nsurance denials aren’t just an estimating problem. They are a safety problem and a consumer problem. And according to Peyton Bell (Bell Auto Body, Oklahoma), the only scalable fix is state legislation that stops carriers from denying payment for documented OEM repair procedures and parts.

In Episode 6, Peyton breaks down why the popular advice to “just bill the customer” collapses in real life. Most customers cannot float thousands of dollars up front while they fight for reimbursement, and many will choose a faster, cheaper path even when it risks unsafe repairs. That leaves the shop holding the liability, the customer holding the confusion, and the insurer holding the leverage.

Peyton then teaches a practical “master class” on getting laws changed: how to identify and contact your local senator, how to earn meetings, how to explain the issue in plain language, and how to build enough constituent pressure to get a bill sponsored. He also shares how to draft a framework for a bill, then let legislative counsel tighten it into formal language.

If you want to stop losing one claim at a time and start changing the rules in your state, this is your roadmap.

X Games athlete turned high production collision shop owner is not a normal career path, but that is exactly what Ted Culbertson did at Top Gun Auto Body in Helena, Montana. And he brought a leadership philosophy most shops are missing: trust built through transparency.

In this episode, Ted shares how he attracts younger employees, why he interviews people with little or no experience, and how he brings them in through blueprinting and hands-on exposure to the work. We also unpack the daily and weekly routines he uses to keep expectations clear, reduce drama, and build a culture where accountability feels normal, not forced.

If you are trying to grow your team, develop younger talent, and create a shop environment people want to stay in, this conversation will give you practical ideas you can put to work right away.

Coming off a lighter 2025, most shop owners are heading into 2026 thinking about one thing: car count.

In this episode of Operational Intelligence, I sit down with John Brown of Red Rock Collision in Cottonwood, Arizona—the only independent shop left in his market, surrounded by consolidators and DRP-fed competition. And here’s the hook: with the cards stacked against him, John isn’t just staying alive—he’s still growing and building a new, larger shop.

We break down the real playbook for how an independent wins when insurers try to steer customers away before the shop even gets a shot.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How John combats insurance steering with a simple “right to choose” message that actually works
• The front-office approach that wins the job before the insurance company can redirect it
• Why writing a quick estimate and “following up later” is where independents lose
• How John sells against big chains without going negative
• The contract and scheduling strategy he uses to lock in commitment and reduce lost jobs

If you’re trying to stand out, protect your volume, and grow in a market that’s been bought out around you—this episode is for you.

Most shops run sales on gut feel. Shane Orlando runs it on a system.

In this episode of Operational Intelligence, Shane Orlando from Orlando Auto Body breaks down how he tracks closing ratios, why it matters to production and profitability, and how any shop can implement a straightforward workflow to monitor leads, estimates, follow-up, and sold jobs—so the business isn’t relying on assumptions.

If you want more sold jobs, more predictable scheduling, and fewer surprises in car count, this conversation gives you a practical model to start using immediately.

Episode 2 — How BodyWorks Plus Built a Culture That Runs Itself (with Brian Davies)

Operational Intelligence

What if your shop’s culture was so strong that the team held itself accountable — without you constantly checking, reminding, or chasing people down?

That’s the focus in this episode.

In Episode 2 of Operational Intelligence, I sit down with Brian Davies, owner of BodyWorks Plus in Charlotte — one of the few shops in the country where the culture is so tight, so intentional, and so team-driven that you can feel it the moment you walk through the door.

I’ve been inside more than a hundred shops over the past 15 years, and Brian’s stands out for one simple reason: his people don’t just follow the systems — they create them.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The unique origin story behind BodyWorks Plus
• How Brian used coaching, manufacturing principles, and leadership training to shape the environment
• The daily accountability meeting that keeps everyone aligned
• The surprising ritual the team invented themselves — and why it instantly shows who’s engaged
• Why Brian shares all the numbers openly with the team
• How cross-training and repair-planning meetings prevent mistakes and department friction
• What Brian does to develop “mini-operators” who could run future locations
• The real definition of culture — and how any owner can start building it

And here’s the part that might surprise you:

The strongest elements of Brian’s culture didn’t come from him —
they came from his technicians and managers.

This episode is not about theory, slogans, or feel-good leadership talk.
It’s a how-to lesson in building a shop where people take ownership, look out for each other, and want to win together.

If you’ve ever wondered how great shops create accountability, train their teams, and eliminate chaos — this episode will show you exactly how it’s done.

Welcome to Episode 2 of Operational Intelligence — featuring Brian Davies of BodyWorks Plus.

www.herogroup.ai

Episode 1 — Why This Podcast Exists (And Why the Industry Needs It)

Operational Intelligence

What if every collision shop owner could peek behind the curtain of the best operators in the country — and steal the one thing they do better than everyone else?

That’s the reason this podcast exists.

In the debut episode of Operational Intelligence, I explain why I decided the industry needed a show like this. Not another podcast about news, not another discussion about what insurers are doing, and not another broad conversation about “the state of the industry.” We already have those.

This podcast fills a different gap.

For more than 15 years, I’ve been inside over a hundred collision shops. And in every single one, there was one standout thing — one system, one habit, one cultural trait, one operational move — that separated the best from the rest.

Those moments usually happened off-camera, behind the shop, during sales calls or casual conversations.
And they were often the most useful, practical insights any shop owner could ask for.

So in this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why showcasing individual operators (not experts or theorists) is the key to real learning
• How focusing on one thing each shop does exceptionally well makes every episode a takeaway-driven lesson
• The gap I see across the industry — and why no existing podcast is filling it
• What Operational Intelligence will cover (and what it deliberately won’t)
• How this series will help owners run smarter, smoother, and more profitable shops
• Why these aren’t interviews — they’re how-to conversations with real operators solving real problems

If you’ve ever wished you could borrow someone else’s systems, shortcuts, culture ideas, or operational playbooks… this podcast is designed to give you exactly that, one shop at a time.

Welcome to Episode 1 of Operational Intelligence — the “why” behind the show.