Ratchet+Wrench Radio

Scared to let someone go or confront a so-called "cancer" in your shop? In this week's Ratchet+Wrench Radio episode, columnist Aaron Stokes walks through his process for documenting misbehavior and, if necessary, letting that team member go successfully.

Join AutoZone's Tim Hecklinski as he discusses the past, present, and future of ordering parts online. For more information, please visit autozonepro.com .

This week's episode contains snippets of some of our best and most listened to interviews of the year.  First up, editorial director Anna Zeck chats with Dynamic Automotive's Dwayne Myers to learn how shops can approach the sensitive topic of price and avoid making customers feel vulnerable, overwhelmed, or taken advantage of.  Then, William Ferreira, a go-to repair defense specialist, explains ho...

Staff Writer Paul Hodowanic chats with body shop owner Louie Sharp about his battles with PTSD and childhood trauma as the two embark on a larger discussion about mental health among shop owners. Thought to be one of the most stressful last two years for business owners in modern history, the discussion yields plenty of strategies shop owners can use in their own lives to ensure their mental healt...

With supply chain disruptions making headlines and headaches this year, it's a good time to take a closer look at what makes a great relationship between operators and suppliers. Adam Tatum, director of operations at the Virginia Group, a Jiffy Lube franchisee based in the east coast, joins the podcast to talk about his best practices for maintaining great relationships in the industry.

Derek Kaufman, managing partner for Schwartz Advisors, chats with Digital Multimedia Editor Noah Brown about all things telematics: What they are, how they've changed over the last couple of years, and how your shop can use the technology in the coming years.

Editorial Director Anna Zeck welcomes Ratchet+Wrench columnist and Shop Fix Academy Founder Aaron Stokes to the podcast to discuss how to optimize the time between Christmas and the New Year. Stokes shares what every shop owner should be doing before the start of the new year and how to set yourself up for success heading into 2022. 

Christina Ross, president of Silver Frog Marketing, joins Digital Multimedia Editor Noah Brown to outline what makes a good digital marketing campaign and how to effectively employ one for your shop. 

Editorial Director Anna Zeck caught up with Shop Fix Academy Founder and Ratchet+Wrench columnist Aaron Stokes to discuss hiring and recruiting. Zeck and Stokes discuss how shops should present themselves, how to act as your best self and how that affects your ability to get the best team members. Stokes identifies what you could be doing wrong and how to fix it. 

Tekmetric Co-Founder Prasanth Chilukuri joins staff writer Paul Hodowanic from the 2021 AAPEX Show to briefly discuss Tekmetric's new developments before having a longer discussion on technology and its integration into the repair business. 

10 Missions Media Editorial Director Anna Zeck spoke with Vice President of Content and Events Bryce Evans about what exactly the ADAPT Automotive Technology Summit is, what you can expect while you're there, and why the event is so important for the automotive aftermarket. Spots are still open for the Summit! Register online at adaptsummit.com/register.

Pete Baldine, President of Moran Family of Brands joins Editorial Director Anna Zeck to discuss the company’s commitment in adding veteran owners and employees and the value they bring to the system.   Moran Family of Brands, one of the nation’s leading automotive repair franchises, counts 14 United States veterans among its 120 total franchisees. Moran franchise owners have been enlisted in the A...

Editorial Director Anna Zeck chats with Matt Lachowitzer, owner of Matt's Automotive, a multi-shop operation in Minnesota and North Dakota. Lachowitzer was honored as the 2021 Ratchet+Wrench All-Star Award Winner and caught up with Anna at the Ratchet+Wrench Management conference earlier this year. Their conversation dives deep into the culture Lachowitzer has built and gives tons of great tips on...

Editorial Director Anna Zeck chatted with David Askwith, director of operations for the Maryland based-Auto Stream Car Care. Anna and David chat about his journey to a management role and the mistakes and great decisions he made along the way. Askwith provides perspective on what he would do differently, giving great advice for anyone trying to become a manager themselves or for a shop owner who i...

Editorial Director Anna Zeck chats with Ryan Hillenbrand, owner of Urb's Garage and Shop Fix Academy coach, about how to maximize your shop's marketing during Q4. Zeck and Hillenbrand discuss how to make sense of all your options to make sure you're getting the bang for your buck. 

How much time is too much time to spend on your business? Editorial Director Anna Zeck chats with Brian Sump, owner of Urban Autocare and Avalon Motorsports, about finding a successful balance that will led to the best business results. Recorded at the 2021 Ratchet+Wrench Management Conference, Zeck and Sump also touch on some of the highlights of Sump's keynote speech. 

Shana Steigerwalt, president and founder of Modern Driven Media, discusses tips and tricks for taking on social media as a shop owner. This podcast is sponsored by BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY. To learn more, visit boltontechnology.com .

For many repair shops, business is booming. But it won't forever. Shop Fix Academy Founder Aaron Stokes explains why now is a perfect time to plan for the future, so when the downturn comes, you're ready. 

Jeffrey Roy, owner of Primary Care Auto Repair and 2021 Ratchet+Wrench All-Star Award Runner Up, joins the show to discuss his operation, the lessons he learned from nearly closing his business and what he's doing now to ensure that doesn't happen to others. 

Last week, Ratchet+Wrench All-Star award winner Matt Lachowitzer joined to show to discuss his journey. This week we are talking with one of our runner ups, Lucas Underwood of L&N Performance Auto Repair. Underwood has a really interesting story and is becoming a rising voice in the industry helping shops across the country grow in the process. We chat about that and plenty more about his journey....

Matt Lachowitzer, owner of Matt's Automotive Service Center and winner of the Ratchet+Wrench All Star Awards, joins associate editor Megan Gosch to discuss his operation and what has made him successful.  If you haven't already, check out the full feature on Lachowitzer here .

Understanding what makes a good customer experience is as much about learning what to do as it is learning what not to do.  Editorial Director Anna Zeck chats with Jimmy Alauria, owner and president of 3A Automotive in Phoenix, Ariz., about her past experience with repair shops, giving a unique perspective about what an actual customer is looking for. What went well? What didn't? And why did she c...

Unfortunately bad news is an inherent element of the auto repair experience for most customers. But how exactly do you break bad news without overwhelming your customers or tanking the customer experience? Customer service expert, speaker and author Jeff Toister explains how to be the bearer of bad news without sacrificing customer relationships. 

The transition from single store to multi-shop operator requires plenty of strategy and shop owners who plan ahead can still find themselves blindsided as their expansion gets underway.   So, how exactly can you begin preparing for that growth well in advance? Shop Fix Academy founder Aaron Stokes shares his own journey and key lessons learned as he grew his business, the staffing strategies that...

Mark Seawell, advisor training director for RLO Training returns to the podcast for Part 2 of a conversation on maximizing work opportunity. Seawell goes through the different customer levels and how that affects how a shop should work with them in order to get the most work possible.  If you haven't listened to Part 1, make sure to listen to that too. The episode was released July 13.