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…

Read More

All Articles and Blog Posts

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…

Leadership Lessons – Quiet Confidence and Unwavering Presence

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 06/24/2024

As a leader, it’s easy to get caught up in the idea that you need to be a larger-than-life…

Keeping Up With Info Overload

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 06/17/2024

In today’s digital age, we’re bombarded with an endless stream of information from various sources. It’s easy to get…

Reasoned Debate – How We All Do Things Is Slightly Different

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 06/10/2024

Your approach to things may differ from how others do it, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. You may…

We Hear Stuff!

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 05/13/2024

What do we do with the ‘stuff’ we hear? Are you writing down those learning moments? Are you creating…

We May Have To Get Messed Up Before We Can Step Up

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 04/29/2024

It’s often said that we must hit rock bottom before we can rise to the top. In life, there…

Why Are We Missing So Much?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 04/21/2024

In today’s fast-paced world, time is a luxury only a few can afford to waste. We risk missing valuable…

The Rise of the Mechanical and Technology Specialists

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 03/17/2024

The Rise The Declaration is out. We are embarking on a monumental change in our Job Titles in the…

But! However! Replace Them.

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 02/20/2024

Move from But or However to NOW. Guilty, Your Honor, as Charged. ‘But’ is a staple word that we…

Latest Episodic Education

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

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