“You’re Not A Technician, You’re A Technical Expert” Aaron Becker [RR 745]
I’m with Aaron Becker at the TST Big Event 2022. His stepfather-in-law is the late Myron Stein, inventor, product innovator, and founder of Airsept. Aaron is the President of Airsept and we discuss Myron’s famous donut and coffee selling tactic, and new products, and if you listen until the very end of your podcast player, you might hear a little backstage chatter with my daughter Tracy. By the way, I got to know Myron during my early days as a podcaster and he was an encourager and always told me like it was. I’ll miss him.
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Listen and view episode notes“Vision, KC Is My Happy Place” [RR 743]
Candice and Jesse Beuttenmuller come every March from WaKeeney, KS. to the Vision KC Hi Tech Expo. Vision KC, they say, is their Happy Place, therefore shutting down the shop to attend. Their town is so small it doesn’t even have a stoplight! Since we recorded the episode they changed the name of their business to ‘Old 40 Auto Care’. We also discuss the importance of communication with their customers. As a side note, we had a lot of laughs and fun while recording this episode.
remarkableresults.biz/e743
Listen and view episode notesOut with the Old, in with the New [AW 095]
Guest hosts and shop tour with Rich and Linda Brauer, 59 Auto Repair, Plainfield, IL. They’ve been in business 28 years and was the 2021 NAPA Shop of the Year. Rich and Linda discuss the importance of being open to new ideas and change, rather than saying “that is the way we’ve always done it.”
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Listen and view episode notesHusband and Wife Accountability Partners [RR 724]
Darrin and Ginger Barney are a powerhouse husband and wife team both at home and in their business. It’s not always smooth sailing when you work with your spouse. Many of you know that. Find out how they make it work and their advice to spouses considering working together.
remarkableresults.biz/e724
Listen and view episode notesWhy We Remodeled [AW 085]
Why We Remodeled [AW 085]
Guest host and shop tour with Gilda Dyckman, Cars Automotive & Muffler, Redondo Beach, Ca. Get an inside look at two remodeled buildings and find out why they rebranded their name.
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Listen and view episode notesAAPEX 2021 Service Award Winners [RR 697]
AAPEX 2021 Service Award Winners [RR 697]
I had the privilege to speak with the AAPEX 2021 service award winners while at AAPEX. Be a fly on the wall as they discuss what it was like to receive the call that they were award winners and what it means to them. They were selected based on the guidelines of the nomination process and the final voting and filtering from industry professionals. Congrats again to Matt Fanslow, Eric and Jaime Carlson and Brittany Schindler, your awards are well deserved.
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Listen and view episode notesSocial Media Marketing to Technicians – Kim and Brian Walker [RR 665]
Social Media Marketing to Technicians [RR 665]
We all know there is a technician shortage of qualified technicians and we agree that the best are already employed. If your marketing strategies are only meant to attract more customers, you might be missing a key opportunity.
Marketing for technicians to join your team is just as important. Kim and Brian Walker from Shop Marketing Pros offer free advice for making your shop stand out and possibly attract a new technician to your business. remarkableresults.biz/e665
Listen and view episode notesUnstoppable with Amy and Kelly Michel [RR 663]
Unstoppable with Amy and Kelly Michel [RR 663]
How did two musicians turn into two automotive repair owners? What is their secret to both managing the business and staying ahead of the curve in this industry? What family members did they hire and who is lined up to eventually take over the business? All these questions and more are answered in this episode.
Amy and Kelly Michel’s husband and wife chemistry is hard to miss, we had fun and I guarantee you will ‘learn just one new thing.’ And isn’t that what it’s all about. remarkableresults.biz/e663
Listen and view episode notesHitting Rock Bottom and Climbing out [RR 650]
Hitting Rock Bottom and Climbing out [RR 650]
The hardest part about moving forward is sometimes going backward. Moving out of your comfort zone and embracing change can be a struggle for all of us to do. In this episode, Jeff and Donna Hazeltine share an emotional story that happened just 8 months ago. They had hit rock bottom with their business after losing long-term employees and felt like things couldn’t get any worse.
They had help from their fellow shop owner Troy Vaninetti. Discover how they climbed out and now have a completely different business culture.
Listen and view episode notesPartnership Agreements with Charlene Parlett [RR 642]
Partnership Agreements with Charlene Parlett [RR 642]
Do you remember when you started your business with your wife or friend as your partner? The upside was blue skies and the horizon was never-ending.
No one plans for partnerships to crumble or marriages ending or an unforeseen death to occur. But what happens when it does? Do you have legal documents in place? No matter what stage you are in owning a business, it is a necessity to plan for the unexpected now, rather than later when emotions and tensions are high. In this episode, Charlene Parlett shares her personal experience with business and marriage so others can avoid the same path.
Find the key talking points for this episode at remarkableresults.biz/e642
Electrical Engineers Become Shop Owners Growing to Seven Stores – John and Karen Manelas [RR 569]
Electrical Engineers Become Shop Owners Growing to Seven Stores – John and Karen Manelas [RR 569]
John and Karen Manelas attended the same school, took the same degree and became successful at their careers for 15 years as electrical engineers. They decided to take a huge life change and pay cut to start their own shop. They took on the challenge and the uncertainties. With low capital, they grew their shop from one in 2004 to an amazing 7 shops in 2019.
Growth is an amazing thing when you do it the right way. Prepare yourself mentally to put a lot of work into each location, hiring, training, and preparing the right staff.
Find the key talking points, John and Karen Manelas’ bio and links to their previous episodes at remarkableresults.biz/e569
Listen and view episode notesWife Raised the Kids and After 27 Years and Partnered With Husband to Open a Shop [RR 554]
Wife Raised the Kids and After 27 Years and Partnered With Husband to Open a Shop [RR 554]
In this episode, we will be visiting Russell and Connie Cook’s new world of shop ownership at Finish Line Automotive in Ocala, Florida.
They tell you how they got their money, what they put down, how they built working capital, what went wrong in the last 5 months, and how Connie had to work the shop with zero experience. Buying the shop was their decision after Connie spent 27 years raising the children. Gutsy and bold move. This is what this industry is made of.
An interesting story on how this mid-aged couple jumped into shop ownership with all four feet. They give us a nice and transparent look into how and why they did it while Russell was still turning wrenches at a dealership.
Find the show notes and key talking points at remarkableresults.biz/e554.
Listen and view episode notesStop Being Afraid – Bryan Gossel [RR 517]
Bryan Gossel, BG Automotive, Fort Collins, CO. Brian’s Previous Episodes HERE. Key Talking Points: Started as technician and service writerNo structure, education, or much training from shop owner Owner didn’t see value in outside training Bryan exemplified natural leadership, intuition and communication Partnered together to also buy motorcycle parts and accessory business- had to shut down…
Listen and view episode notesRR 452: Danielle and Brett Bohlmann – Creating Work/Life Harmony
Danielle and Brett Bohlmann Finding the Right Balance Between Work and Life
Brett and Danielle Bohlmann are Shop Owners at Hwy 7 Service Center. They agree that they are everything the other is not and they know it and use it to their advantage instead of it being their demise.
OK, Brett and Danielle Bohlman agree that they are everything the other is not and they know it and use it to their advantage instead of it being their demise. Brett and Danielle own Hwy 7 Service Center in Newell, IA. Danielle wasnt in on the business at start because she is a mother of 4 and for her, family is first! Find out how Danielle changed her comittment and how they make family and business work so they have a life.
Listen and view episode notesRR 386: Shop Talk 6 – Making it Work – Husband and Wife Partners
Making it Work: Husband and Wife Partners
Our married partners are Judi and Dana Haglin of Haglin Automotive Boulder, CO, along with Kim and Rob Auernheimer of CS Automotive in Brentwood, Tennessee. They share their experiences in running a shop, together with their life partners.
They make it sound simple, however as you’ll hear there was and continues to be a learning curve in their path to ‘harmony’. We’ll learn how they brought out the best in each other while improving their business’s and continuously making each other better.
They persisted with the patience, hardships, struggles, fulfillment and the joy of owning and managing a business as a husband and wife tandem.
They are like any couple but have the additional dynamic as business co-owners and partners. Learn from their tribulations as they share how each overcame their challenges to make their partnership amazing and strengthen their relationship over time.
Listen and view episode notesRR 302: Lisa and Kevin Eckler
Never Too Late to Get a Business Coach to Help Put the Business on the Right Path.
This interview is for anyone who started a business and took time to discover that their talent as a top technician didn’t help when it came to run a business. Lisa and Kevin Eckler from Foreign Car Specialists in Poughkeepsie, NY bring you a very raw and transparent story of their business evolution.
Kevin shared his story so that you will benefit. His business acumen wasn’t as good as his talent as a technician. He gives great advice to anyone who is struggling to make money.
Lisa is new to the business and they married four years ago. They took their blended family and business struggles head-on. Their story is fit for the ages and I know many can relate to the challenges they’ve overcome.
Listen and view episode notesRR 291: Bambi Crozier from Car Clinic and ASOG
Changing the Image of the Industry; One Customer at a Time.
Bambi Crozier and her husband Neil own Car Clinic in Lowell, AR. They are dedicated to lifelong customer relationships and are working to change their customer’s image of the industry to that of a profession and not just a trade.
With her background in customer service, she and Neil set out on a mission of change. She started by asking her customer’s a lot of questions about their vehicle. She discovered that her customers wanted the down and dirty truth about their vehicle needs.
Listen to her story of startup and transformation. She knows that the rapid change in technology and the way tech is affecting how business is done today will require a smarter, wiser business owner. She believes in the power of the statement: ‘You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know.’
Listen and view episode notesRR 249: Brenda & Brent O’Neal from Repair One Automotive
Is Your Customer Retention All About Your Integrity and Building a Trusting Relationship?
Dynamic husband and wife team, Brenda and Brent O’Neal, lead their team to ensure “The customer experience is the best it can be.” All roles must do their job to perfection. The team knows that they are not fixing cars and that their customer is the most important part of the business.
They believe that living in the same community as their business brings great value and recognition.
Brenda and Brent, who do not have a background in the automotive field, share where they get their new ideas, how to grow your own techs, their marketing strategy, and the extreme value they’ve received from hiring a business coach.
Listen and view episode notesRR 211: Judi and Dana Haglin from Haglin Automotive
Husband and Wife Team Keeps Careful Watch on all Details of their Business.
Judi and Dana Haglin work together so well because they say ‘They are opposites’. Each of their own passions help drive their successful business. Haglin Automotive, a twelve bay shop in Boulder, CO, was recognized in 2015 as Motor Age Top Shop of the Year. They continue to look for ways to improve their systems and marketing that will give them a competitive advantage.
The Haglin’s are all about team and culture and share many great ideas and insights on marketing, training, and stress relief. They share their rules for finding harmony in their personal and business relationship, their core values and their top strategy to corral new customers.
Listen and view episode notesRR 121: Nikki Ayers from Ayers Automotive
Nikki Ayers and her husband Robert have been shop owners for 38 years. They own Ayers Automotive in Santa Barbara, CA with locations in Chipala and Anacapa. Robert was a Jaguar tech when they decided to go into business for themselves. Nikki shares the big risk they took with their first building and how after…
Listen and view episode notesRR 113: Kim Auernheimer from CS Automotive
After many years in real-estate and property management Kim Aurenheimer joined the business with her husband Rob. Hear Kim talk about the big decision, they both made, to work together and forge a strong working relationship. From Kim’s perspective listen as she talks about her transition into the industry and in finding her wings at the shop. She discusses trust, roles, the industry, margins, labor rates, work life balance and much more. An enlightening view of our industries most prevalent business partnerships; husbands and wives.
Listen and view episode notesRR 023: Maryann Croce from Croce’s Transmissions
Maryann Croce of Croce Transmissions in Norwalk, CT and her husband Tony combined her banking career and his automotive technical skills and bought a transmission business 15 years ago. They have 4 bays, 4 techs and one service adviser As so many in the aftermarket know when husband and wife’s and families, for that matter,…
Listen and view episode notes