Jonita White will tell you family led her to Texas.
Nine years ago, White and her husband, Adam, moved to Frisco, Texas. Jonita wanted to be closer to her family, so she took a job at Bank of America. On the weekends, she would head to Oakwood to help her parents on the family farm.
But White looked at her move to Texas as a chance to start anew, and opening a business was always a part of her original plan. After visiting a Christian Brothers Automotive in Frisco as a customer, she was amazed by its model—the service was great, the property was immaculate and, most importantly, faith was infused into the business. Family might have led her to Texas, but it was faith that led White to her next venture—she wanted to become a Christian Brothers Automotive franchisee. To White, this franchise was more than just a car repair business; it was a chance to fulfill one of her greatest passions—helping people.
“I like helping people, building relationships with people. Living right here in Frisco, when I go to the grocery store, I see my customers. They know me by name, and I know them by name. I like having that relationship outside of Christian Brothers,” Jonita said.
Jonita didn’t have a background in auto repair, but that didn’t stop her from opening a location in West Frisco, Texas. For Jonita, being a Christian Brothers owner is about more than just taking care of cars. Every day, her goal is to improve the lives of customers.
“When somebody brings their car in, they are often having a stressful day—it’s even harder for women because so many feel like they have been taken advantage of by auto repair places in the past. I make sure my staff and technicians are honest and upfront with customers about what their vehicle needs,” Jonita said. “My customer service advisor and I work to make sure people get the best value they can for the money they are spending. Honesty and integrity are important, and that’s something customers respect. Once they know they can trust you, they will be your customer for a long time.”
Jonita says she will always remember her very first customer. While shuttling this person home, the customer explained that she needed a timing belt on her car, but repairs were often extremely expensive. The woman then opened up—her grandson was having a rough time in the world, and she was struggling to find a way to help. By the time they reached the woman’s house, Jonita offered to help.
“I remember saying, ‘Can we pray over this?’ And she really wanted to. It was such a simple gesture, but I hope in some small way, it helped her feel better in that moment. Forming that kind of connection with people is really what Christian Brothers is built on,” Jonita said. “At the end of the day, it’s not about the cars here. It’s about the people.”
To learn more about Christian Brothers Automotive, click here.