When Edward Caswell left an 11-year career as a high school teacher to start an automotive repair company in 2014, he had three children, about $4,000 to invest, and a $2,500 lift purchased by his parents.  

Caswell had been working on cars outside of school hours to supplement his income, often with one of his students by his side. His wife, Brandi Caswell, who had just had a baby, was used to people showing up at their doorstep at night asking for help.

“She was the one who said, ‘OK, we have to start a business,’” Ed Caswell recalls. “We didn’t have much, but I’ve always loved cars and we both love people. Even when we have hard days, which of course we do, it’s really rewarding to meet people’s needs.”

From Small Startup to Multi-Shop Operation

Twelve years later, the family-owned Full Throttle Automotive operates three locations, 40-plus employees, and 45 bays. The full-service, Indiana-based company generated more than $10 million in sales in 2025 and is projecting $11 to $12 million this year, with an average repair order of $780 and 1,150 cars serviced monthly.

Industry recognition has followed: Full Throttle recently was named the VISION 2026 Service Facility of the Year for meeting high standards of professionalism and excellence. In 2024, the company also was named an AAA Best in Auto Repair winner, earning an overall rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars across hundreds of customer reviews.

Full Throttle’s main location is an approximately 16,000-square-foot facility in Evansville, Indiana, a former gym with 80 parking spots and 18 bays equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and tools. The Caswells also recently acquired two smaller shops called Fast Lane Auto Repair and Fast Lane Auto Repair Plus in Kentucky.

Technicians work on all makes and models, including electric vehicles, from routine maintenance to ADAS calibration and custom exhaust systems. The business offers a 24-month, 24,000-mile NAPA nationwide warranty and customer-friendly perks such as courtesy vehicles, after-hours drop-off and pick-up, clean facilities, and financing options.

Faith as the Foundation of Culture

Emphasizing customer satisfaction, team development, and community service, Full Throttle also has leaned into its identity as a Christian-based business. The Caswells consider themselves “servants” to their clients, pray during team meetings, and host Bible study nights.  

“To us, our business is an opportunity for discipleship and a culture of positivity,” Ed Caswell explains. “We’ve found that if you work off the example of Christ—leading with unconditional love and purpose—you will be successful in business. We want people to know that we care about them. We hear them when they tell us their concerns.”

Adds Brandi Caswell, who previously worked in the nonprofit sector: “We shifted our mindset from grinding to make money to realizing that we’re in the business of uplifting people. We just happen to work on cars.”

Elevating Technicians and the Trade

The faith-based approach also aligns with the industry’s movement toward treating technicians as highly skilled tradesmen, particularly as diagnostics and repairs become more complex. To help encourage continuing education and advanced training, for example, Full Throttle shuts down to take its entire team to the VISION Hi-Tech Training & Expo each year.

“I want to see techs walking around with their shoulders back and their chins up, proud of what they do,” says Caswell, an ASE-certified technician. “No one should be looking down on them; it’s such an honorable profession. I love that some can make six figures these days.”  

“We want people to feel at peace and happy about coming to work, not frustrated and upset at the world,” Brandi Caswell agrees. “That doesn’t happen if we’re just about the paycheck. We need to be good stewards of what God has blessed us with.”

A Personal Story Behind the Mission

Caswell’s faith was shaped by a tough early childhood, which included physical abuse and time in the Child Protective Services system until his late grandfather, Paul E. Caswell, adopted him. He refers to Paul Caswell, a coal company leader by profession, as his father.

Paul Caswell worked on everything from tractors to four-wheelers to trucks in his home garage in his spare time. In Lynnville, Indiana, a tiny town that had about 350 people and one blinking stoplight, he was a community fixture.

“He was absolutely THE guy everyone turned to with their cars,” Caswell remembers. “I saw how important he was and how grateful people were for what he could do. He also taught me the value of hard work.”

Naturally gifted at mechanics, Caswell was helping out in the garage by age 10; at 12, he built his first engine. In school, he labored to earn decent grades, not discovering until college that he had severe dyslexia.  
“Hands-on work was what I liked most,” he notes. “And I have always loved cars.”  

From Classroom Educator to Shop Leader

Caswell earned a Technology Education degree at Indiana State University and became a teacher, leading classes on residential construction, mechanical engineering, and power mechanics. He naturally related to teens with academic challenges or difficult family situations, taking many under his wing to give them a better shot at success.

Two students, Dakota Ritchey and Dalton Gray, became unofficially adopted sons. Ritchey, who fixed cars with Caswell over school breaks after his father died of cancer, helped start Full Throttle at age 18 and frequently worked 80-hour workweeks with his boss; he is now a lead technician. Gray, the company’s first service advisor, is a corporate trainer and auditor.

Brandi Caswell, meanwhile, is Chief Experience Officer, drawing on her creative nature and passion for event planning.

Creating a Customer Experience That Stands Out

For customers, the company offers shop tours, free snacks, and drinks—including fresh cookies each Friday—Trunk-or-Treat festivities, and toys such as stuffed animals tucked into children’s car seats. If regular customers lose a loved one, they often get flowers.

“It’s amazing if a customer can leave our shop saying, ‘I got my car fixed and yeah, I paid for it, but I still enjoyed the experience,’” Caswell says. “No matter how hectic the day, our smiles should go on as soon as somebody walks in.”

To empower female customers, the company has planned a “Ladies Night” for the past two years to teach car-care basics such as how to check vehicle fluids, decipher dashboard alerts, and judge the tread on a tire. Sixty participants registered in 2026.

Investing in the Next Generation

Full Throttle’s largest initiative is The Paul E. Caswell Memorial Fund, which Brandi Caswell created in 2023 to gift scholarships to graduating high school seniors pursuing a career in automotive performance and mechanical repair. 
The business hosts an annual car show with prizes, live music, food trucks, and a silent auction to raise money for the fund, which is designed to help students who demonstrate academic achievement and financial need.  

“It feels crucial that we pour into the next generations of auto mechanics,” Brandi Caswell says. “Hiring qualified technicians can be very hard, so we need to lend a hand to keep improving the image of our industry.”

In addition, Full Throttle has supported multiple local charities and high school sports teams over the years.

“Part of our faith is to try to be that little candle that brings a little more light into other people’s lives,” Brandi explains.    

Growing with Intention, Not Pressure

Looking ahead, Caswell is hesitant about growing his business too quickly. The team is tight-knit and often celebrates birthdays and holidays together, he says, and he and his wife like building as many individual connections as possible.

“I don’t want to just open shops for fun—or for money,” he notes. “So, I’d say right now, we’re good with what we have. We’re blessed.”