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People Support What They Help Create
There’s a lot of talk about culture. It’s often treated like an enigma, something you can’t touch, hard to define, yet undeniably one of the most important elements of any successful business. In the best automotive service operations, culture isn’t accidental. It’s intentional. It’s built into the fabric of the…
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Really… a Certified Financial Planner?
You’ve probably been bombarded lately with ads reminding you to trust only a Certified Financial Planner with your investments…
Digital Detox
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
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?
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!
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
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?
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?
Top shop operators realize their greatest competitor is not the shop across town—it’s themselves. They build a reputation. They…
When Is Later?
I know you’ll read this later. No, you won’t. “Later” is where good intentions go to die. Not just…
Wasted Bandwidth
“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
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!
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
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
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
After watching a few Forensic Files-style shows, I was struck by how investigators solve cases: strict protocols, detailed documentation,…






