Latest Blog

Life Skills: Is This Our Responsibility?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | Aug 10, 2026

Critical Note: We don’t elevate an industry by fixing more cars. We elevate an industry by developing better people.  I hear it all the time. “Kids today just don’t have soft skills.” Some people blame schools. Others blame parents. Many blame social media. While there may be some truth in…

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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…

A Rolling Billboard Got Me Thinking

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 08/23/2020

Traveling on the New York State Thruway I came upon a semi with a massive ad, on its back…

Ingenious. Clean – Part of the New Normal

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 07/27/2020

Visiting a Tim Hortons Coffee shop I experienced what is the new normal as it comes to cleanliness at…

Mastering

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 07/19/2020

Mastering I recently saw a Lexus commercial that was themed ‘Mastering’. If you are like me and look outside…

No One Gets There Alone

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 07/09/2020

I did it my way. Remember the song? If I would ask any successful business person if they flew…

Down Time – What To Do With It!

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 04/20/2020

For many of us, there is some extra time in our schedule. Imagine the times we used to think…

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Mastering Shop Flow with Online Scheduling and AI Communication [THA 497]

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The “Kohl’s Cash” of Auto Repair: Turning Customer Rewards Into Repeat Business [THA 495]

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Deferred Work: The Most Overlooked Growth Opportunity in Auto Repair [RR 1101]

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The Truth About ADAS Calibrations Every Shop Needs to Hear [THA 494]

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Curing Organizational Drag: The Courage to Fire a Non-Fit Employee [RR 1100]

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Maximizing Profit Through Effective Labor Rate Strategy [THA 493]

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Selling to the Curb: How AI Turned More Calls into Customers [RR 1099]

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AI Search Visibility: How Customers Find Your Auto Repair Shop [THA 492]

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Building a Winning Scoreboard For Your Auto Repair Shop [RR 1098]

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How a Purple Heart Veteran Became a 6-Shop Auto Repair Owner [RR 1097]

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Why Auto Repair Specialists Leave Our Industry (And How Shop Owners Can Keep Them) [THA 490]

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2026 Automotive Training Trends Every Professional Shop Owner Needs to Know [RR 1096]

06/16/2026

Motor Oil supply Crisis: Fact, Friction, and What Happens Next [THA 489]

06/12/2026

Anyone Can Teach, But Not Everyone Can Educate: Lessons from 30 Years in Automotive Training [RR 1095]

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From Data to Loyalty: How AI and Hospitality Are Redefining Shop Growth [THA 488]

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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]

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

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

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

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