Ratchet+Wrench Radio

In this episode, Carm Capriotto, founder of Remarkable Results Radio, talks about his declaration, “The Rise of the Mechanical and Technical Specialist.” He discussed why the automotive aftermarket could benefit from a new vernacular that standardizes roles within the shop and instills pride in the workforce.

In this episode Andrew Marcotte, VP of American Pride Automotive, shares how he has transformed and implemented a culture of growth, service, and excellence throughout American Pride's five stores. We discuss key takeaways about attracting the right talent, retaining employee satisfaction, and how to grow the business through organic methods.

In this episode Fernando Miranda, VP of Transformers Insitute, shares the highlights of his 20-plus year career in the industry. We talk about how he works with the shops that he coaches, and the keys to reaching the next level of growth and efficiency.  

In this episode, Sunil Patel, CEO and founder of Tekmetric, explains what the merger between the two SMS platforms can do for shops of all sizes. 

In this episode, Dylan Williamson, COO of Redline Business Advisors, talks about how you should structure your business, what do with year-end taxes, and what a financial advisor can bring to you in different steps of your business growth.

In this episode, Alison Jones, SVP of Global Circular Economy for Stellantis, talks about Sustainera, the division for remanufactured parts supply, and how this can help your bottom line while becoming more sustainable. 

In this episode, Ivan Rioja-Scott, Editor-in-Chief for Ratchet+Wrench, sits down with Ben Johnson, vice president, general automotive repair markets, for Repairify, about the evolving landscape of vehicle diagnostics and repairs. The discussion centers around the increasing complexity of modern vehicles and the unique challenges that automotive repair shops face today. As vehicles become more tech...

In this episode, David Askwith, Managing Director of Autostream Car Care , talks about shop's rapid and successful expansion.  He also talks about implementing systems, the right way to communicate, and choosing the right approach to re-branding. 

In this episode, Brian Moak has taken Heart Certified Autocare, a three-store Chicagoland brand, from $7 million to 14$ million by making change within himself. Learn about his path for financial, personal and all-around growth. 

In this episode, Matt Wagg of Accelerated Diagnostic & Automotive in Bennington, Nebraska, talks about his automotive journey from the son of a shop owner to opening a shop during COVID and hitting the million-dollar mark three years after putting the keys into the door. He discusses business plans, the importance of investing in self-education, why you need coaching, and the need for shop own...

In this episode, Uwe Kleinshcmidt and Frank Scandura of AutoTech IQ talk about how they help auto repair shops increase profitability by transforming the way shops use digital vehicle inspections to enhance communication and transparency which leads to fewer deferred jobs.

In this episode, Margaret Light, MA, LMFT, MN LMFT of Equilibrium Therapy Services P.L.L.C. discusses the unique stressors shop owners face and how they can impact mental health. She talks about the stress and burnout continuum and how unmanaged stress and burnout can develop into formal mental health concerns for shop owners. She concludes by sharing tips to help shop owners understand the impact...

In this episode, Ryan Burton of Leads Near Me talks about the contents of his new book “ High Gear: Marketing Strategies for Auto Repair Shops”, what you can learn about shop marketing, and his conference of the same name High Gear Auto Repair Marketing Conference , which will take place from November 14-16, 2024, in Atlanta.

In this episode, Bill Snow, vice president, franchise development & operations Rad Air Complete Car Care, talks about how he shows his team his appreciation, why they celebrate every win, and the importance of sweating the small details when it comes to encouraging your team members.

In this episode, Lauralee Schmidt of Schmidt Auto Care in Springboro, Ohio, discusses her approach to customer appreciation marketing. She also talks about ideas that have worked, ones that haven't, lessons learned, and why shops need a marketing budget. 

In this episode, Nichole Bennecoff of Empower Automotive, formerly The Subie Guys, talks about running a niche Subaru shop and why she's now widening her scope of service, and how she's using driver profiles and data to do it. 

In this episode, Brandon Jones and Josh Parnell of Limitless Leadership talk about what it takes for a shop owner to holistically become the leader their team needs from people to process.

In this episode, we visit with Alex Noll, owner of ABR Houston European Specialty Repair in Houston, Texas. If you recall, Alex was featured in the February 2024 issue as the featured shop in Shop View. Today, Alex talks about his background in automotive, going to tech school, getting picked up by BMW, going after shop ownership, and what the future holds for him.

In this episode, Steven Fafel of AutoOps shares industry data about the effectiveness of online scheduling and how it adds customers to the shop. He also talks about the latest feature that helps shops close more appointments after hours.

Kieran O'Brien of Shopgenie demos the company's new virtual advisor, Jasmine, and explains how this tech can help shops book more after-hours appointments and how AI is changing front-of-house operations. 

In this episode, Matthew Schwab of Cluth Automotive in Houston, Texas, talks about what shop owners who are ready to turn over the reigns need to do to get a buyer for their shop. 

In this episode, Ceasar Cordon,  who heads the Outside Business Development Team for Fifth Gear Automotive, talks about why collaborating with dealerships and competing shops has boosted their new business revenue by nearly 50% ... and how it can do the same for your shop.

In this episode, AJ Nealey, owner of Nealey Tire & Auto, which has five locations in Maryland, talks about using the EOS method to standardize his shop and how it has led to massive growth and success across the board.

In this episode, Brittany Schindler of Rod's Japanese Auto Care in Bellingham, Washington, who was also the 2021 AAPEX Service Advisor of the Year, explains how service advisors can handle customer complaints with grace.