Latest Blog

Really… a Certified Financial Planner?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | May 4, 2026

You’ve probably been bombarded lately with ads reminding you to trust only a Certified Financial Planner with your investments and retirement. Why? Because that designation means something. It represents a standard of education, examination, experience, and ethics. Now imagine this… You’ve built a great professional automotive repair business. Strong culture.…

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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…

Binge Worthy Listening Part 1

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 03/17/2020

We may have some downtime on our hands as we deal with COVID-19 It is time to schedule training…

Secret Sauce. Really?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 03/01/2020

Secret Sauce. Really? Keeping secrets thinking that someone will duplicate what and how you do things is furthest from reality

Eleven Tips for Creating ‘Extreme Employee Loyalty’

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 10/19/2019

It is not important that you love to come to work and enjoy what you do? With my ear…

The Power of Your Story is Effective Marketing

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 07/30/2019

I picked up a book recently and could not put it down. I mean it. It grabbed me and…

Do You Know the Enemy of Leadership?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 06/16/2019

I recall a few leadership lessons I learned in my life that continue to haunt me. I would bet…

Technician Training Strategies and Rewards

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 05/29/2019

Training is a top-five strategy in the automotive service business. Shop owner CEO’s must focus on culture, marketing, financial…

Succession – Planning One of Your Biggest Decisions

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 05/15/2019

Ready to Sell Or Succeed Your Business? Is Your Business Attractive to a Potential Buyer? Do You Have an…

The Extreme Value of Shop Tours

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 04/30/2019

I will never forget putting a call out to shop owners who wanted to tour of Frank European in…

Ready for your next shop?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 04/21/2019

I am one of the luckiest people in the industry, I get a chance to pull together smart people…

Seeding Our Future Technicians is Your Responsibility.

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 12/13/2018

I keep hearing about that greatest challenge in the aftermarket, a technician shortage. Recently instead of listening to the…

Concierge Service

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 11/18/2018

I have completed over 400 interviews with aftermarket professionals and there have been a few common threads I have…

The Dreaded Comeback: Four Keys To Prevention

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 09/05/2018

In an April 2018 Town Hall Academy with three shop owners, we discussed comeback prevention. They all agreed that…

Fleet Business: A Great Opportunity for Sales Growth

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 06/02/2018

Many service professionals have improved their businesses by documenting and honing their processes and systems. They also found that…

It’s time to do a SWOT

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 04/25/2018

This could be the best team exercise you’ve ever done; that is, unless you’ve done some team building exercises…

Latest Episodic Education

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

The 250K Mile Maintenance Mindset: Mastering the Art of Vehicle Delivery [THA 475]

03/06/2026

Why Employee Reviews Are Broken and What to Do Instead [RR 1081]

03/03/2026

Why Women are the Secret Weapon in Auto Repair Shop Hospitality [THA 474]

02/27/2026

The New Economics of Auto Repair: Rising Rates, Fewer Cars, Higher Profits [RR 1080]

02/24/2026

The Superhighway to Estimating: Canned Jobs and Categories For Shop Efficiency [THA 473]

02/20/2026

Beyond Service Advisors: Embracing the ‘Repairathist’ Mindset [RR 1079]

02/17/2026

Looking Rich VS Living Free: The Hidden Truth About Success and Money [THA 472]

02/13/2026

Executing a 25 Year Plan: Retired at 47 [RR 1078]

02/10/2026