Informative and fun 25 minutes to improve your business and career. Shop Tour at Pellman’s Automotive, Boulder, CO. Guest host Amy Mattinat from Autocraftsmen, Montpelier, VT. Streaming on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube. #aftermarketweekly #aftermarketstrong. Episode 22

• Guest Host – Amy Mattinat, Auto Craftsmen, Montpelier, VT – Pivoting During COVID and Trends She Sees
• Shop Tour with Brad Pellman, Pellman’s’ Auto in Boulder, CO
• Swiss Race Car Driver Built his first Car in 1911

I want to thank the thousands of listeners who make our purpose meaningful. We do it for you. To the sponsors of the podcasts over the years. THANK YOU.

Guests for the 500th Episode

Amy Mattinat is the owner and manager of Auto Craftsmen in Montpelier, VT. Her shop is an ASE Blue Seal Shop, AAA approved and she is a member of ASA, SBN & WiAC. Along with running her independent repair shop, she is able to combine her three passions: teaching small business owners how to run a successful business, teaching car care and safety to the general public and educating young people about the many career opportunities available in the auto care industry.

Amy was awarded the 2012 Top Female Shop Owner of the Year by the Car Care Council Women’s Board, Honored as a 2014 Professional Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women, Awarded the 2015 U.S. Small Business Administration’s Vermont Women-Owned Business of the Year, Awarded the 2016 AAA Business of the Year in Vermont and served as President of Women in Auto Care 2014 through 2016. Listen to Amy’s previous episodes HERE.

Judy Zimmerman Walter is co-owner with her uncles and the CFO of, this 57-year young service business. Zimmerman’s Automotive, Mechanicsburg, PA is a true blue ‘family enterprise’ with 12 out of a team of 29 team members that are ‘IN THE FAMILY’. Zimmerman’s is a top automotive repair facility along with a quick lube and a used car division.

Among her involvement: Women’s Board of the Car Care Council, AASP-PA Alliance of Automotive Service Providers, and the Auto Care Association. Listen to Judy’s other episodes HERE.

Jerry Kezhaya from The Auto Shop in Plano Texas has been in business since 1981. Plano is a northern suburb of Dallas with a population of 280,000. According to Jerry, it is the top growing county in the US. His 35,000 sq ft shop has 21 lifts with two flats per lift.

Jerry is a business coach and prides himself for getting out of the shop between 80 and 120 days a year to work with clients, attends seminars and enjoys wine. Listen to Jerry’s previous episodes HERE.

Brett Beachler, is Vice President of Beachlers Vehicle Care and Repair, Peoria, IL. Brett has been in the automotive industry for 30+ years and is third generation family. He started in the family business at about age 13 maintaining the business property.

Brett graduated from Bradley University with a bachelor of science in business. He departed the family business to work in the corporate world for four years. His Dad, Terry, asked Brett to re-join the family business. Since that time, Brett has not looked back and has enjoyed almost every minute of his time in the family business. Listen to Brett’s previous episodes HERE.

Kirk Richardson is a young and successful entrepreneur. Born into a blue-collar, hard-working family, he was a below-average student in high school and college. At the age of 22, he left school and started his first business. He bought his first three-bay shop at the age of 24. Seven years later he bought his second shop, South Street Auto Care in Rochester, MI.

Richardson really prides himself on his ability to create a family culture within his businesses. The culture is a blend of hard work, accountability, fun, and hi-jinx, which combine to make loyal and dedicated coworkers. Kirk loves business and people in general and will talk for hours about business! Listen to Kirk’s previous episodes HERE.

Dwayne Myers With Dynamic Automotive, This MSO group was selected top 10 automotive shop in 2014 from Motor Age and has just opened their 4^th shop. Dwayne invests time in the industry with the Auto Care Association and serving on the education committee with CCPN (Car Care Professional Network). Dwayne was recently honored as one of only 17 outstanding individuals that qualified for the prestigious 2017 World Class Technician Award presented by The Auto Care Association and ASE.

Dwayne was on episode 2, 3 and 4 with his partners Jose Bueso and Lee Forman and A Round Table on Technician Training in Episode 59, and on a Supplier Needs Roundtable (118). Listen to episode 222 with Dwyane as we talk about his 2017 World Class Technician honor and more. Listen to Dwyane’s other episodes HERE.

Key Talking points:

What worked well in the last five years:

• Amy MattinatUndercoating. A job given to her tire person and to supplement during the slow times. She uses Corrosion Free Undercoating out of CanadaRe-done every 18 months accounts for retention
• Kirk Richardson100% profit-sharing plan based on the power of the collective team
• One direction, one team  
• He was always wired to be a business person, yet stood at his counter and did everything when he started 15 years ago
• Profit-sharing is the best way to grow technicians
• Judy Zimmerman WalterStarted morning meetings to best understand her team’s needs and to develop and compliment the team
• Jerry KezhayaBeen an absentee owner for sometime
• You have to inspect what we expect
• As owners, we get what we earn
• Dwayne MyersGoal Map ReviewsWhere do our people want to be? Their Goals for the next 3, 4 and 5 years
• This has changed their company more in the last five years than anything they did
• Stop looking at your people leaving and think about how they will stay with you
• Invest in your people while you have them
• Brett BeachlerAdvisor pay system he created
• He measures many KPIs and they get a bonus production
• He is legal for wage and hour by using Mike Davidson’s spreadsheet as a guide. See this episode RR 4466 https://remarkableresults.biz/e466/
• Owners get paid on net profitability so he has a similar plan for his people
• He wants to take more time off but he has to have better systems and procedures
• His program works on a percentage of sales but would like to convert to a gross margin incentive if he can get the right GP from his SMS

What did not work for me and what I learned:

• AmyShe almost sold her business and backed out. She felt her business was going to become a ‘McDonalds’
• She wants a win-win for staff and customers when she does
• She realized she has a five-year window ahead of her
• Kirk RichardsonHe was always a business person but sucked at it early on
• Developing leadership, grooming, and choosing is painfulYou have to be worth following yourself
• It is a perpetual process, it never ends
• Understand that there is always lapses in judgment that you learn from
• Being a leader can be a lonely place
• Most discussions on this episode failure issues were mostly the people of the soft side of our business
• Judy Zimmerman WalterTo lead her team she wants her people to know that:Judy worked in the quick lube and did a lot of light-duty work at the shop
• She assumes that here people know that she has paid her dues. She has been there and done that
• Dwayne MyersEarly in his career, he went into protection mode and he held onto it for too long
• They had not grown in 10 years and he and his partners were holding their team back. It was fear and stubbornness
• He realized that grow was what he needed to survive
• Brett BeachlerHe regrets his priorities as it relates to supporting his wife or the business when she had a life-changing accident
• He put the business ahead of his wife and that was a critical mistake
• Jerry KezhayaDid not fire fast enough
• Did not listen to his gut or intuition
• He got stuck in the buzz that there is no one to hire
• He needs to think of his business like a sports team who is working to get to the Superbowl. Always need to evaluate the talent to take you there

Resources:

• Thanks to Amy Mattinat, Judy Zimmerman Walter, Jerry Kezhaya, Brett Beachler, Kirk Richardson, and Dwyane Myers for their contribution to the aftermarket’s premier podcast.
• Link to the ‘BOOKS‘ page highlighting all books discussed in the podcast library HERE. Leaders are readers.
• The Queen’s Code by Alison A. Armstrong
• Leave me an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one of them.
• Love what we do, buy a cup of coffee HERE.

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Buy Carm a Cup of Coffee 

This episode is brought to you by AAPEX, the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo. AAPEX represents the $740 billion global automotive aftermarket industry and has everything you need to stay ahead of the curve. With 2,500 exhibiting companies, you’ll see the latest products, parts, and technologies for your business. As a result, the event also offers advanced training for shop owners, technicians, warehouse distributors (WDs) and auto parts retailers, as well as networking opportunities to grow your business. AAPEX 2020 will take place Tuesday, Nov. 3 through Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas. Therefore, more than 48,000 targeted buyers are expected to attend, and approximately 162,000 automotive aftermarket professionals. They will be from 135 countries which are projected to be in Las Vegas during AAPEX 2020. For information, visit aapexshow.com

Check out this episode’s Customer Financing Options. What options do you have to help your customers with credit choices? 



There are many vendor credit options to choose from and they are great. Maybe you don’t use them, maybe you should. No one wants a customer to walk out on a major purchase especially safety-related. This session is here to help you capture more of the big-ticket jobs.

You just may hear a financing option idea or two that you’ve never considered. And that is exactly what we do here, push the envelope on strategies and ideas to help you grow as a leader and build your business.

Hear about the acceptance rate of vendor finance programs and a few creative ideas on how to lock in customers with a pre-payment plan. Ever do a comparison of buying new or used vs fixing the vehicle that needs all the work?  Have you ever heard of the M & D loan? You are about to.

The Panel:

Amy Mattinat is the owner and manager of Auto Craftsmen in Montpelier, VT. Her shop is an ASE Blue Seal Shop, AAA approved and she is a member of ASA, SBN & WIAC.  Along with running her independent repair shop, she is able to combine her three passions: teaching small business owners how to run a successful business, teaching car care and safety to the general public and educating young people about the many career opportunities available in the auto care industry.

Amy was awarded the  2012 Top Female Shop Owner of the Year!

The award was given by the Car Care Council Women’s Board, Honored as a 2014 Professional Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women, Awarded the 2015 U.S. Small Business Administration’s Vermont Women-Owned Business of the Year, Awarded the 2016 AAA Business of the Year in Vermont and served as President of Women in Auto Care 2014 through 2016. Listen to Amy’s previous episodes HERE.

Leon Martin owner of Auto Tech Services in Rochester, WA, graduated from “corncob college” as his father would say… The School of Hard Knocks… 1st – Eighth-grade training plus self-study courses. He is just a farm boy out of southern Illinois. Leon’s first formal training was by DANA and a ‘Doctor of Motors’ degree in September 12, 1972

Leon has been ASE certified since 1985…A1-A8 L1 C1 and his shop is an ASE Blue Seal Affiliate. He is a Management Success graduate, Repair One Graduate, E-Myth Business Mastery, AMAM Accredited Master Automotive manager and a Ned Tomarchio Supremacy Automotive Graduate. He is part of Elite Pro-service with Bob Cooper and Jim Murphy

Leon moved to Rochester, Washington in 2006.

He assist a local auto service and working out of a small 29 x 40 shop with a miniature office area. With the help of great people and dedicated techs, the sales average grew with a 20% increase per year for 8 years! Operating at a neighbor to neighbor, bumper to bumper slogan, the shop grew faster and ran out of space.

He looked for options because he needs to continue serving his customers in a timely and efficient manner.

Considering the challenges like getting permits, restrictions, zoning, costs and new building hindered their progress moving forward. His team started making plans with an existing facility and renovate to their standards. This new project ends up with six bays, additional service area which is future expansion. This also includes a very intense focus on being clean and “green” with a commitment that benefits the environment and mankind!

Providence lent his hand!

Leon and his team lease/purchase of the present location 18225 Pendleton Street, Rochester, Washington. It is a 4.4-acre property. Not only they are able to assist more clients, they actually have room to park, with all security cameras/chain link fencing in place, and protecting their client’s vehicles as compared to the small 3/8 acre property they moved from.

Leon’s shop offers a complete auto to light truck service

, under-hood,under-car, and bumper to bumper service! He welcomes visits anytime from clients. He even welcomes competition and calls them family. Anybody assisting in the healing world of automobiles is a part of their family. He and his team are willing to share information to assist in any way they can. They believe in the ethics of honesty and putting people ahead of the money. They want to treat all customers the way they want to be treated. This is his mission!  Listen to Leon’s previous episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

Leon:

• Uses the NAPA EZ-Pay program that is 6 months same as cash
  • Encourages his customers to pay the amount in less than 6 months so they do not get any surprises
  • Savvy with his recommendations on all his credit options
  • Has a 78% acceptance rate because he knows people have good credit.
  • The time to pay for the service is attractive
  • They will come back and use their card over and over to access the 6 months same as cash  
  • There is a minimum of $199 to finance
  • On his NAPA program if they use the card the warranty jumps to 3/36 on whatever was financed 
  • A young person who is working on establishing credit and they can get a co-signer this helps   
• The time it takes Leon is about two minutes.
  • He does it while on the phone
  • Many customers say yes to invest two minutes to find out if they qualify
• If he sees them waffle on 6 months he will offer one year same as cash for an additional fee. He is paying the fee to get them the extended terms which is why he charges for it.
• His average RO is $900 for the last 5 years
• He also uses an outside firm for financing he goes to that option one in twelve
• Most vehicles are disposed of at ⅓ of their life.
  • The average vehicle in his shop is at 125K miles. If they are willing to go to 250K they will benefit by keeping their vehicle 

• Leon’s M & D loan (Mon and Dad)

  • Some can, some can’t 
  • Parents could co-sign on a 6-month program
• Pre-payments. Customers will pay over-time for work that needs to get done
• Leon offers to leave their vehicle if they don’t have the money.
  • He will keep the vehicle until paid
    • Fenced in area or drive inside each evening. You must secure the vehicle
• Leon’s white sheet tactic used for situations with a large expense $2,000 to $8,000
  • If the vehicle worth repairing.
  • If Leon and technician feels it is worth it
  • Do not spend any money on the vehicle if they don’t like the vehicle. If the answer is yes then the white sheet comes out 
    • 1. Estimate the cost of a new purchase. Estimate the sales tax for a new vehicle
    • 2. Insurance differential on current vehicle vs the new
      • Look at that cost over three years. That is why you are investing in the repair of your current vehicle to get it to last another three years
    • 3. Depreciation
  • If this is a go, then a full health review of the vehicle that can determine all the right moves to bring the vehicle up to spec

Amy:

• She does not recommend holding paper. It will hurt your cash flow. With all the other options available you should never hold a customers debt for service rendered
  • If she does she makes the final decisions and would do only one or two a year
• She discovered a program called VIP
  • People pay forward, like a budget plan.
  • What they wanted to pay per month, using their credit card.
  • They get a 10% credit.
    • If they pay $100 per month they would get a $10 credit on their account 
  • It is a budget plan with a separate bank account to protect the money
  • It helps build loyalty
  • Accounts are designated VIP. They get the best perks
  • They are the best advocates for the shop

Resources:

• A special thanks to Amy Mattinat and Leon Martin for their contribution to the aftermarket.
• Books Page HERE
• Leave me an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one of them.

• Our goal is to add 100 new shops to the support count from last year
• This is an important industry-wide program
• Participants in the Web-A-Thon:
  • Laura Frank, Co-Founder of Brakes for Breasts and shop owner Auto Repair Technology
  • Leigh Anne Best, Co-Founder of Brakes for Breasts from Mighty Auto Pro
  • Dr. Vincent Tuohy, Breast Cancer Vaccine Researcher, Professor of Molecular Medicine at the  Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western University
  • Amy Mattinat, Autocraftsman
  • Patrick Eagan, Kukui
  • Brad Vacketta, Automobile Diagnostics
  • Barry Lindblom, Meyers Automotive Service
  • Chris Cozad, Alternative Auto Care
  • Ty Miller, Protech Auto Care
  • Bill Hill, Mighty Auto Pro
• www.brakesforbreasts.com/signup
• Over $747,771.70 raised fo far sine 2011
• Over 34 states represented, we need more
• Make a difference in your community
• 100% of the monies collected go to Breast Cancer Vaccine research
• Marketing materials available
  • Poster
  • Logo
  • FootPrints
  • Press release
  • Vendor letter
• See the Brakes For Breasts Facebook Page HERE.
• 10% of your brake job goes to Brakes For Breasts

Thank you for your support.

Carm Capriotto

WATCH VIDEO HERE

Amy Mattinat is the owner and manager of Auto Craftsmen in Montpelier, VT. Her shop is an ASE Blue Seal Shop, AAA approved and she is a member of ASA, SBN & WiAC.  Along with running her independent repair shop, she is able to combine her three passions: teaching small business owners how to run a successful business, teaching car care and safety to the general public and educating young people about the many career opportunities available in the auto care industry.

Amy was awarded the  2012 Top Female Shop Owner of the Year by the Car Care Council Women’s Board, Honored as a 2014 Professional Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women, Awarded the 2015 U.S. Small Business Administration’s Vermont Women-Owned Business of the Year, Awarded the 2016 AAA Business of the Year in Vermont and served as President of Women in Auto Care 2014 through 2016. Listen to Amy’s previous episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

• ASE is our credentialing in our industry. They are what we have
  • They are our doctor credentials
  • We fix our sick patients (vehicles)
  • We keep them safe (vehicles)
• Anyone can go to Sears, buy some tools, put up a sign and start working on cars
• We get them when they can’t be fixed
• Our technicians are car doctors
• A Technician Win
  • Technician pathway. Pride of accomplishment.
    • They will stand taller as they are proud of their achievements
  • As a shop owners Amy wants ASE certifications from her technicians  
• A Win for the Shop Owner
  • Creating a culture of excellence.
  • All techs certified you achieve ASE Blue Seal and you can promote this differentiation with your customer and the marketplace
  • Market your ASE certifications. On the ‘wall of fame’ and in social media and on your website
  • https://ase.com/drivers   is made for the consumer
    • Use blog posts to educate your customer on automotive repair
  • ASE role is to test the technician so you can promote their certification

• A special thanks to Amy Mattinat for sharing her passion – For The Record.
• Books mentioned in the content library HERE
• Leave me an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one of them.
• Email Carm HERE.

Be socially involved and in touch with the show:
Facebook   Twitter   Linked In   Email    Events   Instagram   Speaking

This episode is brought to you by FlexCheck Auto Digital Vehicle Inspection Software.

Savvy shop owners use vehicle inspections to find additional work on a vehicle that the vehicle owner may not know is needed. The most successful shop owners fully inspect every car, every time. It benefits the vehicle owner more than the shop because most vehicle owners want their autos to be reliable.

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Today’s vehicle owners want to receive their vehicles health status electronically, this makes FlexCheck Auto the most transparent way to do sell auto repair. Try it for free for 30 days! Go to FlexCheckAuto.com to learn more.

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Mike Coley is the Senior Vice President at the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence(ASE). Mike’s responsibilities include oversight of ASE’s Operations and Test Development workgroups, along with coordination of day-to-day operations with ASE’s testing contractor, Prometric.

Mike joined ASE in 1994 as the Executive Director of Technical Services. In that role, Mike led the development of the L1 Advanced Level Test and Composite Vehicle types 1 and 2, refined ASE test-construction methods using item response theory, and coordinated the launch of ASE’s computer-based testing program. He was promoted to Vice President in 2004, and subsequently directed ASE’s IT workgroup and led the development of ASE’s customer relationship management (CRM) system. He was promoted to Senior Vice President in 2013.

Prior to joining the ASE staff, Coley managed his family’s automotive repair business in SanAntonio, Texas, and served on the ASE Board of Directors, including a term as Chairman in 1991. Coley has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from SMU in Dallas, Texas, an MBA from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and previously taught Automotive Emissions classes at Northern Virginia CommunityCollege.

Jeff Walker is the President of Walker’s Automotive Service of Pleasantville, New Jersey. Jeff is alson on the ASE Board of Directors and is a Past Chairman of ASE. He as been ASE certified since 1977

Key Talking Points:

• ASE needs to be in front of your customer, be part of your culture and ingrained in the training/certification culture in your business.
• ASE is your ‘Dr.’ credentials. Use them to promote the value of your technicians.
• Our techs need to be proud to wear their patches and be introduced as ASE certified technicians.
• ASE certification can build the team and you can engage incentives and wages based on certification progress and re-certifications.
• Promoting ASE and ASE Blue Seal to the public.
• We must not count on ASE to do it. They provide the certifications and we need to embrace these certifications and promote on our own.
• ASE website for the consumer: ase.com/drivers
• We need to show the customer that our technician team meets certification standards through ASE testing.
• ASE does not promote to the public. They are a certification entity, non-profit and the industry needs to get behind them.
• Your ASE credentials must be marketed to your community and customer base. The way you bring value to ASE inside your business is to promote it as a required standard inside your business that can be a differentiator.
• Techs say, “What does it do for me?’
  • If owners don’t believe it does make a difference and is a requirement then the tech will see no value.
  • When the test is passed and the competency is set, that makes a huge difference.
  • Consider there is a fear of failure in not passing a test.
    • We learn from failure.
  • Some techs are great at what they do but are bad test takers.
  • Get them help and work with them to full certification.
• Amy suggests that the first test any tech should talk is the brake test.
• ASE is working on a beta test recertification process through an app that becomes a continual program vs. every five years.
  • They will deliver a certain set of questions to work toward their certification. They will know immediately if you got it right and if not which question was right and why.
  • Tools in the app for training.
• ASE is also working on providing the questions missed and which was the correct answer. This will help the test taker to know where they failed and why.
• Rote memory is not the goal of ASE. Knowing how to diagnose is the goal.
• Student Certification now called Entry Level Certification for high school to show post-secondary or shop owners.
• Amy has a high-school coop student working at the shop with her ASE entry-level certification.
• If we are going to grow our own and get involved with high-school and post-secondary, ASE must be the part of a technicians career pathway.
• Our partners (suppliers) that advertise must include ASE in their ads. If they show a technician, they need to have a patch on their uniform. We are not embracing the value of ASE in every public facing to the consumer.
• We are terrible assessors of our own skill set. We need help to assess if we have the skills to do our job. ASE is a natural entity that evaluates competencies.
  • They do not tell you what kind of training you know
  • They take industry standards and test toward them.

RepairPal. Many of our industry’s high-quality shops have gone through an evaluation with an independent automotive team to ensure their techs are trained, they use the right tools, and their customers are happy. In fact, over 2,200 repair shops have met these requirements, have become RepairPal Certified and are getting new customers every month.

Why has the number of RepairPal Certified shops grown so much? These shops are proud to have passed the certification and value the new customers they’re getting, both from the 5 million monthly visitors to RepairPal.com and their partnerships with CarMax and USAA. Certified shops can cancel at any time, so RepairPal works hard to produce value for them. Learn more at repairpal.com/shops to learn more.



Your Learning Curve Never Sounded So Good

The Academy Panel:

Amy Mattinat is the owner and manager of Auto Craftsmen in Montpelier, VT. Her shop is an ASE Blue Seal Shop, AAA approved and she is a member of ASA, SBN & WiAC.  Along with running her independent repair shop, she is able to combine her three passions: teaching small business owners how to run a successful business, teaching car care and safety to the general public and educating young people about the many career opportunities available in the auto care industry.

Amy was awarded the  2012 Top Female Shop Owner of the Year by the Car Care Council Women’s Board, Honored as a 2014 Professional Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women, Awarded the 2015 U.S. Small Business Administration’s Vermont Women-Owned Business of the Year, Awarded the 2016 AAA Business of the Year in Vermont and served as President of Women in Auto Care 2014 through 2016. Listen to Amy’s previous episodes HERE.

Greg Buckley is the CEO the 50 + year young Buckley Personalized Auto Care in Wilmington, DE. He’s a member of ASA, an ATI Coach, a member of the Delaware Automotive Service Professionals, past member of the NAPA advisory board council, is vice-president of NAPA business development groups, and is involved as an advisory board member of Kukui, along with AutoVitals. Hear Greg’s previous episodes HERE.

Jeremy O’Neal  President and lead sales trainer for Advisorfix, began his career as a Service Advisor and moved into Service Management at the dealership level for VW, Audi, and Porsche. He consistently placed in the top 3% of Service Advisors across the nation. With a passion for helping others, Jeremy started coaching Service Advisors in 2007. Jeremy also owns an independent auto repair shop, Freedom Automotive in Hesperia, CA. Jeremy’s previous episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

• We hire for experience and fire for attitude
• We must hire for more soft skills.
• Leaders set the tone of the company.
• As leaders, we must improve our soft skills. You must do a personal assessment on your soft skills and find training to help you improve them.
• Yet the leader must be in the background and push their people forward.
• The leader is the vessel that holds everyone together. To support your team.
• You can get involved with your team, to a degree, to know what personal issues can and could affect their work environment.
• #1 most important soft skill as a leader is being a great listener
  • Listen to learn not to reply.
  • Learn to listen with empathy.
  • Become an active listener. Practice it.
  • Pay attention, put your phone down, confirm and clarify what you are hearing by writing key points down. ‘What I heard you say’.
• Greg offers a lot of autonomy to his team to get the job done.
  • Become a teacher and help with any failure points. (You must allow failure so the learning happens)
• Soft Skills, a short list:
  • Listening
  • Enthusiasm
  • Attitude. You have 100% control.
  • Communication
  • Teamwork
  • Work ethic
  • Flexibility
  • Courtesy
  • Time Management
  • Reliability
  • Know your team
  • Have a positive mindset
  • Find positive methods for dealing with negativity and frustrations.
  • Learn how to deal with stress
  • Problem solver
• Book ‘Extreme Ownership’ by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin
• Good leadership is honest and transparent always willing to make people better.
• Be careful to help your team find solutions no matter how you feel or what is going on in your life/world. ‘Fake it till you make it’
• You are the last man standing.
• A success coach knows how hard life is, yet must lead positively.
• Learn how your team deals with challenges or stress. You may need to give them their space to get through issues.
• Technician soft skills:
  • Same skills as a service advisor
  • Communication with each other and the service advisor
  • Problem-solving, a skill that can be learned.
• Service advisor soft skills:
  • Observe their client to understand how to speak to them
  • Communication with client and technicians
  • Is the person going to understand what you are saying?
• Never be afraid to ask a question.
• “People may not hear you at the rate of your speech.” ‘Jeremy O’Neal.

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This episode is brought to you by Jasper Engines & Transmissions. When a car’s engine or transmission fails, it’s not the end of the road. A remanufactured drivetrain product from Jasper Engines & Transmissions will give your car a new lease on life. JASPER has over 2000 Associates, three manufacturing facilities, two distribution centers and 45 branch offices across the country. They’re all working to produce, transport and deliver the perfect product. That’s what they do best… keep customers happy. Visit jasperengines.com

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This episode is brought to you by Jasper Engines & Transmissions. When a car’s engine or transmission fails, it’s not the end of the road. A remanufactured drivetrain product from Jasper Engines & Transmissions will give your car a new lease on life. JASPER has over 2000 Associates, three manufacturing facilities, two distribution centers and 45 branch offices across the country. They’re all working to produce, transport and deliver the perfect product. That’s what they do best… keep customers happy. Visit jasperengines.com



This episode is brought to you by Jasper Engines & Transmissions. When a car’s engine or transmission fails, it’s not the end of the road. A remanufactured drivetrain product from Jasper Engines & Transmissions will give your car a new lease on life. JASPER has over 2000 Associates, three manufacturing facilities, two distribution centers and 45 branch offices across the country. They’re all working to produce, transport and deliver the perfect product. That’s what they do best… keep customers happy. Visit jasperengines.com

Talking Points:

• Why is car care education so important to women?
• Women are making 80% of the buying decisions.
• Women want safe and reliable transportation.
• Women are asking basic questions like what kind and type of oil does my car need.
• Your first women’s car care clinic should not be overthought. Just do it.
  • There are many templates available to help.
  • Can set up education stations.
• Women need to have fun and entertaining and reward them for their time.
  • I learned so much and it was very interesting.
  • Get the women to feel empowered.
  • Free Manicures and other women friendly services.
  • Women brag about the money they save. Coupons and deals are important to engage with
• Women are powerful word of mouth marketers. They’ll be on Facebook while at your event.
• Your team can shine for these events.
• Your community size depends on how often you will hold these seminars.
• You could hold a series of events over time:
  • Fluids day, Tire Day, etc.
• Women, Wheels and Waffles. Leigh Anne Best’s event.
• Women who are aging out of foster care are invited to Mighty Auto Pro
• At Ask Patty, they act as a marketing force for their clients. They will create the graphics needed for social media to promote your women clinic. They have ideas and graphics and a step by step plan and timeline for a women’s clinic.
• Availability of a report from the Women in Auto Care Here. This is a draft and Amy Mattinat from the Women in Auto Care is interested in your feedback. Her email is: here.
• Find the time to commit.
• Address your women clients with events during the year.
  • Consider doing a Facebook live event around women’s car care needs
    • Build themes: Women’s history event, Mom and daughter car care clinic, Prom Time, College
  • Use community organization to embrace the event such as girl scouts
  • Press releases can support your event to include radio stations and newspaper

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This interview was recorded at Vision 2017 in Kansas City, KS. Thanks to Amy Mattinat for the behind the scenes work with Facebook LIVE.

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 Women’s’ Studies and Pre-Law.

As the pieces of her career came together, Bogi began to see that her passion was not simply to fix cars, but to empower others to fix cars – women especially.

Bogi is also a business coach, holds car-care classes for women, speaks on a wide range of subjects and is on the 6^th season as one of 3-girl crew on the Velocity Channel show … All Girls Garage.

Bogi has been a frequent guest on the podcast. Our first episode highlighted her career and her shop; check out episode #27. She was on an all female panel to discuss female customers in episode 74. And then she contributed to a panel on technician apprenticeship‘s in episode 93.

This is a very interesting episode as Bogi shares her latest and most prolific project. This episode is focused on The 1957 Pick-up Chevy Montage All Female Build.

As you will learn from the episode, Bogi wants women to discover automotive repair in a way they would never have thought of before. She says the women are learning things about the automotive they never dreamed of learning.

The Chevy Montage All Female Build is all about highlighting the women of the automotive world, creating learning opportunities for women interested in exploring the trades and ultimately attracting new people to our industry.

Bogi is looking for support and has a crowd funding campaign. She explains in the episode how you can get involved.

See links below and watch the video.

Bogisgarage website

Bogisgarage Truck Project

Crowdfunding campaign site

180 Degree Automotive Website

Chevy Montage You Tube Channel

Be socially involved and in touch with the show:
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This episode is brought to you by Federal-Mogul Motorparts and Garage Gurus. With brands like Moog, Felpro, Wagner Brake, Champion, Sealed Power, FP Diesel and more, they’re the parts techs trust.  For serious technical training and support – online, onsite and on-demand – Garage Gurus is everything you need to know. Find out more at fmmotorparts.com  and fmgaragegurus.com

You are about to experience a first for the podcast. I went on the road to Orlando to the Car Care Council’s Women’s Board Winter meeting. Going to a conference is not the earth shattering news. Bringing my recording equipment was.

This episode is a compilation of short interviews done in Orlando in early February 2016. These interviews were done randomly in a make shift mobile studio set up.

Why Listen?

The women interviewed, spoke on their experience at the meeting, their take-a-ways and of the value the agenda brought to them both personally and professionally.

Get a feel of the buzz that enveloped the participants and reactions to the value of networking.

Forgive the background noise as we were LIVE on site. The women’s board was very supportive in my quest to record these moments and thoughts of these twelve industry professionals. I thank the women’s board team and president Amy Mattinat for their support.

• Jill Trotta, Director Automotive Group, Repair Pal
• Shari Pheasant, COO Institute for Automotive Business Excellence
• Ann Coffin, Director of IT, Auto Value/Bumper To Bumper
• Janis Roznowski, Executive Director & Founder, Operation Comfort
• Rena Rennebohm, Automotive Business Coach, ACT
• Suzanne Hawley, Executive Director, Family Service Day
• Nancy Anderson, Key Account Manager, BOSCH
• Dawn Griffiths Gonzalez, Brand Manager, Trico Products Corporation
• Grayce Nance, Head Innovator, Motor City New Concepts
• JC Lindquist, Head of Retail, Automatic
• Anna Matisak, PR Manager, Radius
• Amy Mattinat, President Women’s Board, Owner Auto Craftsman

Visit the Women’s Board web site here.

Listen to all interviews with women industry leaders here.
Listen to Amy Mattinat, shop owner interview here.
Listen to Amy Mattinat Women’s Board interview here.
Listen to Jill Trotta episode here.
Listen to Shari Pheasant, Horse Power Strategies interview here.
Listen to Shari Pheasant, COO interview here.

This episode is brought to you by Federal-Mogul Motorparts and Garage Gurus. With brands like Moog, Felpro, Wagner Brake, Champion, Sealed Power, FP Diesel and more, they’re the parts techs trust.  For serious technical training and support – online, onsite and on-demand – Garage Gurus is everything you need to know. Find out more at fmmotorparts.com  and fmgaragegurus.com

Why Listen?

• Did you always want to know what it takes to create a women friendly repair shop? What kind of amenities?
• Do women car care clinic bring value? Is the bar higher for women?
• Heavy talk that customer service to women needs the same respect that you give men.
• We discussed service reps, communication, image, recruitment, and the revolution that is necessary to bring the entire industry to the next level.
• There is so much quality dialogue, concepts and plain old common sense discussed that you will be engaged and enlightened right till the end.

Three successful shop owners brought their perspectives and wisdom to this great discussion. Check out their bios and previous episodes:

Amy Mattinat is owner of Auto Craftsmen in Montpelier, VT. Amy 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, or running her independent repair shop, she is able to combine her two passions: educating the public, especially women, about car care so they can make informed decisions and educating young women about the many career opportunities available in the auto care industry.

Amy Mattinat was awarded the National Car Care Council Women’s Board ‘Top Female Shop Owner of the Year’ in 2012 and elected President of the Women’s Board in 2014 for a three year term. (Listen to Amy in episode 13 & 22)

Bogi Lateiner from 180º Automotive in Phoenix, AZ.  (Listen to Bogi in episode 27) She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Oberlin College in just three years with a double major in Women’s’ Studies and Pre-Law.

As the pieces of her career came together, she began to see that her passion was not simply to fix cars, but to empower others to fix cars – women especially. Bogi also does business coaching, holds car-care classes for women, speaks on a wide range of subjects and is getting ready to film the 5th season as one of the 3-girl crew on the Velocity Channel show … All Girls Garage.

Besides growing up in the family business Judy Zimmerman Walter is co-owner with her uncles and the CFO of, this 57 year young service business. Zimmerman’s Automotive, Mechanicsburg, PA is a true blue ‘family enterprise’ with 12 out of a team of 29 team members that are ‘IN THE FAMILY’. Zimmerman’s is a top automotive repair facility along with a quick lube and a used car division.

Among her involvement:  Women’s Board of the Car Care Council, AASP-PA Alliance of Automotive Service Providers, and the Auto Care Association (Listen to Judy in episode 15)

Dr. John Passante is an important contributor in an important, never been done before, industry project that will be introduced at AAPEX 2015. It’s a new book highlighting the success stories of some of today’s leading female aftermarket professionals and it will be unveiled at AAPEX 2015.

The book, “A Woman’s Perspective on Leading” is an essay anthology created by Dr. John A. Passante and features twenty-one pioneering women in the automotive aftermarket. Showcasing a wide range of female leaders, the book captures their diverse and inspirational stories, illustrating their trajectories in the industry and their advice for other women who aspire to become aftermarket leaders as well.

Listen to John tell the story of concept to final version of this very special book project: “A Woman’s Perspective on Leadership”.

Contributors to the book include Passante as well as JoAnn Bortles, Nicole Brennan, Tammy (Chaffee) Tecklenburg, Jody DeVere, Ruth Ehlinger, Lauren Fix, Julia Johnson, Jody Kramer, Diane Larson, Bogi Lateiner, Paula Lombard, Amy Mattinat, Colleen McCarthy, Ashley Ridenour, Lisa Rodriguez, Karen Salvaggio, Lorraine Schultz, Patricia Serratore, Beth Skove, Laura Soave and Donna Wagner. The book was edited by Amy Antenora of Babcox Media, which also donated all costs associated with publishing the book.

John Passante’s bio reads like a Who’ Who in the aftermarket.
John is a broad-based senior executive with over 30 years of extensive general marketing and sales experience to include organizational development and senior human resources. John is the CEO/President at The Organizational Development Group, is past President and CEO of Brenton Productions. He has worked with corporations such as CARQUEST where he was senior vice president. He was also senior vice president, human resources for Moog Automotive and senior director worldwide human resources, sales and marketing for Delphi Products and Service Solutions.

In 1995, John was inducted into the Automotive Aftermarket Hall of Fame and is an adjunct professor at Northwood University and the University of the Aftermarket.

The book is ready for release and there’s going to be a book presentation and signing at AAPEX on November 3^rd, 2015 at 5PM, just after the yearly award presentations at Sands Room 307-310 at 5 PM. The book is available for a donation only and will benefit the Babcox Media Car Care Council Scholarship, which will be presented in 2016 to a deserving woman interested in pursuing a career in the auto care industry. John explains all about the scholarship program in the interview.  If you didn’t get your copy at AAPEX 2015 monitor these show notes for a future announcement on how you can donate to get a copy of the book.

The purpose and creative concept of the book was driven by these principles:

Providing the Automotive Aftermarket a Fresh Perspective

To Inspire Women to Pursue Greater Career Challenges

To Inspire Women to Join the Ranks of our Industry

Getting a Unique Perspective from a Female Point of View on the Automotive Aftermarket

To provide a potential textbook for the Northwood University aftermarket program.

[BTW: Five of the contributors to the book have been featured on Remarkable Results Podcast episodes. They are: Amy Mattinat (13 & 22), Diane Larson (8), Bogi Lateiner (27), Trish Serratore (43 & 47) and Jody DeVere (81). Find the episodes quickly by using the Industry Women Series Category filter that displays all episodes that are women relevant.]

Want to get the book? Download application here or click on book cover.