“Being together 24/7 is not for the faint of heart,” says Kyle Whalen, who co-owns Pro Tint and Apparel in Hartwell, Ga., with his partner Hannah Leigh Adams. “We have a physical wall between us, but we have to communicate back and forth everyday. The best part is seeing what we’re growing together.”
A Day in the Life
It was a rainy, humid afternoon in Hartwell, Ga., on August 30. Sitting on the edge of Bowersville Highway, Pro Tint and Apparel offers window tinting, screen printing, graphics and signs, banners, wraps, and stickers.
Hannah Leigh Adams co-owns Pro Tint and Apparel in Hartwell, Ga.
Whalen leads the film and graphics division while Adams heads up apparel and screen printing efforts. The company operates in a 3,000 square-foot building.
Inside, Whalen and Adams’ four French Bulldogs–Yoda, Lola, Goose, and Maverick–roamed throughout the shop. Custom T-shirts cover the lobby’s walls, representing the many local businesses in the area.
“I had my own apparel business before I met Kyle,” said Adams, who also serves as a Territory Manager at Autobahn, Huper Optik, and Edge. “When we got together, we created one big shop. We switched to Autobahn, Huper, and Edge a year ago. I love the brands. That’s what inspired me to become a sales rep. I wanted to grow in this industry.”
In the shop’s installation bay, Whalen and his team started tinting a tractor. “We’ve got a lot of repeat clientele,” he shared. “The client with the tractor we’re tinting today–we’ve done their house and their cars. In a small town, everybody talks.”
Whalen is a self-taught tinter, starting his journey at an auto accessory and window tinting business at 18 years old.
“I messed up half of the cars I tinted,” Whalen shared. “If you would have told me 16 years ago that I would be tinting windows full-time today … I would have laughed.”
Joining the Family
“When I decided to go with Autobahn, I called CEO David Kratz,” says Whalen, who is now an authorized Autobahn, Huper Optik, and Edge dealer. “Within two days, I had everything that I needed. I’ve worked with three or four different suppliers. To be able to call the CEO? That’s a big difference.”
Sixteen-year industry veteran Whalen credits Randy Humphries, owner of Tint Works in Murfreesboro, Tenn., for his long-term success.
“Randy is my go-to if I’ve got a question,” Whalen says. “Back in the day, it was dog-eat-dog. A window tinting company wouldn’t give a hard card to a company up the street if they needed it.”
Dramatic Growth
“My favorite part of the business is knowing that we built it from the ground up,” says Adams, whose apparel division continues to thrive.
Pro Tint and Apparel offers window tinting, screen printing, graphics and signs, banners, wraps, and stickers.
Pro Tint and Apparel’s sales have tripled from 2020 to 2023. Over the last year, Whalen and his crew have installed security film and attachments at 20 schools throughout Georgia.
“You don’t cut corners,” Whalen says of security-focused installations. “When we first started installing security film, teachers thought we were tinting the windows. But they’re getting a lot more knowledgeable about the products and their purpose.”
Working as One
Whalen and Adams’ company is propelled by impactful team members: Russell Hall, Installer; Greg Sloan, Graphic Designer/Installer; Brian Dyer, Shop Manager; and Sydney Fleming, Screen Printer.
Tinting and printing in a small town, Whalen and Adams value a family-like culture within their building and personal relationships with their clients.
“We try to treat everyone here like family,” Whalen says. “Yes, we’re going to make money off of customers; and yes, we want to upsell them to ceramic window film. But we want them to be happy with the product and the service.”
Editor’s Note: Attention Autobahn, Huper Optik, and Edge dealers—I want to hear from you! My mission is to share your success stories and overall shop developments. Please reach out to me at ccollier@autobahnwindowfilms.com. I can’t wait to touch base!