RR 251: Craig O’Neill form O’Neill’s Transmission Service
Third Generation Millennial Whose Dad Has Complete Confidence in His Decision Making is Looking for an Actionable Succession Plan.
Craig O’Neill from O’Neill’s Transmissions and Service has taken some bold moves in the business and implemented a DVI system and hired a business consultant.
He sees great opportunities in emerging technologies and values the power of a strong business culture.
Regarding the technician shortage, he shares their apprentice program that has helped not only his business but the vocational school he works with.
RR 250: Dave Hobbs – Lead Technical Trainer- Delphi
Renowned Industry Trainer Says Our Technology is The Carrot at The End of The Stick To Entice Recruitment Into the Industry and to Keep Our A Techs.
Dave Hobbs, Lead Technical Trainer and Program Developer at Delphi Product & Service Solutions, has been in the aftermarket for over 30 years living his passion teaching technicians about repairing new technology.
He is on the cutting edge with ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) and discussed the challenges with calibrating repaired systems. This interview covers his start in the industry, what it takes to create a training seminar and that he sees great opportunities for A techs even if they want to move to a new city, to find the right situation, and work for a top shop.
RR 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.
RR 248: Tom Lambert from Shadetree Automotive
Do You Expect Your Customers to be ‘Customers For Life?’
Tom Lambert from Shadetree Automotive in Layton, UT has a goal to keep customers for life. Everything done in the business and through marketing efforts works toward that goal.
Lambert can say this because he has built a company with a strong culture of caring from a highly motivated, yet laid back team that loves to have fun.
The key to his success was hiring a business coach to bring the guidance he needed to see things from a different perspective. His organization is experiencing 10% growth each year and will top out at $2.5 M in revenue this year.
RR 247: Derek Kaufman – Partner at Schwartz Advisers – What Does the Future with Autonomous Cars Look Like?
What does the future with Autonomous Cars Look Like?
Derek Kaufman a Managing Partner at Schwartz Advisors is thinking large about the future of the auto care industry and the acceptance of TaaS (Transportation as a Service) with ride sharing and ultimately vehicle ownership.
Vehicle ownership will have a big impact on our industry and it will have a big impact on the miles driven with the remaining vehicles in the car parc.
Derek is challenging a report that says there will be only 44 million vehicles that will handle the 6 trillion Vehicle Miles Traveled in 2030 in the car parc vs 270 million we have today. He is accepting the technical evolution with AV’s, however, he is questioning the numbers from the report and applied some of his own math to figure out what our future may look like. Will these vehicles be able to handle the miles we drive today for work and pleasure? What about convenience. What about our work trucks? Listen to his view on our future.
RR 246: Scott Brown from iATN
Is iATN A Staple In Your Shop? Listen to Scott Brown Tell the Story of the Humble beginnings and Future Plans Of iATN.
Scott Brown president of iATN and co-owner, with his wife, of Connie & Dick’s Service Center, keeps his finger on the pulse of the industry by staying engaged at the shop. The interview takes you back to the day before the internet when bulletin boards were a way to communicate with your peers.
iATN is keeping pace and is working on exciting plans to continue to bring value to shop owners, technicians and educators of the auto care industry.
Scott gives an insider look at the iATN mobile APP, the new ‘Review’ space and the new iATN 2.0 and much more.
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 244: Brian Sump from Avalon Motorsports
Industry outsider used his business acumen and detailed, process-based, management philosophy to grow his business.
Brian Sump is not your typical shop owner. A former professional athlete, Sump had never turned a wrench in a shop before starting Denver-based Avalon Motorsports in 2007.
Recognized with multiple industry and business awards, Brian Sump is an entrepreneur who runs six different organizations and he explains why you need to network-up and network-down.
This industry awarded shop owner brings his wisdom to the premier aftermarket podcast.
RR 243: Giuliano Zuccato – Chrysler Crossfire & Horse of Destiny Foundation
The Mustang Man talks about his work on the Chrysler Crossfire Project, his 85th Birthday Celebration, and his new foundation “The Horse of Destiny Foundation” to help people in need.
Sharp as a tack at 85 years young, Giuliano Zuccato shares more behind the scenes look at his passion for automotive design and sculpting.
He explains a new concept of creating a full-size wind tunnel model of the Chrysler Crossfire. There is a video version of the podcast where you can see the slides of the Crossfire project that Giuliano is narrating. Find the video here.
Because he feels he wants to leave an even stronger legacy he started the “Horse Of Destiny Foundation” to help people in need.
After his bout with TB of the bone, when he was 19 years old, he sees his Glioblastoma as just another challenge to overcome. Listen to a ‘car guy’ legend; a truly remarkable man.
RR 242: Rick White from 180BIZ
Is the Transparency of The Internet Forcing The Service Professional To Change How Business Is Done?
Rick White is President and Lead Coach for 180BIZ, an auto repair shop training and business coaching company. He is an AMi approved trainer, an ASA committee member and an established industry writer for many top magazines.
Rick brings an enlightening view of leadership, communication, the sales process and shares the four responsibilities of a shop owner.
Rick also talks about the transparency of the internet and challenges a new way to do business because of the universal availability of information. He says we must bring insights to our customer because they are in need of our expertise. He also shares his view on where parts gross margins need to go in the age of the transparent internet.
RR 241: Jorge Menchu – AES Wave and Instructor
Are You Learning Up To Your Maximum Potential?
Industry trainer and entrepreneur Jorge Menchu, President of AES Wave is enthusiastic about teaching our industries technicians. He is more passionate on how technicians learn. He says that the basic problem of learning is to understand the mechanics of learning.
Jorge shares his Four Levels of Learning and says if you are in control of your learning process you will learn more. He says everyone knows how to learn. If you are not struggling to learn; then you are in control of the process of learning.
RR 240: Marion Miller from Complete Marketing Resources
Have You Ever Wondered If Your Website Is Keeping Pace with The Needs Of Your Customer?
Marion Miller from Complete Marketing Resources is a website expert. Her company has received Top 10 Automotive Website honors in 2015 & 2016. She is keeping pace with changing technologies and especially with what works for consumers.
Among ten top talking points we talk about the power of your home page, the evolution of web-based search (will you be ready for this change), the value of blogging, and the top three ingredients to an award winning website.
RR 239: John Burkhauser – Director of Educational Programs – Bolt On Technology
What You Can Learn from Your Dentist on Setting Appointments.
John Burkhauser, the Director of Educational Programs at Bolt-On Technology has a storied career as an automotive technician and as a post-secondary automotive educator. He is finding his career path has set him up for this current job.
John says the service process really hasn’t changed in 30 years. For many shops, it is still a day of putting out fires and trying to keep one’s head above water. He has his opinions on finding techs in post-secondary schools, the importance of best practices, and insights on digital vehicles inspections.
RR 238: Greg Bunch from Aspen Auto Clinic
Is your service adviser getting forty hours of training per year?
Greg Bunch owner of Aspen Auto Clinic a five-store operation in Colorado Spring, CO tells the story on how his first branch came about. Greg tells of his best practices on how to scale for multiple locations. He shares the traits of a shop owner when preparing for expansion.
We talk consolidation, the value of quality service adviser training, what good technicians want from their shop owner, how to prepare for expansion (you need capitol), customer retention and more.
He also talks about his Transformers Mastermind group for multi-shop operators.
RR 237: Rhonda Hiltbrand – News Works Marketing Group
Does Direct Mail Newsletter Marketing Work?
Join Rhonda Hiltbrand for a frank discussion on direct mail marketing. She sees a place for direct mail and especially newsletter marketing for service professionals.
Learn why direct mail is not dead and how it blends with social media. Rhonda talks marketing ROI, the tactics behind newsletters and why we are fighting clutter every day.
She says a newsletter is a platform to talk to your customer and help you stand out among the 6,000 advertising messages we are bombarded with every day.
RR 236: Bob Cooper – Elite Worldwide
Do You Know Why the Success of your Business is Dependent on Setting Huge Long-Term Goals?
Bob Cooper, President of Elite Worldwide share his five principles of success. He explains why having BIG goals is important to personal and business success. Bob has brought his expertise to the automotive industry as a trainer and a coach. He has also spoken worldwide to many Fortune 500 companies, private banking groups, school districts, the United States Army.
Bob gets into the details on his five principles and offers a special bonus; the CEO’s job description.
RR 235: Tom Piippo from Tri-County Motors
Where does a three time ASE Technician of the Year and shop owner find a new technician?
Tom Piippo a three-time recognized ASE Technician of the Year needed to find a new technician. He decided to grow his own and found a candidate in a most interesting place. Also listen to Tom share his story of remarkable results over the last 39 years operating in a small town of 491 households in northern Michigan.
Tom was recently honored by ASA as their 2017 Alpha award winner for his generous and far-reaching contributions to the automotive service industry.
RR 234: Vic Tarasik – Major Accounts Director at RLO
What is your next calling? What are your plans after you sell your business?
After nearly 30 years of successfully operating Vic’s Precision Automotive, a fourteen-bay automotive repair facility located in The Woodlands, TX, Vic Tarasik sold his beloved shop, however, he remains active in the industry he loves.
In the interview Vic’s shares the typical challenges a passionate technician goes through in learning how to run a good business. Vic goes over five of his ten Life’s Lessons; things he learned along the way that molded him as an entrepreneur. He tells us what he is doing today that continues to bring value to the industry.
RR 233: Brian Weeks from atc AutoCenter
How can a Re-Branding Strategy Create a Total Make-Over for this Family Business and Prepare for Market Growth.
Brian Weeks and his brother Chris from atc AutoCenter in Augusta, GA bought out their Dad in 1999 and worked hard in the family transmission business. Their story is typical until they both realized that their current business model was under stress. They needed to make changes to allow them to grow and meet market demands.
Brian shares the re-branding story, and how he and his brother made the bold moves to work on their business instead of in it.
RR 232: Dennis McCarron – On Sales
Do You Have the Technique to Close More Sales?
If you sell service or tires Dennis McCarron says, “The person who controls the sales process is the listener.” Dennis brings his passion for behavior analysis to this episode that can be titled the ‘Psychology of a Sale’. You will learn a formula to improve your selling technique.
Our customer doesn’t come in wanting to buy something. It is not about your ability to sell but how skilled you are to present the solutions. If you present a product to a customer that solves three of their needs the probability is high to close.
All aftermarket organizations are sales organizations. Dennis brings a great perspective to appreciate the sales technique. This is Dennis’s second appearance on the podcast.
RR 231: Tony Tatich from TMT Complete Auto Service Center
How do you integrate a second-generation millennial into a succession plan?
Tony Tatich from TMT Complete Auto Service Center in Bremen, IN shares his view on the family business and the aftermarket from a millennials point of view.
Hear Tony talk about his Dad, the business, the industry and the future. It is a big business in a very small town.
He’s doing a lot of things right. See how many you agree with.
RR 230: Technician Round Table Part 2 -Heipp – Landry -Fanslow
What do Three Diagnosticians think about Silver Bullets, Critical Thinking and the Future of Diagnostics.
Bob Heipp, Peter Landry and Matt Fanslow, bring a big dose of their passion to the second technician round-table. This discussion generated talk on important and trending topics, that for these working techs, are important.
In this episode Bob, Peter and Matt expressed their feeling on technician pay, computer skills, augmented reality, and flat rate among others. There are over 20 key talking points. Invest in understanding how these three professional technicians and trainers look at the industry, especially the commitment to perpetual training and for creating a better and sustaining aftermarket.
RR 229: Ciara Pegoda – Leadership 2.0 – Part 3
Spotlight Leadership 2.0 the University of the Aftermarket Executive Level Course as told by Ciara Pegoda.
Leadership 2.0 is an intense and intellectually challenging two-week executive development and learning experience deeply rooted in the theoretical and practical application of automotive aftermarket leadership principles.
Listen to the inside story through the experience of Ciara Pegoda as she walks you through the intensive two week course. This is a three part series with part one the covering the first week, part two covers the course project and part three the final week and project presentation.
RR 228: Ciara Pegoda – Leadership 2.0 – Part 2
Spotlight Leadership 2.0 the University of the Aftermarket Executive Level Course as told by Ciara Pegoda.
Leadership 2.0 is an intense and intellectually challenging two-week executive development and learning experience deeply rooted in the theoretical and practical application of automotive aftermarket leadership principles.
Listen to the inside story through the experience of Ciara Pegoda as she walks you through the intensive two week course. This is a three part series with part one the covering the first week, part two covers the course project and part three the final week and project presentation.
RR 227: Ciara Pegoda – Leadership 2.0 – Part 1
Spotlight Leadership 2.0 the University of the Aftermarket Executive Level Course as told by Ciara Pegoda.
Leadership 2.0 is an intense and intellectually challenging two-week executive development and learning experience deeply rooted in the theoretical and practical application of automotive aftermarket leadership principles.
Listen to the inside story through the experience of Ciara Pegoda as she walks you through the intensive two week course. This is a three part series with part one the covering the first week, part two covers the course project and part three the final week and project presentation.