Ratchet+Wrench Radio

This week on Ratchet+Wrench Radio, Erin Vaughan, owner of Kinetic Auto Service in Regina, Saskatchewan, stops by to talk about why her shop instituted a four-day workweek and how.  Earlier this spring, Vaughan made the decision and she discusses how she arrived at it, and also discusses: How the shop's days and weeks are structured Consulting the team and how they've responded to the change What s...

In this episode, Matt Lofton, owner of Strut Daddy's Complete Car Care, discusses one step he's taken toward electrification. Lofton added an EV charger inside his Roxboro, North Carolina, shop and talked about: His decision to do so despite being in a rural Why he decided to purchase an EV charger Which type of EV charger he chose and why How he uses the charger within his shop's workflow What sh...

In this episode, Jeremy O'Neal, owner of Freedom Auto Repair and president of Advisor Fix, discusses a service advisor's role in the shop and how the best advisors perform.  He discusses: His definition of a service advisor How and why he started Advisor Fix The characteristics and qualifications of a solid service advisor What owners should look for in a service advisor How advisors can grow thro...

In this episode of Ratchet+Wrench Radio, Andrew Knudsen, vice president of Coventry Motors in Huntington Station, New York, and Dan Vance founder of digital marketing agency Advanced Local talk about digital advertising.   Knudsen and Vance were featured in the January 2023 issue Case Study “How I Invested in Digital Marketing.” The two talk at length about how they met, why Knudsen hired Vance an...

In this episode, Alex Dunn from  Hailey Auto Clinic in Hailey, Idaho, stops in to talk shop. You may remember Alex's shop from the December 2022 issue of Ratchet+Wrench.  Today, Alex discusses why he chose to custom-build his shop, how he worked with his architect, some of the features he chose and how Hailey runs its day-to-day operations.

In this episode of Ratchet+Wrench Radio, Mark Allen of OEM1Stop talks about how his organization's website can help shops get OEM-specific repair information in minutes. He discusses: How long OEM1Stop has been in service Which OEM-specific repair information shops have access to on the platform What technicians can expect when using the interface How often the information is updated by OEMs What...

In this episode, Jesse Sammons of Thoroughbred Motors in Ramona, California, talks about the lessons he's learned in his first two years of shop ownership. Jesse opened his auto repair shop—45 minutes from downtown San Diego—during the height of the pandemic in 2020.  Today, he reflects on his career as a technician and the takeaways he got from working at other shops that have helped him succeed...

In this episode, Tonnika Haynes of Brown's Automotive in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, discusses boundaries and expectations. Every shop needs to have a protocol on how to help customers who don't fully understand what shops can and cannot do within reason.  Tonnika discusses: Being a second-generation shop owner How she decided to get into the industry and taking over her father's shop How she man...

In this episode of Ratchet+Wench Radio, my guest is R+W columnist Joe Marconi. Joe owned his shop Osceola Garage for 41 years before retiring in 2022. Today, he talks about the things that keep shop owners up at night and other situations shop owners face.    We discuss: The 'What if's" that cause anxiety in shop owners The responsibility of providing gainful employment and benefits to your team H...

In the second installment of this two-part series, Jimmy Lea, product evangelist at Kikui , is back to show shop owners more about developing and growing trust online through Google.  This week, Lea talks about: What the sweet spot is for Google Reviews. How to optimize the replies you add to customer reviews to help others better find your shop. How many positive reviews does it take to grow your...

In this episode, Jimmy Lea, product evangelist at Kikui , kicks off this two-part series on how shop owners can develop trust online through Google.  This week, Lea talks about: Why shop owners need to pay attention to Google Reviews Why obsessing over 5-star ratings isn't the right strategy with Google Why shop owners must engage with customer reviews and why Google loves this How to report consu...

In this episode, Ratchet+Wrench Radio welcomes Tyler Peartree and Jim Nawrocki of Silver Lake Tire and Auto Centers. They discuss how Silver Lake successfully implemented ADAS services and what shop owners need to know about cost, benefits, liability and space requirements.

In this episode, the last in our 2023 Best Workplaces podcast series, our guest is Curt Rock, owner and founder of Curt's Auto Repair in Phoenix, Arizona. He talks about his shop, how he developed his people-focused inverted pyramid leadership style, his hiring process, how he takes care of his technicians and what serving multiple generations of families means to him.

In this episode, the first in our 2023 Best Workplaces podcast series, Will Dunford, chief operating officer at SimplyTRUE Auto Group, talks about the shop, its culture, what makes it an anomaly in the auto care industry and the value of nurturing people (and their families).

In this episode, Rissy Sutherland, CEO and president of Drive Automotive Services, an Atlanta-based corporate office that runs repair shops for all major vehicle brands across six states and under a handful of operating banners, talks shop with host Chris Jones. Rissy talks about her childhood in her father's auto repair shop, going to tech school as a female, the triumphs and challenges of being...

In this episode, Cathy Heying, founder of The Lift Garage in Minneapolis, Minnesota, visits Ratchet+Wrench Radio to talk about the inner workings of nonprofit auto repair shops. Heying, who was once a social worker, made a career change at 38 in order to help more people in real time. Here's what we discussed: Her time as a social worker When she became an auto technician The founding of The Lift...

In this episode, Jeff Beck, owner of Beck's Garage in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, joins Chris Jones to talk about how he got started in automotive, the creation of his shop, his affinity for Route 66-style Americana antique decor, show he trains his team and his love for repairing classic cars. 

In this episode, Jesse Jackson, owner of Mango Automotive, talks about her drive to make her brand of auto repair shops a national name. She shares how she got into the auto care industry, getting into her first shop, how she skillfully acquires new shops, her onboarding process and the timeline for full national coverage.

In this episode, Suresh Krishna, CEO of Northern Tool+Equipment stops by Ratchet+Wrench Radio to discuss his company's latest role in helping high school automotive programs. Through Tools for the Trades, students get to use professional-grade tools found in auto repair shops to learn about the industry and work on vehicles. Suresh also discusses Northern Tool+Equipment's partner in the program, N...

In this episode, ASA Washington, D.C. representative Bob Redding visits Ratchet+Wrench Radio to talk about a variety of Right to Repair topics. We discuss: Stellantis and its new business focused on monetizing consumer vehicle data. What's going on behind the scenes in Washington, D.C., with Right to Repair advocates and OEs. What the automotive aftermarket can do right now to show its support. Wh...

If you attended the 2022 Ratchet+Wrench Management Conference, you were treated to a Texas-sized conference in downtown Arlington, Texas with over 30 sessions, top-flight presenters and many networking opportunities.   This year, the Ratchet+Wrench Management Conference is in Aurora, Colorado, from September 21-23, 2023 at the Hyatt Regency Aurora Conference Center. And much like conferences in th...

In this episode, Brad Fink of Christian Brothers Automotive talks about how shops can weather a potential recession. He shares his experiences as a shop owner and as a leader within the franchise on how he's approached economic tightening through conservative business practices while continuing to give to customers and the community.

In this episode, Chris Salvo of Electrified Garage talks about how shops should ready themselves for electrification. He shares insights from his career working with Tesla and offers ways shop owners can start getting their technicians up to speed on understanding EV parts and maintenance.

This week, we talked to Jimmy Alauria, president and shop owner of 3A Automotive Service and co-founder and CEO of Victory Teambuilding Group. He discusses the findings of a survey he created that polled technicians about what they really want from an auto repair shop. 

In this episode, Chris Lawson of Technician Find, an agency that helps independent auto repair shops find qualified technicians through digital ad campaigns, joins us to talk about his company. We discuss why shops need to change their hiring narrative, ways to write effective job ads, and how Technician Find's clients have made the service work for their shops.