three years and now operates eight shops across New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas.

Jackson shares her path from environmental engineering to software product leadership, selling an automotive detail shop management app in 2021, and pivoting into brick-and-mortar auto repair due to an aging owner base and opportunity to improve customer experience (the "pink wall effect," clean lobbies).

She explains why software profitability can suffer from heavy customization, how Mango uses AI and custom internal tools to centralize metrics and task checklists, and how acquisitions require systems to function without constant owner presence. Jackson discusses sourcing off-market deals, frequent owner financing tailored to seller needs, focusing on shop size (6–7 bays minimum) and location, and retaining talent by offering benefits and growth opportunities through "Mango University," with a goal to reach nine figures in five years using added capital.

00:00 Meet Jesse Jackson

01:14 From Engineer to Software

02:51 Why Software Burns Out

03:36 Custom Tools With AI

06:36 Why the App Wasnt Profitable

09:27 Spotting the Shop Opportunity

11:40 Pink Wall Customer Experience

13:11 First Shop Christmas Sprint

17:00 Finding Deals Off Market