RR 326: Sherri Stock from InMotion Auto Care
Five Years A Shop Owner and a Succession Plan in Place.
The secret to success, according to Sherri Stock is doing the right thing for the right reasons. No matter for your team members or your customers she is passionate to always treat people well.
Sherri Stock from InMotion Auto Care in Lincoln, NE has worked at dealerships for over 25 years and had the opportunity of a lifetime to go into business for herself. She shares some early strategies that has set up her succession plan.
We talk with the Sherri Stock, the ASA Midwest Service Facility of the Year 2017, about the power of a strong business culture, technician pay, business coaches, vendor partners and her commitment to technician training.
RR 320: Kathleen Jarosik from Xpertech Auto Repair
Trial By Fire Was the Pathway and Learning Curve for This Shop Owner.
Once Kathleen Jarosik from Xpertech Auto Repair in Englewood, FL bought the business from her former husband she went from the background to the foreground of the business. Trial by fire was the norm.
Her story is one of renaissance as she knew there was a better way. Working with her business coach, industry colleagues and association members, Kathleen started her turn around. She is actually doing what she loves to do most for the business.
Kathleen is not without her challenges, but she sees great light ahead and hopes one day to be an industry coach. She wants to help people and give back to the industry. She’s worked hard to build the reputation of the shop and create a positive culture for her team and an environment that her customers feel comfortable in.
THA 055: The Importance of Back Office Operations – Part 2
The Power Center of your Business is in the Back Office PART 2
Amy Mattinat, Jacquie Walter Hower, Maryann Croce and Kim Auernheimer discuss Human Resources and Marketing. Two very important responsibilities of the CEO and back office team.
Highlights: The legal document called an employee handbook, hire slow-fire fast, know your candidate’s personality and hire for a culture fit.
Track your marketing efforts, never shoot in the dark you may not be spending your money wisely. Have a good referral program for your advocate customer and your brand’s image needs to be consistent and must match the face you put in the web and social media. This group also shares some great marketing ideas.
RR 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.’
THA 044: The Importance of Back Office Operations – Part 1
The Power Center of your Business is in the Back Office.
In this Part One Amy Mattinat, Jacquie Walter Hower, Maryann Croce and Kim Auernheimer discuss controls, operations and accounting/finance.
Highlights: Cash accountability, bank statements, trust and verify. The three stages of a business and the power of communication. With good systems, you can find where any breakdown occurred. Also discussed is team buy-in, QuickBooks, keeping good records, budgeting and cash flow.
RR 256: Rachael Wacha from City Auto Repair
Joined the Family business and doubled sales within a year.
Thirty one-year-old Rachael Wacha from City Auto Repair realized she was more like her dad than she thought. She also didn’t realize how important she was to the business.
You’ll be moved by her story and very open discussion of her very personal journey as she walked through life’s challenges and overcame them all. She has the tenacity to achieve every goal she sets for herself.
Having completed a succession plan to own the business, Rachael has joined a coaching and mastermind group. She is the president of the local ASA chapter and Is investing her time in vocational training and engaging with students.
RR 245: Kate Jonasee from K-Tech in Sebastopol, CA
Do you remember when you started in business? What humble beginning did you have?
Kate Jonasee from K-Tech and Pauline’s Auto worked her way across the country after graduating from automotive technology college in upstate New York. She persisted through every opportunity to own two shops in Sebastopol, CA.
Kate says she learned something along the way from every shop she worked at and always had the goal to own her own shop, let alone two and possibly more.
Listen to the smart choices she made along the way, what her personal motivations were and how she is working to improve herself and her business.
RR 217: Stacia Hamp from Community Auto
Father & Daughter Team Keep their Strong Culture at the Forefront of their Shop and Get Recognized by BBB with their Highest Honor.
Stacia Hamp and her dad Eric Warrington have worked together for 13 years. They’ve forged a strong working relationship and the business has blossomed.
Stacia’s dad Eric, built the business on trust and ethics. She says dad has the heart of the business culture firmly in hand and no better tribute than in being recognized as the winner of the 2017 Northern Colorado Better Business Bureau Torch Awards for Ethics in the Small Business Category.
Stacia talks training, the value DVI has brought to their business, the value of having a mentor, how dad and daughter bring their diverse personalities into a perfect focus for the business among many more key talking points.
RR 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.
RR 202: Bogi Lateiner and the Chevy Montage All Female Build
Bogi Lateiner creates an exciting opportunity with the 1957 Chevy Pick-Up Montage All Female Build.
Her mission is to create a learning opportunity for women interested in exploring the trades, and ultimately help attract new people to the industry.
Through the build project women from all over the country will be building the ’57 Chevy Truck that will be unveiled at SEMA 2017.
The episode takes you into Bogi’s world, her mission and passion with the project and a lot of behind the scenes on the project and how you can get involved.
RR 201: Margie van Lierop from Beach Cities Garage
Unlikely pathway to shop ownership.
Margie van Lierop from Beach Cities Garage purchased a shop from friends after being a successful magazine publisher. She has had an interesting career in corporate radio and in the music business.
Margie has made a strong transition to a shop owner and tells you the things she is doing to make improvements to her business every day. She makes no mistakes that is has been trial by fire for her.
She has a great spirit and her personal drive and commitment shines throughout the interview. She shares her experience in working with a beta program from Bosch called Sweetworxx.
RR 149: Carolyn Coquillette from Luscious Garage
Carolyn Coquillette discovered wrenching in 2000, shortly after graduating from college. A rare female mechanic, her nickname at the service station and in professional circles became “Luscious Garage.” Carolyn owns Luscious Garage, a hybrid specialty shop in San Francisco and probably the best known hybrid shop in the country. She also owns Shop-Ware, a software…
RR 027: Bogi Lateiner from 180º Automotive
Meet Bogi Lateiner from 180º Automotive in Phoenix, AZ. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Oberlin College in just three years with a double major in Womens’ Studies and Pre-Law. Listen to her story on how she got where she is today. Her nine year old shop has an all-female tech team, working eight bays…
RR 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,…
RR 015: Judy Walter from Zimmerman’s Automotive
Besides growing up in the 57 years young family business, Judy Walter the CFO and co-owner of Zimmerman’s Automotive, Mechanicsburg, PA with her uncles works with a family staff of 12 out of 29 team members. This is a true blue family enterprise. At they have a 20,000 sq foot facility, sporting a 12-bay shop with seven…
RR 013: Amy Mattinat from Auto Craftsmen
Amy Mattinat of Auto Craftsmen in Montpelier, VT had the good fortune to combine her love of cars with a career in the automotive industry. Whether going on ride-and-drives, teaching car care clinics, running her independent repair shop or working with the Car Care Council Women’s Board, she is able to combine her two passions:…
RR 008: Diane Larson from Larson’s Service
Diane Larson owner of Larson’s Service, in Peabody, Massachusetts is an industry veteran of more than 25 years. Since losing her partner and husband in 2008 and taking on the responsibility of the shop full time. With a beautiful setting on the side of a pond, she developed a strong team that has allowed her…