Free Owner Overload Check for Established Auto Shop Owners.
Auto shop team decisions can be a challenge. You often need to help your team decide what to do in tricky situations. Your service advisor needs an answer. Someone has a question about a parts return. A routine customer concern reaches your desk because no one is sure who can resolve it. None of those …
As shop owners, we spend a lot of time watching the numbers. We pay attention to sales, car count, gross profit, and cash flow because they help us understand the health of the business. For those looking to strengthen leadership for auto shop owners, it’s important to know that those metrics matter, but I’ve learned …
By Maryann Croce. If you’ve been wondering why delegation isn’t working in your business, you’re not alone. You hand something off so you can focus on your own work. A little while later, it is back in front of you. There are questions, a decision waiting for approval, or a result that is different from …
Most auto shop owners eventually realize something: Time doesn’t come back by working harder.It comes back when the business stops depending on you for everything. That’s what many owners start to see when they focus on time ownership. They look at their calendar.They try to protect time.They begin to notice where interruptions come from. And …
Most auto shop owners don’t need another productivity tip. They need their time back. In fact, Time Ownership is Leadership when it comes to getting your time back. And the hard truth is this: your time isn’t disappearing because you’re disorganized. It’s disappearing because the business still depends on you for too many things. That’s …
Published September 7th 2025 Last week, I attended and spoke at an auto industry event. ATRA Powertrain Expo. Every time I walk into a room like that, I’m reminded of something powerful: auto shop growth. Because the best shop owners and the best technicians are lifelong learners. They don’t just “show up to get hours” …
A high-performing shop attracts, develops, and retains the best people. Not by micromanaging, but by creating a culture where team accountability and growth are expected. Performance & accountability are key elements in such a culture. STEP 1: Set the Expectation from Day One. If you want a team of self-motivated, accountable professionals, you must hire …
Leadership starts with building communication skills and is crucial in an auto shop. Listening being the first skill, to be able to meet people where they’re at and guide them to grow. We are all capable of more than we realize. As auto shop owners and leaders the 7 pillars of leadership are a guide. …
This ‘Unstoppable Framework’ is designed to help auto shop owners enhance their business operations and achieve a better work-life fulfillment. Maryann Croce emphasizes the importance of defining core values and vision, which serve as guiding principles and a roadmap for the business. The discussion highlights how these foundational elements foster consistency, build trust with customers, …
Your MVP (mission, vision, purpose will be your guide and strength as an owners. One of the challenges as an auto shop business owner is that you make a lot of decisions each day. Various sources estimate that an adult makes about 35,000 remotely conscious decisions each day. As your level of responsibility increases, so …
Most owners and leaders are so busy with the day to day of their business, it leaves little time to work on their business. I get it because it happened to Tony and me in the early years of owning our transmission shop. No words of wisdom suddenly made us see the light. We were …
I understand why most auto shop owners start with the doing. Most are used to getting things done. As vehicles come into your shop, getting them serviced / repaired and back to your customers as efficiently as possible is key to business success. The more you understand what tools work best for a job and …