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!"

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

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

Tekmetrics' business model of listening to customers' needs and implementing new systems makes them super shop-friendly. Start using them at your shop today HERE

Turnkey Marketing has made my life SOOO much simpler, AND they've helped keep the phone ringing. Do you need these two things too? Learn more HERE

Elite Worldwide is helping me make my shop elite. Monthly coaching with actionable goals and accountability, I need. I highly recommend them to you. See what they're all about HERE

In this episode, Mike Allen is joined by Jessee Potter and Ryan Ragan to preview NEXT WEEK'S ASTA Expo. Ryan highlights the exciting new location and expanded logistics, making the event more accessible and enjoyable for all attendees. Jessee shares details about the social events, including a unique on-site pre-party with sumo matches and interactive games, as well as the return of Casino Night with a new money booth and great prizes.

Timestamps:
00:00 "Pre-Expo Stress and Travel"

04:22 Seamless Event Facility Upgrade

06:50 Event with Food, Games, and Drinks

13:12 Cigar Rolling Event Announcement

14:03 Innovative Event Feedback Approach

19:02 Comprehensive Auto Shop Training Event

21:29 Trade Show: Fun & Transformative Training

26:05 Expanded Trade Show Timing

28:27 Event Meet-and-Greet Vision

32:43 Show Planning: Big Picture to Details

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

Greg Buckley is the owner of Buckley's Auto Care in Wilmington, Delaware. Today, he tells Mike and Bryan about his latest venture - opening an online radio station for repair shops...AND...writing podcast theme music for Confessions of a Shop Owner?? Yep. This could get out of control quickly.

00:00 Unique Hospitality Suite Design

07:04 Tire Question: 22 GMC Denali Sierra

13:33 Owner's Secret: "I Sell Used Tires"

18:38 Adapting Shows for Podcasts

21:58 "Greg Shows Off His Music Writing Skills

32:30 Vocal Processing in Live Music

37:19 "Reluctant Sumo Suit Challenge"

41:31 Panther Chase School Tradition

47:13 Doctor Approves Drinking Alcohol

53:08 Buick Misfire Issue

57:21 "Switching to OE Tooling"

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

In this episode, Mike and Bryan are joined by John Firm of Firm Automotive in Fort Worth, Texas. John talks about how he focuses his shop around fleet work, saying fleet accounts provide a lot of stability. The guys also bring up the cons of being a "hero" shop, pointing out that knowing your niche and charging your value is a smarter business model. Also, just wait till you hear the latest shop confession story.

00:00 "The Hero Shop Trap"

08:23 "Questioning Job Performance Value"

15:50 Preventing Employee Disengagement

17:40 Fuel Strategy Documentary

23:20 Cowboy Style Origins

28:59 Journey to Amazon Fishing Expedition

34:27 Cultural Perspectives on Size

39:54 "Exotic Wildlife at Low Fence Ranch"

48:30 Confident in Technician's Expertise

53:23 Letting Go: Business Challenges

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

In this episode, Mike Allen and Matt Lofton talk about an up-and-down summer at Mike's small shop. Matt brings up the importance of setting clear goals and trigger points for accountability within the management team, and how Mike needs to act quickly on underperformance. Mike talks through recent staffing challenges, hiring decisions, and fine-tuning systems for both the front and back of house.

00:00 Striving for Consistent Excellence

05:24 Improving Customer Agreement Strategies

09:47 Performance Assessment and Action Plan

13:35 Performance Audit and Response Strategy

14:53 "Quick Solutions for Team Efficiency"

18:26 Rapid Impact on Underperformance

23:34 "Goal Setting for Revenue Efficiency"

25:53 "Optimizing Employee Impact on Revenue"

28:08 Optimal Employee Productivity Range

32:03 Service Revenue and Support Staff

36:52 Evaluate Sales Momentum

39:57 Optimizing Pre-Booking Appointments Strategy

42:52 "Easter Giveaways and Money Strategy"

45:29 Predicting Sales Opportunities

48:51 Sumo Suit Fun and Tips

Tekmetrics' business model of listening to customers' needs and implementing new systems makes them super shop-friendly. Start using them at your shop today HERE

Turnkey Marketing has made my life SOOO much simpler, AND they've helped keep the phone ringing. Do you need these two things too? Learn more HERE

Elite Worldwide is helping me make my shop elite. Monthly coaching with actionable goals and accountability, I need. I highly recommend them to you. See what they're all about HERE

In this episode, Mike and Bryan are joined by Erich Schmidt of Schmidt Auto Care. Erich talks about the time he nearly fell victim to an elaborate online truck sales scam and details the red flags that helped him catch it just in time. The guys also talk about their shared obsession with motorcycles, and Erich describes his diverse collection and the role riding plays in his life. Erich also talks about how his recent professional growth and industry networking have contributed to his business’s record success.

00:00 Meet Erich - He Likes Bikes

05:01 Motorcycle Collection Overview

07:10 Off-Road and Supermoto Passion

11:37 "Sunday Rides on Kentucky Roads"

14:39 Motorcycle Journey: New Orleans to Jacksonville

18:21 Efficient Workshop Equipment Organization

20:12 Technician Burnout and Tesla Hiring

26:14 Facebook Marketplace Truck Search

28:40 "Reluctant Road Trip Avoided"

31:59 Dealership Doubts and Financial Precautions

35:37 "Deciding Against Potential Scam"

38:08 Photo Theft at Florida Dealership

41:31 Mystery of Tipton Motorsports Location

45:52 Hiring Boosts Efficiency and Revenue

48:33 "Learning from Friends' Insights"

52:01 Passion for Automotive Industry Growth

54:16 Reflecting on Missed Business Opportunities