When leadership breaks down, processes fall apart fast. But rebuilding doesn’t start with systems. It starts with people.

In this episode of Maximum Octane, Kim Hickey and Jason Patel sit down with Chris Darmody, General Manager at Graham Auto Repair, to explore what it takes to turn around a struggling organization. When Chris joined the shop, leadership gaps, inconsistent processes, and fading accountability had left the team adrift. Instead of walking away, he leaned into the fire.

Drawing on 22 years of experience in the automotive industry, Chris shares how he reignited the culture at Graham by focusing on empowerment, accountability, and communication. He explains how creating structure through SOPs, while keeping the shop’s personality intact, rebuilt trust and consistency, and why real empowerment means giving people both the freedom and the authority to lead. Kim and Jason also draw powerful parallels between diagnosing car issues and diagnosing leadership problems, showing how the same mindset of testing, learning, and refining can transform both people and performance.

Tune in to episode 129 of Maximum Octane if you’ve ever inherited a broken team, felt stuck in the weeds, or wondered how to rebuild trust after disruption. Chris’s story proves that great leadership doesn’t just fix problems; it rebuilds belief.

Episode Takeaways:

3:30 How Chris’s “trial by fire” background prepared him to take over at Graham Auto Repair

5:50 The leadership vacuum Chris walked into and how he stabilized two struggling shops

7:30 Why passion and purpose matter more than position titles

8:10 The hidden truth about inventory, diagnostics, and industry perception

11:20 The first red flags Chris noticed and how he rebuilt integrity into daily operations

13:20 Why accountability is the ultimate form of empowerment

14:50 How team-built SOPs create buy-in and drive consistency

18:00 What rebuilding a culture really looks like and why it takes patience

21:50 Why every business, no matter how small, needs documented processes

26:40 How to truly empower leaders by giving them real authority

27:20 Trust, audit, and verify: how to stop micromanaging and start leading

32:50 How developing backups for every role sets the stage for expansion

Connect with Chris Darmody:

• LinkedIn
• Graham Auto Repair

Let's connect:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Email: info@maximumoctane.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many shop owners know they need marketing, but too often they get stuck thinking about it instead of doing it. Between SEO, social media, websites, and ads, it’s easy to fall into analysis paralysis; spending so much time comparing options that no real progress happens.

In this episode of Maximum Octane, Kim Hickey and Jason Patel sit down with Doug Robison, Director of Sales and Partnerships at Optimize Digital Marketing, to cut through the noise and get practical about marketing. Doug explains that while planning and strategy matter, none of it means anything without action. Waiting for the perfect moment or perfect plan only delays results.

He shares how shop owners can confidently choose a marketing partner, what to look for in a digital strategy that actually fits your business, and why consistency matters more than perfection. You’ll also hear how algorithms, websites, and social platforms work together to drive traffic, and why real marketing success comes from collaboration, not delegation.

Tune in to episode 128 of Maximum Octane if you’ve been overthinking your next move or waiting for everything to line up just right. Marketing doesn’t have to be confusing. It just has to be done with clarity, consistency, and the right support behind it.

Episode Takeaways:

3:20 Why analysis paralysis keeps shop owners from moving forward

4:00 Why no one should try to handle SEO and social media alone

5:40 What algorithms really do and why your content must play by their rules

9:20 Why you should start marketing on day one of opening your shop

10:50 How hiring experts is often cheaper and smarter than doing it in-house

14:40 The pet peeve that reveals which marketing companies to avoid

15:20 Why marketing has to be a partnership, not a “do it for me” service

18:40 Why you still need a website and how it ties all your marketing together

22:50 Why marketing needs constant tuning, just like an oil change schedule

27:50 What shop owners actually own (and don’t) when it comes to their websites

29:20 Why a stale website loses ranking faster than you think

Connect with Doug Robison:

• LinkedIn
• Optimize Digital Marketing

Let's connect:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Email: info@maximumoctane.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trigger Warning: This episode contains open and personal discussion about suicide, grief, and mental health.

In the automotive industry, we never hesitate to buy the latest equipment or the right tool for the job. But when it comes to our own mental health, too many of us resist using the tools available to help us heal. Therapy, medication, or calling someone for a chat aren’t weaknesses. They are tools, just like the ones we use every day in the shop.

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Maximum Octane, Kim Hickey and Jason Patel welcome back Lee Anderson of Integrity Auto Care. Lee opens up about going through some of life’s heaviest challenges early on, how those experiences shaped him, and why he is passionate about breaking the stigma around mental health.

Lee speaks candidly about grief, depression, and what not to say to someone who is grieving. He also explains why open-door leadership, empathy, and genuine connection matter just as much in a shop as they do in life. Alongside sobering statistics showing suicide rates among automotive technicians more than double the national average, Lee reminds us it’s okay to cry, okay to ask for help, and okay to use the tools available to care for ourselves.

Tune in to episode 126 of Maximum Octane if you’ve ever struggled silently, or if you want to support your team better when they’re carrying invisible burdens. Lee’s honesty and resilience will challenge you to view mental health not just as a personal issue, but as a leadership responsibility.

03:30 Why suicide rates spike around the holidays and what seasonal depression means for mental health

05:20 Lee’s personal story of early struggles and how they shaped his outlook on life and business

09:20 The questions you should never ask someone grieving a suicide

12:00 Why men need to hear it’s okay to cry and show emotion

14:00 How talking about loved ones keeps their memory alive

17:10 Why it’s vital to talk to someone before mental health spirals

19:30 The staggering suicide rate among auto technicians and why the industry needs to pay attention

21:20 Why stigma and pride keep too many from getting help

25:20 How Lee leads his shops with an open-door policy for employees

29:10 Why empathy, listening, and growth conversations build stronger teams

31:50 Life is beautiful, depression is real, and no one should face it alone

Connect with Lee Anderson:

• LinkedIn
• Integrity Auto Care

Let's connect:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Email: info@maximumoctane.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.