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Confessions of a Shop Owner

Confessions of a Shop Owner

By: Mike Allen
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Confessions of a Shop Owner is hosted by Mike Allen, a third-generation shop owner, perpetual pot-stirrer, and brutally honest opinion sharer. In this weekly podcast, Mike shares his missteps so you don’t have to repeat them. Along the way, he chats with other industry personalities who’ve messed up, too, pulling back the curtain on the realities of running an independent auto repair shop. But this podcast isn’t just about Mike’s journey. It’s about confronting the divisive and questionable tactics many shop owners and managers use. Mike is here to stir the pot and address the painful truths while offering a way forward. Together, we’ll tackle the frustrations, shake things up, and help create a better future for the auto repair industry.© 2025 Mike Allen Economics Leadership Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Ep 49 - Lucas Underwood and Jeff Compton | Is Jeff Compton Unemployable?
    Oct 7 2025

    My marketing before and after signing up with Turnkey Marketing is pretty scary. In a good way. Get your marketing right today HERE

    Tekmetric opened my eyes to just how much a good SMS will do for a shop. Their software is top of the line, and with them, so is my shop. Try them for yourself HERE

    I was SHOCKED when I saw the things I was missing the first time I used Detect Auto. Simple things, but easy to miss. Detect Auto helped clean that up for me, and they can for you, too. Use them HERE

    Register for Tekmetric's Tektonic Conference in Huston coming up in 2026 HERE


    Lucas Underwood and Jeff Compton join Mike today to stir the pot, reflect on Jeff cheating in the sumo wrestling match at the ASTA Expo, and how it's okay for shop owners to run their shop differently. The conversation also covers the constant push/pull of personal fulfillment vs the desire to make money for shop owners, and that for this industry to change, it starts with owners investing in themselves and their people.

    Timestamps:

    00:00 ASTA Sumo Wrestling Bout Recap

    08:59 Short-Sighted Industry Tactics are Harmful

    14:06 Challenging Traditional Auto Industry Tactics

    16:52 "Embracing Unreasonable Hospitality for Change"

    26:39 Communication in Workplace Performance

    28:49 "Understanding Industry Challenges and Growth"

    36:35 Front-End Inefficiency Costs Profits

    41:01 Realizing Leadership and Business Skills

    46:50 Failed Shop Sales Insights

    52:10 Rediscovering Purpose After Feeling Lost

    57:41 "Bobby, Send Mike Home!"

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Ep 48 - Sunil Patel | Tekmetric is Taking Over The World!
    Sep 30 2025

    To learn more about how Tekmetric's software can change the future of your repair shop like it did for me, touch HERE

    Turnkey Marketing takes the stress of doing something I'm not good at off my plate. And gives it to someone who is. Click HERE for more.

    Elite Worldwide will keep you accountable and show you the road to shop success. They are for me. Find out how HERE

    Register for Tekmetric's Tektonic Conference in Huston coming up in 2026 HERE


    Sunil Patel is the Founder and CEO of Tekmetric. Today, he and Mike unveil Tekmetric's new set it and forget it marketing solution, that allows shop owners to effortlessly bring in new customers with just the flip of a switch. Sunil even brings up that they are ready to dip their toes into the AI space with call scoring. If Sunil and his team aren't busy enough, in 2026 they are hosting their own industry event "Tektonic". Hear he and Mike talk about that and more today!

    Register for Tektonic HERE!

    Timestamps:
    00:00 Simplified Marketing for Repair Shops

    03:44 "Tekmetric: Efficient and User-Friendly CRM"

    09:27 FCC Tightens Rules on Mass Texting

    13:03 VoIP Call Scoring Development

    14:22 Excitement for Analytics-Driven Technology

    18:07 Inclusive Industry Conference Initiative

    21:37 AI-Enhanced Vehicle Repair Orders

    25:28 Digital Shift in Vehicle Services

    28:12 "Digital Auto Repair Authorization"

    33:45 Test Drive Disaster: Car Engulfed

    35:31 Sunil with a confession

    Show More Show Less
    42 mins
  • Ep 47 - Coaching Call #9 | To Sell More - Talk to More Customers
    Sep 23 2025

    If you're like me and aren't good at marketing, don't do it on your own. Let the experts handle it. Touch HERE for more on Turnkey Marketing.

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

    There are a lot of moving parts in a repair shop, opening the door to missing things. Don't let that happen to you. Learn more about Detect Auto


    Mike Allen and Matt Lofton jump into coaching call number nine and talk mainly about how to increase sales at Mike's shop. Matt shares research from Brian Tracy, saying that service advisors MUST spend more time engaging with customers to boost closing rates. They also talk about the strategy of splitting repair estimates into more manageable repair plans and the value of setting customer expectations during intake.

    Timestamps:
    00:00 Increase Customer Interaction to Boost Sales

    03:55 Finding Time to Exercise is HARD

    09:50 August Repair Order Analysis

    12:26 Sales Process Challenge or Estimation Issue?

    17:24 Optimizing Sales and Inspection Strategy

    19:17 Costly Repairs Lead to Car Disposal

    22:17 Two-Stage Vehicle Repair Approval Process

    26:55 "Impact of Tech Quote Changes"

    28:31 Choosing Repair Strategies Effectively

    33:06 Improving Preventative Maintenance Estimation

    36:54 Importance of Effective Intake Process

    40:33 Enhancing Customer Interaction Experience

    42:35 Maximize Sales by Reducing Admin Tasks

    45:22 Customer Engagement Improves Experiences

    48:40 Addressing Customer Fear with Transparency

    Show More Show Less
    56 mins
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