THA 040: The Extreme Value in Doing a SWOT On Your Business

Helping automotive aftermarket professionals improve; one lesson at a time.

Academy Panel:

Learn from your industry peers in a round-table forum. Get new ideas, perspectives, trends, insights, best-practices and expertise from aftermarket professionals.

Watch like a DOCUMENTARY … Learn like a SEMINAR.

The Academy Panel:

Greg Bunch is the owner of Aspen Auto Clinic, a five-location automotive and service business in Colorado. Greg started his passion for cars at 15 when he began rebuilding a 1966 Volkswagen Bug.  Greg has moved from a Volkswagen mechanic to ASE Master Technician, to Management, to starting his shop 18 years ago in his garage, to an award-winning multi-location business.

Greg is currently a board member for the STEM-based charter school call “Automotive Institute of Science & Technology” and on the Advisory board of Ratchet and Wrench Magazine. Greg is also a board member of the Autocare organization and a certified instructor for the  Worldpac Training Institute and Carquest Technical Institute.  Greg’s unwavering passion for the industry has also led him to form a company called Transformers Institute, a coaching and training company dedicated to transforming the automotive industry. Listen to Greg’s previous episodes HERE.

Aspen Auto Clinic
Transformers Mastermind

 

Maryann Croce of Croce Transmissions in Norwalk, CT was opened 1999. Maryann was a banker turned business owner. Tony was technician turned shop owner.  A big transition on their parts and that extensive wisdom makes Maryann the perfect guest on the Academy series.

Their 4 bays, 4 techs, and one service advisor shop is successful because as husband and wife Maryanne and Tony work at their roles and have abundant trust in each other.

Maryann is also a member of Women in Auto Care and owns smallbizvantage.com. Hear Maryann in her previous episodes HERE. A link to a SWOT resource mentioned by Maryann HERE.

 

During high school and college Murray Voth, owner of Freedom Consulting and Training, learned to service and repair both motorcycles and airplanes while he finished his commercial pilot’s license. After college, Murray’s research skills were honed while doing a community research project; as a result, he was hired by a firm doing research and development in the service station industry. That led him to own and operate service stations for the next 20 years.

After receiving extensive training from a major oil company in Canada, Murray worked in service station dealer development. His experience in training and development led to an interest in how people function. He began to think about what holds them back from learning and implementing new practices in their businesses. What causes people to change?

Murray has done extensive research into human potential and has the ability to synthesize this material and make it practical to apply.  His favorite moment is when a client says, “I get it!” or “I did it!”  He is known as an implementation coach. For the last 10 years, he has been the senior trainer, coach, and facilitator for a major automotive training company in Canada, and worked part-time in the USA as his schedule allows.  Murray has worked with hundreds of shops and shop owners helping them to be more profitable and reduce their stress levels. Listen to Murray’s episodes HERE.

Freedom Consulting and Training

 

DOWNLOAD SWOT GRAPHIC HERE.

Talking points:

  • Be honest and real.
  • Be constructive while truth-telling.
  • Put your feet in someone else’s shoes.
  • Be open-minded and think outside the box.
  • Learn to control the things you can control and not worry about the ones you can’t
  • The owner should not lead a company SWOT with his team. Find a facilitator, independent of your business. (A business coach)
    • Attempt to get an independent facilitator to pull the best thoughts from your people.
  • A SWOT is an analysis tool.
  • SWOT sounds complicated but is easy and FUN to do.
  • If the owner does a SWOT by themselves, it is only their perspective only their version.
  • Buy in from the team gets them to support any action plan that comes from the exercise.
  • The owner must be ready to react to the results of the SWOT.
  • Strengths:
    • What do we do well?
    • What advantages do we have?
    • What are our resources and assets?
    • What do others acknowledge as strengths of our organization?
  • Weaknesses:
    • What could we do better?
    • Where are we at risk?
  • Opportunities:
    • What do we know about but have not been able to try?
    • Are there any new frontiers that we can explore?
    • You can see trends in the industry so you can become proactive.
  • Threats:
    • Are any of our weaknesses likely to make us vulnerable?
    • What outside issues beyond our control or within, block our progress?
    • Are other like organizations doing anything different?
    • Are there any big changes in our demographics or industry?
  • A SWOT can show you where you position is in the marketplace.
  • Ego starts out as Pride. Leadership training is a must.
    • John Maxwell books:
      • Developing the Leader Within You
      • The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
    • Your business is only going to grow based on your ability to lead it.
      • You must improve your skills as a leader?
    • The most successful have help. They get an outside perspective.
    • Leaders must be in the crow’s nest watching where the business is going.
    • You don’t just find leaders in the CEO position, you find them at all levels and areas of the business.
  • The SWOT boxes can be mirror images of each other.
  • You cannot plan results you can only plan actions.
  • SOAR
    • Situation
    • Outcome you will want. Realistic.
    • Actions that you need to do.
    • Results. Measures.
  • You cannot reach results without the proper behavior.
  • Celebrate your wins.

 

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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

About the author, Carm Capriotto, AAP

Carm is the founder and host of the Remarkable Results Radio Podcast and the pioneer of automotive aftermarket podcasts. Carm calls on his years of experience in the aftermarket to bring engaging stories from his guests.

Listen to raw, unfiltered, honest, and sincere stories that include insights, trends, best practices, and expertise. Each interview brings an opportunity to learn one new thing through the stories of personal achievement. Many podcast guests tell their story of transformation from working in their business to working on it.

As host of over 1,000 episodes, Carm uses his enthusiasm and passion for the aftermarket especially the service sector to take his listeners on a journey showcasing successful service professionals’ paths to Remarkable Results. He also enjoys interviews with aftermarket industry thought leaders who bring their industry perspectives to his listener.

Follow the podcast on your favorite podcast listening app and always listen to learn just one thing!

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