Maximum Octane

Most shop owners think their biggest challenges are parts, staffing, or car count. According to David Boyd , CEO of Call Inbound, the real problems often hide in places you cannot see: dropped calls, unclear expectations, and communication gaps that quietly drain revenue every single day. In this episode of Maximum Octane, Kim Hickey and Jason Patel sit down with David to unpack the communication...

Most auto shops know they need marketing, but few understand what customers actually base their decisions on. According to Travis Bickham , Chief Commercial Officer at Shopmonkey, the biggest threat to a shop isn’t competition. It is the trust gap between what customers expect and what shops deliver. In this episode of Maximum Octane, Jason Patel and George Zeeks sit down with Travis Bickham to br...

Technology has changed everything about the service advisor role, but it has not replaced the one thing that matters most: people. In this episode of Maximum Octane, Kim Hickey and Jason Patel sit down with Michelle Wood , ATI’s Sales and Service Instructor, to discuss the myths and realities of being a great service advisor in a world of automation, AI, and endless new tools. Michelle shares her...

When leadership breaks down, processes fall apart fast. But rebuilding doesn’t start with systems. It starts with people. In this episode of Maximum Octane, Kim Hickey and Jason Patel sit down with Chris Darmody , General Manager at Graham Auto Repair , to explore what it takes to turn around a struggling organization. When Chris joined the shop, leadership gaps, inconsistent processes, and fading...

Many shop owners know they need marketing, but too often they get stuck thinking about it instead of doing it. Between SEO, social media, websites, and ads, it’s easy to fall into analysis paralysis; spending so much time comparing options that no real progress happens. In this episode of Maximum Octane, Kim Hickey and Jason Patel sit down with Doug Robison , Director of Sales and Partnerships at...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains open and personal discussion about suicide, grief, and mental health. In the automotive industry, we never hesitate to buy the latest equipment or the right tool for the job. But when it comes to our own mental health, too many of us resist using the tools available to help us heal. Therapy, medication, or calling someone for a chat aren’t weaknesses. They ar...

What does it really take to build a business from scratch when you don’t have a roadmap? For Josh Oberlander , the answer has been equal parts grit, trial and error, and the discipline to keep sharpening himself along the way. In this episode of Maximum Octane, Kim Hickey and Jason Patel talk with Josh Oberlander , co-founder and CRO of Detect Auto, about the unconventional path that shaped him as...

What if you could transform every first-time customer into a loyal fan who tells everyone they know about your shop? According to Bruce Nation , owner of Westlake Independent Automotive in Southern California, the key lies in doing digital vehicle inspections (DVIs) right . In this episode of Maximum Octane, Kim Hickey and Jason Patel sit down with Bruce Nation to uncover the overlooked power of D...

What would it take for you to finally let go of the death grip on your business? For Connor Tracy, it took two flaming cars, a smashed customer vehicle, and missing his son’s homecoming photos. In this episode of Maximum Octane, Kim Hickey and Jason Patel sit down with Connor Tracy , Kikui’s Director of Partner Development, for a candid conversation about the art and necessity of delegation. Conno...

What happens when your shop's future depends on more than just hustle? In this episode of Maximum Octane, Kim Hickey and Jason Patel sit down with ATI President Ron Greenman for a masterclass on succession planning, leadership evolution, and building a sustainable future for your business. Ron shares real-life examples from his own unexpected path to leadership and how ATI’s growth exposed the cra...

What if everything you built over decades hinged on just a few key decisions and a whole lot of grit? In this episode of Maximum Octane, hosts Jason Patel and George Zeeks sit down with Gilda Dyckman to hear the incredible journey she and her husband Mike experienced while building and eventually selling a multi-million dollar auto repair business. From taking over a humble muffler shop and growin...

What would happen if you or one of your company’s key leaders suddenly couldn’t come back? In this episode of Maximum Octane, hosts Kim Hickey and Jason Patel sit down with Tony Mercury , Vice President of Operations at Auto Shop Solutions, to talk about the moment his company had to face the unthinkable. When their CEO was suddenly out due to a serious illness, the team had to respond quickly and...

Is your shop's logo doing all the heavy lifting? Spoiler alert: it's not even close. In this episode of Maximum Octane, branding expert and Director of Business Development at Silver Lake Auto, Krista Oldenburg , teams up with Jason Patel to deliver a masterclass on brand strategy, AI-powered marketing, and the real reason customers (and employees) choose your shop over the competition. You'll lea...

How about saving your auto repair shop thousands of dollars a month and offering your customers a faster, smoother checkout experience? And the best part: without touching your rates? In this episode, Kim Hickey and Jason Patel sit down with Dr. Mark Hale , a payments innovator and former QuickBooks CTO, to discuss one of the most overlooked leaks in auto repair shops' profitability: credit card s...

One of your technicians needs a tool and doesn't know where it is. So he goes and asks another, who doesn’t know either, so they go and ask a third tech, who, by the way, also doesn’t know where that tool is. Now you have a group of people roaming around your auto shop, and you're losing money. All this hassle could’ve been avoided with one word: organization. In this episode, Reiny Salmen joins u...

Is it possible to turn constant training into part of your auto shop's culture? In this episode, we explore how to make technicians' development a core part of any auto repair shop culture with Angie and Ken Rocha from Rocha's Automotive. From incentivizing techs to stay engaged with rapidly evolving technology to viewing training as an investment rather than a cost, Angie and Ken have found that...

Honest question: What does your auto shop's social media look like? Is it there because "you have to have it," or does it reflect who you are and what your business is all about? This week , we revisit my conversation with Corey Perlman about the dos and don'ts of social media for auto repair shop owners, and why you should view socials as an excellent tool for growth and not a burden. Corey is a...

Do you have a notebook filled with valuable information you wrote during a seminar or training that was never opened again? If yes, today's episode is a must-listen for you. This week, we revisit our conversation with the extraordinary Wendy Hawks, General Manager of Riverside Auto Center. After attending an ATI Conference, Wendy decided the notes, the valuable information, and the brilliant ideas...

Is specializing the inevitable path for auto repair shops? This week, we discuss specialization within the automotive industry with Chris Fraser, Co-owner of TLS Motorwork. For years now, Chris and his partners at TLS Motorwork have been working exclusively on Japanese and hybrid cars and, most recently, EVs. Chris is a seasoned automotive professional with over two decades of experience dedicated...

Mental health issues lead people to believe they are alone in their suffering, and that is, perhaps, one of its trickiest traits. In this episode, we hear about Eric Gibson 's victory over the mental health issues that held him hostage inside a dark cloud for years. Eric is the CEO of 5th Gear Automotive, located just outside Denver, Colorado. Despite making good money as an equipment mechanic in...

The lack of affordable housing, the younger generation's tendency to adopt dogs instead of having children, and other challenges of the modern world are slowly changing employees' expectations. From the environment in the workspace to their relationship with management, what used to make an auto shop "sticky" for internal customers has evolved. Younger generations now seek workplaces that serve as...

Are you aware of the power of coaching and strategic planning to help you elevate your collision shop to the next level? In this episode, we learn from Jeff Zalis ' innovative views on how to take collision shops to the leading edge. Jeff is the Owner of "Specialized Auto Craft, Collision Specialists" and a tireless entrepreneur constantly looking to improve his auto shop through transparency with...

Do you feel it is time to expand your auto shop and don't know where to start? In today's episode, Robbie Windham from Windham Body Shop joins us to share the blueprint of his auto shop's growth and expansion strategy. Robbie's shop is in New Albany, Mississippi, a small town of about 10,000 people; they recently doubled its size, hired internal customers for their office, parts, blueprints, and p...

Sometimes, we forget we are in people's business, not the car business. Cars are what bring people to us. - Geoff Berman In today's episode, Geoff Berman joins us to discuss auto shop repairs' convenience in customer experience and dealing with those moments when the backstage and the front stage intersect. Throughout this episode, you'll hear Kim and Geoff's thoughts on the importance of focusing...

What is the best way to create a culture that positively impacts your auto repair shop? In this episode, Jason Patel, Geoff Berman, and ATI's Collision Division Vice President, Keith Manich, learn from Fred Gestwicki Jr. from Fix It With Fred about the multiple benefits of clear communication and transparency when building an exciting and growth-promoting culture. Fix It With Fred is an AutoTechIQ...