Latest Blog

A Brainiac Celebration

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | Mar 30, 2026

Working in the professional automotive repair industry requires intelligence, creativity, and problem-solving. Every day in our shops there are “smart” or even brainiac moments that deserve to be recognized — or at least talked about. Here’s the rub: if you’re a smart shop, great ideas happen all the time. You…

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Top of Your Listen List

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 08/27/2022

Every shop owner in North America has the privilege of not letting their education get in the way of…

One Choice: Fix the Business or You First!

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 08/09/2022

The strongest recurring theme when I talk to top shop operators is that every business needs a clear goal…

Training as a Required Pillar

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 07/27/2022

So many discussions lately, both on and off the podcast microphone, have prompted me to drive a training strategy…

Paycheck to Paycheck

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 07/24/2022

We are all feeling the pinch of inflation. In the last gas crunch, there were many on the expressways…

Motorist Assurance Program: A Listening Challenge

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 06/27/2022

A Listening Challenge A challenge: After you listen to the entire episode, please let me know why you would…

From Employment to Ownership

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 06/19/2022

Many shop owners would like to find a path to retirement, and they are sitting on the sidelines waiting…

The Undeniable Power of Processes

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 05/31/2022

Call it procedures, operations, methods, actions, approaches or techniques … great processes win wars. Great processes are the true…

Five Must Dos to Make Your Ethics Rule

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 05/16/2022

The word ‘ethics’ is derived from the Greek word ethos, which means ‘custom’ or ‘habit’. It is a system…

Know Your Strengths

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 05/09/2022

Recently we released a Town Hall Webinar on Knowing Your Strengths. My panel really helped set up the power…

Get Your Shop Lean – Implementing Six Sigma

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 03/29/2022

I believe that taking a deep dive into your procedures will become an important strategy to growing a stronger…

We Fix Cars and Trucks … All Makes and Models. Is This a Strategy for the Future?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 03/25/2022

Are you a Euro Specialist?  Are you known for high-level diagnostics? Have you ever considered mobile diagnostics? Will you…

Five Excuses Not to Hire a Business Coach

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 02/17/2022

Excuses abound for not hiring a business coach. It is usually all about the owner who keeps making excuses…

Preventing Apathy in Your Business

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 01/19/2022

Apathy is a common problem in businesses because it leads to low productivity and low customer satisfaction. This can…

Seven Strategies to Retain Great Employees

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 01/16/2022

Employee retention is challenging for many organizations. Organizations want to keep the best employees, but it can be difficult…

Are You Sharing Your Financial Statements?

By Carm Capriotto, AAP | 01/05/2022

A business is often more successful when owners are open and honest about their finances. Many of our industry’s…

Latest Episodic Education

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Smart Glasses in the Shop: Inside NAPA Autotech’s XcceleratoR Training [THA 478]

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Is Your Shop the Problem? Hard Truths from the Voice of the Technician Survey Results [RR 1084]

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General Service Technician Academy: Building Educational Foundation For Tomorrow’s Careers [THA 477]

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Own the Technician Shortage: How One Shop Owner is Transforming Industry Recruitment [RR 1083]

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Stop Winging Human Resources in Your Auto Repair Shop [RR 1082]

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

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

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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]

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

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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]

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

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The Digital Front Door For Auto Repair: SEO, Google, and Website Marketing [THA 471]

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Beyond the Repair Order: The Strategy of Customer Loyalty [RR 1077]

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The 250K Mile Mindset: Selling Maintenance Without Selling Fear [THA 470]

01/30/2026

Beyond Babysitters: Developing Strong Managers and Financial Transparency [RR 1076]

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Streamlining the Mundane: How Automation Buys Back Time [THA 469]

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The Capacity Crisis: What If It Didn’t Have To Be So Hard? [RR 1075]

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Mastering Your Shop Finance: The Power of Specialized Automotive Accounting [THA 468]

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Do You Own a Business or a Job? [RR 1074]

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Future-Proofing the Automotive Industry: Consolidation, AI, and Career Evolution [THA 467]

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The Four Defining Roles in Your Business Story: Victim, Villain, Hero, and Guide [RR 1073]

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