Posts by Carm Capriotto, AAP
RR 197: Gary Pontious, Jr. from Toledo Auto Care
A Big Emphasis on Culture has helped this Entrepreneur Create Duplicity to Scale his Business.
Gary Pontious Jr. is the Vice President and General Manager of Toledo Auto Care that is celebrating their 100th year in business in 2017.
Toledo Auto Care is the oldest independent auto repair shop in Toledo, OH and has been owned and operated by the Pontious family since 1985.
The family has just opened their second branch in December 2016 and the strength of their culture and fundamental business practices has allowed them to scale their business for growth.
RR 196: Gary Sharits – Repair Pal/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year 2016
Gary Sharits, Service Manager of Christian Brothers in Land O Lakes, FL is the winner of the 2016 Repair Pal / ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year.
Gary has kept up his ASE credentials as Service Manager and credits his technician experience as a sound reason he can lead relationships with his technicians and customers. He shares his humble beginning from a mechanics helper at a Chevrolet dealer’s used car department, to where he is today as a service manager.
Sharits brings great insight to technicians and service managers and has a great message to youth wanting to join the industry.
RR 195: Tatsu Tsuchida from Tokyo Automotive
Second Generation Shop Owner Still Learning
As a kid growing Tatsu Tsuchida, VP of Operations, Tokyo Automotive, was a natural at pulling things apart and putting them back together.
His father, Akio Tsuchida, started Tokyo Automotive in 1978. For Tatsu it would take the better part of his twenties, from being a ski bum, to living in Japan as an English teacher for him to sow his wild oats, but always knowing that he’d return one day to work in the family shop.
Today Tatsu has learned there’s much more to running an automotive shop than loving cars. He learns through his mentor and coaches, that how the bathroom looks, the decor, and how one talks; matter more to the customer than you would ever think. Tatsu is more than honest about his challenges, and often shares with other friendly garages his mistakes (and his triumphs) so that others can benefit. Tatsu says, “Together we learn and earn more.”
RR 194: Bob Olson – Chrysler/ASE Technician of the Year 2016
ASE Chrysler/ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year 2016
Thirty six year Chrysler technician, Bob Olson from Milbank, SD is honored with the ASE recognition. Bob tells the story when he started right up to how he sees technology at work in the industry.
Bob has been working at Chrysler Dealer, GESSWEIN MOTORS, for 36 years and is very committed to ASE. He’s been certified since 1980-33 years total. He has been a Jeep-Renault-Grand Master Technician -1984 to 1988 a GMC Master Technician-1988 to 2012 and a Chrysler Master Technician since 1989.
RR 193: Kirk Richardson from South Street Auto Care
Major Business Turn Around Set Up a Plan to Retire from one Business and Buy a New One.
Kirk Richardson from South Street Auto Care in Rochester, MI, prides himself on his ability to create a family culture within his businesses. The culture is a blend of hard work, accountability, fun, and hijinx, which combine to make loyal and dedicated coworkers.
Kirk shares his companies culture, pay plan and a few elements of his strategic plan. He has a work distribution system that gets the maximum value out of every technician. Kirk loves business and people in general and will talk for hours about business!
RR 192: Eric Ziegler – E-Z Diagnostic Solutions and Trainer
Mobile Diagnostic Entrepreneur and Industry Trainer Shares the Power of Networking.
Eric Ziegler owner of E-Z Diagnostic Solutions a Mobile Diagnostics and Programing company specializing in collision centers and auto repair facilities. Eric is also an instructor for Automotive Seminars and The Driveability Guys.
Eric shares sage advice on diagnostic challenges, training, networking, labor rates. He also imparts his passion on the need for bigger labor rates, specialization, silver bullets, and his role in the industry as a trainer.
RR 191: George Arrants – Career Educator, Trainer and Recruiter
Career educator, trainer and recruiter has a powerful message for the industry.
George Arrants currently the Director of Training & Recruitment for the Wheel Time Network brings his insight and wisdom to this interview. George talks the fundamental importance of secondary and post-secondary advisory boards. He says it is a national concern with a local solution. He shares how to recruit members for advisory boards and why they are so important for our industry’s future.
George Arrants shares his perspective on the tech shortage and asks the question is it a shortage of qualified applicants or the lack of applicants. He talks about the value of Super Tech for the heavy-duty industry and compares it to a Skills USA program for big kids.
RR 189: Uwe Kleinschmidt from AutoVitals
Technology Entrepreneur shares his vision of success for the service professional..
Uwe Kleinschmidt founder and CEO of AutoVitals shares his insights on the continued integration of technology for every service professional. He says the internet is fundamentally changing the industry and how we serve the customer.
Uwe talks about the power of data, unbillable time wasted, why the service advisor is the most important part of the successful shop, that total shop measurements is the next frontier such as real time technician efficiency, and many more stimulating thoughts, ideas and insights.
RR 188: Marlo Miranda – 2016 ASE Instructor of the Year
2016 Byrl Shoemaker ASE Industry Education Alliance: Instructor of the Year, survived many challenges.
Marlo Miranda automotive technology teacher at Forsyth Central High School, Cumming, GA, was honored at the ASE Fall Board of Governors meeting in November 2016.
Marlo Miranda has a very formidable story. It wasn’t an easy go growing up in New York City. He shares his story of survivor-ship through the mentoring of his automotive technology shop teacher. This molded Marlo to this day as he brings to his students the value of having someone believe in you.
RR 187: Parker Davis – BMW Specialist – Owner Broad Stroke Associates
A strong Dealer Alternative Strategy for this BMW/MINI Service Professional
Parker Davis, President of Broad Stroke Associates has been a BMW specialist for the last ten years. He been in the industry for eighteen years and started Broad Stroke to offer his customers a strong dealer alternative.
Parker shares his strategy in customer service, training, and the ARO results of implementing his digital vehicle inspection program. Parker sees more specialization in the industry with more shops working on specific platforms. He explains how shops will evolve to be specialists.
RR 186: Chris Cloutier on Shop Technology
Do you understand the logical progression of software tools and systems in your company?
Keeping up with technology improvements and enhancements is an important strategy for any shop owner. Chris Cloutier has created an info-graphic that maps the implementation and process of a technology driven service shop
Chris created a website to help shop owners understand the process, stages and options available for shop owners. The timeline helps create an implementation strategy so that every shop keeps up with technology advancements and critical levels of customer interaction and connection.
RR 185: Bill DeBoer Jr, AAM from DeBoer’s Auto Sales and Service
High Flying Entrepreneur Combines Used Cars with Automotive Service to Create the Right Formula.
Bill DeBoer, AAM has been responsible for bringing innovations in daily operations to the full-service, high-tech auto repair facility for 20+ years. Started by his dad in 1982 DeBoer’s also sells used cars.
DeBoer speaks to the value ride sharing will bring to his business, his new mastermind group, and his new Car Care Club among many other topics.
RR 184: Tim Dwyer Automotive Education Specialist at Consulab
Tim Dwyer was a shop owner for 25 years and was an instructor at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology, for 12 years, where he helped start and instructed the Pro-Tech Automotive Internship program. He has found a perfect evolution of his storied carrer as an automotive education specialist at ConsuLab Educatech.
Tim is pays it forward with a very in-depth interview that covers many bases from his own shop, to being an educator and discovering a powerful way to educate his students with a Team Based Learning approach to his work in helping instructors utilize the power of their teaching aids.
RR 183: Michele Winn, Diagnostician at Beck Service Center
Lincoln Tech Grad: Only woman in her class is drivability diagnostician at Beck Service Center.
Michele Winn flipped burger at Wendy’s when she got her first job doing payroll at a service center. She got the bug and spent six years at a Goodyear, then on to Linder Technical Service and now at 30 bay operation Beck Service Center in Indianapolis.
Michele graduated from Lincoln tech and spends her day diagnosing drivability and electrical problems. She shares her opinions of training, she lists her personal strengths and feisty is one of them and how she sees the impact of future technology.
RR 182: Bobby Bassett on Cooling System Comebacks
Simple Solution to Minimize Cooling System Comebacks
Bobby Bassett, the Manager of Training North America for Gates Corporation shares important facts about cooling system repairs.
Bobby explains the do-right-rule when it comes to cooling system repairs. He says 40% of radiator failure and 95% of water pump failure is due to coolant contamination. Listen to Bobby Bassett’s frank discussion on minimizing customer comebacks. It’s very simple.
RR 181: Jerry Kubitsky from Summit Transmissions
Shop owner survives a fire and re-opens within a month.
Jerry Kubitsky of Summit Transmissions has toughed through a few challenges in his business career. From having to buyout a partner, to closing a store to a fire in August 2016 that closed the shop for a month; Jerry has survived and continues to prosper where others would have thrown in the towel.
RR 180: Jorge Menchu from AES Wave and Industry Instructor
How Do We Make Ourselves SMARTER?
Jorge Menchu was hooked at an early age. He grew up in Kansas City, MO. It was his go-cart that brought upon his passion for loving cars and mechanics. This developed into a passion about learning.
His goal is to help young folks to realize their own success and failure by engaging his students to be better learners.
The episode highlights Jorge’s three pathways to learning. These fundamentals can change your ability to learn and understand. They are Self-Awareness, Learning Awareness and Building a Structure of Knowledge.
RR 179: Tristan Realubit from Real Autohaus Automotive
Tristan Realubit, AAM owns Real Autohaus Automotive in Westmont. IL. He has had his share of challenges that for many, would have thrown in the towel years ago. Armed with powerful advice from his mother he continued his quest to be a shop owner even though he didn’t understand the business side of the business.
As luck would have it he found AMI On-Line and then bought a Mitch Schneider book. Those two forces put Tristan on the right path. He has plans to add his second location now that he has retired the debt that mounted as he learned the business.
RR 178: The Digital Sales Process with Jeremy O’Neal and Chris Cloutier
RR 177: Joe Hanson from Gordie’s Garage
RR 176: Jennifer Maher from TechForce Discussing a Solution to the Technician Shortage
There’s a tech shortage in the transportation industry. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking automotive, trucking, diesel, aftermarket, motorcycle, marine, collision repair…you name it…they’re all struggling to find trained, professional technicians. Meet Jennifer Maher, the CEO/Executive Director of TechForce Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) with the mission to champion students to and through their education and…
RR 175: Brian Jesko – Shop owner doesn’t have customers, but friends for life.
Shop owner doesn’t have customers, but friends for life.
Brian Jesko from Trinity Auto Haus in Waco, TX started turning wrenches 25 years ago, and always knew he would own a shop; his dream was realized in 2011. In 2016 he purchased the building he rented.
With a realization that if you want to be successful you need to surround yourself with successful people, Brian believes to stand out in the world of business you must treat every customer as the next most important customer.
RR 173: Nick Modesti from Modesti’s Car Care Center
A true family culture ingrained with their customers.
Nick Modesti from Modesti’s Car Care Center in Culver City, CA is second generation nurturer. Nick has carried the tradition of his dad and mom to their team members and customers. Everyone feels the family culture which is never compromised.
Interview covers their goal to maintain 100% satisfaction with our clients, implementation of a DVI program, why having a business coach is one of his best decisions, how he bonuses his team for achieving training goals, and their peace of mind warranty program among others.
RR 171: Robert Noriega from Autoworks Tampa
Humble beginnings: Started fixing cars in his mother’s garage to pay for college.
Bob Noriega from Autoworks of Tampa, FL has been in business only 7 years but has a winning formula of processes and systems that will allow him to duplicate and grow.
He credits his hard work, personal drive and business coach for setting a strong level of accountability. Bob’s business growth is directly attributed to managing his numbers and his passion on a ‘complete’ customer experience.
RR 170: Jude Larson, JML Real Solutions
How to become a sought-after business, that everyone wants to work for.
Jude Larson the president, owner and lead consultant for JML Real Solutions uses his rich experience and business success as he works with service professionals to re-engineer their businesses.
Jude shares ideas on how to become a legendary or sought-after business where top performers want to work and why company culture is precious and you need to build it and protect it. Jude also asks every client to review their business from a 30,000-foot view to gain a perspective and build the right priorities for their business.