Building Legacy and Scale: The Inside Story of HEART's Acquisition by Telle Tire
Key Highlights
- Brian Moak shifted his business focus from debt to a people-centric model, earning industry recognition and building a strong culture.
- Aaron Telle was drawn to HEART due to its leadership, culture, and innovative use of technology, leading to a strategic acquisition aimed at growth and scale.
- The acquisition process emphasized discipline, focus, and alignment of values, ensuring the business's culture and legacy would be preserved and expanded.
- Brian will serve as EVP of HEART, focusing on brand growth, leadership development, and identifying similar repair-focused businesses for expansion.
- The partnership aims to create a repair-focused division within Telle, leveraging best practices to enhance customer experience and employee engagement.
A decade ago, Brian Moak led his family-owned auto shop into overwhelming debt. That’s when the Founder and President of HEART Certified Auto Care changed everything about his priorities, taking a people-centric approach that transformed his business.
In 2025, Moak was named as Ratchet + Wrench’s All-Star Award Winner. By then, HEART had three successful shops in Cook County, Illinois with strong revenues, high customer retention rates, advanced technology and tools, a thorough data analysis system, and continuous mentorship and coaching programs. A fourth is due to open this year.
Aaron Telle, President & CEO of Telle Tire & Auto Centers, took note. The result is major acquisition announced Monday, anchored by Telle’s decision to invest behind and scale the HEART brand as a dedicated repair-focused growth platform.
In the days leading up to the news, Moak and Telle, whose company operates 73 locations across six states, shared a glimpse into their past conversations and future goals.
Q: Aaron, how did HEART first come on your radar?
Aaron Telle (AT): Through industry recognition and conversations with people I trust. When Brian and his team received the All-Star Award, I took the time to read the article and learn more about what they were building. It was clear they had created something special — not just strong performance, but a culture and operating model that aligned closely with how I think about leadership and long-term growth.
Q: What specific factors made you want to pursue this acquisition?
AT: The decision was significantly influenced by my interactions with Brian and the exceptional qualities I observed in both him and the HEART organization. Meeting Brian was a remarkable experience because of how aligned we are in our approach to business. We both recognize the fundamental importance of people in driving success. Brian’s focus on valuing, developing, and uplifting his team strongly mirrors my own beliefs, and that kind of alignment is rare. Beyond Brian as a leader, HEART stands out as an organization. The business has embraced technology, discipline, and strong systems in a way that creates a scalable and sustainable platform. That combination of culture, execution, and leadership is what made this opportunity compelling.
Q: Brian, when did your first communication with Aaron happen about a potential acquisition, and how did you hear from him?
Brian Moak (BM): Someone on Aaron’s team had been reaching out to me for over a year, and each time I was very clear that I wasn’t interested in selling. It wasn’t the right time, and honestly, I had always thought of Telle as more of a tire-first organization, so I didn’t initially see how our repair-focused model would fit. After HEART received the All-Star Award, I heard from Aaron’s team again. This time the message was different. They told me Aaron had read the article and said, “You have to get on the phone with him. You’re incredibly aligned. Just give him 30 minutes.” At that point, I had begun exploring a few other options and figured I had nothing to lose. We set up a call, and within the first five minutes I knew Aaron was different. It felt rare—like I had met someone who saw the business, leadership, and long-term growth the same way I did. That initial conversation made me want to learn more right away.
Q: What was your reaction when you first heard of the idea of an acquisition?
BM: Frankly, it scared me. I’ve heard plenty of stories where a company gets acquired and loses its heart—the culture shifts, things become overly corporate, and the people who built the business feel left behind. That was a real concern for me because I’ve spent my entire career building an environment designed to propel people forward. As I got to know Aaron and the Telle team, that fear started to fade. Seeing that people on his team have been with him since day one felt very familiar—that’s how my businesses have always been run. Fear quickly turned into excitement as I learned more and realized this could actually be an opportunity to grow without losing what mattered most.
Q: What was the experience of rolling into an investment platform like from an emotional standpoint?
BM: It started with hesitation. Like many operators, I’d heard stories where an acquisition leads to a business losing its identity or shifts focus away from people. That mattered deeply to me because I’ve spent my career building an environment designed to protect what made the business special. As Telle and I came together, it became clear pretty quickly that we could do something really special—not just for HEART, but by building a repair-focused model that gives service-minded operators a path to grow without losing what makes their businesses great. A place where legacy is protected, teams are taken care of, and customers experience continuity as the business scales. One of the things I appreciated most was how Telle structured the investment. Rather than being part of a traditional private equity fund with a defined exit timeline, Telle operates as a standalone company backed by long-term investors and institutions. That long-term orientation aligns closely with how I think about building businesses—investing in people, developing leaders, and using profitability as a way to reinvest and grow responsibly. Profitability isn’t the end goal; it’s what allows the model to endure.
Q: And from an operational standpoint?
BM: This process required real discipline. Selling a business truly isn’t for the faint of heart. I treated it like a second full-time job and was determined not to let the transaction distract from running the business. I’ve always believed that how you finish one chapter is how you begin the next, and I was committed to finishing my ownership chapter strong. That reinforced something I’ve always believed—staying focused on execution during a transaction really matters. By keeping our attention on the business, we were able to carry momentum forward rather than trying to rebuild it later. The team experience was the part I cared about most. I worried about how they would receive the news and whether they would feel unsettled. What surprised me was how naturally aligned the transition felt. The leadership philosophy and people-first mindset on the Telle side mirrored what we had built internally, which made those conversations far easier than I had anticipated. In the end, this didn’t feel like giving something up. It felt like finding the right environment to protect what we built and give it the opportunity to grow further, faster, and more thoughtfully—not just for HEART, but for future repair-focused businesses that want to scale without losing who they are.
Q: What will your role be with the business moving forward?
BM: I’ll serve as Executive Vice President of HEART at the corporate level while continuing to operate HEART locally as President. My primary focus is growing the HEART brand and identifying other repair-focused businesses that align with our model, culture, and values—and helping them grow as well. The goal is to build a meaningful repair-focused division within Telle, one that delivers world-class operating metrics, exceptional customer experience, and strong employee engagement. As we scale, a big part of my role will be developing leaders from the ground up and creating long-term career paths for our teams.
Q: Aaron, how are you hoping this deal improves your business and future?
AT: We are focused on acquiring strong, like-minded operators, and we often think about it as creating our own internal 20 Group. Brian and his leadership team will help elevate the entire organization by bringing best practices, discipline, and a repair-focused perspective. We’re especially excited about Brian building out the Repair Division within Telle. This creates an opportunity to pursue and grow strong, repair-focused businesses that we might not have otherwise targeted, strengthening the overall platform and expanding what we’re able to offer customers and team members.
Q: Brian, what lessons have you learned during this process?
BM: I’ve learned that the right deal is less about the transaction itself and more about alignment. The process forced me to be very clear about what I was willing to protect and what I was excited to grow. I also learned how important discipline and focus are during a transaction. Staying locked in on running the business, taking care of the team, and maintaining momentum made a real difference. It reinforced that growth doesn’t have to come at the expense of culture if you’re intentional about it. Most of all, I learned that when values truly align, the process feels collaborative rather than adversarial.
Q: To wrap things up, Brian, anything else you’d like to share?
BM: I’d encourage other operators to be patient and intentional if they ever consider a transaction like this. The right opportunity doesn’t just check financial boxes—it protects your people, your culture, and what you’ve worked so hard to build. It’s also important for owners to be honest with themselves about what they want next. For me, this wasn’t about stepping away—it was about finding a platform where I could continue building, growing leaders, and expanding impact without losing the soul of the business. This experience reinforced that growth can be done the right way. With the right alignment, you don’t have to choose between scale and values. You can do both—and create something that lasts.