Posts by Carm Capriotto, AAP
RR 035: Jerry Kezhaya from The Auto Shop
RR 034: NACE-CARS 2015
Enjoy a narrative from Carm Capriotto as he recounts the four days spent in Detroit at the NACE/CARS 2015 Expo and Conference in July 2015. Listen to his observations and actual quotes from speakers along with specific ‘hot’ subjects having an impact on the aftermarket right now! Get out your pen and paper and get…
RR 033: Donny Seyfer from Seyfer Automotive
Co-Owner of Seyfer Automotive, in Wheat Ridge, CO. Donny Seyfer, a 3rd generation owner, has over 30 years of automotive experience as a technician, manager and service consultant. His Dad started in 1961 and his grandfather was building race cars before that. Seyfer Automotive provides general repair, and maintenance with a special focus on diagnostic…
RR 032: Malcolm Sissmore on Telematics
Malcolm Sissmore is a wealth of knowledge on telematics and provides great insight on the subject. Malcolm is with Delphi Product and Service Solutions. He is the North American Sales Director: Traditional Markets & Telematics and the Country Director Canada. Many of our guests have discussed telematics technology as a potential disruptor or opportunity. Besides…
Explaining Social Media to your Chamber of Commerce
RR 031: Todd Holiday from Winchester Tire
Meet Tod Holiday the second generation owner of the 43 years young Winchester Tire and Alignment in Memphis, TN. Like so many of our podcast entrepreneurs this is a great story on growing up in a family business when before school and after-school were all about being at the business helping out. (I’m sure you…
RR 030: Donny Seyfer Chairman ASA
In May 2015 Donny Seyfer was named Chairman of ASA. He says it is a ‘NEW’ organization that is changing in many positive ways. Donny shares his inside view on the Automotive Service Association and discusses the biggest benefits to the membership. He also talks about their big expo and conference NACE/CARS, in July 2015,…
RR 029: Andy Massoll from Curt’s Service
Curt’s Service started out as so many shops did back in the day as a Sunoco Station. That was 34 years ago that Curt Massoll got the bug. Andy Massoll, second generation owner of Curt’s Service in Oak Park Michigan. Guest Andy Massoll is second generation owner and has a top shop designation from Motor…
RR 028: Leigh Anne Best from Brakes For Breasts
(NOTE: This episode was recorded and released in July 2015. The picture above is the presentation for the 2015 fundraising efforts. $141,868 was collected.) In 2011, Leigh Anne Best and fellow shop owner Laura Frank began the “Brakes for Breasts” fundraiser with 5 local auto shops in Ohio. In 2012, they expanded “Brakes for Breasts” to 27 shops across 17…
RR 027: Bogi Lateiner from 180º Automotive
Meet Bogi Lateiner from 180º Automotive in Phoenix, AZ. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Oberlin College in just three years with a double major in Womens’ Studies and Pre-Law. Listen to her story on how she got where she is today. Her nine year old shop has an all-female tech team, working eight bays…
Hungry? Where’s the Food Truck?
RR 026: Craig Clark from Alfred State College
Where are we getting our future technicians? Without one doubt this is a big aftermarket concern. There are many great post-secondary training institutes or colleges in the US. One that I happen to know a lot about is in Wellsville, NY. It’s Alfred State College part of the State University of NY system. Craig Clark,…
RR 025: Frank Butkus-Leutz from Desert Car Care
Frank Butkus-Leutz of Desert Car Care in Chandler, AZ, is clearly a vibrant, excitable and passionate shop owner. He is enthusiastic about unity in the industry and helping his fellow shop owner. This outspoken jazz trombonist tells his story from growing up in Harlem to serving in the Persian Gulf as a signalman. An interesting…
How Frank Lloyd Wright got me going for Broke!
It was a rainy weekend with close friends visiting from Florida. This summer has been very rainy so far; our payoff for a very long hard Buffalo winter (tongue planted firmly in cheek). But I digress. For Florida residents heading up north for a summer retreat is a smart idea to escape the ninety degree…
RR 024: Jill Trotta from Repair Pal
Jill Trotta, Director Automotive Group at RepairPal provides an in-depth discussion on the benefits and value of this shop referral site. A few of our previous podcast guests are RepairPal members and that got me curious and prompted a call to Jill for an interview. According to Jill there are 1200 participant shops in their…
RR 023: Maryann Croce from Croce’s Transmissions
Maryann Croce of Croce Transmissions in Norwalk, CT and her husband Tony combined her banking career and his automotive technical skills and bought a transmission business 15 years ago. They have 4 bays, 4 techs and one service adviser As so many in the aftermarket know when husband and wife’s and families, for that matter,…
RR 022: Amy Mattinat from CCC Women’s Board
Amy Mattinat, the current president of the Car Care Council Women’s Board discusses the organization she leads. When you think about the number of woman who make up the majority of customers and decision maker at service counters, the role the Women’s Board is very important to the industry. Amy outlines the council’s value and…
Eleven Rules for Life!
RR 021: Bill Hill from Mighty Auto Pro
Bill Hill owner of Mighty Auto Pro from Medina, OH has owned the 19 bay 10,000 sq ft shop for 17 years. He employs 13 associates that includes 5 techs, 2 service writers, 1 customer service specialist along with a customer service assistant and a shuttle driver. He believes that processes and procedures are very…
RR 020: Michael Haeg from Century Interactive
Michael Haeg is the Director of Business Development at Century Interactive. He says they are phone nerds and have a solution called ‘service setter’ that shops use to improve their phone skills and close more sales. Who wouldn’t want that? Michael points out that the “owning the phone” has a bigger impact on business today…
Top 10 List!
RR 019: Greg Buckley from Buckley’s Auto Care
RR 018: Michael Rukov, YANG
Michael Rukov, Products and Marketing Manager of One-Stop Parts Source is the Chairman of YANG. The Young Auto Care Network Group is a part of the Auto Care Association whose membership is under 40 years old. Michael talks about the start of the group two years ago, their goals for 2015 and the plans to…