Beyond the Wrench

In this recorded webinar, Jay Goninen and Mark Wilson, Co-Founders of WrenchWay, are joined by ASE President & CEO, Dave Johnson, to announce a new partnership with School Assist, the online platform that connects schools with industry. They discuss new product features, the growth of School Assist, and the progressive ASE and WrenchWay partnership. Referenced Materials: School Assist Webinar...

As a former technician, Larry Hourcle is now an Academy Instructor at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and a valuable voice for dealerships seeking growth. This episode explores Larry’s career transition, the importance of technician development, setting the right tone at the shop, and key career advice for technicians. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest: Larry Hou...

Ray Clark, Director of Training and Development for Truck Country and Stoops Freightliner, shares insights on the industry's need to collaborate with schools. He emphasizes the importance of building relationships with students starting in middle school, discusses challenges in getting counselors to advocate for the trades, and highlights key elements for conducting effective advisory committ...

Brent Kindred, Vice President of The Wisconsin Automobile & Truck Dealers Association (WATDA) Foundation, addresses the status of the technician shortage and stresses the importance of industry involvement with schools to help fill the gap. He shares how the WATDA Foundation provides scholarships and summer camps for middle school students to ignite interest in auto and diesel careers. View th...

Nick Stafford, Talent Acquisition Lead at JX Truck Center, strives to serve each person he meets in their career journey. He emphasizes the importance of building relationships with students during the recruitment process, explains why the traditional “hard sell” recruiting approach is outdated, and shares insights on the growing number of sponsored students. View the video podcast on YouTube Abou...

Cole Strandberg, Managing Director at Focus Investment Banking and Host of the Collision Vision Podcast, discusses three future growth options for single-location shops. He highlights helpful Small Business Administration (SBA) resources and examines opportunities arising from retiring boomer shop owners. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest: Cole Strandberg Managing Director, Focus I...

Jason Garfoot, Global Portfolio Manager at 3M, started by custom painting motorcycle helmets for friends, which sparked his passion for the body and paint industry. Now at 3M, he is exploring “the science of why,” and gathering insights from forward-thinking industry leaders to continue to drive progress. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest: Jason Garfoot Global Portfolio Manager, 3M...

Ryan Marrinan, Body Repair Trainer at the 3M Collision Repair Academy, began as a technician. Now, he helps shape future technicians by inspiring young people about automotive technology—explaining the “why” behind engineers’ designs and teaching technicians of all experience levels. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest: Ryan Marrinan Body Repair Trainer, 3M Collision Repair Academy r...

Deron Lundgren, Zone Retailer Aftersales Manager at Subaru of America, shares strategies for improving customer relationships and driving new business. He discusses techniques such as evaluating inbound calls, using role-playing for team coaching, and conducting clear communication with customers to enhance the service experience. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest: Deron Lundgren Z...

Jay "Joern" Aebert, Master Technician, breaks down Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)—simplifying everything from setting up ADAS in your shop and mastering the core knowledge needed to operate the technology, to creating the ideal space and environment for repairs. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest: Jay Aebert Master Technician Connect with Jay on LinkedIn About O...

David Boyes, President of Today’s Class, joins us to discuss how their company has made training more accessible for today’s technicians. Today’s Class focuses on the automotive aftermarket by creating personalized learning paths, adapting to ongoing industry advancements, and offering concise lessons that users can easily retain and build upon. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest: D...

From valet to Dealership Academy Instructor at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), Jim O'Donnell joins us to discuss financial management in a dealership. He highlights how 40-60% of gross profit comes from the fixed ops department, but it rarely gets the attention it deserves. Jim emphasizes the importance of focusing on fixed ops and offers tips for communicating financial i...

Mike Wiant, Regional Sales Representative at Shelby American, is a catalyst in the auto industry, driven by a passion for inspiring students and engaging with local schools. From initiating exciting events like, "Drive a Shelby to School Day" and “AutoBlast,” Mike is dedicated to getting students excited about careers in the auto profession. His efforts also support schools and help fost...

As an ASE Master Automotive Technician, Robert Solei's positive attitude and happiness are contagious both in the shop and throughout this episode. He walks us through his career, highlighting his early years as an automotive technician, discussing a life-changing event that shaped his outlook today, and sharing his honest opinion on the flat rate pay system. View the video podcast on YouTube...

Bruce Spencer, Owner of Walt Eger’s Service Center, shares his journey from corporate life to shop ownership. He emphasizes the importance of hiring a COO, living by the shop's values, fostering friendly competition among technicians, and maintaining the right level of profit transparency with his team. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest: Bruce Spencer Owner, Walt Eger’s Servic...

Derek Thompson, an ASE World Class Toyota Technician at Walser Toyota, walks us through how Walser has prioritized their technicians, the expansion of their new shop, and how Derek has maintained his most important tool—his body—throughout his years as a technician. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest: Derek Thompson ASE World Class Toyota Technician, Walser Toyota dlthompson@walser....

Ryan Mack, Group Project Manager, walks us through 100 years of Milwaukee Tool—from the fresh beginnings in Wisconsin, to cordless tools getting the attention of technicians, to the massive brand loyalty Milwaukee Tool has built today. Ryan gives an inside look at the multinational company. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest: Ryan Mack Group Project Manager, Milwaukee Tool ryan.mack...

Dara Goroff, Vice President of Planning & Industry Talent Programming at I-CAR, discusses findings from their recent collision technician survey and efforts to promote collision careers. Key takeaways include the importance of gathering anonymous staff feedback, listening to their needs, and being prepared to make changes based on their input. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest:...

Dave Johnson, President & CEO of the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) dives into all things ASE-related. Dave shares his personal journey, industry insights, and the critical challenges faced by automotive professionals today. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest: Dave Johnson President & CEO, National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)...

Anders Gustafson, Co-Founder of ShopLevers and former shop owner, breaks down technician compensation. He shares lessons learned from starting a new shop, including the importance of incentive plans, offering benefits like health insurance, and evaluating pay plans correctly.  View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest: Anders Gustafson Co-Founder, ShopLevers Follow Anders on LinkedIn Spons...

Danny Corwin from Harbor Freight Tools for Schools and Jay Abitz from Freedom High School discuss why shops, dealerships, manufacturers, and other businesses need to support skilled trades programs. They also dive into the struggles schools are facing, from budget cuts to a lack of administrative support. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guests: Danny Corwin Executive Director, Harbor F...

John Spence, one of the top business experts in the world, author, CEO, and speaker, is back to offer key leadership and management advice. He covers the elements of a good culture, the importance of caring for your people, and the impact that keeping toxic high-performing people can have on your business. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest: John Spence CEO, John Spence LLC john@joh...

Matt Kerhin, Technology & Engineering Teacher at Hartford Union High School, joins us to talk about the huge teacher shortage in technical education—from the impact of retiring teachers to training the next generation and the costs of retaining teachers. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest: Matt Kerhin Technology & Engineering Teacher, Hartford Union High School matt.kerhin@h...

Russ Green, Operations Officer at Machinery Advisors Consortium, expresses how top employers need good leaders to keep people happy. Understanding employees, proper career growth, and keeping up with the industry pace are key to nurturing future leaders. View the video podcast on YouTube About Our Guest: Russ Green Operations Officer, Machinery Advisors Consortium russ.green@machineryadvisors.org...

Tanner Brandt, President of Autodiag Clinic, discusses the value of evaluating your technicians’ actual take-home income and the necessity of proper pay plans when assessing technician compensation. Tanner also dissects WrenchWay’s recent Technician Pay Survey and Technician Compensation Tool. To see how much technicians are making in your area and to contribute your own data anonymously, visit wr...