RR 062: Tom Ham of Automotive Management Network

Tom Ham, with the help of his wife Deb, is the creator and owner of Automotive Management Network an 12,000 plus member website that is the largest information center for vehicle service facility owners and managers. 

Tom got his start in the auto service industry pumping gas in the late 60’s. Tom and Deb operate Auto Centric, an import specialty shop in Grand Rapids. Tom and Deb have five children including two sons and a daughter who served in the Iraq War as U.S. Marines. He writes extensively on industry topics. Tom’s previous episodes HERE.

RR 061: Keith Katz from Quality Service Center

Keith Katz is owner of Quality Service Center in York, PA for the last seventeen years and an industry veteran of thirty-four years. His 7 bay shop has 6 lifts and supports 3 technicians with one service advisor. He is involved with the NAPA Advisory Board and supports the Bridge of Hope organization that helps…

RR 060: Greg Buckley from Buckley’s Car Care

Greg Buckley from Buckley Auto Care in Wilmington, DE has been a previous guest and did an entrepreneur interview back in episode 19. A classic … don’t miss it. After hooking up with Greg in Detroit in summer 2015 at NACE/CARS and attended two seminars he was teaching, I knew that we needed to have…

RR 059: Technician Training Best Practices -Roundtable

Watch the replay or listen to the audio only podcast. Podcast is available on iTunes and Stitcher Radio and of course listen below. Welcome to Episode 60 a rebroadcast of a Face To Face Video Podcast using the BLAB platform for Live Video Conversations. We had a lively discussion on technician training best practices with…

RR 058: Robert Redding from ASA

Bob Redding, ASA Legislative Representative goes ON-POINT with an eye opening discussion on the 2nd annual Safety Inspection Forum at the Hunter Engineering Center in St. Louis this year on December 2nd, 2015 … Noon till 4PM. ASA is a co-host again this year with ASA Midwest and the Missouri Alliance of Automotive Service Providers. …

RR 057: John Passante discussing the Women’s Board Book on Leadership

Dr. John Passante is an important contributor in an important, never been done before, industry project that will be introduced at AAPEX 2015. It’s a new book highlighting the success stories of some of today’s leading female aftermarket professionals and it will be unveiled at AAPEX 2015. The book, “A Woman’s Perspective on Leading” is…

RR 056: Multi-Shop Ownership: Opportunities & Challenges

Jose Bueso is partner in Dynamic Automotive in the Maryland Washing DC area. Along with partners Dwayne Myers and Lee Foreman they’ve have three locations, been a Motor Age top shop in 2014 is involved with the Auto Care Association, Car Care Professional Network. This partnership team was just recognized with a ‘Head Of The…

RR 055: Louis Efron from Telsa

Louis Efron is this year’s keynote speaker at the AAPEX General Session on Wednesday, November 04, 2015, 8:00 AM – 8:50 AM, in the Palazzo Ballroom at The Venetian. The event is open to all AAPEX and AAIW attendees and there is no fee to attend. Louis Efron, currently at Tesla Motors, is a contributing…

RR 054: Social Media Best Practices

   Greg Buckley of Buckley Auto Care says it was a thrill working alongside his dad, when he was eight years old, helping with his brother to build the 49 year legacy business. He is a busy man being a member of ASA, an ATI Coach, and is Car Seat Certified and is on the…

RR 053: Danny Sanchez from Autoshop Solutions

Danny Sanchez is owner and founder, of Autoshop Solutions and grew up spending countless hours working around his dad’s auto repair shop in California, eventually taking over and running the business himself. Autoshop Solutions started in 1998, when Danny founded Auto Web Solutions. The Internet was starting to take off, and Danny took great interest…

RR 052: Mike Davidson from Parkway Automotive

Mike Davidson from Parkway Automotive in Little Rock, Arkansas, been in the industry for 31 years and a business owner for 18. His team includes 6 techs who support eight lifts and seven bays with a shop foreman, two service advisers and an estimator. He’s on track to do $1.7 million this year. Mike is…

RR 051: Bill Hanvey from AASA

Bill Hanvey is the Sr Vice President of AASA (Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association). He has oversight of AASA’s internal operations while leading their marketing and new member initiatives while serving as executive director of the Brake Manufacturers Council and the AASA Marketing Executives Council. His resume is impressive with The Schaeffler Group USA, Dorman, Fleet…

Gold Mine

There has been a lot of pictures of cabin air filters on social media lately and many blogs written on why they need to be serviced. This blog is a reminder of the great opportunity Cabin Air’s provide to a shops bottom line. Occasionally the cabin air is called the forgotten filter because it may…

RR 050: Joe Sevart of I70 Auto Service

A special thanks to Joe Sevart, in celebrating a milestone, as the 50th podcast guest! Joe Sevart from I70 Auto Service in Kansas City, MO, received a very high honor from NAPA in 2014 as their NAPA/ASE Technician of the Year. Please watch this special video done as a tribute to Joe: http://i70autoservice.com/joes-award/ He’s a…

RR 049: Bob Greenwood from AAEC

Bob Greenwood, AAM is President and CEO of Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd.  AAEC is a company focused on providing Business Management Resources and Development for the Independent Sector of the aftermarket industry. Bob has over 40 years of Business Management experience within the Independent sector of the automotive aftermarket industry in North America, consulting with…

RR 048: Jeff Matt from Victory Auto Service

Meet Jeff Matt owner and founder of Victory Auto Service & Glass, a family-owned, award-winning auto repair and auto glass business with six locations in Minnesota and Florida, is known for its honest, dependable service. Before opening Victory Auto in 1997, Jeff worked as an automotive technician and dreamed of opening a shop where the customer always felt…

RR 047: Trish Serratore SR Vice President of ASE

Trish Serratore is the Senior Vice President of ASE along with being President of the National Automotive Technicians Education foundation (NATEF) and the Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES). She works closely with all of the organizations within the ASE Industry/Education initiative, which also includes ASE and the Automotive Training Managers Council (ATMC), to help provide…

RR 046 Greg Skolnik from Motor Works

Greg Skolnik from Motor Works in Rockville, MD is a 40 year industry veteran and a  shop owner for 37 years. Greg has a 3,000 SQ FT facility with 6 bay/lifts plus an alignment bay. The shop team is made up of  2 techs, one apprentice, one service adviser, one ops manager and a shuttle…

Retention: Six To-Do’s for Customer Retention

Just as much effort is needed into finding new customers as it is to keeping your current customer base. Here are six pointers on maintaining a relationship with your current customers. Show it. Never consider that you’ll get the next transaction. Loyalty today is based on the last experience your customer had with you and his/her knowledge…

RR 045: Kim Walker from 5 Stones Media

Kim Walker from 5 Stones Media is a social media expert, but before she became involved with Five Stones Media she was a school counselor and a teacher. Her husband Brian, started his own shop while he was a Mercedes technician in North Carolina. Then asked Kim to leave her school job and join his…

RR 044: Rick Bilger from Advanced Auto Pros

Rick Bilger a 40 year service professional owns Advanced Auto Pros in Greely, CO.  His Grandfather and Dad were mechanics/technicians and Rick practices his craft in a 10 bay facility with 4 techs, and two service advisors. Rick, a pilot, offers some very interesting and unique strategies in this episode. Much to learn from this episode.…

RR 043: Trish Serratore President NATEF & AYES

Trish Serratore is the President of the National Automotive Technicians Education foundation (NATEF) and the Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES) as well as Senior Vice President at ASE. She works closely with all of the organizations within the ASE Industry/Education initiative, which also includes ASE and the Automotive Training Managers Council (ATMC), to help provide…

RR 042: Dave Toole from Tooles’ Garage

Dave Toole, owner of Toole’s Garage in San Carlos, CA has a family affair, with Dave’s entire family working in the business. A great discussion on family and a few challenges as every family business knows. However he knows his role; as the glue of the organization. He keeps it going and all together. Dave…

Do you suffer from Situational Awareness?

Did you hear the news? American distance runner Molly Huddle lost the bronze medal in the world championships in Beijing recently because she celebrated what she thought was a win too early. The headline August 26th, 2015: American runner’s early finish line celebration causes her to lose medal As I listened to local radio personalities discussing this…

RR 041: Jim Murphy from Elite Worldwide

Jim Murphy prefers to use only one word when describing himself: coach, “That’s all I am, and honestly, that’s all I want to be,” he says. In nearly every position Murphy has held throughout his 30-plus-year career in the repair industry, his work has revolved around shop improvement. After graduating from Oregon State University, Murphy…