Business

Meet The First Nigerian To Acquire Toyota And Ford Dealerships In USA

Faith Toyota and Ford Franchise/Dealership in Westminster, State of Vermont, United States of America is a unique and historical car dealership shop. It is a legacy investment in the automobile industry in the United States of America because there are only 1,500 Toyota and Lexus dealerships in United States of America. Out of which 30 are owned and operated by African Americans (blacks). This multi-million dollar automobile shop is owned by a Nigerian diaspora from Imo State, Southeast of Nigeria.

Mr Faith Mba is a Nigerian that emigrated to United States of America barely seventeen years ago. He left the shores of Nigeria in 2002 to The Netherlands. After two years stay in Holland, he relocated to The United States of America.

According to Autonew.com , (the leading source of news about the global automotive industry), Mr Faith Mba’s journey to owning a Toyota-Ford dealerships in Vermont spanned three continents, beginning at a street market in Nigeria where he hawked women’s clothing with his mother. He worked for a few years in the Netherlands, where he had his first stint in automobile industry, customer service and public relations. Mr Mba also utilized the opportunity while in Holland to develope his proficiency in both Dutch and German languages.

In 2004, he relocated to the North-Eastern town of Spofford, New Hampshire to join his wife. His inherent abilities enhanced his adaptability in his new environment. It was here that Mba, knowing where his passion lies, secured a job in a Kia and Ford dealership shop in the town as a trainee paid salesman.

His venture into the automotive industry as a trainee staff was greeted with scepticism at least from his new American family. However, he was focussed and convinced that he was in the right occupational environment.

He reminisces on his mother’s prophetic counsel that if he pursued a career in sales, life will go well for him which fired up his conviction. In addition, his Nigerian ethnic group, ‘Igbo’ are exceptionally gifted in making a living out of trade and commerce. Equipped with his inner assurances, he started to develop a vision to become a prominent player someday in the automotive industry.

Faith was eventually promoted to a manager within few years of working in the Company due to his prodigy in the job. Mba continued to work his way up, eventually working as finance director at Toyota and Ford in Greenfield, Mass. He later accepted a position as finance director at a car dealership in Boston, commuting 228 miles (367 Kilometers) a day, before deciding to open his own business.

“America is a wonderful place, and if you work hard and stay focused you will reap success,” said Mba. “You don’t have to own a business, but you must have a good work ethic with whatever you do.”

His growth in the automotive industry was not a smooth ride being a black immigrant with strong accent, not everyone wanted to do business with him. He faced the tough reality as he recalled one instance while working at a Ford store in Brattleboro, Vermont, when a man came to check out a pickup. The man brought his mother to co-sign, Mba said, so he was ready to buy. Mba greeted them and retrieved the vehicle, but after a test drive, they abruptly left. The manager was upset, thinking Mba had blown the deal. Then the phone rang.

The man said he wanted the truck but didn’t want to buy from “the Black guy.” Instead of turning him away, the store had another salesperson handle the deal. The buyer’s wife apologized, as did Mba’s manager. The unpleasant experience instead of being an impediment to his vision, invigorated, stimulated and emboldened him to stay focussed. “The issue of acceptance was there at the beginning,” he said, “but you have to find a way to fight through.”

In 2016, Mba acquired Ford motor Company dealership in Brattleboro near New Hampshire.

In 2018, he acquired a dualed Toyota-Ford showroom Westminster, Vermont and sold his single-point Ford store. He is currently constructing a 40,000-square-foot (12,200 square meters) facility to comfortably house his Ford and Toyota franchises.

Mr Mba is happily married and grooming his 14-year-old son, who works in the office twice a week, to take over the business in the future.

“Don’t look for that perfect dealership, don’t look for that perfect city,” Mba said. “We cannot have everything at the same time. You can grow to make it perfect, you can grow to make it your home. Take that faith and run with it. Follow your instincts and look for a place where you can grow.”, Faith advises prospective automotive industry investors especially the minority group.

Faith Toyota and Ford dealerships in Westminster has severally surpassed it’s sales projection. With staff strength of 100 permanent workers and about 50 part-time workers, Faith Toyota and Ford is an ‘American dream’ come true.

Remarkably, Mba is giving back to the Community that welcomed him and gave him the opportunity to be what he is today. He has created numerous jobs for the Community and established window of job opportunities for them. “The people are very friendly and very nice, and the community has been great,” said Mba. “I’ve made sure that all of our employees are locals that live in Vermont or New Hampshire. We are still looking for more people because sales are so impressive, and service is so busy that we need more mechanics.”

Mba has gone out of his way to engage with the community by volunteering Faith’s Toyota-Ford as a United Way sponsor, and has been welcomed by the Brattleboro Chamber of Commerce.

Back in Nigeria, he is constructing a public Primary School in his village in Imo State. He has other outreach projects he intend to execute in Nigeria in the coming days.