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  • Retire Rich or Die Wrenching? Real Talk on Money, Generational Wealth, and Getting Out of the Game

    Retire Rich or Die Wrenching? Real Talk on Money, Generational Wealth, and Getting Out of the Game
    2025/10/24
    In this hard-hitting episode of Repair Shop Reckoning, Kevin sits down with Travis Smith, his financial advisor for the past 9 years, a trusted partner in planning the future of both his companies and his team.

    If you’re a shop owner, blue-collar entrepreneur, or hard-working technician wondering what retirement will really look like, this conversation will hit home. Kevin and Travis break down what no one is talking about in the industry: how to retire with dignity not with regret. From SIMPLE IRAs and compound interest to the generational wealth gap and boomer transitions, this episode dives deep into:

    -The real math behind retirement (spoiler: Social Security won't cut it)

    -Why most shop owners fail their people by avoiding long-term financial planning

    -How Gen X and Millennials can catch up and still build real wealth

    -What Kevin is doing differently to make sure his team actually retires

    -How to set up your business to run without you—and be worth selling

    -Why giving 10% equity to his top guys was the smartest move Kevin ever made

    -Why Travis believes most advisors are failing their clients

    -And what happens when AI, inflation, and aging boomers collide

    There’s strategy. There’s history. There’s straight-up truth about legacy, money, and what happens when the old guard starts stepping out leaving businesses behind for the next generation. Whether you're 22 or 62, if you don't know what you're doing with your money... you're already losing.

    📢 This is a must-watch for shop owners who want to keep their people, build something that lasts, and get out without burning it all down.
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    1 時間 14 分
  • Leadership Is the Problem...And the Solution

    Leadership Is the Problem...And the Solution
    2025/10/17
    In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Chris Craig returns to Repair Shop Reckoning to tear the lid off the real issue plaguing the automotive industry: Toxic Leadership!

    From the dealership drama to independent shop dynamics, Chris and Kevin dive deep into the culture clashes, ego-driven managers, and leadership failures that fuel technician burnout, broken systems, and the ongoing skilled labor crisis. They don’t hold back.

    You’ll hear stories from both sides of the shop advisor and tech, flat rate and hourly, indie and dealer. Chris shares what really happens behind closed doors in dealerships, from dummy appointments to sabotage between techs and service writers. Kevin brings the independent world perspective, showing how leadership can build culture, empower teams, and create profitable, drama-free shops if done right.

    They dig into:
    -The ego epidemic in management
    -How poor leadership ruins flat rate systems
    -Real solutions to increase efficiency without killing morale
    -Why technicians and advisors are fighting each other (when they should be partners)
    -The power of AI to save time and build trust
    -Why culture starts at the top and the hard truth most owners avoid
    -And a mic-drop moment on how keeping a toxic high performer can silently destroy your entire shop

    This episode isn’t just a rant. It’s a roadmap for what great leadership actually looks like in the shop. If you care about retention, culture, and real shop success, this one’s a must-listen. Time to stop blaming flat rate and start looking in the mirror.
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    1 時間 28 分
  • Strong Shops Need Strong Leaders: Why Culture Fails Without Accountability

    Strong Shops Need Strong Leaders: Why Culture Fails Without Accountability
    2025/10/17
    In this no filter, full throttle episode of Repair Shop Reckoning, Kevin and Jason tackle the real reason your shop culture sucks — and it starts at the top. Forget the fluff about happy cultures and Google-style perks. This is a masterclass in leadership, accountability, and building a shop that actually works. If you’re a shop owner, manager, or tech tired of excuses, underperformers, or being the bottleneck in your own business, this one hits hard. In this episode:
    • Why culture starts with your backbone, not your breakroom perks
    • How policies and expectations create alignment and consistency
    • Kevin’s 56K sandblaster gamble and how it paid off
    • The truth about letting customers bring their own parts
    • Flat rate debates, dealership drama, and why your number one tech might be killing morale
    • How AI is saving shops time and money and why one furry troll didn’t like it
    • Why the me first mindset ruins companies and how to build process around people
    • What happens when a shop owner finally says, “I’m the problem.”
    From hilarious stories to brutal business truth bombs, this episode lays it all out — culture, leadership, parts profits, tech drama, and the owner mindset that separates the winners from the whiners.
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    54 分
  • The Truth About Running a Shop: Culture, Pay, GPTs, and the Real Cost of Leadership

    The Truth About Running a Shop: Culture, Pay, GPTs, and the Real Cost of Leadership
    2025/10/17
    What if the reason your shop is struggling isn’t flat rate… but your culture, your pricing, and your leadership? In this solo deep dive, Kevin peels back the curtain on what it really takes to run a successful, profitable, no-BS repair business in today’s climate. From dealing with walkout employees and overhyped social media critics to offering benefits, 401(k) matches, paid vacations, and even profit sharing Kevin lays it all out, raw and unfiltered. You’ll hear:
    • Why shop culture starts at the top—and how most owners are the problem.
    • The real math behind pricing, labor rates, and profitability.
    • How Kevin’s built a team of loyal, profitable, happy employees some of whom now own part of the company.
    • Why you should stop apologizing for running your shop like a business.
    • The truth about hourly vs flat rate when it works and when it fails.
    • The game-changing GPT technology Kevin built to save time, boost efficiency, and take shop operations to the next level.
    From hilarious stories of walkouts and terrible painters to breakdowns of employee handbooks, leadership structure, and AI automation this episode is a masterclass for shop owners who want to dominate their numbers without selling their soul. Whether you’re in a pole barn or a multi-bay operation, this episode will challenge your excuses and sharpen your tools.

    Ready for your own reckoning?
    Want your own custom GPT for your shop? Message us.
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    57 分
  • Strong Shops Need Strong Leaders: Why Culture Fails Without Accountability

    Strong Shops Need Strong Leaders: Why Culture Fails Without Accountability
    2025/10/10
    In this no filter, full throttle episode of Repair Shop Reckoning, Kevin and Jason tackle the real reason your shop culture sucks and it starts at the top. Forget the fluff about happy cultures and Google-style perks. This is a masterclass in leadership, accountability, and building a shop that actually works. If you’re a shop owner, manager, or tech tired of excuses, underperformers, or being the bottleneck in your own business, this one hits hard. In this episode:
    • Why culture starts with your backbone, not your breakroom perks
    • How policies and expectations create alignment and consistency
    • Kevin’s 56K sandblaster gamble and how it paid off
    • The truth about letting customers bring their own parts
    • Flat rate debates, dealership drama, and why your number one tech might be killing morale
    • How AI is saving shops time and money and why one furry troll didn’t like it
    • Why the me first mindset ruins companies and how to build process around people
    • What happens when a shop owner finally says, “I’m the problem.”
    From hilarious stories to brutal business truth bombs, this episode lays it all out culture, leadership, parts profits, tech drama, and the owner mindset that separates the winners from the whiners. Want a culture worth bragging about? Start with a Full Reckoning Audit
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    54 分