Pricing Parts Purchased from Dealers [THA 153]
The Panel: Bill Haas, AAM, is the owner of Haas performance consulting LLC, with 40 years of experience in the automotive service and repair industry. Clients have access to Bill’s solution-based focus, expertise, unique perspectives and in-depth knowledge of the industry. Bill began his career working part-time at a full-service gasoline station in Appleton, Wisconsin.…
How To Increase Your Labor Rate Without Losing Car Count [THA 152]
The Panel: Devin Kelly, All-Star Automotive, Columbia, MODevin Kelley is a passionate entrepreneur with a technician background. As a shop owner, he is responsible for general leadership within his company. This puts him at the front-line of the fight for a more professional auto repair presence in his community and helps maintain his companies…
Dominate Your Market – Own the Two Mile Zone [THA 151]
The Panel” Bryan Gossel, BG Automotive, Fort Collins, CO Sue Morsching, Elysian Auto Service, Elysian, MN Heather DePriest, American Garage Chinook, Montana Talking Points The CEO’s responsibility is to make the phone ring. You must create a year-long marketing calendar to help prepare (anticipate) for special events, seasons, holidays, etc Compare your numbers from each…
THA 150: Three Financial Challenges – Coaches Perspective
David Justice has been an auto care professional for over 30 years. He grew up in the family business working for his father. At, a young age David purchased his father’s business and went on his own. Over the years David had multiple Shell Gas stations. Find David’s other episodes HERE. Cecil Bullard is President of the Institute for…
THA 149: Top Financial Challenges to Overcome – Shop Owner Perspective
THA 149Top Financial Challenges to Overcome- An Owners Perspective
We’re serving up a strong discussion on Financial Challenges with me are shop owners John Long, Schertz Automotive, Schertz, TX, Tom Ham, Auto Centric, Grand Rapids, MI and Andy Massoll, Detroit Garage, Farmington, MI
You may not be surprised as to the big take-a-way from this episode. It is only logical and will have a huge impact on your business immediately. The panel agrees that your family needs to be on board with any financial decision you make in the business. You’ll get advice on what to do if you get into financial trouble, also the power of sharing your financial status with your team and if you are in financial trouble, you are not alone.
THA 148: Generating Repeat Business
THA 148 Generating Repeat Business
We are talking marketing, mining and relationships with Kelli Weatherby, Accurate Automotive Mesa, AZ with husband Lee and David Roman from Done With Care – Auto Repair, Merriam, KS
Kelli and David shook the trees as it relates to the all-important follow-up visits, referrals, texting, emails, customer shop tours, mystery shoppers, the importance of using your own organic content for your emails and social posts.
THA 147: Overcoming Debt
THA 147 Overcoming Debt
A big problem for many service professionals is learning how to manage cash flow. The cash in the bank isn’t there for spending. It is generated by sales and the gross margin dollars that are earned on those sales is used to pay expenses. The remainder is profit. If cash is spent before allocations then it is very difficult to pay obligations. In many instances, loans are taken to pay bills and overspending stresses the business and the owner.
The panel for this Town Hall Academy includes Kim Walker from Shop Marketing Pros and former shop owner, AJ Nealey from Nealey Auto Service, Edgewater, MD and Tom Lambert owner of Shadetree Automotive. They each have a story on how to manage or eradicate debt, grow sales and scrutinize expenses. Knowing your financial states including Profit or Loss Statement and most importantly your Balance Sheet will help. Knowing what your metrics or tolerances of spending and cash management will lessen your dependence on borrowing and putting your company in harm’s way.
THA 146: The Value of Twenty Groups
THA 146 – The Value of Twenty Groups
If you are a struggling shop, I’d like to introduce you to three shop owners who were in your position once. They climbed out to find great success. One of the tactics was to join a twenty group.
Keep in mind that so many struggling shops discovered the way out of their situation just in time before they closed the doors. Two of my guests are not bashful to say they were on the brink of failure.
With me on the Academy is: Judi Haglin, Haglin Automotive, Boulder, CO, Lisa Eckler, Foreign Car Specialists, Poughkeepsie, NY, John Eppstein, John’s Automotive Care, San Diego, CA and Keith Williamson, Williamson’s Repair and Tire, Bondurant, IA
Listen to this team as they point out that they didn’t know what they didn’t know and their discovery came by being with their industry colleagues in a twenty group. Many in the group have special strengths, will hold you accountable and can provide you a different view of your pathway to remarkable results than you ever thought of yourself.
THA 145: The Extreme Value of Shop Tours Part 2
THA 145 Shop Tour Part 2
This is our second year in a row to visit a shop in Las Vegas at the end of Industry Week. We were welcomed with open arms at Ted Wien’s Tire and Auto. Our gracious host Jennifer Wiens not only shared her thoughts on the episode but presented a great tour of her facility.
Remember shop tours go both ways. It is good to take them, but also important to host them. You can learn from both. Be open, honest and constructive and benefit from the investment of your time to learn from your peers.
You’ll learn the value of shop tours from these guests,
Our host, Jennifer Wien, Ted Wiens Tire and Auto, Host, Las Vegas, NV
John Long, Shertz Automotive, Shertz, TX
David and Jeanie Light
Eric and Jammie Carlson, Ervine’s Auto Repair and Grand Rapids Hybrid
Frank Scandura, Franks European, Las Vegas
Vic Tarasik, Shop Owner Coach
THA 144: Drug Testing in the New Age of Legalized Cannabis
THA 144 Drug Testing in the New Age of Legalized Cannabis
We are talking about Drug Testing in the New Age of Legalized Cannabis. You’ve got to pay attention to your HR policies and procedures as states continue to rule on medicinal cannabis, recreational Marijuana and the decriminalization of pot.
As drug testing is something shop owners do, what are the guidelines now with states legalizing Cannabis. What about an accident on a test drive. What type of tests are required? Have you talked to your liability insurance or workman’s comp carriers?
The panel does their best to sort this out and provide you with plenty to consider. I’m with Judy Zimmerman Walter, attorney Noah Frank, and Frank Scandura.
THA 143: myASE Renewal APP – There’s an APP for That!
THA 143 My ASE Renewal APP – There’s an APP for That!
You are going to get an interesting behind the scene understanding of the myASE Renewal APP. It is in Beta, however, you can get on board.
This a perfect evolution from ASE to embrace and engage every certified technician into keeping their certs current through this very intuitive app.
The panel: John Tisdale and Kevin Lekas from ASE, Technician Rudy Mestaz and app developer Ron Meyer.
Based on technicians’ requests, you can find out when you get an answer wrong and what the correct answer is. You’ll hear the logistics behind how to get started and how you get questions sent to you each month based on the number of certifications you have. As an example, a master technician would get eight questions a month sent to your app. You can answer at your convenience. No need to register for a test center, take time off work or drive miles to sit for the exams.
You may just find this new tool from ASE an important part of your credential process and you may even dust off those expired credentials and get on board and renew them.
THA 142: Business Coaches Lab – Building an Enduring Business Culture – Part 2
THA 142 Business Coaches Lab – Building an Enduring Business Culture – Part 2
One of the hottest topics on the mouths and minds of leaders these days is organizational culture. The longer organizations look for competitive advantage and a sustainable way to grow their organizations, the more important culture becomes. If you are a leader looking to create, improve, or nurture your organizational culture, you have come to the right place.
It must have been an exceptional Friday because these coaches were on their game. They nailed finding your hidden strengths, the power of having standards, what does talent got to do with it, tasks vs outcomes, that culture happens … you’ve got one … good or bad … you’ve got one. We talk assessments, behavior, the accountability mirror, learning from failures, and that culture is not a hard concept.
The panel in this Part 2 of Building an Enduring Business Culture is Rick White from 180 Biz, Cecil Bullard, The Institute for Automotive Business Excellence and Bob Greenwood, Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Center
THA 141: Selling Your Business – Valuation Strategies
THA 141 Town Hall Academy on Selling your Business – Valuation Strategies
This episode on ‘Selling your Business – Valuation Strategies’ will provide a great lesson on tactics to obtain a great value for your business. The caveat is that you need to have a successful business and we do discuss some strategies on how to make that happen.
I’m delighted to have Greg Bunch, owner of Aspen Auto Clinic a five-store operation in Colorado Spring, CO and the President of Transformers Institute that provides proven strategies to transform your business, Bob Ward from Wardden, LLC believes that a Perpetual Business is profitable and sustainable without you as you prepare for sale or succession and Joel Zaleski a partner at Cardinal Brokers.
This panel will inform you as we continue an important industry discussion on succession and business valuation. There are many misnomers about what can I sell my business for. If you’ve never done the research you’ll find out it is much different than what you may want for your business. You’ve got to have something to sell to a potential buyer. If your only real asset if location, you could do well, however you need much more than that if you want to sell and retire after years of hard work.
THA 140: Interview Tactics for a Cultural Fit
THA 140 Interview Tactics for a Cultural Fit
How many interviews have you done? How many have sparked a great hire? We are here to talk about that.
Welcome Kirk Richardson, South Street Auto Care, Rochester, MI, Jim Hayes, Shop General Manager at Pacific Motor Service in Monterey, CA 2 Shops and Dan Taylor, Coach at Transformers Institute.
This episode is packed with Human Resource wisdom and we get into interviewing tactics, form and format that will help you build your bench and make quality cultural hires that fit into your business like a glove.
THA 139: Trending – Close the Shop and Take My Entire Team to Training
THA 139: Trending – Close the Shop and Take My Team to Training
How many excuses can you come up with for not closing your shop and take your team to a weekend training conference? About 10? They are not acceptable to my guests as we serve up exactly why you should close and take your team to training.
I was surprised when I asked the audience of 500+ shop owners and technicians at ASTE 2019 how many were there because the shop closed and the team is at training. Many hands went up, I would say about 40. This trend is getting stronger and you need to heed this. In this episode, you’ll hear no excuses only reasons why it works and pays dividends.
With me is Greg Ritter, Ritter’s Auto Repair in Kinmundy IL, Tristan Ramer, Locke Performance Nappanee, Ind and James Perry from Perry’s Diesel Performance in Elizabeth City, NC
This panel nailed it and if you don’t get why a weekend team conference is good for your shop then you must be ready to close or sell. If you are in for the long haul you need to hear this episode and do something with the knowledge you will gain.
THA 138: The Business Side of ADAS – Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
THA 138 The Business Side of ADAS – Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
If you’ve ever thought about getting into the ADAS calibration business, this episode will give you information to help in formulating your decision.
With me is David Friend owner of Mobile Tech and Wilmington Hybrids, from Wilmington, NC David has two Locations a ADAS Calibration shop and teaches ADAS calibration in his dedicated training center. Scott Brown, from Connie and Dicks Service, Claremont, CA and founder of diag.net and Mike Reynolds, owner of Mobile Automotive Service Solutions in Charleston, and an automotive instructor at Trident Technical College who has a big investment in the equipment, targets, OE scan tools and subscriptions to perform ADAS calibration.
This episode will help you determine if you and your market can support an ADAS calibration center, we talk about how long will we need ADAS calibration centers as the future will hold the smarts to do dynamic calibrations someday.
The panel will answer these questions: Should you consider putting up an ADAS calibration center? Do I need training, even if I will not do calibrations?
Does ADAS save lives? What about liability? Are there Standards? Is there any benefit if you get in early?
THA 137: The Language of Welcome
THA 137 The Language of Welcome
We are talking about communicating and building relationships with a diverse and changing customer demographic.
Now enjoy a fresh dialogue with Bill Nalu from Interstate Auto Care Madison Heights, MI, we actually broadcast live from Bill’s shop, also Frank Leutz Desert Car Care, Chandler, AZ and Wrench Nation and Brian Glowski, South Street Auto Care, Rochester, MI
Our topic is ‘The Language of Welcome. We are talking about communicating and building relationships with a diverse and changing customer demographic. The panel has experience in serving many different cultures and offer ideas on the language and customs gap, having patience and taboo’s you need to learn and understand.
You can find the talking points, for this episode and my guests bio’s and links to their previous episodes at remarkableresults.biz/a137
THA 136: Branch Growth Strategy
THA 136 Branch Growth Strategy
Here are two voices that have grown branch stores and they tell a story you need to hear. Find out if they were successful right out of the gate. What they learned as they continued to grow. The importance of people, processes, finances and how to they like to grow. Is it a brownfield, scratch startup or through acquisition.
Listen to Austin Miller from Tire Star with 3 stores who is only 29 years old and to aftermarket veteran Jeff Moore from Moore Tires with 5 stores. Jeff and Austin will tell you what they believe is the most important thing you need to do well before you decide to grow. They also get into the people factor and the importance and strength of your profitability before you ever decide to grow. Don’t make the same mistakes they did.
Growth in stores is an exciting strategy. It can be rewarding for all the right reasons and it could be the most costly and hardest thing you’ve ever done. My panel shares their reality for growth. Between them, they have eight stores.
THA 135: Implementing Profit First – Shop Owners Thrilled With Results
Implementing Profit First – Shop Owners Thrilled With Results
This episode will change your thinking as it relates to a new profit discipline and cash management. I know you know that cash is king in any business, so start being a better manager of it.
Listen in on Danielle Bohlmann, owner with husband Brett in Highway 7 Service Center, Newell, IA, Kenny Wedow from Fine Tuned Auto, Broomfield, CO and Chris Cotton, Certified Profit First Professional from AutoFix SOS coaching company and a former shop owner.
They nailed the benefits of a strong and disciplined cash management system. Both these shop owners say they are in a better place because of implementing Profit First. Danielle and her husband Brett always plowed all their money back in their business. Now hear what they are doing and are better for it.
THA 134: Market Changes and What I’m Doing About Them
THA 134 – Market Changes and What I’m Doing About Them
We are dropping topics on Hybrid repair and marketing, building technician, avoiding a viral social goof, customer ADAS training, and communication tactics among others.
With me in this episode are three shop owners who really enjoyed sharing their battle scars of success, for that matter they continue to earn their scars as we all do. From Xpertech Auto Repair is Kathleen Jarsik, from Englewood, FL, Kurt Valvis, Co-Owner, Guys Foreign Car Repair, Metairie, La and Brent Robinson, Co-owner with his brother Brian in Snellville Auto Center, Snellville, GA and Loganville Auto Center, in Loganville, GA.
THA 133: Why Soft or Life Skills Training Matters for Business Success
THA 133 The Value of Soft Skills Training
The panel says that soft skills training helps build a stronger, flexible and harmonious organization. Leadership training is not just for the leader today. Everyone can benefit from being a better listener, which is the #1 soft skills or life skills training we all need to have.
Join Judi Haglin owner with her husband Dana in Haglin Automotive, Boulder, CO, Kyle Holt, President of SP/2 andJeff Peevy, AMAM, President | Automotive Management Institute.
Change your attitude Soft (Life) Skills Training. It must include everyone in your business. Training in communication, critical thinking, finding and keeping a positive attitude, teamwork and work ethic, to name a few. Everyone benefits including family life.
In support of your work to build an enduring business culture one of the best tactics you can implement is soft skills or life skills training. Consider the message in this episode as an important component to building your enduring business culture.
THA 132: Business Coaches Lab: Building an Enduring Business Culture
THA 132 Business Coaches Lab – Building an Enduring Business Culture
Culture is one of the most important business strategies you need to work on. Building a strong and vibrant business culture is required today. Learn how to get started and start to build your business culture.
The panel Murray Voth, RPM Training, Rick White 180 Biz, Cecil Bullard, The Institute for Automotive Business Excellence and Bob Greenwood, Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Center.
Top aftermarket shops have a strong culture in place and are always tweaking and improving it. It is the foundation and ground zero for hiring and keeping the right people. And also in attracting and providing a great customer experience.
THA 131: Preparing Your Shop For the Next Five and Ten Years
THA 131 The Future – Preparing Your Shop For the Next Five to Ten Years
What is your future? Have you planned it? What are you doing to ensure your success in the next 5, 10 or 15 years? If you do nothing you get what you currently have and that may not sustain you to far into the future.
Your panel: Kelli Weatherby, co-owner, with husband Lee, in Accurate Automotive, Inc. in Mesa, AZ., Bill Nalu, owner of Interstate Auto Care, Madison Heights, MI and AJ Nealey, Nealey Auto Service, Edgewater MD. This diverse group has some similar yet some different strategies for their future. It is so refreshing to hear the dialogue and then compare their tactics to your current or long term plans.
We are in a dynamic industry that is in a heightened change curve. Keeping up at all levels will bring you spoils. And keeping your eye on your business with the future in sight is an important responsibility you have to your employees and your family.
We talk BHAG’s, Debt, Branches, Succession, Training, refinancing, and SWOT among others.
THA 130: Service Advisor Role Play #3
THA 130 Service Advisor Role Play
My guests are role-playing these three situations: #1: Brakes- the client knows what is wrong and the car has been inspected somewhere else, $2: Oil change- just looking for a price and #3: The Check Engine Light is on – how much to replace the catalytic converter?
My panel includes Rena Rennebohm CEO of Empowered Advisor, Dave Nelson From Antero’s Automotive, Greenwood Village, Colorado and RJ Milnes from DK Automotive Repair, Antioch, CA
Let features and benefits be the service advisors strong tools and during a call, you are interviewing the customer and they are interviewing you, both looking for a good fit. If cheep is what they want and you can’t deliver you’ve learned.
THA 129: Customer Financing Options
THA 129 Customer Financing Options
What options do you have to help your customers with credit choices. There are many vendor credit options to choose from and they are great. Maybe you don’t use them, maybe you should. No one wants a customer to walk out on a major purchase especially safety related. This session is here to help you capture more of the big-ticket jobs.
You just may hear a financing option idea or two that you’ve never considered. And that is exactly what we do here, push the envelope on strategies and ideas to help you grow as a leader and build your business.
Hear about the acceptance rate of vendor finance programs and a few creative ideas on how to lock in customers with a pre-payment plan. Ever do a comparison of buying new or used vs fixing the vehicle that needs all the work? Have you ever heard of the M & D loan? You are about to.