Latest Blog

Hiring Our Future: Are We Attractive and Professional Enough?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | Aug 17, 2026

Every one of us who is invested in the ongoing success of our beloved industry understands the challenge. We need more people. We need talented people to join our businesses, grow our companies, serve our customers, and keep the vehicles that millions of people depend on safe and reliable. We…

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Digital Detox

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 04/27/2026

On the way home from a conference, I sat in the airport thinking about all the conversations I’d just…

Attention Client Advocates: Stop Sounding Like a Technician: Translate, Don’t Transfer

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 04/20/2026

There’s a difference between sharing information and creating understanding—and too often, we confuse the two. Service advisors hear the…

Every Repair Order Has 3 Stories—Which One Are You Telling?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 04/13/2026

As an industry, we are working hard to improve what appears on the repair order. I’ve sat through repair…

Continuing the Language Shift – BTW Don’t Skip This!

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 04/06/2026

The language shift in business isn’t coming—it’s already here. More and more, I find validation in the evolving job…

A Brainiac Celebration

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 03/30/2026

Working in the professional automotive repair industry requires intelligence, creativity, and problem-solving. Every day in our shops there are…

Are you exploring?  Imagining?  Being creative and curious?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 03/23/2026

Or are you simply reacting to what’s happening around you? Change is not optional — in life or in…

Who is Looking for Your Top Talent?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 03/09/2026

Top shop operators realize their greatest competitor is not the shop across town—it’s themselves. They build a reputation. They…

When Is Later?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 03/01/2026

I know you’ll read this later. No, you won’t. “Later” is where good intentions go to die. Not just…

Wasted Bandwidth

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 02/22/2026

“I never have enough time.” “I can’t believe I didn’t finish that project.” “When will I ever get to…

Assemble the Team – Meetings That Matter

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 02/16/2026

If you’re holding regular team meetings—whether daily huddles or weekly sit-downs—that’s a great start. I don’t know a single…

You Just Fix Cars? Right!

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 02/09/2026

Below, find an important and smart overview of what I call ‘Confident Professionalism.’ Understanding and knowing how important it…

What If I’m Personally Not Busy – Maybe That is a Good Thing

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 02/01/2026

In our hyper-connected world, there’s an unspoken expectation that we should always be busy. Our worth seems measured by…

Processes Win Wars — Or Maybe It’s Protocols

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 01/25/2026

I’ve been thinking a lot about a phrase I’ve used for years: Processes win wars. Just about everyone I…

Forensic DVI: Bringing Crime-Scene Discipline to Vehicle Care

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 01/08/2026

After watching a few Forensic Files-style shows, I was struck by how investigators solve cases: strict protocols, detailed documentation,…

Do Your Customers Know They Can Call You and Ask You Anything?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 12/29/2025

When we want answers today, we turn to the Godfather—Google. In seconds, we get an avalanche of opinions, theories,…

Latest Episodic Education

Your Shop’s Toughest Competitor Is in the Mirror [THA 499]

08/21/2026

Bring the Classroom to the Shop: Raising the Bar For On-Site Training [RR 1105]

08/18/2026

Engage, Educate, Reward: How Today’s Class Is Changing Auto Repair Training [THA 498]

08/14/2026

Inside the ASTA Expo 2026: Training, Technology, and Tribal Networking [RR 1104]

08/11/2026

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

08/07/2026

Why Employees Disengage and How Leaders Reconnect Them [RR 1103]

08/04/2026

The AI-Informed Customer Has Arrived: What It Means For Auto Repair [THA 496]

07/31/2026

Get Out of Your Own Way: Leadership Lessons for Shop Owners [RR 1102]

07/28/2026

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

07/24/2026

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

07/21/2026

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

07/17/2026

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

07/14/2026

Maximizing Profit Through Effective Labor Rate Strategy [THA 493]

07/10/2026

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

07/07/2026

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

07/03/2026

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

06/30/2026

How to Sell Your Auto Repair Shop for Maximum Value [THA 491]

06/26/2026

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

06/23/2026

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

06/19/2026

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]

06/09/2026

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

06/05/2026

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

06/02/2026

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

05/29/2026