Free Owner Overload Check for Established Auto Shop Owners.
Most auto shop owners didn’t get into this business because they love financial reports. Building number confidence, or what I call confidence with your numbers, can make reviewing those reports much less intimidating. Number confidence gives owners the power to understand their business story. They started because they enjoy solving problems, serving customers, and building …
Tony and Maryann Croce built Croce’s Transmission Specialists into more than a repair shop. It’s a pillar of their community in Norwalk, CT. Their journey offers valuable insights for anyone looking to build a successful auto repair shop. A journey packed with insights for shop owners who want to make a difference. It starts with …
As an auto shop owner since 1999, there have been many valuable lessons learned. I had the opportunity to share some of them with Paul Donahue from Advanced Digital Automotive Group on his Top Shop podcast. Most auto shop owners will feel what I call owner overload from time to time. That feeling of going …
I had the opportunity this month to hear Peter Beaugard, Head of Brand Strategy at Dooney & Bourke speak at our local Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce 2024 Small Business Awards Breakfast. He spoke highly of Peter Dooney, his inspiration, and described him as more of a mentor. He then shared three business lessons he …
Why Sustainable The first step of auto shop business fundamentals is asking yourself, are you creating and building a sustainable business? A sustainable auto shop business is one that can operate without you being part of the day-to-day. This is a business that becomes manageable and sellable for any auto shop owner focused on business …
Just as babies need to crawl before they walk, businesses need to survive before they thrive. Keeping this in mind during a crisis is key to staying focused on the bigger picture. Whether it is a local or global crisis it is important to understand where your thoughts are at, to best serve your business …
When business and life are good, leadership seems easy. When business or life is challenging leadership is more vital than ever. We are living in a time of VUCA, a concept that originated decades ago with students at the U.S. Army War College. It has been recently used in business management and leadership training. This …
The Debate This is a topic I often have with business owners. It can be a controversial topic because it can feel personal. Some will say it can work and others will say it can’t. I say it depends. It depends on your mindset going into the working relationship. As a result you or …
I had a conversation with a client recently and they realized that they had positioned their company has a hero. They are simple the best at everything including team, warranty, quality, the list went on and on about themselves. How does a shop appear to a customer when you position your business at a hero? …
Point of View Do you know what the #1 complaint is from people looking for a service from a trade business? When I speak to potential customers, people in local networking groups (people who are searching for trade business services), they all have the same complaint. I can see their body change when they tell …
Micro-Managing happens when we feel that we don’t have control or are losing control of a situation or area of our business. It comes from FEAR. Fear of not being seen as the expert Fear of losing control of our brand Fear from not understanding our role The idea of allowing others to develop their …
With all of the responsibility a shop owner has, it’s easy to get caught up in the day to day and not look at the bigger picture. When we take a moment to reflect on a regular basis, we realize the solutions. After all “A problem is a decision you haven’t made.” – Todd Herman. …