Proof of Concept [THA 206]
THA 206 Proof of Concept
The pandemic was the test of preparedness, fortitude, leadership, nerves, among others. Our topic “Proof of Concept” is the story behind the strong getting stronger.
The leaders who listened and implemented the strategies being served up by the industry pundits especially coaches over the last 3 to 4 years found themselves in a good place. You’ve heard them enforce on the podcast, … essential tactics like strong business culture, a commitment to training your team, firing non-productive or toxic employees, DVI, Cloud-based software, text to pay and the list goes on like strong leadership. Smart Marketing. Managing KPIs, Good financial statements, building processes, and systems, Etc, etc. In essence, the strong found their pandemic recovery easier than others. That is what we are talking about today: ‘Proof of Concept’
Joining me is Chris Cotton, AJ Nealey, and Michael Gallini. They all agree that they are in a better spot because they implemented and worked the strategies and tactics that the industry is known to create success and sustainable profits. Glad you are here, Let’s Talk About It.
The key talking points from this episode are already done for you on the show notes page at remarkableresults.biz/a206.
Millennials in High Gear with Sara Fraser – Part 1 [RR 603]
Millennials in High Gear with Sara Fraser Part 1 [RR 603]
Our topic today centers around millennial customers and employees. With me is Sara Fraser. Sara has been a favorite on the show and lives what she teaches as she is a millennial. Each generation has its traits and you must adjust your business to accommodate the millennial customer and employee.
Sara is with Haas Performance Consulting and teaches the millennial story. We look at the millennial customer needs/wants and the same for the millennial employee. This is part one of a two-part millennial series with Sara
You can find Sara’s other episodes and the key talking points for this episode at remarkablersults.biz/e603
What Will 2021 Be Like? [THA 204]
THA 204 What will 2021 Bring?
Welcome to the 204th episode of the Town Hall Academy as 2020 is ending and 2021 takes over. Covid-19 continues its wrath and still a huge part in our daily lives. Most important is to move forward with the anticipation and excitement of a new year.
So let’s talk about it. I’m with Gene Morrill owner of Certified Automotive in Glendora, CA, Greg Buckley CEO of Buckley Personalized Auto Care in Wilmington, DE and Joe Marconi from Osceola Garage, Baldwin Place, NY.
2021 will continue to be a year of transition. It won’t be easy. The panel talks about moving the couch, reviewing your fundamentals and believes it’s not over yet. If ever a time to be proactive not is it. We still have a lot of unknowns so pay attention to everything because there are many unknowns. The panel did an excellent job assessing their approach to the new year.
The key talking points from this episode are already done for you on the show notes page at remarkableresults.biz/a204.
An Unprecedented Year and Strategies for 2021 – Bonus Episode 8
Thoughts from an Unprecedented Year and Looking forward to Strategies for 2021 – Bonus Episode 008
As an industry we are essential.
The strong got stronger
. Virtual online training became the norm and will become a permanent part of our training needs
. Milestones reached this year:
600th episode of Remarkable Results Radio
. 200th episode of the Town Hall Academy
. The launch of Aftermarket Weekly.com
. Launched all LIVE show broadcast on the website’s LIVE page
. Training must become part of your culture
. The value of coaching.
Networking is a must to grow and learn
. Succession planning and growth
. Embrace our youth
. Set up an apprentice program
. Reach out to a local shop and have coffee and talk.
Why Fix a Negative Attitude in your Shop [THA 202]
Why Fix a Negative Attitude [THA 202]
Statistics and many studies concluded that a negative behavior creates liabilities in the business setting and strains relationships. On a personal level, it decreases productivity and performance. Not only does it damage teamwork, but it also makes for unhappy customers. Our episode today attacks why a negative attitude has no room in our industry!
Joining me is Craig O’Neill, Andy Pollina, from Legacy Auto Tech, Grand Rapids, and Rick White from 180 Biz.
The key talking points from this episode are already done for you on the show notes page at remarkableresults.biz/a202.
Hiring a Business Coach [RR 596]
Hiring a Business Coach [RR 596]
Learn how a coach can keep you focused, motivated, and accountable. It’s very easy to get lost in the day-to-day. It’s great to have someone to keep your feet on the ground.
I get a lot of requests to recommend things, especially business coaches. You know how much I believe in having a business coach. Well, I do not recommend business coaches, as I must be neutral, like the country Sweden. So many coaches bring their wisdom to you on the show and for that I am grateful. What I do do is give a link to all the episodes I’ve done with our industry’s business coaches.
In this case shop owner Rick Williams asked and I gave him the link. I went on to ask him if he would pick three and allow an interview with him and the three coaches as a sort of opportunity for shop owners without a coach to hear what goes on in the coach hiring process. Shop owner Rick Williams of Rix Automotive was kind enough to agree to do this and he chose Bill Haas of Haas Performance Consulting, Bob Greenwood of Automotive aftermarket E-Learning Center, and David Justice from Repair Shop of tomorrow.
You can find Rick, Bob, Bill, and David’s other episodes and the key talking points for this episode at remarkablersults.biz/e596
Hiring Superstars with Jerry Kezhaya and Dr. Laura Shwaluk [RR 594]
Hiring Superstars with Jerry Kezhaya and Dr Laura Shwaluk [RR 594]
Once again I welcome Jerry Kezhaya and Dr. Laura Schwaluk owners of The Auto Shop in Plano, TX, they are also leading Business Builders Mentor and Mastermind USA.
Hiring superstar employees is the goal of every business person I’ve known. Our intention is to find the best of the best in order to seed the company with outstanding and culture driven people. As you and I know, that is not always the case.
How can we get better at recruiting and filtering out just the cream of the crop. Jerry and Dr. Laura will take us through a process and great stories to make their case.
Find Jerry and Laura’s other episodes and the key talking points for this episode at remarkablersults.biz/e594
Customer Service vs. Customer Experience with Murray Voth [RR 591]
Customer Service vs. Customer Experience with Murray Voth [RR 591]
Murray Voth the owner and principal trainer of RPM Training and one of Canada’s most knowledgeable experts on the automotive industry. Murray specializes in the fields of business development of the independent automotive service and repair sector.
Murray is focused on the customer experience. In this episode, Murray differentiates customer service vs customer experience and their specific advantages and disadvantages.
The talking points of this episode can be found at remarkablersults.biz/e591.
Service Advisor Advice from Steve Shaw [RR 586]
Service Advisor Advice from Steve Shaw [RR 586]
Service advisor consultant trainer Steve Shaw of Steve Shaw Training brings his unique brand of training. Steve has some great ideas and concepts that can help you grow sales therefore dropping that margin gain directly to the bottom line. Steve Shaw teaches service advisors to get customers’ permission.
Steve shares 5 key reasons customers buy And he wants you to change the wording when you sell maintenance. There is also a simple approach to selling tires.
Steve also adds techniques in this episode. He advises, if you follow the tools and training you will sell more. He extends his understanding of customer behavior to your advantage. This episode can answer why customers buy and offer some great ideas on selling maintenance and tires.
Find the show notes at remarkableresults.biz/e586.
Coaches Lab: Why Employees Leave [THA 195]
Coaches Lab: Why Employees Leave [THA 195]
You are about to embark on a brainstorming session with three of our aftermarket’s excellent business coaches that have a strong leaning toward people and culture. As you’ve learned throughout the last 194 episodes picking a panel and getting them to mesh seems to be a strength of mine and this one nailed our topic. And you benefit from this listen.
Employees leave for many reasons. This episode will give you more than five reasons and if you work on only three of them, you are on your way to creating a solid ‘sticky’ team. I say sticky because you want your people to stay, yet you need to create the right environment, culture, and engagement for it to work.
The panel: Dan Taylor, Senior Business Advisor at Transformers Institute, Dave Schedin, from Computrek Automotive Management Systems, and Murray Voth, owner and principal trainer at RPM training.
If you want the key talking points from this episode, they are already done for you. Go to the show page at remarkableresults.biz/a195 Use them for an agenda to help you implement the insights from this Academy.
Life After Succession – Randy Pickering [RR 576]
Life After Succession – Randy Pickering [RR 576]
Family businesses can survive the generations, needless to say, you’ve got to do a lot of things right. It’s the culture, discipline, and the brand that gives the necessary template for a successful transition.
Today we welcome Randy Pickering, legacy owner of Pickering’s in Lakewood, CO. Pickerings is an amazing company that is transitioning into the 5th generation, Randy’s two sons. That is a rare thing.
To help gain their independence Randy says his sons both wanted to join a 20 group of their own and opened their 2nd store to scale up for a solid exit plan. Randy shares his newfound life after leading Pickerings in Lakewood, CO.
Find the show notes at https://remarkableresults.biz/e576.
Incentive Plans [THA 191]
Incentive Pay – THA 191
We are talking about Incentive Pay. You will conclude from this episode that there is no silver bullet to this answer. There are a lot of moving parts to create compensation plans unique to your business culture for the results you, your employee, and team need to have to best serve your customer and to create financial rewards.
I invited a great panel to discuss incentive pay: // Seth Thorson, from EuroTech Auto Service, based in New Brighton, MN and also the owner of LMV Bavarian a BMW tech support company. Bryan Kelley is here from Valley Auto Electric, Covington, WA, Active and chairman of ASA Northwest and Bill Haas, Haas Performance Consulting, and Business Manager of NACAT, the North American Automotive Teachers
The detailed key talking points can be found at remarkableresults.biz/a191 along with Bryan’s chart on 23 motivators of people. Remember you can use them to help create your own plan or meeting agenda.
Wealth Building: Become a Financial Adult [RR 575]
Wealth Building: Becoming a Financial Adult [RR 575]
Jerry Kezhaya and his wife Dr. Laura Shwaluk bring you a powerful discussion on wealth and money. Jerry and Dr. Laura own The Auto Shop in Plano, TX. They are also leading Business Builders Mentor and Mastermind USA, helping entrepreneurs accelerate their businesses and open doors of mental blocks that prevent them from succeeding.
We discuss Debt, Wealth Building, Entitlement, Consumerism and Determining a Need or a Want. Surprisingly, 85% of 65 years or older don’t have access to $25,000. That is a very sad percentage knowing that you have worked almost all of your life, but do not reap the benefits!
Let this episode be your springboard to bounce you back to financial stability. The episode talks about Fiat Currency, the distinction between spending and investing, spending habits, and other in-depth financial mechanisms wired deep within you. As you listen, there are a lot of variables on why we fail with money. But there are also a lot of things to help us with what to do about it.
Get Jerry and Laura’s bio and talking points and previous episodes at remarkableresults.biz/e575.
Succession Planning: With an Internal Candidate [THA 190]
THA 190 Succession with an Internal Candidate
In keeping with my goal to keep the succession theme burning as we face the reality that many of you need to retire and sell your business and many of you would like to become business owners.
This episode reveals a transaction with two internal non-family successors. Bob Ward anchors this episode as he helped orchestrate this transaction.
I’m with business owner Steve LaFleur from Prescott Import Car Service and one of the internal co-buyers, Dave Mendez. Dave has worked for Steve for 10 years.
This very candid conversation will help move your succession plans forward and you can get all the key talking points from this episode at remarkableresults.biz/a190. These key talking points will make for a great planning agenda.
Procedures and Systems Part 2 with Brian Gillis [RR 573]
Procedures and Systems Part 2 with Brian Gillis [RR 573]
Welcome to the second part of processes and systems with Brian Gillis. Brian is the Chief You Net-Results Strategist, with 25+ years experience in auto shop operations, hiring, recruiting, systems, processes, multi-store experience, and employee training.
A big part of building your Standard Operating Procedures is to start. Brian shares his formula and discipline for not only starting but for continual improvement.
Get Brian’s bio and talking points and his previous episodes at remarkableresults.biz/e573 .
Assessments: Hire Engaged, and Productive Employees Who Find a Home [RR 572]
Assessments: Hire Engaged, and Productive Employees Who Find a Home [RR 572]
There is a need in supporting businesses in enhancing their organizational eco-system through it’s single most important asset… The PEOPLE! The lifeline of a healthy business culture can be done at the tip of your fingertips
My guests today are; Carlo Sabucco, Mark Simons, David & Bonnie Schedin. They will be enlightening us with the value and importance of assessments. Assessments can identify people who have the highest probability of being successful in a role and provide practical recommendations for maximizing their performance.
learn the importance of two different assessments and how hiring with this knowledge will help your businesses leverage and streamline your hiring process and find a great match to enhance your team
The key talking points and important links found at remarkableresults.biz/e572/
Industry Terminology: It’s Time to Change it. Can You Get Behind This? [RR 571]
Industry Terminology: It’s Time to Change it. Can You Get Behind This? [RR 571]
The Panel: Chris Cloutier is co-owner of Golden Rule Auto Care in Dallas Texas and CEO of Auto Text Me. He spent many years in the software industry developing solutions for companies, and Bob Greenwood is President and C.E.O. of Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Centre Ltd. (AAEC) a company focused on providing Business Management Resources and Development for the Independent Sector of the aftermarket industry.
Welcome to a fun and fast-paced show for you all about the language of our beloved aftermarket. Chris and Bob are providing provocative ideas for change in the language we use. They believe that many of the words we use don’t have the same meaning today that they did years ago.
Some of the language they feel we need to remove is training, customer, and business owner to name just a few. We’ve taken great notes for you so you can use as an agenda in your next team or networking meetings, Go to the show notes page at remarkableresults.biz/e571 . Also, find Chris and Bob’s bios and links to their previous episodes.
Succession With a Family Member [THA 188]
THA 188 – Succession with a Family Member
Family succession can be different than selling to a non-family member, yet many components of a transaction are similar. Jessica and Ron were very forthcoming and business coach Dave Justice helped shape the plan.
The panel: Ron Tinner, owner of Sparks Tire and Auto, along with his daughter Jessica Carrino. Jessica will become the owner, and they share their story about making a family transaction work. David Justice from Repair shop of Tomorrow is their business coach.
Succession is one of the hottest trends in our industry. So many want to retire, pass the business on to family or sell to a team member. Selling to another shop owner or group is also in the cars. We can’t talk about this enough.
For the key talking points, audio and video go to remarkableresults.biz/a188.
Labor Rates: A Function of the Business Not the Market [THA 187]
THA 187 Labor Rates: A Function of the Business Not the Market
Labor Rates is a very touchy subject for some shop owners. It is the sacred measure that customers rate you on. If you believe that this episode is for you.
We are covering multiple labor rates, an approach to calculating your rates, and what the future holds as far as the importance that labor rates ill be to your business if not most critical already today.
If you are struggling to make money there are many areas you need to pay attention to, and most importantly your labor rate. Is your rate based on the market or on the function of your business.
The panel: Bob Greenwood, AMAM, President and of the Automotive Aftermarket E-Learning Center, Business coach, and as I like to say one of the best numbers guys in the industry. Also Business coach Brian Gillis the Cheif Strategist at You Net-Results and joining us halfway through is shop owner Bill Nalu from Interstate Auto Care in Madison Heights, MI
Why Coaching is a Business Life Saver – Rick White [RR 562]
RR 562: Rick White on Coaching
Rick White, President and Lead Coach for 180BIZ will help you understand and appreciate the shop owner and business coach dynamic. Coaching is about relationships and communication.
Rick and I talk about why a shop does not have a coach and how failure only happens when you refuse to learn from it. Find the talking points, Ricks bio and key talking points at remakableresults.biz/e162
Selling Your Business – The First Steps [THA 183]
THA 183 Selling Your Business – The First Steps
I’m with coach and consultant Bob Ward from Warden LLC and perpetualbusiness.co, and David Justice, Coach with Repair Shop of Tomorrow. David sold His three shops and now supports shop owners to build their legacy.
You are going to find out about an exciting concept of building a perpetual business, which means it outlasts you. In essence, you prepare to sell your business the day you open, taking the stress of preparing your business for sale
The key talking points for this episode are already done for you, find them, and my guest’s bios at remarkableresults.biz/a183. These key talking points will make for a great planning agenda.
Six Shops in Eleven Years: The Story Behind This Explosive Growth [RR 557]
Six Shops in Eleven Years: The Story Behind This Explosive Growth [RR 557]
I’m with Matt Lachowitzer, a 6 location shop owner. Matt had aspirations to become a lawyer, but a fork in the road led him to be a technician and now shop owner; 6 shop locations in under 11 years. That is an amazing feat but it required a lot of work, a strong culture, pure process disciplines, and a total focus on the customer experience. Matt also has a body shop and an ADAS calibration center.
On his way to owning 6 locations, Matt Lachowitzer dropped out of school and started working In a local GM dealership. Matt shares how he grew and transformed his business with a top culture, an incredibly strong community presence, the Teddy Bear treasure, and the Girl Scout Cookie campaign that supports local food pantries and our veterans.
Learn all about these programs and more along with how he has integrated a lottery system in training and engaged his technicians to own and teach their in house training program.
Matt’s full bio and the key talking points can be found on the website at remarkableresults.biz/e557
If How To’s Were Enough We’d All Be Rich and Skinny- Dave Schedin [RR 555]
If How To’s Were Enough We’d All Be Rich and Skinny- Dave Schedin [RR 555]
The episode will teach you how to face your fears and understand the depth of your ego. Managing your ego and self-confidence in balance will get you the result you really need. Find out the truth behind the overconfidence and arrogance that we all try to avoid. We are all victims of whatever circumstance we chose to put ourselves into. The sooner we understand that the better off we are at handling difficult situations.
My guest is a coach and a former shop owner, Dave Schedin from Computrek Group a
Coaching and Training Company. Dave has 40+ years of experience in the automotive field.
David has a powerful message for you. We are talking about the fear-based scarcity mindset that can plague the best of us. If it remains unchecked it will derail most business owners by undervaluing themselves. The opposite of this has the same effect too. You can be too arrogant when you are overconfident. You have to balance things out. You’re gonna love this episode.
Unscripted with Andy Bizub and Lucas Underwood [RR 553]
Unscripted with Andy Bizub and Lucas Underwood [RR 553]
This episode speaks for itself. Raw and Unscripted. And intended to push a button or two maybe one of yours. It’s a collection of ideas and thoughts from my guest’s world which resulted in nothing more than some extraordinary talk.
My guests are shop owners, Andy Bizub and Lucas Underwood. They are veterans of the show and have multiple episodes between them. Andy Bizub owns Midwest Performance Cars in Chicago, two locations and Lucas Underwood from L & N Performance Auto Repair, Blowing Rock, NC
They share the challenges of attracting and retaining customers. Lucas had guidance from his coach that told him that some shop owners often fall in love with their problems and not the solutions. While Andy remains choosy in all of the customers that come through his shop. He programs his business to attract his right customers. This and much more.
Find the key talking points for this interview with Andy Bizub and Lucas Underwood at remarkableresults.biz/e553.