Franchising Magazine USA Veterans in Franchising October 2023 Volume 11 Issue 10

Taking the road less traveled is never an easy decision. It can lead to risk and uncertainty. However, with great risk comes a great reward. When it comes to being an entrepreneur, it’s critical to take that leap of faith and follow your dream.

That’s exactly what Karlos Lazo did when he decided to take a chance on himself and start his own business: Lube X-Press, the groundbreaking franchise offering speedy drive-thru oil changes for drivers on the go. 

As with most entrepreneurs, Karlos faced his own trials and tribulations along the way, but he never allowed his passion and dedication to waiver so that he could succeed in achieving his American Dream. 

So, what’s the story behind Karlos’ success?

 

 

HOW IT STARTED

Growing up, Karlos saw firsthand what it meant to be an entrepreneur. His father owned and operated an independent convenience store, where Karlos was able to gain meaningful hands-on experience learning the ins and outs of how to run a small business. While working for his father full-time, Karlos realized he had a different vision for his life, apart from the family business. And so, in prioritizing his business ambitions, he forged his own path to discover his individual identity.

Karlos found value in making a positive impact on his community. He joined the local police force, where he ensured the safety of his neighbors by patrolling the streets and fostering constructive relationships with the residents of El Paso. Following his time in public service, Karlos dove into the banking industry. 

While working as a personal banker for one of the world’s largest banks, a client offered what Karlos considers to be a pivotal piece of advice: Work on self-improvement and self-education to excel professionally and achieve personal goals. Karlos points to this advice as a turning point in his career and life. To this day, self-growth remains central to his personal brand and philosophy in life, resulting in building several successful companies.

In 2012, Karlos’s brother, Justin, reached out to him with a new business venture that opened the door for where he is today and allowed him to work alongside his family once again – the opening of the first Lube X-Press location.

 

HOW IT’S GOING

Together, Karlos and Justin worked in the pits for two years while building out their team. That’s when the Lazo brothers quickly realized they had an opportunity to create their own niche in the El Paso automotive market by implementing a new business model.  

In 2016, they went all-in on the drive-thru service model.

The drive-thru oil change became the focus with other services as secondary. Today, Lube X-Press still focuses on oil changes, while additionally offering fluid exchanges for power steering, coolant, automatic transmission as well as cabin and air filter replacement at all 10 locations in and around El Paso. 

In adopting the drive-thru style business model, Lube X-Press has accomplished an elevated experience that leaves guests impressed and excited to return.  In fact, a true testament to Lube X-Press’s dedication to their customers is their inspiring Net Promoter Score (NPS), which measures customer loyalty to a brand. While the industry-average NPS is 76, Lube X-Press has a score of 90+, setting them apart from other brands in their industry while to solidifying them as a clear leader in customer service and satisfaction.

 

WHERE IT’S HEADED

Karlos’ path of entrepreneurship has been far from traditional. Despite bumps along the way, he persevered. Finding lessons in whatever obstacles life threw at him, Karlos has learned invaluable leadership skills necessary to guide Lube X-Press to a position of growing success with a cult-like following in El Paso for the last 11 years.  The brand is honored to have been named as “Best Place to Get an Oil Change in El Paso” for three consecutive years while consistently receiving top-rated customer satisfaction.

On the franchising side, Karlos and Lube X-Press are committed to providing the proper resources so franchise owners can find success. They’ve partnered with industry experts to develop a comprehensive set of tools and support systems, such as FranConnect - a software to streamline company-wide communication between corporate team members and franchisees.

Today, Lube X-Press is ready to take the next step of expanding into new markets. While continuously growing in their home market of El Paso, along with two locations currently in development in Phoenix, Lube X-Press has identified Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Miami/Fort Lauderdale as three ideal markets with great franchise potential.

With a goal to add 3 new shops to the brand’s portfolio by the end of the year, Lube X-Press is currently seeking both single-unit and multi-unit franchisees who possess a strong business acumen in addition to proficient communication, leadership, and management skills. With a proven business model in place and industry-leading margins, franchise partners can expect their initial investment to be anywhere from $260,750 - $396,000.