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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Charging What You Are Worth – Part 2

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 04/07/2021

We presented a Town Hall Academy on ‘Charging What You Are Worth’. It is amazing how many listens we…

Only Real Maple Syrup on My Pancakes

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 03/23/2021

I will not order pancakes at a restaurant that doesn’t serve real maple syrup. I always wanted to understand…

Shop Fire – Protect Yourself

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 03/14/2021

Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don’t comment in my blog about an episode recently released. I’ve got no…

Rant From a Listener

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 02/21/2021

I get emails and messages regarding the awesomeness of the work we do in building a learning library of…

Beyond the Awards. The Story Behind the Story.

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 02/07/2021

Early in 2021, I interviewed the recipients of the first annual AAPEX 2020 Awards; Shop Owner of the Year,…

Have You Felt the Impact?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 02/02/2021

Have you walked one of your regional malls lately? I recently spent time at our one big regional 1.6…

Knee Hurt?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 01/22/2021

Feet ache? Can’t see well? Back hurt? Does your knee hurt? You may need a specialist in each of…

Charging What You Are Worth

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 01/16/2021

Of late there has been a lot of dialogue around my circles about being paid for the value you…

When We Teach

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 01/04/2021

Have you learned and experienced the powerful adage ‘When We Teach We Learn’. Ask any trainer if it is…

Inspired by the Beatles

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 12/19/2020

This past weekend, Sirius XM played the top 100 Beatles songs, voted by their listener. During a busy weekend,…

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 11/23/2020

Flipping through channels, there it was, the beloved ‘Wizard of Oz’. I just can’t help but stop and get…

How Can You Help the Next Generation of Shop Owners

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 09/15/2020

If you had known then what you know now, would you have opened your own shop? Every day new…

Are You Meeting Your Customer Expectations?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 09/08/2020

Customers want a great experience. They have preconceived expectations on how their experience with you is going to happen.…

Is it Just Me or Do You Feel the Forces of Change?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 08/31/2020

Are change forces blowing harder and faster than we realize? And are we creating them? A restaurant in my…

How Good Are Your Customer Basics?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 08/23/2020

Flour, water, salt, and yeast makes bread. Just about every recipe has these ingredients. That’s pretty basic and most…

Latest Episodic Education

Stop Hiring in Panic Mode: Build a Recruiting Pipeline for Your Shop [RR 1094]

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

05/29/2026

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

05/26/2026

Failing at Retirement: Building Eight Shops in Eight Years [THA 486]

05/22/2026

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

05/19/2026

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

05/15/2026

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

05/12/2026

Why ADAS Calibrations Are Being Ignored in Auto Repair Shops [THA 484]

05/08/2026

Auto Repair Marketing Isn’t What You Think (AI Is Changing Everything) [RR 1090]

05/05/2026

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

05/01/2026

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

04/28/2026

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

04/24/2026

Build Customer Loyalty: Branding, Event Planning, and Community [RR 1088]

04/21/2026

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

04/17/2026

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]

04/03/2026

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

03/31/2026

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

03/27/2026

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]

03/17/2026

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