In this episode, Dave Macholz, founder and CEO of AVTECC, discusses the transformation of technician certification through a skills-based, performance testing model. He outlines how AVTECC’s pilot programs in four colleges are working to bridge the gap between traditional education and real-world competency. The conversation also explores the resistance to change in the industry, highlighting the need for combining technical proficiency with enduring, “durable” skills to raise both technician and employer standards.

Stop managing chaos and start leading with purpose. Visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co to learn more about Limitless Leadership coaching, training, and speaking.

Visit Golden Hour Garage at https://www.goldenhourgarage.com to schedule a discovery call - & Own Your Golden Hour.

Visit https://www.thebeardedbrotherhood.co to grab your grooming essentials from The Bearded Brotherhood.

Stop managing chaos and start leading with purpose. Visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co to learn more about Limitless Leadership coaching, training, and speaking.

Optimize Labor. Unlock Capacity. For less than $5 a day per technician, improve absorption rate, increase ELR, and give

your techs the career pathway that keeps them engaged and in the bay. Book a demo today!

https://meetings.hubspot.com/jen-grimes/demo-meeting?utm_campaign=41778739-Limitless+Leadership&utm_source=Limited+Leadership&utm_medium=LL+referral&uuid=57616c84-28ec-48d0-9a44-7b64074e5d8c

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction & Meet Dave Macholz
01:23 – What AVTECC Is and Why It Matters
03:14 – 4 Pilot Schools Leading the Change
06:29 – Where Tech Education Fails: Real-World Skills Gaps
08:00 – The Vision: Community Colleges as Regional Skill Centers
10:15 – Safety, Accountability & Hands-On Certification
12:03 – New Era: ADAS, EVs, and the Evidence Employers Want
16:06 – Industry Backing and Overcoming Resistance
18:41 – The Roots of Testing: Voluntary Certification and Its Limits
22:07 – The Reality of Shop Pay and Technician Value
28:33 – The Next Step: Training, Practice, and Performance

I'm Josh Parnell, Founder and CEO of Limitless Leadership. With a team of leadership coaches, trainers, and speakers, Limitless Leadership helps aspiring leaders tap into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results.

For more information, please visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co.

In this episode, Eric Svedberg, owner of European Auto Works and founder of Fuel Coaching, joins the podcast to talk about the importance of coaching for shop owners. Eric shares how building effective systems and empowering staff are critical for scaling a business and freeing up the owner’s time. He also emphasizes that both professional and personal growth can result from having the right coach, encouraging owners to seek support and not let past negative experiences hold them back.

Learn more about Promotive or start your next search at https://www.gopromotive.com.

Visit https://www.tekmetric.com to book a demo and see how Tekmetric can help you run your shop with more clarity and confidence.

Stop managing chaos and start leading with purpose. Visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co to learn more about Limitless Leadership coaching, training, and speaking.

Optimize Labor. Unlock Capacity. For less than $5 a day per technician, improve absorption rate, increase ELR, and give

your techs the career pathway that keeps them engaged and in the bay. Book a demo today!

https://meetings.hubspot.com/jen-grimes/demo-meeting?utm_campaign=41778739-Limitless+Leadership&utm_source=Limited+Leadership&utm_medium=LL+referral&uuid=57616c84-28ec-48d0-9a44-7b64074e5d8c

Timestamps:

00:00 – Meet Eric Svedberg: Decades in the Industry
02:27 – Leaving the Gas Business: The Birth of Automotive Specialists
04:28 – Systemizing Success: Working One Day a Week
05:21 – The Realities & Rewards of Shop Coaching
08:00 – Why Every Leader Needs a Coach
10:36 – Overcoming Skepticism: Finding the Right Coaching Fit
13:38 – Creating a Professional Advantage: Book Insights
17:23 – Learning from Your Clients: Growth as a Coach
20:05 – Shop Culture: Core Values and Morning Huddles
22:51 – Empowerment Over Control: Delegation & Scaling
23:45 – Systems and Game-Changing Leadership Rules
31:29 – The Best Advice: Want Big Problems!

I'm Josh Parnell, Founder and CEO of Limitless Leadership. With a team of leadership coaches, trainers, and speakers, Limitless Leadership helps aspiring leaders tap into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results.

For more information, please visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co.

In this episode, Charlie Burke and Luke Murray, training managers with Worldpac, share their journeys from humble beginnings to impactful leadership roles. Charlie Burke reflects on the value of industry-specific training, emphasizing how targeted education can transform struggling businesses into award-winning operations. Luke Murray highlights the importance of business management skills for shop owners, noting the powerful shift required when moving from technician to leader.

Learn more about Promotive or start your next search at https://www.gopromotive.com.

Visit Golden Hour Garage at https://www.goldenhourgarage.com to schedule a discovery call - & Own Your Golden Hour.

Stop wasting your marketing dollars and connect with Shop Marketing pros at https://www.shopmarketingpros.com.

Visit https://www.tekmetric.com to book a demo and see how Tekmetric can help you run your shop with more clarity and confidence.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Meet Charlie Burke & Luke Murray
01:33 – Charlie Burke’s Story: From Aviation Setback to Training Leader
04:06 – Luke Murray’s Early Lessons in Entrepreneurship & Mentorship
09:10 – “I Can’t Afford Training”: Breaking the Mindset That Holds Shops Back
12:11 – Technicians vs. Coaches: The Mindset Shift Owners Need
14:05 – What STX Really Offers: World-Class Training & Connection
18:29 – Practice, Not Just Play: Turning Knowledge Into Shop-Wide Wins
24:51 – What Leadership Means (and Looks Like) Today
32:38 – The Best Advice Charlie Burke & Luke Murray Ever Received

I'm Josh Parnell, Founder and CEO of Limitless Leadership. With a team of leadership coaches, trainers, and speakers, Limitless Leadership helps aspiring leaders tap into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results.

For more information, please visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co.

In this episode, Josh Parnell welcomes Connor Tracy, Product Evangelist and Director of Partner Development at Kukui. Connor shares his journey from working in auto repair shops to leading teams and embracing servant leadership. He emphasizes the importance of empowering team members, developing active listening skills, and aligning leadership strategies with individual definitions of success.

Stop wasting your marketing dollars and connect with Shop Marketing pros at https://www.shopmarketingpros.com.

Visit https://www.tekmetric.com to book a demo and see how Tekmetric can help you run your shop with more clarity and confidence.

Timestamps:

00:00 From bar hours to Kukui role

05:50 Balancing work and family life

07:19 House fire incident on the way

10:51 Recognizing burnout signals

14:18 Empowering leadership and ownership

17:13 Defining personal success metrics

22:30 Managing a challenging business atmosphere

25:57 Connor's best advice

28:02 The importance of listening

30:54 Kukui's auto repair marketing expertise

I'm Josh Parnell, Founder and CEO of Limitless Leadership. With a team of leadership coaches, trainers, and speakers, Limitless Leadership helps aspiring leaders tap into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results.

For more information, please visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co.

In this episode, Josh welcomes Eddie Campbell, also known as "Eddie in Service," general manager and industry influencer. Eddie shares his leadership philosophy, emphasizing the importance of leading by example through actions like working alongside his team and empowering employees to serve customers. He also highlights the challenges and opportunities of connecting with younger generations in the workplace, adapting leadership and communication styles to meet their needs.

Learn more about Promotive or start your next search at https://www.gopromotive.com.

Stop wasting your marketing dollars and connect with Shop Marketing pros at https://www.shopmarketingpros.com.

Visit https://www.tekmetric.com to book a demo and see how Tekmetric can help you run your shop with more clarity and confidence.

Visit https://auto.tekmetric.com/4r7jaUw to register for Tektonic In Houston, Texas, April 9th - 11th.

Visit Golden Hour Garage at https://www.goldenhourgarage.com to schedule a discovery call - & Own Your Golden Hour.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Meet Eddie Campbell
01:10 – Demystifying Auto Service for Customers
02:29 – Eddie’s Roots: Growing up in Independent Shops
03:34 – Lessons from a Life in Every Role, from Lube Tech to GM
06:01 – Situational Leadership: Adapting Across Generations
07:02 – What Leadership Means to Eddie
09:05 – Why “We Work Together” Is More Than a Motto
10:33 – The Power of Leading from the Trenches
12:13 – Empowering Teams: Giving Authority and Building Trust
17:10 – Why the Little Things Matter: Creating Customers for Life
18:07 – Eddie’s Best Advice & Inspiration from Star Trek

I'm Josh Parnell, Founder and CEO of Limitless Leadership. With a team of leadership coaches, trainers, and speakers, Limitless Leadership helps aspiring leaders tap into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results.

For more information, please visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co.

In this episode, host Josh is joined by Levi O'Brien, founder and CEO of Vintage Plumbing Services. Levi O'Brien shares how upgrading communication doubled his company’s business, explains his unique 50/50 partnership model that creates entrepreneurs within his organization, and discusses the life-changing impact of focusing on serving others above profit.

Stop managing chaos and start leading with purpose. Visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co to learn more about Limitless Leadership coaching, training, and speaking.

Visit https://www.tekmetric.com to book a demo and see how Tekmetric can help you run your shop with more clarity and confidence.

Visit https://auto.tekmetric.com/4r7jaUw to register for Tektonic In Houston, Texas, April 9th - 11th.

Stop wasting your marketing dollars and connect with Shop Marketing pros at https://www.shopmarketingpros.com.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction: Meet Levi O’Brien

01:51 – The Reluctant Plumber: Childhood Lessons & Family Business

03:40 – Upgrading Communication: How Tech Doubled Revenue

06:00 – Creating Jobs, Not Just Income: Shifting the Focus

07:35 – Partnerships, Not Employees: The 50/50 Model

10:24 – Navigating Tough Calls and Servant Leadership

13:10 – Proving Yourself vs. Improving Yourself

14:00 – Loss, Faith, and True Transformation

17:27 – Building Lasting Relationships and Unshakeable Trust

20:33 – What Leadership Means Now: Service & Sacrifice

25:18 – Content but Not Comfortable: Growth Never Ends

I'm Josh Parnell, Founder and CEO of Limitless Leadership. With a team of leadership coaches, trainers, and speakers, Limitless Leadership helps aspiring leaders tap into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results.

For more information, please visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co.

In this episode, Josh Parnell is joined by Chris Cloutier, founder and CEO of AutoFlow, at the 2025 APPEX Show in Las Vegas. Chris shares how transparent communication is essential in the auto repair industry, highlighting AutoFlow’s role in building trust with customers. He discusses his three core values—caring enough to make a difference, demonstrating grit, and viewing feedback as a gift—that guide his leadership approach. Chris also offers practical advice for entrepreneurs and shop owners, emphasizing the importance of stepping away from the table to make thoughtful decisions.

Learn more about Promotive or start your next search at https://www.gopromotive.com.

Stop managing chaos and start leading with purpose. Visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co to learn more about Limitless Leadership coaching, training, and speaking.

Visit https://www.tekmetric.com to book a demo and see how Tekmetric can help you run your shop with more clarity and confidence.

Visit https://auto.tekmetric.com/4r7jaUw to register for Tektonic In Houston, Texas, April 9th - 11th.

Visit https://integrity1auto.com to learn more about Integrity 1st Car Pros, and https://www.Integrity1Franchise.com to complete the Franchise Fit questionnaire.

Timestamps:

00:00 "Auto Repair Transparency Innovator"

03:59 "Proactive Auto Repair Communication"

07:03 AI Enhancing Consumer Transparency

10:18 "Care Enough to Change"

14:47 "Feedback Is a Gift"

19:15 "Leadership and Team Expansion"

21:28 "Prioritize People Over Profits"

24:48 "Addressing Workplace Tension Decisions"

28:34 "Setting Boundaries Changes Life"

32:30 "Streamlined Customer Journey Solutions"

I'm Josh Parnell, Founder and CEO of Limitless Leadership. With a team of leadership coaches, trainers, and speakers, Limitless Leadership helps aspiring leaders tap into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results.

For more information, please visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co.

In this episode, Josh Parnell is joined by Frank Ziede, professional facilitator and author. Frank shares insights from his 25 years of experience training leaders and teams, emphasizing the importance of mindset and emotional intelligence in effective facilitation. Together, they discuss how genuine connection and servant leadership drive engagement and performance within organizations.

Stop managing chaos and start leading with purpose. Visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co to learn more about Limitless Leadership coaching, training, and speaking.

Visit Golden Hour Garage at https://www.goldenhourgarage.com to schedule a discovery call - & Own Your Golden Hour.

Visit https://www.thebeardedbrotherhood.co to grab your grooming essentials from The Bearded Brotherhood.

Timestamps:

00:00 Mindset and Soft Skills Training

04:13 "Engaged Learning Is Best"

06:43 "Leadership, Learning, and Perspective"

10:52 "Distracted Student with Business Crisis"

15:16 Leadership Through Courage and Care

17:36 Unlocking Potential Through Leadership

21:06 "Servant Leadership Explained Simply"

22:57 "Selflessness Yields Greater Rewards"

28:03 "Real-Life Motivation Examples"

29:38 "Connection Drives Engagement, Performance"

32:33 "Focus on What Truly Matters"

I'm Josh Parnell, Founder and CEO of Limitless Leadership. With a team of leadership coaches, trainers, and speakers, Limitless Leadership helps aspiring leaders tap into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results.

For more information, please visit https://www.limitlessleadership.co.