Are Shop Owners Creating the Technician Shortage? | Brandon Sloan - Ep 44
Now playing — Downshift with Tonnika
About this episode
Rick White was my VERY FIRST business coach, and trust me when I say he helped me get my shop-owner life together! 😂 Now I’m…
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My Dad Taught Me the Hardest Lesson in Shop Ownership | William Brown & Mike Allen - Ep 51
Rick White was my VERY FIRST business coach, and trust me when I say he helped me get my shop-owner life together! 😂 Now I’m proud to have 180Biz presenting Downshift, so head to 180Biz.com and book your FREE strategy session with Rick because, honey, you don’t know what you don’t know!Y’all, if you missed the first Tektonic, you missed a GOOD one, but you've got another chance! 😂 Tekmetric is going even BIGGER in Houston, Texas, April 1–3, 2027, so head to Tekmetric.com/Tektonic and get registered because you're NOT missing out twice!Anybody can run a shop. Building one that lasts? That's a whole different story. If you're ready to build smarter systems and a better experience for your team and customers, check out Tekmetric HEREIn this special episode of Downshift with Tonnika, Mike Allen takes over hosting duties to sit down with Tonnika Haynes and her dad, William Brown, for an unforgettable conversation about family, business, and legacy. William shares how he built his automotive business, the challenges of dealing with insurance companies, and why he eventually stepped away to let his daughter take the business in a new direction. Tonnika opens up about growing up in the shop, feeling the pressure to make her dad proud, and learning some difficult lessons about leadership, employees, and standing on her own two feet. From dramatically improving her average repair order to handling an employee's betrayal and discovering the importance of business education, the conversation is packed with laughter, tough love, and practical advice for shop owners. It's a reminder that building a successful business isn't just about fixing cars; it's about creating opportunities for the next generation and knowing when to let them lead.Timestamps: 00:00 – Insurance Companies Don't Own Your Shop00:48 – Mike Allen Takes Over as Host02:09 – Growing Up in Dad's Body Shop03:00 – How the Family Business Changed06:08 – The Pressure of Making Dad Proud08:03 – Raising Kids With Work Ethic11:09 – What It Means to Hear "I'm Proud of You"15:08 – Why William Walked Away From Collision Repair20:02 – Building Connections in the Automotive Industry22:10 – The Business Education William Wishes He Had23:43 – Finding Your Place in the Industry27:34 – Turning an Inexperienced Employee Into a Shop Owner30:17 – Why Great Technicians Still Need Business Training33:20 – How Tonnika Grew Her ARO From Under $200 to $850+35:48 – Why Dad Refused to Micromanage36:54 – The Employee Betrayal That Changed Everything40:33 – William's Rules for Firing Employees43:27 – Retirement, Kangaroos, and Life After the Shop45:32 – Retiring at 57 and Building a Lasting Business
Stop Chasing KPIs and Start Investing in People | Darrin Barney & Stuart Baker - Ep 50
Rick White was my VERY FIRST business coach, and trust me when I say he helped me get my shop-owner life together! 😂 Now I’m proud to have 180Biz presenting Downshift, so head to 180Biz.com and book your FREE strategy session with Rick because, honey, you don’t know what you don’t know!Y’all, if you missed the first Tektonic, you missed a GOOD one, but you've got another chance! 😂 Tekmetric is going even BIGGER in Houston, Texas, April 1–3, 2027, so head to Tekmetric.com/Tektonic and get registered because you're NOT missing out twice!Consistency is key - heard that! But, consistency is HARD. That's why I gave up on trying and let the experts handle it. Detect Auto. Let them clean up your estimating process and raise your ARO - like they did for me! CLICK HERE TO BOOK A DEMOTonnika Haynes sits down with Darrin Barney of Elite Worldwide and her service advisor, Stuart Baker, at ASTA 2026 for a conversation about what really makes an automotive repair shop successful. Stuart shares how professional training transformed his confidence, customer relationships, and ability to take ownership of the shop's daily operations. Darrin challenges shop owners to stop treating customers like transactions, invest in their employees, and recognize that there's more to running a successful business than hitting KPIs. Tonnika opens up about learning to let go of control, building a team she trusts, and realizing that the true impact of her shop extends far beyond the employees on her payroll. From service advisor training to emotional customer stories, this episode explores why taking care of people might be the most important investment a shop owner ever makes.Timestamps:00:00 – Nobody Has It All Figured Out00:48 – Should Technicians Write Their Own Estimates?03:52 – Meet Darrin Barney and Stuart Baker06:20 – Watching a Service Advisor Grow08:34 – Why Relationships Matter More Than Sales Tactics12:19 – The Problem With One-Size-Fits-All Coaching15:28 – Understanding Your Employees' Personalities19:06 – Inside Elite's Service Advisor Training24:11 – Stuart's Growth and Improved ARO26:16 – There's More to Success Than KPIs29:04 – Taking Care of Employees and Their Families35:13 – The Customer Relationships That Change Lives39:10 – Stop Treating Customers Like Transactions42:02 – The #1 Job of a Service Advisor46:17 – Explaining Value Instead of Just Price50:14 – Building a Team You Can Finally Trust
Chris Enright and the "It Must Be Nice" Crowd" - Ep 49
Rick White was my VERY FIRST business coach, and trust me when I say he helped me get my shop-owner life together! 😂 Now I’m proud to have 180Biz presenting Downshift, so head to 180Biz.com and book your FREE strategy session with Rick because, honey, you don’t know what you don’t know!Y’all, if you missed the first Tektonic, you missed a GOOD one, but you've got another chance! 😂 Tekmetric is going even BIGGER in Houston, Texas, April 1–3, 2027, so head to Tekmetric.com/Tektonic and get registered because you're NOT missing out twice!Anybody can run a shop. Building one that lasts? That's a whole different story. If you're ready to build smarter systems and a better experience for your team and customers, check out Tekmetric HEREShop owner and automotive content creator Chris Enright joins Tonnika Haynes for a candid conversation about business, social media, money, boundaries, and the work people never see. Chris explains how a two-reels-a-day challenge reignited his content, helped grow his Facebook audience beyond 280,000 followers, and contributed to a tool video reaching 127 million Instagram views. He and Tonnika discuss leaving toxic workplaces, opening a shop just before COVID, learning to charge profitably, communicating honestly with customers, and building a business that fits your actual life. They also tackle online critics, shop-owner excuses, the myth of being available to customers 24/7, and why “what works for me” cannot become permission to avoid necessary changes. Most importantly, they remind listeners that the success people call luck was built through sacrifice, consistency, faith, and years of unseen work.Timestamps:00:00 – “It must be nice”: the work nobody saw01:03 – Catching up with Chris Enright at ASTA 202604:29 – Burnout, content blocks, and posting two reels a day06:37 – The tool video that reached 127 million views10:58 – Does social media help or hurt the repair shop?13:53 – Staying grounded through generosity15:13 – Chris’s search for a bigger shop20:14 – Testing a faceless RC-car content strategy23:03 – How podcasts and ASTA changed Chris’s business28:22 – Rising property prices and the risk of expansion32:47 – Leaving toxic shops and choosing a better career37:33 – Opening before COVID and learning to charge properly45:45 – Why customer education and communication matter58:56 – Boundaries, loaner cars, and the four-day workweek1:03:54 – Coaching and building the shop you actually want1:13:05 – The sacrifice behind “It must be nice”1:16:00 – There is no balance: work, faith, and consistency1:20:05 – Why even perfect content attracts haters
Are Shop Owners Failing the Next Generation of Technicians? | Gerrot Jacobson & Chad Whitley - Ep 48
Rick White was my VERY FIRST business coach, and trust me when I say he helped me get my shop-owner life together! 😂 Now I’m proud to have 180Biz presenting Downshift, so head to 180Biz.com and book your FREE strategy session with Rick because, honey, you don’t know what you don’t know!Y’all, if you missed the first Tektonic, you missed a GOOD one, but you've got another chance! 😂 Tekmetric is going even BIGGER in Houston, Texas, April 1–3, 2027, so head to Tekmetric.com/Tektonic and get registered because you're NOT missing out twice!Consistency is key - heard that! But, consistency is HARD. That's why I gave up on trying and let the experts handle it. Detect Auto. Let them clean up your estimating process and raise your ARO - like they did for me! CLICK HERE TO BOOK A DEMOAre automotive schools preparing students for the real world, or are repair shops expecting too much from new technicians? Live from ASTA Expo 2026, Tonnika Haynes sits down with Hawkeye Community College automotive instructor Gerrot Jacobson and shop owner Chad Whitley to discuss the disconnect between education and employment in the automotive industry. They tackle starting wages, the cost of tools, unrealistic expectations, technician training, apprenticeships, and why young people are choosing other skilled trades over automotive careers. Chad explains why he's willing to lose money on an apprentice in the first year, while Gerrot shares what instructors are experiencing as they prepare students to enter the workforce. Together, they challenge shop owners, educators, and industry leaders to stop pointing fingers and start building a better future for the next generation of automotive technicians.Timestamps:00:00 – What should a new automotive technician earn?00:47 – Meet Gerrot Jacobson and Chad Whitley at ASTA Expo03:26 – The disconnect between automotive schools and repair shops05:52 – Starting wages and the cost of becoming a technician09:29 – Why other skilled trades are attracting young people13:44 – Shop owners must invest in training and development17:07 – Why young technicians get stuck in the lube bay18:48 – Are dealerships supporting automotive education?20:49 – What automotive schools are actually teaching25:18 – Teaching professionalism, communication, and life skills29:51 – Chad's approach to internships and apprenticeships33:48 – The KPIs that matter beyond profitability37:22 – Why Chad expects to lose money on new apprentices40:37 – The conflict between technician development and shop productivity42:47 – Why there's still hope for the next generation