We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Zack Emmanouil. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Zack below.

Zack, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. undefined

In a way, yes—but not in the traditional sense. The neighborhood where J&T Automotive sits today—Spring Valley Village—is now one of the most sought-after zip codes in Houston. But that wasn’t always the case.

Back in the 1970s, my parents were doing business here. They were Greek immigrants who came to the U.S. with nothing but grit and work ethic. They built a small gas station and repair shop in what was then a working-class, overlooked part of town. They served everyday people—immigrants, blue-collar families, folks just trying to get by. And they treated everyone the same: with respect and honesty.

Fast forward to today, and while the neighborhood has gentrified over the past 15 years, that original spirit still drives what we do. The people we serve aren’t always underserved by location, but they often are in how they’re treated—especially in the auto industry. Some feel intimidated at dealerships, talked down to, or pressured into repairs they don’t understand. We’ve built a reputation for doing the opposite.

One story that sticks with me is a man who brought in his elderly mother’s car. She’d been told at another shop she needed thousands in repairs. He was skeptical. We took a look, showed him the actual issues, explained everything transparently, and saved them a fortune. But more than that, we gave them peace of mind. That’s something money can’t buy.

So while the zip code has changed, our mission hasn’t. We still serve with humility, honesty, and a deep respect for every customer—especially those who’ve been overlooked or mistreated elsewhere. That mindset came from my parents, and it still lives in the culture of J&T today.

Zack, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Zack Emmanouil, and I’m the owner and operator of J&T Automotive in Houston, Texas. I was born just down the street from the shop I now run, but my journey to get here wasn’t direct. My parents were Greek immigrants who came to the U.S. in the late 1960s. They built a gas station and repair shop from scratch—right here in Spring Branch—through sheer grit and hard work. In the early ’80s, they sold the business and moved our family back to Greece, where I grew up on the island of Leros.

I’ve always been a gearhead. Even as a kid, I was tearing apart mopeds and motorbikes and putting them back together—faster, louder, better. I studied hotel management and catering because tourism was the main industry on the island, but I knew deep down my heart belonged to cars. So at 19, I returned to Houston alone, driven by a feeling that something was unfinished. I walked back into the same shop my parents once owned—now under new ownership—and started from the bottom. I swept floors, gave rides to customers, and went to technical school at night. Over time, I learned the business from every angle—working my way up through effort, not entitlement.

Today, I own that shop.

J&T Automotive is now one of Houston’s leading independent repair facilities. We operate with 23 bays, a professional team of nearly 30 people, and dealer-level capabilities across all makes and models—including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, Audi, Toyota, and more. What we offer goes far beyond oil changes and brake jobs. We provide true transparency, expert diagnostics, honest recommendations, and a customer experience that’s focused on trust.

The problems we solve? Mistrust in the auto repair industry. Confusion around what’s really needed. That feeling customers get when they walk into a dealership and feel like just a number. We fix cars—but more importantly, we give people peace of mind. And we treat every customer like they actually matter, because they do.

What sets us apart isn’t just our equipment or certifications—it’s our culture. I’m at the shop every morning at 6 a.m. because I care. My team sees that, and they reflect that same energy. We’ve built a business on doing things the right way—every time, no exceptions. I’m proud of the growth, the reviews, the numbers—but I’m most proud of the team we’ve built and the reputation we’ve earned. That takes years of consistent leadership, integrity, and genuine care for people.

If there’s one thing I’d want people to know about me and about J&T Automotive, it’s this: we don’t just fix vehicles. We build relationships, we stand behind our work, and we’ve created something rare in this industry—a shop that truly puts people first.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My story begins in 1997, when I returned to Houston at 19 years old. The shop I came to work for wasn’t just any shop—it was my family’s old shop. My parents were the embodiment of the American dream. They immigrated to the U.S. from Greece in the late 1960s with nothing but determination and grit. Through hard work, long hours, and an immigrant mindset, they built a small gas station and repair shop from the ground up. Within a decade, they turned it into a success story.

In the early 1980s, they made the decision to sell everything and move us back to Greece. I was five years old. We settled on the island of Leros, where I grew up—always with a love for anything mechanical. I was the kid taking motorbikes apart and putting them back together faster and louder. Even though I later studied hotel management and catering due to tourism being big in the islands, my true passion was always cars and machines.

That passion—and unfinished business—pulled me back to Houston in 1997. I came back alone and walked into the same shop my parents had once owned. The name on the paperwork had changed, but in my heart, it was still ours. I had looked at that shop since I was a child and told myself, “One day, this will be mine.”

I started from the bottom. I was sweeping floors, cleaning bays, giving rides to customers. I worked full-time during the day and went to technical school at night. Once I earned my certifications, I bought my own tools and started turning wrenches. But even then, I didn’t treat it like just a job—I treated it like I already owned it. I protected it, improved it, and showed up with pride and purpose.

The man who owned it at the time—Theo—saw my drive and gave me more responsibility. As his health declined, I took over the day-to-day operations. When he passed away, his wife Sophia was left without someone to run the business. She had no one else but me.

I wasn’t family by name, but I had become family through loyalty, consistency, and commitment. Sophia trusted me to take the lead—and I did. I carried that responsibility like it was mine because, in every way that mattered, it was.

And eventually, all that resilience, passion, and perseverance paid off—not just in mindset, but in reality. I became the legal owner of the very shop I once dreamed of as a kid. That moment was the result of decades of showing up, pushing forward, and staying locked in on the vision I set for myself from the beginning.

Today, J&T Automotive has grown from a two-bay shop into one of the top independent repair facilities in Houston. We run 23 bays, service all makes and models—including BMW, Mercedes, Cadillac, and Lexus—and operate with dealer-level capability and a culture built on care. I also took on a struggling body shop and turned it around, and built a commercial and multifamily real estate portfolio. But even now, I’m still at the shop every morning at 6 a.m.—greeting my team and staying close to the work.

In a world where everyone wants quick wins, my story is proof that the slow grind still matters. Everything I’ve built was earned through resilience, discipline, and a deep-rooted belief in the long game. That’s where the pride comes from. And that pride now lives in every person who works beside me.

Any advice for managing a team?

Lead by example—every single day. Don’t just tell your team what matters—show them. Be the first one in, treat everyone with respect, and never act like you’re above the work. Your team will feed off your energy, your consistency, and your care.

At J&T Automotive, we run a high-performance operation with KPIs, systems, and structure—but at the end of the day, it’s still about people. You have to genuinely care. That means listening, supporting their growth, celebrating wins, and being honest when things need to improve.

Morale doesn’t come from free lunches or posters on the wall. It comes from your people knowing they matter, that their work has purpose, and that their leader has their back. If they see that you’re fully invested—not just in results but in them—they’ll show up with the same passion.

Also: don’t forget that not everyone is wired the same. Some need encouragement, others need a challenge. Good leadership is knowing your people well enough to lead each of them in the way that gets the best out of them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jntautomotive.com

Image Credits

Image courtesy of Zack Emmanouil