Mike Allen

Confessions of a Shop Owner

Business EN ↓ 110 episodes

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...

Author

Mike Allen

Category

Business

Podcast website

zencastr.com

Latest episode

Jul 7, 2026

Where to listen?

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Episodes

Ep 55 - Coaching Call #10 | Your Property is Your Most Valuable Asset 31.10.2025

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE 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. Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next...

Ep 54 - Josh Coomes and Josh Rainwater | Growing a Repair Shop Is a Slow Process 28.10.2025

Keep shop management, payments, marketing (all the things) all in one place with Tekmetric. It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Click 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 When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction -...

Ep 53 - Justin Allen and Jim Cokonis | ADAS is a Scam!! 24.10.2025

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 My marketing before and after signing up with Turnkey Marketing is pretty scary. In a good way. Get your marketing right today HERE Make your techs happier with Detect Auto. They'll stop getting "check noise" or "check vibration" from...

Ep 52 - Bret Fadely | Bryan Almost Lost His Leg 21.10.2025

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? 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. Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one...

Ep 51 - Tommy Markham Uses His Wallet as a Wheel Chock 17.10.2025

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE 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. Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next...

Ep 50 - Ashley Kaplan | Bryan Wants to SHUT DOWN Mitsubishi 14.10.2025

Keep shop management, payments, marketing (all the things) all in one place with Tekmetric. It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Click 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 When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction -...

Ep 49 - Lucas Underwood and Jeff Compton | Is Jeff Compton Unemployable? 07.10.2025

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 My marketing before and after signing up with Turnkey Marketing is pretty scary. In a good way. Get your marketing right today HERE Make your techs happier with Detect Auto. They'll stop getting "check noise" or "check vibration" from...

Ep 48 - Sunil Patel | Tekmetric is Taking Over The World! 30.09.2025

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? 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. Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one...

Ep 47 - Coaching Call #9 | To Sell More - Talk to More Customers 23.09.2025

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE 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. Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next...

Ep 46 - Ryan Ragan and Jessee Potter | SUMO Wrestling, Disco Shoes, and Cigars at ASTA - What Could Go Wrong? 16.09.2025

Keep shop management, payments, marketing (all the things) all in one place with Tekmetric. It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Click 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 When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction -...

Ep 45 - Greg Buckley is a Songwriter Now 09.09.2025

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 My marketing before and after signing up with Turnkey Marketing is pretty scary. In a good way. Get your marketing right today HERE Make your techs happier with Detect Auto. They'll stop getting "check noise" or "check vibration" from...

Ep 44 - Buckaroobob (John Firm) | Mike is Scared of Spiders 02.09.2025

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? 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. Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one...

Ep 43 - Coaching Call #8 | Holding Your Accountability Accountable 26.08.2025

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE 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. Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next...

Ep 42 - Erich Schmidt | He Left Automotive Toxicity Behind 19.08.2025

Keep shop management, payments, marketing (all the things) all in one place with Tekmetric. It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Click 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 When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction -...

Ep 41 - Nathan Ward and James Hornak | Two Evil Shop Owners in the Making 12.08.2025

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 My marketing before and after signing up with Turnkey Marketing is pretty scary. In a good way. Get your marketing right today HERE Make your techs happier with Detect Auto. They'll stop getting "check noise" or "check vibration" from...

Ep 40 - Kirby Sawyer | Nissan is the Chrysler of Japanese Car Companies 05.08.2025

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE 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. Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next...

Ep 39 - Coaching Call #7 | Mike is NOT on Matt's "Best Shops List" 29.07.2025

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? 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. Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one...

Ep 38 - Jack Shields | Mike vs Jack - Who's Right in the Free Diag Debate? 22.07.2025

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 My marketing before and after signing up with Turnkey Marketing is pretty scary. In a good way. Get your marketing right today HERE Make your techs happier with Detect Auto. They'll stop getting "check noise" or "check vibration" from...

Ep 37 - Brandon Dills | Bryan Power Lifts Trees 15.07.2025

Keep shop management, payments, marketing (all the things) all in one place with Tekmetric. It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Click 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 When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction -...

Bonus Ep - Free Diag is the Cause of America's Moral Decay 10.07.2025

Soooooo - a lot has been happening in the groups, and we just had to jump in to share our thoughts.  00:00 "No Charge Diagnostics Debate" 04:33 Pricing Double Standard in Auto Repair 07:24 Free Diag vs. Paid Service 13:06 Adapting to Market Needs 15:48 "Embracing Different Approaches" 17:05 Daily Automotive Diagnostics Insights 20:19 "Key to Success: Service Strategy"

Ep 36 - Jon Cabak and Josh Oberlander | Face-To-Face Sales SUCKS 08.07.2025

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE 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. Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next...

Ep 35 - Josh Parnell | Poor Communication is KILLING Your Shop 01.07.2025

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? 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. Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one...

Ep 34 - Coaching Call #6 | May Was a Tough Month 24.06.2025

Coaching call episodes of Confessions of a Shop Owner are when Matt Lofton, from Elite Worldwide, joins Mike to discuss one of his three repair shops. This is the sixth coaching call about this shop so far, and it was the toughest one yet, as the shop operated at a loss for May. There were several factors at play, and Matt helps Mike sort through how they can pick up where things left off in April...

BONUS EPISODE! Bill Brusard | "Straight Pipe No Muffler" 21.06.2025

In this episode, Mike Allen sits down with Bill Brusard of JB Auto Care and Now Auto Care. Bill tells the story of meeting industry lightning rod Todd Hayes and how that meeting changed his life. Now, Bill has goals to build generational wealth, rather than just running a shop. They also talk about the strategy of private equity deals with the Houston-Boston Partnership, and why Bill believes givi...

Ep 33 - Lucas Underwood & David Roman | David Says Advisors Are Replaceable 17.06.2025

In this episode, the goal was to get David fired up. Mission accomplished. We talk free diagnosis, the value of technicians vs service advisors, and whether AI could ever truly replace a skilled shop foreman or technician. Oh yeah, and I'm trying the Summer Ozempics.  This show would not be possible without the support of our amazing sponsors. If you enjoy the show, consider supporting them and le...

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