A Conversation With Justin Salisbury, President/COO, Breeze Thru Car Wash
Justin Salisbury “stumbled” into the car wash world with a mix of business education and trade school skills, then discovered it was the perfect place to put both to work. Fourteen years ago, he joined Breeze Thru Car Wash when it had just two locations, earned his way into ownership after three years, and leaned hard into what he loves most: building operational systems that help people grow. Today, he’s President and COO, leading a succession plan with a new ownership group, and scaling what he calls a “people development machine” across 16 locations in Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming.
Justin’s story is a reminder that most leadership journeys are less “master plan” and more “well, that escalated.” He and Julie dig into why fear of failure keeps leaders stuck, and how Breeze Thru intentionally trains people to handle tough conversations, build trust, and create real alignment that survives growth spurts.
Episode Takeaways
- People are the business. Systems and structure matter, but they exist to help humans succeed, not to look pretty in a binder.
- Failure is required, not tolerated. At Breeze Thru Car Wash, empowerment means “you get the opportunity to fail,” then learn fast and respond well.
- Alignment takes time, then takes more time. Defining mission, vision, and values took months, deploying them took years, and scaling requires revisiting them.
- Get curious, not furious. Curiosity changes the chemistry of leadership and turns emotional reactions into productive questions.
- Hard conversations are a skill gap, not a character flaw. Confidence grows when leaders practice crucial conversations, survive, and realize they can do it again.
Justin’s big alignment call is simple and surprisingly rare: help people understand how they matter. When leaders commit to that, trust deepens, growth accelerates, and even a car wash becomes a place where people leave stronger than they arrived (and yes, with a cleaner car).
Connect with Justin Salisbury on LinkedIn here or check out a Breeze Thru Car Wash location near you today.
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Is misalignment holding your organization back?
Aligned teams deliver better results more consistently, and they have deeper connections to each other and their organizations.
Connect with Justin Salisbury on LinkedIn here or check out a Breeze Thru Car Wash location near you today.
-------------------------
Is misalignment holding your organization back?
Aligned teams deliver better results more consistently, and they have deeper connections to each other and their organizations.
Download our free Leadership Alignment Evaluation Tool and take the first step toward transforming how your team works together.
Learn more about Julie and Karrikins Group:
Learn more about Julie and Karrikins Group:
Creators and Guests
Host
Julie Williamson, PhD
Julie Williamson, PhD is the CEO and a Managing Partner at Karrikins Group, a Denver-based, global-serving business consultancy. Author, Keynote Speaker, and Host of The Failure Gap Podcast, Julie is a leading voice in how alignment can transform leaders and organizations.
Guest
Justin Salisbury
Fourteen years ago, Justin Salisbury walked into Breeze Thru Car Wash with $274.76 to his name, making $10 an hour. He worked his way from Regional Operations Manager to President and COO, fueled by radical accountability, relentless curiosity, and an unconventional background spanning degrees in global business management alongside trades certifications in welding, underwater welding, and plumbing. He didn't follow a single lane. He followed what mattered, took it seriously, and built the path as he went. Today, Justin is part of the ownership team at Breeze Thru Car Wash, a regional, independently owned company operating 16 locations across Colorado and Wyoming with one of the largest wash membership programs in the country. Breeze Thru is recognized as an industry leader in innovation and quality, and Justin is a driving force behind that reputation. He owns strategic vision, operational standards, brand integrity, compliance, and the company's ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System. He sets annual objectives, approves implementation plans, and when the business needs to evolve, he ensures the right people are empowered to lead that change. Justin models the rise, not just the result. You can't "dollar and cents" your way to authentic care, and Justin builds teams and cultures that prove it every day.
