Latest Blog

Are You Professional Enough?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | Jun 1, 2026

“I’m a professional.” That’s very easy to say. I own a business. I make money. I have customers. I have an LLC. Maybe even multiple locations. But does owning a business automatically make someone a professional? What is the real standard for professionalism? Is it self-declared? Or is it something…

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All Articles and Blog Posts

The Undeniable Power of Processes

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 05/31/2022

Call it procedures, operations, methods, actions, approaches or techniques … great processes win wars. Great processes are the true…

Five Must Dos to Make Your Ethics Rule

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 05/16/2022

The word ‘ethics’ is derived from the Greek word ethos, which means ‘custom’ or ‘habit’. It is a system…

Know Your Strengths

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 05/09/2022

Recently we released a Town Hall Webinar on Knowing Your Strengths. My panel really helped set up the power…

Get Your Shop Lean – Implementing Six Sigma

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 03/29/2022

I believe that taking a deep dive into your procedures will become an important strategy to growing a stronger…

We Fix Cars and Trucks … All Makes and Models. Is This a Strategy for the Future?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 03/25/2022

Are you a Euro Specialist?  Are you known for high-level diagnostics? Have you ever considered mobile diagnostics? Will you…

Five Excuses Not to Hire a Business Coach

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 02/17/2022

Excuses abound for not hiring a business coach. It is usually all about the owner who keeps making excuses…

Preventing Apathy in Your Business

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 01/19/2022

Apathy is a common problem in businesses because it leads to low productivity and low customer satisfaction. This can…

Seven Strategies to Retain Great Employees

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 01/16/2022

Employee retention is challenging for many organizations. Organizations want to keep the best employees, but it can be difficult…

Are You Sharing Your Financial Statements?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 01/05/2022

A business is often more successful when owners are open and honest about their finances. Many of our industry’s…

6 Excuses Why Shops Have Not Embraced an Apprentice Program

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 12/28/2021

Agree or not with these reasons why only a small percentage of shops have not implemented an apprentice program.…

VP of Fun

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 12/23/2021

Building a strong belonging culture in any business requires a sense of purpose that all believe in. It is…

Does Your Customer Know That You Know How to Fix Cars?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 12/07/2021

Does your customer know that you ‘Know How’ to fix their car? Do they really know? Do you make…

I Got an Ear Full

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 10/06/2021

If you follow the podcast, on a recent Town Hall Academy on the Supply Chain from a Manufacturers’s perspective,…

Great Place to Work

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 09/22/2021

Do you have a great place to work? Do your people believe you have a great place to work?…

Everyone’s Recruiting. Everyone.

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 09/01/2021

What to pay. How to recruit. I was filling up the car with petro. Hanging from the hose was…

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When Personal Stress Walks Into the Shop: How Leaders Protect Performance [THA 487]

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From Guesswork to Process: Modern Diagnostic Strategies for Auto Repair Shops [RR 1093]

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The AI-Driven Auto Repair Leader: Using Technology as Your Strategic Thought Partner [RR 1092]

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The Rise of the Specialist: Redefining Automotive Professionalism [THA 485]

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15 Headlines in 30 Minutes: Rapid Fire Automotive News For Shop Owners [RR 1091]

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Turn Your Parts Spend Into Team Rewards with the NAPA Team Tool Rebate [THA 483]

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Detective Mind Mapping: A Forensic Approach to Automotive Diagnostics [RR 1089]

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The Dealer Alternative Advantage in Today’s Auto Repair Industry [THA 482]

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04/21/2026

Meet Paige: The Auto Repair Industry’s First 24/7 AI Recruiter [THA 481]

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Your Shop Might Need Marriage Counseling: Fixing Communication in Auto Repair [RR 1087]

04/14/2026

How to Get Unstuck When Your Auto Repair Business Stops Growing [THA 480]

04/10/2026

The “Monster” in Your Head Is Costing Your Shop Money [RR 1086]

04/07/2026

Batman Needs a Robin: Meet Your Shop’s New Sidekick Ninja App [THA 479]

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Stop Leaving Money on the Table: How to Master Your Shop Management System [RR 1085]

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Smart Glasses in the Shop: Inside NAPA Autotech’s XcceleratoR Training [THA 478]

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Is Your Shop the Problem? Hard Truths from the Voice of the Technician Survey Results [RR 1084]

03/24/2026

General Service Technician Academy: Building Educational Foundation For Tomorrow’s Careers [THA 477]

03/20/2026

Own the Technician Shortage: How One Shop Owner is Transforming Industry Recruitment [RR 1083]

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The Affordability Myth in Auto Repair: Rethinking How Service Advisors Present Repairs [THA 476]

03/13/2026

Stop Winging Human Resources in Your Auto Repair Shop [RR 1082]

03/10/2026