Straightaway Academy was built to create a shared standard of leadership and operational excellence across every brand, every team, and every shop. More than a training initiative, it’s the foundation for how we develop people, strengthen performance, and scale the business for long-term success.
Automotive Training Program For Every Stage of the Career Ladder
Most competitors focus on teaching isolated skills. Straightaway Academy develops leaders and operators who understand how to drive culture, performance, customer experience, and profitability together.
That distinction matters.
Because when leadership development becomes part of the operating model, not just a one-time initiative, the impact compounds over time. Teams become stronger. Shops become more consistent. And the organization becomes better positioned to scale sustainably for the future.
Leadership Academy
Great shops are built by great leaders. Our Leadership Academy equips current and emerging leaders with the skills to confidently lead teams, drive operational excellence, and create a culture people want to be part of.
Through focused development in operations, financial performance, and people leadership, leaders learn how to deliver consistent results while strengthening the shop from the inside out.
Service Advisor Academy
The Service Advisor Academy helps advisors master the art of communication from the first conversation to final vehicle delivery. Advisors learn how to build credibility, guide customers with confidence, and create a seamless experience that drives customer loyalty and approved work. The result is a more consistent, professional experience at every touchpoint.
Technician Academy
Our Technician Academy is designed to strengthen the technical expertise, craftsmanship, and confidence technicians need to perform at the highest level. Through ongoing skill development and hands-on learning, technicians strengthen their capabilities over time, improving quality, productivity, and long-term career growth.
Why This Advanced Development Training Matters
The Academy transforms best practices into scalable systems. Instead of relying on tribal knowledge or individual experience, we create repeatable processes and leadership standards that can be implemented across the organization quickly and consistently.
The result is stronger operations, better customer experiences, and more resilient teams.
This approach:
Real Feedback. Real Results.
Meet Our Trainers
Nick Bird is the Vice President of Learning & Development at Straightaway, bringing more than 25 years of experience supporting Fortune 500 companies as both a trusted consultant and an in-house leader. He is responsible for building and scaling learning strategies that develop strong leaders, support operational excellence, and create meaningful growth opportunities across the organization.
Over the past decade, Nick has led enterprise learning and development functions as Director of Learning & Development at Hilton Grand Vacations and Sonder. Most recently, he spent three years in the automotive industry at American Tire Distributors, where he built and advanced training programs tailored to a complex, multi-location environment. He holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix.
Raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Nick spent ten years living in Windermere, Florida, before relocating to Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2022. He is married to his wife, Jennifer, and together they have four children—Aidan, Owen, Annie, and Oliver—along with their dog, Hallie.
Jason lead’s Straightaway’s proprietary Sales & Customer Service training program. His responsibilities include providing inbound call coaching, working closely with area managers and stores to improve lead conversion rates and customer experience. Jason is passionate about maintaining a relational model as the company grows, ensuring that advisors and managers are trained in consultant-style selling and building lasting, genuine relationships with customers.
Before joining Straightaway, Jason held leadership roles as Vice President and Director of Sales Training at The Transformers Institute, as well as Vice President and Sales Trainer/Coach at Aspen Auto Clinic. He has also worked as a store manager at Brakes Plus and as an ASE Certified Technician and Service Advisor at various automotive shops. Jason holds an associate’s degree in automotive technology from the Denver Institute of Technology and graduated from Doherty High School in Colorado Springs.
Originally from Colorado Springs, Jason now resides in Tennessee with his wife of 33 years and their two adult daughters. He enjoys spending his spare time relaxing at home with his family, especially after frequent business travel. Jason is a fan of American comfort food, Italian and Mexican dishes, and cheeseburgers and steak. Jason is guided by the quote from Albert Einstein: “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”
Amy Summitt serves as the Director of Leadership Development at Straightaway, where she focuses on helping team members grow into strong, confident leaders while supporting development initiatives across the organization.
Since joining the company, Amy has enjoyed learning the automotive industry alongside what she describes as a talented and humble team. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications with an emphasis in Public Speaking from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Amy still calls Colorado home with her husband, Jeff, their two daughters, Addy and Rory, and their two dogs, Toto and Brahm.
Outside of work, Amy directs youth theater productions for a local organization, helping bring full musicals to life.
Build Better Leaders. Create Stronger Shops. Scale What Works.
Straightaway Academy is more than a training program; it’s how we build the future of our organization. By investing in leadership, operational excellence, and continuous development, we create teams that perform consistently, lead confidently, and deliver exceptional experiences.
As Straightaway continues to grow, the Academy guarantees our people grow with it. Sustainable growth starts with developing great people!