Ratchet+Wrench Radio

When it comes to auto repair, trust is everything. In this episode, shop owner Gary Hinendes of Gary’s Automotive Repair shares how taking time to educate customers—especially those who feel intimidated walking into a shop—can transform fear into confidence and first-time visitors into lifelong clients. From listening more than talking to training his team on empathy and transparency, Gary reveals...

In this fifth episode of our Endeavor to Discover series, Endeavor B2B’s Chris Messer, Executive Vice President of the Transportation Group, sits down with Mike Jones, President and CEO of Discover Leadership, and Randy O’Connor, President of D2D Development — also known as the Chief Outcome Officer. Together, they explore what it means to focus on the outcome — how defining a shared vision, ownin...

As drivers hold onto their vehicles longer than ever, service complexity continues to rise. In this episode, GM’s Aaron Charbonneau, Director of Dealer Service and Warranty Operations, and Patrick Meissner, Director of Strategic Service Initiatives and Accessories, discuss how technicians and shop owners navigate the growing mix of old and new technologies. From training and parts availability to...

Today, we’re talking with Dwayne Myers, CEO and co-founder of Dynamic Automotive — recently named America’s Top Small Business of 2025 by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. What started as a one-location repair shop in Frederick County, Maryland, has grown into seven thriving locations, nearly 60 employees, and more than 1,300 five-star reviews — all built on the belief that customers should be treated...

We’re shining a spotlight on an exciting part of the automotive industry — the women who are driving innovation, leadership, and change in the aftermarket. Joining us is Missy Stephens, Community Engagement Manager for Women in Auto Care, a community of the Auto Care Association. We’ll be talking about their upcoming events at AAPEX 2025 in Las Vegas, including the Women in Auto Care Breakfast and...

The countdown is on for one of the biggest events in the automotive world—the 2025 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. This year, the energy doesn’t stop at the convention floor. Outside, the roar of engines, the smell of burning rubber, and the adrenaline of live motorsports will take center stage as OPTIMA powers the weeklong OPTIMA Unleashed experience—capped off with SEMA Fest, the ultimate celebration of...

In Episode 4 of our Endeavor 2 Discover series, Chris Messer, Executive Vice President of Endeavor Business Media’s Transportation Group is joined once again by Mike Jones, President and CEO of Discover Leadership. Today’s topic is all about the I Will Attitude—what it means to replace words like I think or I’ll try with the confidence of I will. It’s a simple shift in language that can change the...

Meet Robin Reneau—once a single mom who didn’t know how to check a dipstick and went through three broken-down cars in four years. Fast forward to today: she’s the first Black woman mechanic to own an independent repair shop in Georgia, running Rob the Blonde Mechanic, LLC. Robin’s journey from high school dropout to shop owner and community leader is all about resilience, representation, and prov...

In today’s episode, we’re diving into one of the biggest challenges shop owners face: cutting through the nonstop noise of media and actually connecting with customers. With so many flashy ads and constant messages hitting us from every direction, how do you make your shop stand out? The answer might surprise you — it’s not about being the loudest, but about telling a better story. In today’s conv...

This week, host Chris Jones sits down with Michael Suttle, chief development officer at Christian Brothers Automotive, to explore how this growing franchise is revolutionizing technician training in the automotive repair industry. In this episode, Michael shares the exciting details behind Christian Brothers' $12 million investment in a state-of-the-art 14,000-square-foot technology and training c...

In this episode of Ratchet + Wrench Radio, we sit down with Natalie Dixon, PhD, who leads the technology and marketing teams focused on advancing Chemours’ Opteon™ portfolio, to cut through the myths, answer common technician questions and break down what every shop owner needs to know about R-1234yf. 

Fear of public speaking affects 75% of Americans, but for automotive shop owners, effective communication isn't optional—it's essential for success. In this episode of Ratchet and Wrench Radio, host Chris Jones sits down with leadership communications trainer Dave Brown of SDB Leadership to tackle the communication challenges that hold shop owners back. Whether you're delivering difficult news to...

Chris Messer, executive vice president of the transportation group at Endeavor Business Media—Ratchet+Wrench's parent company, sits down once again with leadership coach Mike Jones of Discover Leadership to tackle the powerful concept of frontline leadership — what it means to lead from the front, why vision and accountability matter, and how every member of a team, regardless of title, has the op...

Join Chris as he sits down with Jeff Cox, President of the Automotive Maintenance and Repair Association, and Andrew Car from SSI to explore the game-changing world of Digital Vehicle Inspections (DVI). Learn how the Motorist Assurance Program (MAP) is setting industry standards for repair recommendations, and discover why shops using visual DVIs see triple the approval rates for their recommendat...

In this episode, Mike Bennett takes us on a deep dive into the auto repair industry's remarkable 2025 journey—from the challenging spring months when consumer confidence plummeted to the record-breaking summer that has shops back on track for projected growth. This episode explores the economic forces shaping the industry, from tariff impacts to electricity cost surges, and reveals the strategies...

 In this Ratchet+Wrench Management Conference teaser episode, Kinja Dixon reveals how his doctor's orders and a moment of vanity sparked a transformation that led to international sales awards, early retirement at 34, and becoming a sought-after speaker who's inspired thousands worldwide. Dixon discusses his Four Pillar system (Purpose, Health, Emotions, Knowledge) and why change is happening whet...

In this episode, Mike Jones, president and master trainer at Discover Leadership Training, returns with Chris Messer, executive vice president of the transportation group at Endeavor Business Media, to discuss what it takes to be a person who follows up and follows through in a business setting. 

In this episode of Ratchet+Wrench Radio, Glenn Piccolo, managing partner at Adams Automotive in Houston, Texas, breaks down the customer service framework behind Adams Automotive's seven-day service model. It's a philosophy they refer to as "auto hospitality." It takes concepts that make retail successful and implements them into the shop's workflow for greater customer satisfaction and retention.

In this episode, a sneak preview of his lunchtime keynote for the 2025 Ratchet+Wrench Management Conference, Rob Pietrowski, VP Research at IMR/Endeavor Business Intelligence, reveals shocking inflation data that's reshaping the automotive aftermarket: vehicle costs are up 57% since 2019, annual maintenance and repair spending has jumped 50%, and the ripple effects are hitting every level of the i...

For anyone who has ever uttered the words, "failure isn't an option," Mike Jones, president and master trainer at Discover Leadership Training, has a message you should consider. Jones talks about leadership and failure in this special episode of Aftermarket All-Access. He's joined by Chris Messer, executive vice president of the transportation group at Endeavor Business Media—Ratchet+Wrench's par...

In this episode, Dave Johnson, president and CEO of Automotive Service Excellence, discusses the recent ASE Instructor Training Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, in July and the valuable benefits ASE certification provides to automotive instructors, including industry-wide credibility, access to cutting-edge curriculum resources, and professional development opportunities.  Johnson also addresses...

When something’s off in your shop—profit’s down, productivity’s lagging, or margins are shrinking—it’s easy to blame the numbers. But what if the real problem isn’t the numbers themselves… but how we interpret them? Today on Ratchet+Wrench Radio, we’re joined by Hunt Demarest , a  partner at Paar Melis & Associates , leading financial expert in the auto repair industry, and host of the  Busine...

Charlie Zlatkos, owner of Pleasant Care Car, immigrated to the U.S. at 17. He talks about growing his vocabulary from four English words to opening and running a multi-million-dollar a year shop. Zlatkos also talks about being mentored by Todd Hyes of Auto Shop Answers and how his perspective on entrepreneurship was changed.  Lastly, he tells the story of a 13-year-old boy on a bicycle who stopped...

In this episode of Ratchet+Wrench Radio, Group Editorial Director Chris Jones discusses a situation that every shop owner needs to understand—how to handle a customer fallout before it goes viral. Synergy Auto Care in Wilson, North Carolina, made national headlines on June 19 after a Black customer walked out over employees' dismissive comments about Juneteenth. We're going to break down exactly w...

In this episode, Lisa Foshee, senior vice president of Government Affairs and General Counsel at Auto Care Association, breaks down the right to repair battle affecting independent auto repair shops. As automakers fight to restrict access to diagnostic data, independent auto repair shops and their customers face an existential threat. Foshee covers Massachusetts' leading legislation, Maine's effor...