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For years I thought I could handle the hiring process on my own. But, after far too many bad hires, it was clear I needed help. Promotive came through for me with a rock star hire in just a few days and I couldn't be happier. Swallow your pride and bring in Promotive for that open position you have at your shop today. You can thank me later. Learn more HERE

AI for Shop Owners: Open the Hood of the Future is happening June 12-13 at Carfix in Raleigh, NC. Use AI to your advantage! Register HERE

What does it take to build a high-performing automotive business that continues to grow while maintaining a strong culture?

In this episode, Mike Allen sits down with Matt Curry and Richard Tonetti from Craftsman Auto Care to discuss the systems, leadership philosophies, and growth strategies that helped build one of the industry's most respected shop groups. Matt shares lessons learned from growing to 10 locations and $18 million in revenue, including the importance of culture, leadership, sales training, digital inspections, and customer reviews.

Timestamps:
00:00 The $1 Raise That Changed Everything
01:14 Are 4-Day Workweeks Actually Hurting Your Business?
03:41 Why “Money Motivated” Isn’t a Dirty Word
06:46 From Tire Changer to VP: Growth Stories from the Shop Floor
07:16 Matt’s Path: 10 Stores, $18 Million, and a Comeback
09:13 The Secret Sauce: Buying Distressed Shops & Turning Them Around
10:36 How to Hit $1,000 Average ROs (and Why Volume Per Bay Matters)
11:02 The Turning Point: Digital Inspections & Sales Training
13:29 Being the Best Shop Cheerleader—Even on Bad Days
14:11 Making the Hard Work Fun (Yes, It’s Possible!)
19:00 Sales Scripts, Objection Handling, and The “One More Thing” Rule
20:05 How to Hire the Perfect Counter Person (It’s Not About Automotive Experience!)
22:49 Culture vs. Corporate: Why Good Techs Never Leave
25:15 Google Review Domination: Building Trust and Cutting Marketing Costs
28:20 Spiffs, Friendly Competition, and Making Reviews a Shop Habit
32:10 Small Gestures, Big Impact: The Stuffed Animal Touch
35:13 Why Internal Competition Works—But Only with the Right Culture
37:46 When Growth Kills Culture (And How to Avoid It)
40:36 Can Independents Still Win? Opportunity in a Corporate, Tech-Heavy Landscape
43:27 The Blueprint: Build Slow, Build Right, Stay Nimble
45:17 Level Up: Giving Back and Training the Next Generation
47:04 Growing Your Own Techs & Locking Down Quarter-Million Dollar Talent

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Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE

When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!

For years I thought I could handle the hiring process on my own. But, after far too many bad hires, it was clear I needed help. Promotive came through for me with a rock star hire in just a few days and I couldn't be happier. Swallow your pride and bring in Promotive for that open position you have at your shop today. You can thank me later. Learn more HERE

AI for Shop Owners: Open the Hood of the Future is happening June 12-13 at Carfix in Raleigh, NC. Use AI to your advantage! Register HERE

This episode is Mikeless - just how we like it. HA! Today Bryan rides solo at TOOLS 2026 and talks dynamics between technicians and service advisors Andrew Fischer. They bring up the importance of fundamentals and communication—technicians often overlook basic testing but expect to dive into advanced diagnostics, leading to costly mistakes and frustration. They also talk about ego and misunderstanding: both between team members in the shop and toward customers, highlighting how crucial it is to clearly explain repairs and processes, not just rely on expertise.

Timestamps:
00:00 The real hardest job in the shop: service advisor confessions
03:08 Training struggles, being away from family, and the reality of evening classes
05:02 Why owners MUST vet what you’re paying for in auto training
07:11 Technicians skipping fundamentals—and how it comes back to bite your shop
10:20 Ego, ignorance, and the "alphabet soup" of tech skill levels
13:13 Fast techs vs fixed cars: the hidden cost of comebacks and efficiency
16:19 Communicating diagnostics: where most techs screw up (and how AI helps)
19:06 Why the front counter is pure chaos—and techs can’t handle customers
21:13 Explaining diagnoses in a way anyone can understand (with help from AI)
25:26 The service advisor’s secret: what customers REALLY want to know
28:12 The "zip code" analogy for why testing matters
30:28 Shops that charge for time vs selling fixed vehicles—who really wins?
32:40 Real-life story: four shops, still not fixed (and how a dead battery fooled them all)
34:35 What to do when you just can’t fix the car (real talk and lessons learned)
41:33 The problem with technician forums & why the smartest avoid them
44:28 Why most technicians will never be ready for business ownership
47:46 Full circle: gratitude, getting humbled, and growing as a leader
50:02 What every technician NEEDS to understand before running a shop

Tekmetrics' business model of listening to customers' needs and implementing new systems makes them super shop-friendly. Start using them at your shop today HERE

Turnkey Marketing has made my life SOOO much simpler, AND they've helped keep the phone ringing. Do you need these two things too? Learn more HERE

Elite Worldwide coaching has changed the game for me and my shop. Need a boost? Use Elite like I do. HERE

For years I thought I could handle the hiring process on my own. But, after far too many bad hires, it was clear I needed help. Promotive came through for me with a rock star hire in just a few days and I couldn't be happier. Swallow your pride and bring in Promotive for that open position you have at your shop today. You can thank me later. Learn more HERE

AI for Shop Owners: Open the Hood of the Future is happening June 12-13 at Carfix in Raleigh, NC. Use AI to your advantage! Register HERE

In this episode, Mike Allen sits down with Adam Rath, owner of a repair shop in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Adam tackles the challenge of adapting business models to different communities, emphasizing that what works in one area may not work in another. They also explore the importance of process efficiency, particularly in estimate building and digital vehicle inspections. Adam also talks about his role with the ASOG mastermind group, highlighting how peer support and structured programs can help struggling shop owners build a solid foundation.

Timestamps:
00:00 Efficient Estimates vs. Wasting Time
01:31 Podcast Tech Upgrades and Recording on the Road
03:03 Behind-the-Scenes: Touring Craftsman Auto Care
04:01 Coaching Models: Origins and Overlaps
06:00 Meet Adam Rath & the Reality of Shop Locations
08:08 Coaching Myths: "That Won’t Work in My Town"
09:00 Different Markets, Different Rules
11:16 The 300% Rule: Double-Edged Sword
12:33 Are You Sticker-Shocking Your Clients?
13:33 Presenting Estimates the Smart Way
14:09 DVI Tools and Estimating Efficiency
15:24 What Do You Show the Customer?
17:10 Single-Issue Selling: Helpful or "Slimy"?
20:01 Show & Sell: The Theater of Auto Sales
22:52 Roleplaying, Sales Practice, and the J Curve
24:55 Tech Tools: Detect Auto, DVI Speed, and Pain Points
28:40 Remote Estimators: Overseas Teams & Lessons Learned
30:41 The Rise and Fall of Remote Estimate Companies
33:05 EOS Explained: Visionaries vs. Integrators
36:36 Taking the Crystallizer Assessment
38:19 Monthly State of the Company at Adam's Shop
41:20 When the Team Wins—Even Without the Manager
43:13 Building Leadership Skills with the Right Tools
44:57 Adam’s Role in the ASOG Mastermind
46:33 The Mastermind Format & Growth
48:36 Curriculum Overhaul: Tightening the Learning Path
50:36 Live Invoice & Call Audits: Growing through Discomfort
53:43 Why We Break Process (and How to Fix It)
55:15 The Future of the Mastermind: Structure & Guest Coaches
57:10 Shop Fix vs. ASOG: The Coaching Disconnect
59:48 Buffet Approach to Coaching: Take What Works
1:01:47 Guest Coaches, Good Info, and Avoiding Sound Bites
1:04:00 Confession Time: When Employees Just Aren’t a Fit
1:06:23 Shop Culture: The Right People Stay, Others Go
1:07:13 EOS Implementers & Next Steps