The power of transformational leadership with Take 5’s Cole Willford
Cole Willford's people-first, transformational leadership style is driving growth and opportunity at Take 5 Oil Change.
There are two types of leaders: transactional and transformational. Cole Willford, Associate Vice President (AVP) of Operations at Take 5 Oil Change, has always chosen to be transformational.
“You have to help individuals get what they want while also being someone they can emulate,” Cole said.
This approach was modeled for Cole early in his career at Best Buy, where he spent 16 years developing his leadership style. A mentor encouraged him to explore new opportunities outside of retail, leading him to Bridgestone Americas, where he took on the role of Regional Manager for the Midwest — a move he now calls one of the best decisions of his career.
“I stepped into a leadership role for Bridgestone’s worst-performing region — a region that had been losing profit every year for 25 years,” he explained. “The culture was broken, and expectations were low. But within nine months, we did more than turn it around. We made it the #1 performing region in the company, breaking company records and creating a new legacy for that team. All but two of the district managers stayed on with me, and together, we built something that changed the trajectory of that region for years to come.”
Cole’s clear vision and team alignment strategy transformed the region into one of Bridgestone’s top-performing areas. Two years later, he was relocated to North Texas and tasked with driving similar results.
During his time at Bridgestone, Dave Thompson, Vice President of Operations at Take 5 Oil Change, approached Cole.
“Dave is one of the best leaders and humans I’ve ever met in corporate America,” Cole said. “He definitely slow-rolled me. Over two or three years, he did what he does best—he built a relationship with me. He would say, ‘Give me and Take 5 an opportunity.’”
In September 2023, Cole finally said yes.
Transforming Take 5: people, growth, and leadership
Cole brings the same transformational energy to Take 5 that he brought to Bridgestone, focusing on growth opportunities and people. When these two overlap, the impact is especially powerful.
“One of my proudest moments at Take 5 has been seeing our team’s growth create new opportunities at every level,” he said. “We expanded so much that we established the Oklahoma region, and one of our district managers was promoted to regional director to lead it. At the same time, we had six shop managers step into district manager roles, truly embodying our ‘Pit Tech to President’ model.”
Recently, one of the region’s district managers was honored as Employee of the Year, which Cole feels further emphasizes that investing in people helps not only employees grow, but helps the business grow as well,
Cole splits his time between business strategy and team development. He believes in predictable leadership, ensuring that everyone understands what to expect from each other.
That’s why he's in his office every Monday and Friday afternoon, working on business strategy and long-term growth initiatives for Take 5. But for the rest of the week, he’s in the field, visiting shops and checking in with his team.
“These visits are always structured and intentional because efficiency gives us sustained results,” Cole explained. “What a specific district manager or team needs will be different for everyone, but the important thing is to be deliberate with our time together.”
This intentionality also extends to his decision-making framework. As AVP, Cole is responsible for regional growth strategies, financial performance, and operational efficiency. No matter the initiative, he always comes back to his people-first approach.
“We start with the employee experience and look at what we’re doing for them versus to them. Then, we focus on the customer experience. If we do those two things well, the business results will follow,” Cole said.
Building a future of growth and opportunity
Looking ahead, Cole is excited about Take 5's potential. He sees Take 5 as a place where employees can thrive, grow, and directly benefit from the company’s success.
His leadership philosophy is simple: When leaders invest in their teams with intentionality and care, success follows—not just in performance metrics but in the lasting impact they leave on people.
For Cole, it all boils down to a lesson from one of his early mentors:
“Managers do things right. Leaders do the right thing.”