Latest Blog

Do, Decide, Delegate, Delete

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | Oct 5, 2026

We just returned from ASTA in Raleigh, North Carolina. The event was full of opportunities to learn, with management and technology classes, conversations with peers, and ideas worth bringing home. We also recorded some great discussions for your ongoing education. Now comes the part that matters most: What will you…

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All Articles and Blog Posts

Brining Attention To Sometimes Invisible Thoughts or Issues

 I wished I’d Known Then What I Know Now

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 01/13/2025

Yes, I’m sure you’ve said this hundreds of times: “I Wished I’d Know Then What I Know Now”. Having…

Stop Stopping

That Is The Way I’ve Always Done It! Or Stop Stopping.

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 12/29/2024

Ever wonder what others are doing to enhance their business, how others find technicians, or what real profits look…

Comparing Veterinary Care to Auto Service Care

The Parallels Between an Automotive Repair Shop and Veterinary Care

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 12/21/2024

When we think about care and maintenance, two professions might seem worlds apart at first glance: the automotive repair shop owner and the veterinarian. Yet, these professionals share a remarkable similarity in their fundamental mission – caring for cherished members of the family, whether they have four wheels or four legs.

The Training Paradox: When Actions Don’t Match Beliefs

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 12/09/2024

We’ve all been there. We sit at our desks, nodding in agreement as we read another article about the…

Who Is Your …?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 11/24/2024

While at AAPEX 2024, I had a revelation. It happens a lot. It hit me while doing what I…

Be Like A Bakery

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 11/11/2024

Images of warm, freshly baked bread and delightful pastries instantly come to mind when you think of a bakery.…

Anticipation

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 10/28/2024

Anticipation is a powerful tool that significantly enhances the justification for training and education initiatives.  Professional auto service businesses…

There Is No Finish Line

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 09/30/2024

About 20 years ago I attended a conference where the trainer put up Nike’s 1977 ad campaign, “There is…

A Reservation, A Must You Say!

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 09/09/2024

Making a Reservation for Your Client We know what a reservation is. You must make a reservation for many…

A Sophisticated Client Experience

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 08/19/2024

I recently chatted with Seth Thorson from Eurotech Auto Service in Minneapolis about the topic of Sophisticated Service. I…

All Fired Up!

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 08/12/2024

Have you ever come back from a conference all fired up? I’m sure you have. If not it is…

Let’s Honor Our Peers

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 07/29/2024

I need your help. We have so many outstanding professional automotive service specialists in our midst. We know them…

 Making Music

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 07/22/2024

I’m fascinated to watch documentaries on, ‘The Making of an Album’. I’ve seen some on Pink Floyd and Queen,…

Are you Done Trying?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 07/15/2024

You put in the hard work, the late nights, and the inevitable 2 AM wake-up. You are trying your…

Get to Night School

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 07/03/2024

Recently, I got to thinking about night school, or what is commonly called today’s adult learning. Why would you…

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AAPEX 2026: What to See, Learn, and Experience [RR 1112]

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How to Turn Call Recordings Into Coaching, Conversions, and Customers [THA 505]

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Stop Losing Price Shoppers: Give Them a Price Range [RR 1111]

09/29/2026

Work Together, Thrive Together, Build a Business You Can Sell [THA 504]

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Inside the Role of a Performance and Accountability Team Leader [RR 1110]

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How to Develop a General Manager for Your Auto Repair Shop [THA 503]

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From Daily Profit to Long-Term Business Value [RR 1109]

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The Automotive Hiring Cycle: When and How to Recruit Top Technicians [THA 502]

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The Power of Financing: A Growth Tool for Auto Repair Shops [RR 1108]

09/08/2026

Daily Habits That Build a Stronger Auto Repair Shop Culture [THA 501]

09/04/2026

Rapid-Fire Automotive News: AI, EVs, Autonomous Vehicles, and the $19B Trade School Boom [RR 1107]

09/01/2026

Brakes for Breasts: How Auto Repair Shops Are Fighting Breast Cancer [THA 500]

08/28/2026

Top 5 Qualities of a Genuine Service Advisor [RR 1106]

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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