John Wafler serves as the Chief Brand Officer at Straightaway, where he is responsible for ensuring that all brands within the company stay aligned with its goals. He works to share, support, and implement operational best practices that align with the objectives of each brand. Prior to joining Straightaway, John spent over two decades at The Institute for Automotive Business Excellence/RLO Training/Bottom-Line Impact Groups, where he facilitated the Bottom-Line Impact Groups. He helped five brand partners transform from struggling single-location operators into successful multi-location business owners through coaching, training, and peer group support.
John was born and raised in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, and currently resides in Kelowna, BC, spending his winter months in sunny Arizona. He graduated from Steveston High School in 1977 and later studied business, marketing, and IT at Kwantlen College in Richmond. John has two children: Dr. John Michael Wafler and Leah Wafler, MA from the University of British Columbia, as well as a grandson, John Isaac Wafler. One of his guiding mottos is “Courage, Adaptability, Teamwork,” a core principle he instilled during his time at Bottom-Line Impact Groups.
In his spare time, John enjoys playing Pickleball, fixing and improving things, and fishing. His first car was a 1961 GMC pickup truck, which he rebuilt with a hopped-up V8 engine and a 2-speed Powerglide transmission in 1974. When it comes to food, John enjoys medium-rare steak, particularly rib or T-bone cuts, and butter chicken. However, yams are not on his list of favorites.
