THA 043: Book Club – Favorite Books That Have Made Me A Better Leader/CEO

Books That Have Made Me a Better Leader and CEO

Harry Truman said, “Not all readers are leaders but all leaders are readers.” Our Academy panel will share with you the books that have impacted them. They’ll explain their big take-a-ways that have impacted their lives both personal and business.

Many service professionals, that have shared their story on the podcast, credit books as an important resource for building their knowledge on leadership, business culture and personal growth.

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RR 279: Wheat Ridge High School STEM Program – Auto Shop on Steroids

Where did high school auto shop class go? Into the STEM program at Wheat Ridge High School.

A college-level program at the high school level is challenging 80 students to learn design, manufacturing, marketing, media, electrical, welding, fabrication with a competitive will to win as a collective team.

An exciting a refreshing look at how just one high school STEM program is making a difference that could one day engage students to join the automotive industry. This group has won the challenge twice in the last three years.

They are also working on a two-person NASA Mars vehicle that must fold up into a 5x5x5 foot space.

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RR 278: Emerging Technology – How Will the Aftermarket Prepare – Service EDU @ AAPEX17

Trends, Current Issues and Outlooks On the Future of the Service Sector

Shop owner Ryan Clo, Trainer Dave Hobbs and Diagnostician Matt Fanslow share their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges that make up the dynamic and changing aftermarket.

Don’t miss the discussion on training, business models, technician pay, business culture, specialization, and the changing role of the shop owner.

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THA 042: Impacting a Difference For Those Struggling For Success

The Power of Peer To Peer Help.

When you commit to helping a struggling service professional you help lift all ships. The tough part is starting the engagement. When a shop owner asks for guidance that is the first step to really make change. The teacher arrives only when the student does.

It is very altruistic in nature to help a colleague. These actions help the entire industry. Marginal operations contribute to a negative image problem. A stronger independent service industry brings strength to the industry and compounds success.

Together everyone blossoms and grows as servants to the motoring public. This episode shares a few examples and starts to write the action items you need to take to build a stronger aftermarket.

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RR 277: Andy Bizub from Midwest Performance Cars

There Should Never Be A Year That You Don’t Make More Than The Year Before.

Andy Bizub purchased Midwest Performance Cars in Chicago, IL after 25 years as a commodity trader. He was a customer of Midwest and needed a change in his career, so he purchased the Porsche, BMW, Audio specialist.

His love of cars and his passion to build a growing successful business eclipsed his lack of experience in the industry. Andy shows that being a good CEO and leading your team to greatness is what it takes to be successful.

Andy is the perfect example of taking a commitment to culture, relationships, leadership and problem solving and transforming a business that is adding its second branch.

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RR 276: SPARK 2017 at AAPEX

Building The Future. Three Intense Days Showcase The Global Automotive Aftermarket.

Tyler McCartney, Nicholas Holton, Christopher Berry and Zach Rizo were four of the ten collegiate level students that were provided an unprecedented immersion into the aftermarket at the start of their careers, all because of SPARK.

As the entire aftermarket faces the need for young talent to join our industry, this interview shows the power of the SPARK Program to showcase career opportunities. These students got to see the global aftermarket on display and understand the economic impact on our economy.

Listen to the gems of wisdom from our future leaders.

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THA 041: The Value of Knowing Your Customers Observable Behavior (DISC) | AMi Credit

Become A Better Communicator By Learning The Power Of Observable Human Behavior.

Kim Auernheimer, Shari Pheasant and Jeremy O’Neal bring their wealth of knowledge using the DISC profiles in their businesses. You need to understand that DISC is an evaluation of your four basic behaviors. There is a science element to our discussion but don’t let that get in the way of this very powerful communication tool.

The value of knowing your DISC and how to discover your customers or co-workers behavior traits and then communicate in their basic way is the power of this lesson. Once you know them the world is your oyster because you can now start to converse with them in their language, not yours.

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RR 275: Chris Chesney – Sr. Director Customer Training – Carquest Technical Institute

Are You Committed to Be A Lifetime Learner In The Automotive Aftermarket? Learn Why It Must Be Your Most Important Goal.

Chris Chesney is the Senior Director, Customer Training at the CARQUEST Technical Institute and explains that our great aftermarket has its best days ahead, however, the challenge is going to take many people, teams and organizations working together to formulate solutions as we prepare for the largest wave of technology and consolidation we’ve ever seen.

Chris explains that all successful technicians and shop owners know …. that you must be committed to being a lifelong learner. If not … you’re in the wrong profession.

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RR 274: Bill Hanvey and Bill Long / Co-Chair of AAPEX 2017

AAPEX Co-Chairs Share the Educational Value and Networking Power of this Premier Global Event

AAPEX is co-owned by The Auto Care Association and Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA). Bill Hanvey is president and CEO of Auto Care and Bill Long, AAP is president and COO of AASA.

You’ll hear about the evolution in education for the service professional and the highlights for diagnostics training and technology for 2017. Bill and Bill share many of the reasons to attend AAPEX and their strategies to keep pushing the technology envelope since we are now a technology industry.

Mobility park and ServiceEDU are discussed along with a few behind the scenes stories that will give you a high appreciation for the enormity of this project. This is the Expo and Conference not to be missed each year.

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THA 040: The Extreme Value in Doing a SWOT On Your Business

The Power of Performing a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunity, Threats) Review of Your Business.

Join Maryann Croce, Greg Bunch and Murray Voth for a wide-open discussion on the power and value doing a SWOT on your business. These three aftermarket professionals know the worth and outcome of a well-done SWOT.

Involve your team, assign priorities to the outcome and create a timeline to do the things discovered in this exercise. You are creating a strategic plan to best prepare your company for doing business in today’s market and into the future.

Go to the show notes page for this Academy episode #40 to download support tools.

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RR 273: Technician Round Table Part 3 -Heipp – Landry -Fanslow

Wide Open Discussion from Three Aftermarket Technicians on Technician Pay, Benefits, Training and MORE!

Matt Fanslow, Bob Heipp and Peter Landry openly discuss some very hot and touchy subjects that effects all aftermarketer’s.

Besides technician pay and benefits, other talking points cover the commitment to forever training, getting paid for diagnostic time, ADAS, mandatory technician certification, their view of the technician shortage, and is there enough GOOD training available.

This discussion is not without its very strong perspectives that will challenge thinking and maybe convert an outlier.

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RR 272: Marcus Marchegger from Capital Automotive

Have You Turned Your Passion Into Your Business WHY?

Marcus Marchegger’s career as a shop owner didn’t take the traditional path. It included working for a friends shop right after college, real-estate, dealership’s and being a mortgage broker. With a new wife and baby, he had a long commute and became a stay at home dad.

His wife knew of his passion for the automotive and together they found and purchased Capitol Automotive in Carson City, NV.
Marcus takes you through the early days and some of the early regrets. We all have them. A smart, passionate people person who wants nothing more than to help people be safe and make sensible decisions about their cars.

From floor sweeper to mortgage broker to shop owner. An interesting pathway to being a service professional.

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THA 039: Eight Ways To Recruit and Build Your Team | AMi Credit

When was the last time you actively recruited qualified candidates to fill your bench strength?

Kevin Vaught, Business Development Coach from Elite Worldwide, Ryan Blair from Blair Automotive and Robert Sexton from First Tire and Automotive bring their strategies, tactics and ideas to the discussion.

We cover networking, building your pipeline of qualified candidates, and your people as recruiters. They all agree that recruiting is a long game that needs daily attention. You must invest the time.

We talk about marketing efforts and being involved in secondary and post-secondary education. Many more great ideas and gems of wisdom from the Academy panel who make recruiting a ‘must do’ piece of their responsibility to their companies

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