‘Drivers think a man is in charge,’ tire care manager breaks the mold at Love's

When Destiny Grubbs was hired to work in Tire Care at Love's 717 in Disputanta, Virginia, she didn't know how to change a tire. With aspirations to attend diesel mechanic school, she was excited to learn Love's offered on-the-job training through its diesel mechanic training program, which would teach her the skills she was eager to pick up without the cost of attending school.

"I thought 'If I can go to work, get paid and learn - it's a no-brainer to work at Love's,'" Destiny said.

After accepting a mechanic apprentice position in March 2018, she quickly excelled as a Tire Care technician. Following her development plan through Love's Road to Success Program,

Destiny describes her job as "great, awesome and fun" and especially enjoys any opportunity to mentor and teach newer Tire Care technicians skills or processes.

"It's really cool to see how happy our technicians are to learn, and I appreciate the opportunity to show them how to accomplish something," she said.

Destiny leads a team of eight and enjoys taking on challenges in a fast-paced environment. With experience in the military and as a student juggling multiple jobs, she's used to a day full of activity and is glad to have found a job with Love's that keeps her busy doing work she cares about.

Destiny is committed to her Customers and appreciates the opportunity to directly meet their needs. She takes pride in the high-level of service she and her team strive to provide Customers as well as in her ability to succeed in a historically male-dominated role and industry.

"A lot of drivers come in to the tire shop thinking a man is in charge," she said. "Many of them are surprised to learn it's my shop. I can bust a tire faster than most of the guys in my shop, and I'm proud of that."

Before accepting a job with Love's, Destiny worked in IT for a short period but left because the company didn't invest in its employees. At Love's, she's found a family environment, she said, one where she can learn and grow with a company that's made a significant investment in her.

Destiny saw Love's culture in action on a grand scale in January when she attended her first Love's Education, Awards and Development Conference.

"When I went to LEAD, I liked how it was family-oriented," she said. "People wanted to talk with you and get to know you."

For Destiny, it's all about having the right attitude. Her advice for fellow employees is to never lose their willingness to learn, embrace challenges and stay determined.

"A truck tire was the first tire I ever changed," she said. "If you put your mind to it, you can do it."