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…

Nine differentiators to make your customers say WOWW!

Southwest is different and continues to be. What other airline has copied or mimicked what they do that makes them a stand out? In general the answer is no one. They are known for a different boarding process, a great baggage fee program and no cost flight change program. Ever thought about your business? What makes it…

RR 040: Roger Lanctot from Strategy Analytics

Roger Lanctot, Associate Director Global Automotive Practice from Strategy Analytics, Inc., a global research and consulting firm that provides insights and strategic business solutions to companies operating at the convergence of information, communications and entertainment technologies. Roger Lanctot has a powerful voice in the definition of future trends in automotive safety, powertrain, and infotainment systems.…

RR 039: Bill Nalu from Interstate Auto Care

Bill Nalu form Interstate Auto Care in Madison Heights, MI has a very interesting story … he tells it well so I won’t spoil much of it. He has 30 years in the business to include some time as a Shell dealer. He and his brother are partners in the business. Let me say that…

RR 038: Kathleen Schmatz from the Auto Care Association

Kathleen Schmatz, President and CEO of the Auto Care Association shares her views and thoughts on the industry and the association she has led for the last 11 years. Before becoming President and CEO Kathleen served as executive vice president. She joined the Auto Care Association after 30 years with Babcox, a leader in aftermarket…

Six Month Evaluation!

What have I learned, so far, this year … or my half year checkup. You can do something you are passionate about if you commit and go all in. No half-way, no fringing. It takes a plan and a focus and belief. It’s the road you choose and the forks in the road that defines your trip and your…

RR 037: Bill Moss from EuroService Automotive

Bill Moss, Owner and Certified Master technician of EuroService Automotive in Warrenton, VA.  Bill has been fixing cars since before he was old enough to drive them. Such a strong desire to be around cars led to his first job at an Arlington service station when he was 16 years old. While home from college,…

RR 036: Peter Meier from Motor Age

Pete Meier the Director of Training for the UBM Advanstar Automotive Group of publications goes ON-POINT here in episode 36. I’m sure you’ve read Pete in either Motor Age, ABRN, Aftermarket Business World or Dealer News. His primary goal is to bring working technicians the information they need to succeed. Pete is an ASE certified…

Five Reasons to Love Podcasts

Podcasting is on fire. Guess who just started a podcast? Jack Welch, former chairman of GE has launched. Mark Maron’s WTF podcast had the president on in July 2015. Podcasting was birthed in 2004 through the merge of the words iPod and Broadcasting. Podcasting is growing at great clip and listeners are locked and loyal.…

RR 035: Jerry Kezhaya from The Auto Shop

Jerry Kezhaya from The Auto Shop in Plano Texas has been in business since 1981. Plano is a northern suburb of Dallas with a population on 280,000. According to Jerry it is the top growing county in the US.  His shop is large 35,000 sq ft. He has 21 lifts and has two flats per…

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

You got a phone call from the local chamber because you are a very active member of your community and are the center hub of knowledge and expertise when it comes to vehicle service and repair. You are actually in a very techy industry. Vehicles run on computers, you create a ticket or order parts…

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…