Here are the two most recent episodes
The Apprentice Equation: Management, Mentorship, and Motivation [THA 430]
Recorded at Vision Hi-Tech Training & Expo 2025, discover the transformative power of apprenticeship programs in the automotive industry. Learn about the success stories, effective strategies, challenges, and the importance of mentoring in training the next generation of automotive technologists.
remarkableresults.biz/a430
From Brain Fog to Better Sleep: Transforming Health for Business Owners [RR 1036]
Mauro Stara from 6packceo.com shares powerful strategies for staying strong, sharp, and energized as a business owner. He breaks down common myths about health and highlights the importance of a personalized approach to well-being. Key areas of focus include the essential roles of sleep, nutrition, and stress management in promoting longevity and a high-quality life.
Mauro offers practical tips for optimizing sleep by aligning with your circadian rhythm, managing light exposure, timing meals strategically, and maintaining proper electrolyte balance. He encourages listeners to treat their health like they would their car, prioritizing regular care and attention to ensure a longer, more energized life.
remarkableresults.biz/e1036
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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.
RR 489: Louis Altazan – Total Quality Management Comes From Great Processes-Systems
RR 489: Louis Altazan – Total Quality Management Comes From Great Processes-Systems
Louis Altazan, President of AGCO Automotive Repair Service – Baton Rouge, LA. Louis has also studied under Dr. W. Edwards Demming the father of Quality Management. He has a lot of expertise and experience to show us regarding the processes that we need to run a successful quality shop.
This episode shows you the importance of a quality system in place. It is also useful to use Demming’s quality revolution as pointed out by Louis who served as a student of Dr. W. Edwards Demming, a renowned father of Quality Management. Louis also shares with us the 14 principles of Total Quality Management.
FTR 074: Deb Van Batenburg – Fix The Things You Tolerate
FTR 074: Deb Van Batenburg – Fix The Things You Tolerate
RR 488: Bill Hanvey and Paul McCarthy AAPEX 2019
RR 488: Bill Hanvey and Paul McCarthy Builds A Strong Commitment to the Service Professional
My guests today are the aftermarkets leading advocates and voices; Bill Hanvey, President, and CEO of the AutoCare Association and Paul McCarthy, President of the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA). Both are leading the industry towards a brighter tomorrow!
As AAPEX 2019 began we were told of a renewed commitment to the service professional. It is evident with the announcement that Repair Shop HQ will be a stand-alone venue at AAPEX 2020. It will be a homecoming event for all in the industry. My guest’s organizations jointly lead point on AAPEX as one of the world’s largest aftermarket events.
In this episode, you also hear Bill and Paul share some cool behind the scenes stuff from AAPEX and hear about the keynote speaker President Bush, and you’ll get a sense of the size and scope of the industry you earn your living in.
Both AutoCare and AASA are running hard on Your Car. Your Data. Your Choice. Initiative. You must, I repeat MUST get involved. While you are listening, if you aren’t in your vehicle, get to the internet key in yourcaryourdata.org and complete the petition. Also, get your customers involved. Get this story told; this will affect your business and your customer’s ownership of their data. We need millions of signatures. If you ‘ve ever thought of helping your industry, completing this petition is one of the most important things you can do. Yourcaryourdata.org
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.
RR 487: Joe Register – Will You Be at the Forefront of Technology?
RR 487: Joe Register – Will You Be at the Forefront of Technology?
Joe Register, Vice-President Emerging Technologies at Auto Care. Joe has over 40 years of experience delivering progressive system solutions to companies in every channel of the Automotive Aftermarket. You owe it to yourself to listen to Joe’s previous two episodes 381 and 442.
This episode shows you that there is no hiding from technology. Adapt or Fade. Joe reiterates standardization, immersive perception tech, ADAS, Dedicated Short Range, Security, Safety, Communication, 5G, Re-Calibration, OE operating specs, and so many more.
Joe says that Technicians must continue to train because of the new tech coming. They will have great job security. Shops will need to charge enough to pay for access, systems, and their communication diagnostician specialist to get the vehicle back into OE operating specs.
FTR 073: Bob Heipp – Stop Enabling the 80% Who Are Not Committed to Training
FTR 073 Bob Heipp – Stop Enabling the 80% Who Are Not Committed to Training
RR 486: Dan Taylor – Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Leads to High Performing Companies – Part 3
RR 486: Dan Taylor – Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Leads to High Performing Companies – Part 3
There are 4 pillars that make our discussion stand today. These pillars are the ones that solidify the company’s cultural EQ. These are personal behavior, empathy, accountability, and training.
I’m once again with Dan Taylor on our 3rd episode on the power of emotional intelligence or most commonly called EQ. This is a big topic. Welcome to the third part of our emotional intelligence series.
So glad to bring you episodes that make you think and self evaluate. If you have any type of leadership role these EQ episodes are for you. Also, see Part 2 in Episode 474 and Part 1 in Episode 461.
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.
RR 485: Warren Parr – Learning and Innovating with the PicoScope Club
RR 485 – Warren Parr – Learning and Innovating With a PicoScope Club
My guest today is Warren Parr, owner of Complete Car Care in Fresno, CA. He is an advisor at a Junior College Automotive Program and is involved in 6 different high schools. In this episode, Warren talks about the Pico Club. It is a monthly club of shop owners and technicians that share PicoScope case studies.
Find the show notes and Warren Parr’s email at remarkableresults.biz/e485. He says that the Pico Clubs has allowed their members to be more accurate and faster with their diagnostics
Warren and the team are discovering infinite ways to use the Pico Scope in smart and genius ways through the Pico Club. Imagine everyone united for the same purpose to learn from each other. I challenge you to create this club in your area and reach out to technicians and educators in your marketplace. The limit is your imagination.
FTR 072: Bill Haas – Are You Aware What the Dealerships are Doing to Compete with the Independent
FTR 072 Bill Haas – Are You Aware What the Dealerships are Doing to Compete with the Independent
RR 484: Jim Silverman – Attracting, Leading, and Growing Our Young Talent
RR 484 – Jim Silverman – Attracting, Leading, and Growing Our Young Talent
There are a lot of ways to engage our young generation in our beloved aftermarket and keep them. We can create a more team-oriented environment and have creative pay bonuses and rewards to match their desire and work ethic.
My Guest, Jim Silverman, the Director of National Accounts for ATI Automotive Training Institute, brings his years of ‘been there and done that’ wisdom and delivers an enlightening discussion that includes building a reverse pyramid in your org chart, and challenges you to think about replacing yourself. Are you interviewing for your replacement? Think about it, It may take years to do this, but you need to start now. Jim Silverman explains.
We discussed the innovative things to entice our younger generation to work with us. Designing creative pay and bonuses, bolstering teamwork, supporting employees, and devising an awesome succession plan! It’s time to reverse the cycle and adapt to the new age as we embrace our younger generation to take the mantle from us!
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
RR 483 – Managing On-Line Reviews – Kim Walker and Mitch Meier
RR 483 – Kim Walker and Mitch Meier – The Importance of Managing On-Line Reviews
Everyone hates to get a negative review. But the worst thing you do is to ignore them or lash back at them.
My panel does an excellent job of putting reviews into perspective and how to deal with them. With me is Kim Walker from Shop Marketing Pros and Mitch Meier from Broadly bring an impressive dialogue on the importance of how we handle reviews.
As aftermarket pros, we always want five-star reviews, but life happens and we get the occasional 1, 2, 3, or 4-star review. What do we do, how do we follow up and what does the consumer think when they see anything less than a five. We look deep into review management.
FTR 071: Mike Davidson – Wage and Hour Laws – Don’t Ignore This
FTR 071 Mike Davidson – Wage and Hour Laws – Don’t Ignore This
RR 482: Technician Shortage Solution – College Apprentice Program
RR 482 – Technician Shortage Solution – College Apprentice Program
Think of the possibilities of hiring a young apprentice that is currently going to an automotive technical college. You get a chance to groom and mentor the young student and indoctrinate them into the world of the independent service provider.
This is one of the most powerful solutions to the technician shortage. This is not a quick fix and most quick fixes are just that ‘quick and not long term.’
The IGONC developed in concert with North Carolina a phenomenal apprentice program that brings a job, at a decent wage, for two years and paid college tuition. The students applied and were accepted into the program.
Please use this information to catapult your association, your local group to work with post-secondary automotive colleges and your state to create and fund a program like this. I’m sure the leadership team at IGONC will be happy to help you and give you all the guidance you need to make apprentice programs like this a viable component to creating our future technicians.
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.
RR 481: David Saline – Start or Grow Your Fleet Business
RR 481: David Saline – Start or Grow Your Fleet Business
Fleet is a growth strategy only if you and your people and shop are equipped to take the challenge head-on. It is easy to start small. David shares how to break into a fleet and he gives you the blueprint on what to say and do on your first cold call visit. This episode sheds light on how to start, build and grow fleet business.
David Saline, VP Sales at Drive, is a proven industry leader in the automotive and truck repair business.
FTR 070 Tim Dwyer – Why You Need to be Involved in Skills USA or Canada
FTR 070 Tim Dwyer – Why You Need to be Involved in Skills USA or Canada
RR 480: Geek Talk 2.0 Part 5 The Future of Websites. Will They Evolve?
Geek Talk 2.0 Part 5 The Future of Websites. Will They Evolve?
The Geeks are back talking websites, wait until you hear this discussion. This super-smart group creates a pile of ideas, insights, and trends to think about. I must say they were at the top of their game in this episode.
With me for part 5 of Geek Talk is Bill Nalu, Interstate Auto Care, Madison Heights, MI, Chris Cloutier, Golden Rule Auto Care, Dallas TX also CEO of Autotext.me, Greg Buckley, Buckley’s Personalized Auto Care, Wilmington, DE and Karim Morsli, Winkler Automotive, Gaithersburg, MD.
They talk organic content, the impact of social media vs the value of your website, using YouTube, and they wonder if video and chat will become mainstays on websites?
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.
RR 479: Sara Fraser – Important Millennial Buying Habits and Tendencies
RR 479: Sara Fraser – Millennial Buying Habits and Tendencies
Millennials have become the largest generation recorded. So it is with a meticulous and careful analysis that we need to understand what do millennial customers want when it comes to vehicle service and repair. We need to adjust!
Sara Fraser is a millennial with over 15 years of retail management experience. To bring her customer service, marketing, and business knowledge to the automotive industry she has recently joined the team at Haas Performance Consulting.
She shares how millennials demand a level of service, convenience and digital finesse from whoever services their vehicles. Millennial customers can’t live without their smartphone, share great experiences, want fast communications, know how to post reviews and share on social media, and like at Amazon what things quick and fast. How do you adapt?
FTR 069: Matt Fanslow on Diet and Exercise – Not Necessarily a High Priority for Aftermarket Pros
FTR 069 Matt Fanslow on Diet and Exercise – Not Necessarily a High Priority for Aftermarket Pros
RR 478: ASTE Panel Discussion – Technician Pay – Retention – and Benefits
ASTE: Technician Pay, Retention, and Benefits
This episode is packed with great gems of wisdom and gives you a bird’s eye view not only on some great benefits and pay ideas, but as we all must understand it starts with having an enduring business culture. All the pay in the world doesn’t trump an acidic culture.
I’m with Lucas Underwood an Automotive diagnostic specialist, he owns L & N Performance Auto Repair, Erick Bock owner of Bock Auto, and Rick White, President and Lead Coach for 180BIZ, an auto repair shop training and business coaching company.
Building a business focuses on the team you have and how to treat it like a family! We also tackled the creative benefits that entice and motivate employees more. And learn what are the most important tactics to attract and keep technicians?
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
RR 477: Danny Sanchez – It is Not Rocket Science to Run a Successful Shop
RR 477: Danny Sanchez – It is Not Rocket Science to Run a Successful Shop
Danny Sanchez, CEO of Autoshop Solutions, likes to keep it simple and direct. Having been a successful shop owner Danny is able to share his past experience as it relates to the challenges of the day. He sees your success as the totality of the shop from the ground up! He shares some key insights that will apply to any shop or organization. We continue to build on the trending talking points that my guests say are the fundamental building blocks of a successful shop today.
Some of the things we talk about are Building a culture, investing in people, using time efficiently and having better customer service. These are the key ingredients of becoming a successful owner!
Danny warns that every time you start something new there is a heavy investment of time, time is a commodity in shorter demand than money. Spend it wisely
FTR 068: Ron Ipach – Close Your Shop and Go Get a Job
FTR 068 Ron Ipach – Close Your Shop and Go Get a Job
RR 476: Chris Cloutier and Scott Brown – Productivity Hacks
Chris Cloutier and Scott Brown – What does it take to become more Productive and Efficient?
There are a lot of ways to become productive and efficient. There are a lot of strategies and systems that can be followed by just hearing this episode. Follow the process, improve communication, leverage to software technologies, learn to improve diagnostic methods and a whole lot more!
The experts: Chris Cloutier and Scott Brown. Chris is the co-owner of Golden Rule Auto Care in Dallas Texas and CEO of Auto Tex Me. He spent many years in the software industry developing solutions for companies. And Scott is an ASE Master Certified Automobile Technician with over three and a half decades of professional service industry experience. He and his wife own Connie & Dick’s Service Center Inc. Together they are the productivity and efficiency duo that bring results.
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.
RR 475: Dirk Fuchs and Jeff Bly – Will System Training Impact a Technicians Ability to Diagnose and Improve Shops Profits
RR 475: Dirk Fuchs and Jeff Will System Training Impact a Technicians Ability to Diagnose and Improve Shops Profits
Why do we shun training? It is a huge industry problem. Our trainers know that the same people show up time after time. Not many new faces. What does that say about the state of our industry? Why do we ignore the power of training? Do you know that it supports your efficiency?
In this episode, Dirk Fuchs Technical Training Manager at ZF Group and Jeff Bly NAPA Autotech Curriculum Developer say that many young industry techs want and need training. But why aren’t they getting it? Why do Canadians show up for training at greater numbers than in the US? What are regarded as preferred training methods in the US versus European; knowledge-based or solutions based training? All of these questions will be answered in this podcast.
This episode will open your eyes to possibilities for you and your future in the industry.
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