Here are the two most recent episodes
“I’m Just One of the Guys!” Being Seen Beyond Gender and Ethnicity [FTR 108]
Emily Chung shares her experiences as a female minority shop owner in the automotive industry. She reflects on societal tendencies to highlight differences rather than commonalities. She encourages her peers to engage with her on business-related topics rather than focusing on her gender and ethnicity.
remarkableresults.biz/f108
The Invisible Paycheck: Retention Strategies Beyond Pay [THA 403]
Recorded at the 2024 ASTA Expo, explore key strategies for hiring, compensating, and retaining skilled technicians in the automotive industry. This episode highlights the significance of comprehensive benefits beyond pay.
remarkableresults.biz/a403
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RR 365: Reto Filli. Shop Owner Sold His Business and Became an E-Myth Business Coach
Shop Owner Sold His Business and Became an E-Myth Business Coach
Reto Filli came from Switzerland and is a trained mechanic. He and his wife ran a successful Auto Repair business for over 26 years that he sold and retired from.
His business took off when he read the E-Myth Revisited from Michael Gerber. He never looked back and he is now enjoying his next career as a E-Myth Business Coach.
We cover concepts of the E-Myth, preparing your business to sell, stop being a know it all, and apprentice programs that are needed to move our industry forward to recruit your youth into our trade.
RR 364: ASCCA Automotive Degree Program. First of Its Kind to Channel Students to Independents.
ASCCA Degree Program. First of Its Kind to Channel Students to Independents.
The ASCCA Degree Program at Cuyamaca College in El Cajon, CA was forged by a small group of independent shop owners and a dedicated educator. Kicked off by Dara Bakhshandeh of CD Auto Care, in La Mesa, CA with support from John Epstein of John’s Automotive Care, San Diego, and Brad McCombs, instructor, Cuyamaca Community College.
The program was started to find qualified technicians and ASCCA (Automotive Service Councils of California) will be involved through their membership. One of their goals is to grow the program from an associate’s degree to a bachelor’s degree which can appeal to a student who dream of owning own business one day and want to work and learn from shopowner.
This program could be developed in other states but will need an association like ASCCA to oversee it. ASCCA also offers out-of-state memberships.
THA 085: 21 Tips to Gain an Edge over the Competition – Part 3!
21 Tips To Gain An Edge Over Your Competition – Part 3
With me, in this part three is the same crew from part two and part three. Todd Westerlund, CEO of Kukui , Jeremy O’Neal Freedom Automotive in Hesperia, CA and President and lead sales trainer for Advisorfix and Mark Goldsmith Mark’s Independent Service in Chatsworth, CA
There was a special challenge put forth by Todd Westerlund from Kukui and you’ll discover that at the end of the episode. The combined tips between the three parts are 68 which includes bonus tips.
Too many to list, but you’ll find not only great ideas in this episodes but trends you must be implementing if you plan to stay relevant and in business.
RR 363: David Justice – You Must Manage Your Labor Profit Before Anything Else
David Justice – You Must Manage Your Labor Profit Before Anything Else
When David Justice sold his $5M business he was already speaking and coaching in partnership with NAPA. To help run his business David created the Labor Profit Management tool to keep a tight and smart handle on his labor and he was traveling the country and speaking to service professionals on the power of managing your labor.
Post sale he started Repair Shops of Tomorrow which not only incorporates the Labor Profit Management tools along with a focus on marketing programs.
David decided he needed to give back and is working hard to help shop owners achieve exceptional success. We talk about his three-legged stool, rewards, networking, and so much more.
FTR 011: Darrin Barney – Nurturing of Superstar Employees
Darrin Barney – Nurturing of Superstar Employees
RR 362: Technician Round Table – Part 6 – Heipp – Landry – Fanslow
Technician Roundtable Part 6
Our continuing Tech Talk series is back for another go at some intense thinking. Join Matt Fanslow, the diagnostic tech/shop manager at Riverside Automotive in Red Wing, MN, Peter Landry, ASE L1 Master Automotive Technician from Brookfield, WI and Bob Heipp from Mobile Auto Solutions, LLC (MAS) and lead tech and Technician Manager in the Chicago metropolitan area and northwest Indiana. Both Peter and Bob work for MAS.
They are talking Valuing Techs, Marketing your diag capabilities, building a personal network, improving your diagnostic skills, ADAS, and a lot more.
Listen to their thoughts about using a mentor to help receive the max benefit from training events.
THA 084: Buying Technician Tools: Create Your Program!
Buying Technician Tools: Create Your Program
We are talking ‘Buying Technicians Tools; The How’ and with me is Keith Williamson, owner of Williamson’s Repair and Tire in Bondurant, IA, Andy Bizub Shop Owner of Porsche Specialist Midwest Performance Cars LLC, and Seth Thorson, Shop Owner, Eurotech, New Brighton, MN, a Euro Specialist and owner of the BMW tech support company LMV Bavarian.
Among the discussion; Is making employees supply tools an outdated tradition? Is buying technicians tools a recruiting and retention tool for your business?
The team says owners don’t want to see their techs in debt and you’ll hear ideas and solutions to create your own program to transition into supporting tools as a benefit and retention tool.
RR 361: Scott and Michael Waddle. Owner and Prodigy. Father and Son.
Father and Son / Owner and Prodigy
Scott and Michael Waddle of Precision Auto Service, Langley, British Columbia. Shows us that a tandem of father and son can unlock different creative and innovative skill sets applicable to the modern shop of today.
Listen to how Scott is nurturing his son’s gifts and transforming them into assets their shop can use. Michael’s innovative work on automotive electrical and lighting systems is phenomenal considering that he is 15 years old this year. Even though Michael still can’t do the heavy lifting within the shop, this doesn’t stop him from his creative thinking. He is creating apps for the business. Learn about them.
Scott continues to provide training and enrollment plans for his son’s future providing an inspiration to every family owned shop and maybe a succession strategy too.
FTR 010: John Burkhauser – Change in your Business is Inevitable. Don’t Fight It.
John Burkhauser – Change in your Business is Inevitable. Don’t Fight It.
RR 360: Shop Talk 3 – Millennial Shop Owners.
Shop Talk: Volume 3 – Millennial Shop Owners.
Young, energetic and committed to becoming great leaders. The panel consists of Justin Barrett of Barrett Automotive, Cornelia GA, Brett Bohlmann of HWY 7 Service Center, Newel, IA, and Tony Tatich from TMT Complete Auto Service Center in Bremen, IN.
Listen to these great young professionals discuss their current challenges and the advantages and disadvantages of being a young leader. This episode also addresses how maintaining a shop culture, hiring people that complements that culture, building relationships with customers and offering a unique experience.
THA 083: What Separates the Outstanding Technicians
What Separates the Outstanding Technician
Outstanding shops attract outstanding technicians. Outstanding technicians want to work for outstanding shops.
Listen in on a great dialogue that covers qualities and attributes like Passion, Precision, Pride, Perseverance, and Humility. This episode is not about being an A, B or C tech it is about all other traits that make for an outstanding technician. The discussion relates to just about any other job in a professional service center today.
With Carm Capriotto for this Academy is Matt Fanslow, Shop Manager, Diagnostician, and Trainer, at Riverside Automotive, Red Wing, MN, Wayne ‘Jerry’ Bishop, PTS Instructor, Standard Motor Products and Kevin Eckler, Shop Owner, Foreign Car Specialists, Poughkeepsie, NY.
RR 359: Mike Maleski. PSK Performance – Underappreciated So He Opened His Own Shop.
Underappreciated So He Opened His Own Shop.
Mike Maleski is the Owner of PSK Performance in Pittsburgh, PA. He is a Highly Certified Factory Honda Technician that also holds multiple ASE, STANDARD, MECP, And Pennsylvania Certifications and Licenses.
He is a forever student who seeks to address some of the issues that have been plaguing the industry such as the technician shortage, sub-par labor rates and keeping the dreams of underappreciated technicians alive.
He shares his insight into the life of an automotive technician as they climb through the ranks.
FTR 009: Jody DeVere – Biases In The Automotive Industry Toward Women
Jody Devere, CEO from Ask Patty.com Has A Lot To Say About The Biases That Exist In The Automotive Industry Toward Women.
RR 358: John Gustafson – ATC: Synchronizing the Automotive Trades
ATC: Synchronizing the Automotive Trades
John Gustafson is the president of Gustafson Brothers Automotive Repair, Huntington Beach, CA and the founder of the Auto Talent Co-Op (ATC). ATC is an independent non-profit organization whose vision is to effectively unite resources within the automotive industry, and establish clear career path standards for its users.
ATC’s Mission is to build a synchronized and accessible platform, able to unite the automotive industry. To help refill the talent pool for all automotive job-related positions. To fulfill the technician shortage, and improve technician retention and to streamline career paths, bridge technician skills gap and improve recruitment.
Your support is needed. Find links on the show notes page.
THA 082: Acquisition Strategies
Acquisition Strategies
This a perfect bookend episode that connects with Town Hall Academy Episode 075. There we talked ‘Am I ready for my second branch?’
The Panel includes multi shop owners, with growth plans; Greg Bunch, from Aspen Auto Clinic, Colorado Springs and Denver, CO, Greg is also the CEO of Transformers Institute, Dwayne Myers, Dynamic Automotive, Frederick, MD, and Brian Sump, Avalon Motorsports, Denver, CO.
The key talking points are already done for you, sitting on the show notes page at remarkableresults.biz/a075; use them as a to-do list. Just a few highlights: negotiations, scouting leads, approaching owners, financing and a lot more. Another power packed aftermarket lesson for the forever student.
RR 357: Shop Talk Volume 2- Women Shop Owners
Shop Talk Volume 2- Women Shop Owners
Kim Auernheimer of Cool Springs Automotive Brentwood Tennessee, Mary Ann Croce of Croce’s Transmission Specialists, Norwalk, Connecticut, and Kathleen Jarosik of Xpertech Auto Repair, Englewood, Florida comprised the roundtable of the second edition of Shop Talk the Series.
Kim went to her first WorldPac training expo when she was in a tough financial situation. A light bulb came on. She is naturally competitive so she and her husband Rob decided they were going to be one of the best shops in the United States.
Maryann wanted her business to be sustainable. In the beginning just being able to take a paycheck home was a challenge, but keeping an eye on the goal will help you make important decisions to grow and sustain the business.
Kathleen hired a business coach who gave her the courage to step forward. She did a women’s car care clinic that ultimately led to her first Women In Auto Care meeting. That is when she realized she was not a unicorn and there were other female shop owners that inspired her.
FTR 008: Rick White – I’m Tired of You Giving Up!
Rick White from 180 Biz is passionate about the formula for success. He has a message for you on getting up when you fail. Listen for a great quote from Winston Churchill on Success. Rick says accepting and recovering from failure will make all the difference.
RR 356: Bruno Tabbi And The Power of a Vanity Phone Number
The Power Of A Vanity Phone Number
Bruno Tabbi is the President and Co-Founder at Ignition Toll-Free, where he focuses on premium vanity phone numbers including 1-800-MECHANIC.
Bruno says that organic marketing, through phones, is still alive and important in this day and age. We are so preoccupied with online marketing strategies that we forget that the phone call is still relevant and powerful. Managing your incoming phones is as powerful as having a solid SEO strategy for the web.
THA 081: Niche. Should We Find Specialties and Create a New Business Model or Services?
Niche. Finding Specialties to Create New Business Services.
A very interesting summit, a lesson for the forever student of the aftermarket. We’re talking Niche or Finding Specialties to Create New Business Services. A vibrant discussion to challenge the use of your talent and facility and to listen to your customers and find out exactly what they want and need from you.
The panel warns you to keep your eyes open. The shift is coming. Toss out those unprofitable jobs. Clean out your closet. Review your current business model. We will not survive doing what we always have done.
The panel will help you understand How to consider a specialty, product based niche vs. service based niche; but an overlying theme is to be sure the basics are being done right. You cannot add a new service if you don’t aren’t fixing your customers’ problem right the first time. Get your house in order before adding.
RR 355: Andrew Emery from Antero Automotive has The Best Job in the World
The Best Job in The World!
Andrew Emery is the owner and operator of Antero Automotive in Greenwood Village, Colorado. He believes if you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers.
This episode tackles relationships with customers and employees on how it can be your secret sauce to success. Every customer receives a free car wash.
After 22 years in the industry and 10 years as a business owner, Andrew still loves what he does every day. He gets to turn a wrench when needed and he gets to serve others. Andrew started this business to change the way people look at automotive repair shops.
FTR 007: Matt Fanslow – Integrate the Malleable Young Apprentice Into Your Shop
Matt Fanslow Worries That Young Technician Apprentices Will Leave the Industry Without a Series Mentor Program and Career Path.
RR 354: Geek Talk 2.0 Part Two – Tech Talk From Aftermarket Professionals
Geek Talk 2.0 Part 2 – Who owns your data.
Join Greg Buckley CEO, Buckley’s Personalized Auto Care, Wilmington, DE, Chris Cloutier, Golden Rule Auto Care, Dallas TX and CEO of Autotex.me, Bill Nalu, President of Interstate Auto Care, Madison Heights, MI, Karim Morsil, Winkler Automotive, Gaithersburg, MD, and author and trainer Tracy Martin.
This is the second part of this episodic series covering important ‘tech’ topics that the automotive aftermarket, especially the service professional needs to pay attention to.
We discussed ownership of car generated data, the influence of the dealer network, the explosive growth of cellular networks in cars and trucks. The fact that new generations have no brand loyalty and what are we doing as shop owners to prepare ourselves to survive and thrive if we are not embracing IT.
THA 080: Bring Them Back: How To Revitalize a Lost Customer
Bring Them Back: How To Revitalize a Lost Customer
Our lively discussion starts with the Customer Retention Myth and ends with taking extreme ownership of your customer and keeping them in the fold. We talk about steps to get lost customers back, the power of relationships, the power of culture in customer retention and what type of marketing works for retention and revitalization up to and including a phone call.
The panel: Shari Pheasant, owner with her husband of A Master Mechanic, in Reno, NV and is a business coach and president of Horsepower Strategies and Ron Ipach, co-founder of Repair Shop Coach and known as Captain Car Count and David Roman, owner of Done With Care Auto Repair in Merriam, KS.
RR 353: Kyle Holt from S/P2 – Helping Entry-Level Technicians Enter and Stay in the Industry
Kyle Holt. Helping Entry-level Technicians Enter And Stay In Industry.
Kyle Holt is the Co-Founder and President of S/P2. S/P2 serves businesses and career tech schools in the automotive service, collision repair, heavy-duty/diesel, welding, among others.
They are not just building careers, they are nurturing! Offering an innovative mentor training program which has its own Mobile website in which Mentors can log in, comment and grade a student based on the ASE task list. This would be good at retaining students within the industry.
Kyle is very passionate about providing businesses and schools the ability to utilize the technology that they have created to help improve the lives of the people they serve.
FTR 006: Scott ‘Gonzo’ Weaver – Listen To Your Body
Scott ‘Gonzo’ Weaver Has A Warning. If Your Body Is Speaking To You? Listen.
RR 352: Rocky Khamenian. Uniting The Industry’s Great Divide!
Rocky Khamenian. Uniting The Industry’s Great Divide!
Rocky Khamenian is the owner/operator of Bimmer & Benz Specialists in Costa Mesa, located in south Orange County, CA. He is an active member of both Chapters 48 and 50 of the Automotive Service Councils of California and has served on the Board of Directors for both.
Throughout his 32-year career, Rocky has continually increased his education to maintain the highest possible level of professionalism. He’s achieved the status of Master Technician through ASE and he has completed a wide variety of technical classes on the repair and maintenance of BMW and Mercedes Benz vehicles through WTI. At the present time, he is in the process of being certified as a Bosch Master Technician.
Rocky is the current president of ASCCA Automotive Service Councils of California. He gives some life lessons for every shop owners, shares the importance of association membership and gives us a glimpse of the new ASCCA Degree program at Cuyamaca College in El Cajon, California.
The new ASCCA Degree program that has been in the works for years that has just been approved at Cuyamaca College in El Cajon, California 92019. You’ll start to hear more of this groundbreaking program soon on the podcast and through ASCCA. This state-approved credit course will create paid internships for ASCCA shops. This is a post-secondary program like the OE programs but strictly for independents and will help solve the need for entry-level technicians for independent shops.
THA 079: What Drives Your Parts Buying Decisions?
What Drives Your Parts Buying Decision?
This Town Hall Academy summit features Keith Williamson, owner of Williamson’s Repair and Tire in Bondurant, IA, John Long partner in Schertz Auto Service in Schertz, TX, and Keith Katz, owner of Quality Service Center in York, PA.
The panel covers part quality, service, availability, training, price, and warranty. We also get into credits and returns, their salesperson, volume rebates, e-commerce, and labor claims. There is a consensus on the value their supplier brings to their business.
Compare your supplier needs and relationship to what this panel has to say about their parts buying decisions.
RR 351: Paul Danner – Educator, Diagnostician and You-tuber ‘ScannerDanner’
Paul Danner. Educator, Diagnostician and Youtuber ‘ScannerDanner’
Paul Danner is an ASE L1 Certified Master Technician with Twenty-Four years of field experience in electronics, electrical and drivability diagnostics. For eighteen years he has been employed as an instructor at Rosedale Technical College where he has taught Engine Performance Diagnostics and Basic Electrical Systems. Eleven years ago, he opened his own mobile diagnostic business which performs electrical and electronic diagnostic services for over Twenty Garages in the South Hills of Pittsburgh.
He fell into mobile diagnostics and case studies by stopping in and helping his friends on the way home from work. He called it diaper money to help pay the bills. He is thankful that God has graced him with the ability to troubleshoot.
He is wired for variables and loves ‘What Ifs’. Paul stresses that your learning curve comes from the ‘good parts’ drawer and from the mistakes you make. You have to be in a shop that gives you a steady diet of diagnostic work to become good at diagnostics.
He teaches his student’s field diagnostics and has written a field manual about it and his youtube channel is a very popular place to learn.
FTR 005: Jennifer Filzen – She Wants To See More Women in the Auto Care Industry
For The Record. Jennifer Filzen Wants To See More Women in the Autocare Industry.
RR 350: Carrie-Lynn Rodenberg on Building Relationships One Transaction at a Time. The Power of CRM.
Building relationships one transaction at a time. The power of CRM.
Carrie-Lynn Rodenberg is the founder of Turnkey Marketing. It is a leading all-in-one marketing system for Auto Repair Shops. It is not just a software platform, but is an entire strategically planned, timed, and executed online and offline system, developed by marketing experts, that removes virtually all of the owner’s stress and time spent on marketing.
She and her team specialize in helping auto repair shops attract new leads, increase car count, and keep customers longer, without the shops having to do any work. She managed to do this by integrating cutting-edge technology with the best digital marketing tactics.
Her valuable tips and advice provide insights on how to build and connect with customers while maintaining healthy marketing content to keep businesses visible. Her strategies also include the most basic form of connecting, the normal conversation and content that revolves around helping customers get over their immediate issues. Appealing to humanize the complicated world of CRM, she enlightens us that the key to loyalty is built one transaction at a time.
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