Pit Tech to President: Matthew Brooks moves from Store 29 to a future 2,000+ at Take 5 Oil Change
Matthew Brooks reflects on his journey from part-time technician to regional leadership—and the many people he took with him on the way.
Matthew Brooks wasn’t looking for a long-term career when he started at Take 5 Oil Change. He just wanted a part-time job.
“I was in college and needed some extra cash,” Matthew said. “A friend told me they were hiring at a shop in Lafayette, Louisiana, and I figured I’d give it a shot.”
He began as a technician in Store 29, one of Take 5’s earliest locations. More than 12 years later, he’s still with the brand, now serving as a Regional Training Manager and supporting operations and corporate initiatives across the business.
While Matthew has grown during his time at the company, the company itself has grown, too. There are now more than 1,300 Take 5 locations nationwide—with no plans to slow down anytime soon.
And Matthew can’t wait to continue growing right alongside it.
Taking a chance on something new
When Matthew started at Take 5 in the winter of 2014, he had no automotive experience.
“All I came in with was a willingness to work,” he said.
That openness turned into an opportunity soon enough. Within a year, Matthew had moved into an assistant manager role and was beginning to think about a longer future with Take 5. Enticed by his career prospects with the brand, he eventually made the decision to step away from college and go all in.
“My manager was very transparent with me about the opportunity in front of me,” he said. “It made me stop and think, what am I working toward and could I build that here?”
And as Driven Brands acquired and expanded Take 5, Matthew found that his gamble paid off.
He learned from the growing company’s successes and failures, picking up what worked and adapting when things didn’t pan out. That mindset of continuous improvement helped him move into a store manager role and, eventually, into training-focused leadership positions.
Leading by investing in others
Today, Matthew is a Regional Training Manager for the West Division. He supports both field operations and corporate teams, working on everything from operational standards to major company initiatives.
It’s a rewarding experience, but for Matthew, success has always been about more than just his own advancement.
“I always wanted to make sure it wasn’t just about me,” he said. “I’ve been blessed in a lot of ways, so I try to pay that forward.”
Matthew has helped develop and mentor countless team members over the years. What makes him most proud is seeing those who have gone on to leadership roles themselves or who have found success outside the company.
"Seeing people grow, get promoted, provide for their families—that’s the impact that matters,” he said.
Matthew is just as dedicated in his personal life. A newly married husband and father of three—including a teenage daughter and twin boys—he spends time away from Take 5 supporting his family and helping them grow, both individually and as a unit.
In this way, Matthew is living many of the Driven Brands core values, personally and professionally: pride in performance, doing business right, and putting the customer first. Even when his role doesn’t face Take 5 customers directly, he sees himself as providing a service.
“The customer just changed,” Matthew said. “Now my customers are our operations team and our corporate partners. My job is to serve them and help them succeed.”
Looking ahead to Store 2,000
Matthew’s personal growth mirrors Take 5’s own. Having started with part-time work at Store 29, he’s now looking at a present that includes more than 1,000 Take 5 locations—and a future that holds more than 2,000.
He’s excited to see the next phase unfold.
“It always blows my mind how small we still are in this industry,” Matthew said. “We’ve done a great job competing as a smaller brand, but what happens when the table is level? That’s what I want to see.”
From a part-time college job to a leadership role shaping the brand’s future, Matthew's journey truly reflects the spirit of Take 5’s Pit Tech to President culture: seizing the opportunity in front of you, putting in the work, and bringing others along for the ride.