I Traded A Truck To Build A $5M Shop | EP2 | Shop Fix Academy Podcast
Now playing — Shop Fix Academy Podcast
About this episode
Down to $1,100 in savings Coach Stan Andrewski and his wife made an all or nothing decision to buy a plane ticket and save his…
Key takeaways
- —Community support is crucial for overcoming challenges in the automotive industry.
- —Implementing systems can drastically improve shop efficiency and profitability.
- —Personal growth and willingness to learn are essential for success as a shop owner.
- —Effective decision-making is key to navigating business challenges.
- —Discipline in financial management leads to long-term stability and growth.
Frequently asked
- How can I improve my shop's profitability?
- Implementing structured systems and focusing on financial discipline can significantly enhance profitability. It's important to track your P&L and make informed decisions.
- What role does community play in a shop owner's success?
- Community provides support, encouragement, and shared knowledge, which can help shop owners overcome obstacles and achieve breakthroughs in their business.
- How can I make better decisions in my shop?
- Improving decision-making involves being willing to take risks and learn from failures. The more decisions you make, the better you become at evaluating outcomes.
▸Full transcript
I traded my tool truck, actually bartered my tool truck. He wanted out and I said we could do it better. We literally were probably down in our savings to about $1,100. I'm two good things in this world. I was a good basketball player and I was a good technician. There's nothing else that I'm great at. We see 4 or 5 extra business in the first year.
That's awesome, dude. Good job. Never miss. Thank you. Welcome to the ShopFix Academy podcast. I'm excited to be here. I'm your host, The Berg, and we have Mr. Guy Roberts over here. Hello, comic relief. Joining us is Stan Andruski, one of our awesome, amazing coaches in ShopFix. Well, thank you, Berg. Good to be here. Super excited. Stan Andruski. So for those of you listening, this is going to be a really special podcast.
Stan has an amazing story. I cannot wait for y'all to hear it. There's gonna be so many gold nuggets in this, and just how God has kind of moved through him and through his store and through just for everything, and the community of Shaffix really pulled him in, pulled him through a really tough time in his life. We're gonna talk about some of those elements today and some tactical things that you can take away, and You need to know, like, my shop was completely broken.
Your shop was completely broken. You went through— Aaron's store's completely broken. Like, your store is broken, but it doesn't have to be broken. Doesn't have to stay that way. And take some of these things away, and really, if you can walk away with 2 or 3 gold nuggets, then we've done our job. And you can go back and apply those in your store, and you can go fix your store.
And that's our heart, that's our desire, is we want to change this industry and we want to help shop owners. We want to help those hurting shop owners and the ones that are successful. We want to level you up too. There's always something to reach for, right? Absolutely. Another ladder. There's always another ladder. Another ladder. Amen. Amen. So Stan, what— you, ShopFix, what a crazy story.
So how did you hear about ShopFix in the first place? It's a blessing, right? I was a technician most of my life and decided I could do it better. I did Matco Tools from 2008 to 2012. Okay. And I thought the tool guy kind of came in like an ice cream truck and you pulled up and made money. And it was— of course it wasn't that at all.
I was a lot of stress. It was a lot of not making overhead and still doing the best I could. And I decided to buy one of the client shops. Oh, wow. Didn't have a lot. I traded my tool truck, actually bartered my tool truck and worked out a payment program. He wanted out and I said we could do it better. Okay.
And so I have a smart wife. And so, like, without this, I would never be here. Yeah, Megan was phenomenal. And so she was at home with the kids. She, she was doing GIS databasing for an engineering company, and I was a tech. So we had pretty good living, okay, until we started Macco. And then could have been any tool company, didn't know what I didn't know, learned a lot.
Uh, and then, uh, let's see, 2012, we bought the shop. She stayed at home, homeschooled the kids. Uh, and then Ratchet and Wrench kept calling me, had no idea who they were, okay. But we had been getting there. I kept throwing them in. I didn't read that stuff. I have time. I had to fix cars. Yeah, I was, I was in it.
And, and so classic technician. Yeah. So we, we had to move. We started, uh, implementing, uh, and 2019, we moved to a little better space. We were running— we were— we knew enough to get car accounts start to come going, but really weren't making any money. I think we're doing $20K a month. Cool. Awesome. Yeah, crushing it. Crushing it. And then moved down in 2017.
Megan then joined the shop and got involved and started putting some of her skills in it. She is the one who found the Ratchet and Wrench magazine that I threw away and I had pulled it out of the trash can, pulled it out, literally pulled it out of the bathroom trash can. Okay. I had no idea she'd want to read it. She saw an article, and of course it was with Aaron.
She remembers which one. I don't remember exactly which one. It just, it, it just set the ball rolling of what we should be doing. I had no idea what we should be doing. I was fixing cars. She was the smartest person I knew, and we couldn't make money. That's the truth. And I had no idea why we couldn't keep the money. Uh, I didn't know how.
I didn't know how to do P&L. I was not that guy. You just knew you had to work harder. Show longer hours is going to fix it. And I did. And I was doing weekends. I thought it would be freedom, and it turned into a little bit of a trap. She found Driving Growth. Uh, we got in at the end of '19.
Okay. Um, started watching videos. I watched about 4 or 5 of them and tried to implement it and completely burned. Uh, just crashed. Could not— I was a tech and I wasn't listening to her part. I had already known enough. She didn't know the business. This is what happens with a lot of husband and wife deals. You have to let your wife in.
She knows enough of it to keep you from staying at that level, right? So I learned that with her. 2020, fast forward, we found hackers. We said we were going regardless, had the masks, scared to death. We literally were probably down in our savings to about $1,100. And so we had to make that choice when we took the flight if we were going.
The lowest money we've had probably in all of our lives because we went into business for ourselves. While we were in our careers, we did all right. We did pretty well, had 401s all built up. And but we decided to do it on our own. And so from 2012 until 2019, we struggled quite a bit. Um, with the business? As an owner, as a technician, I always wanted to know like what my bay is supposed to be doing.
I turned a lot of hours as a tech. Okay. So I'm a Trailblazer. Sure. And so, slash Persuader. So I, I'm not big on detail unless I had to be, but I turned a lot of hours. And when the technicians couldn't turn 60 or 70 hours, that's where I wasn't getting along with what I saw in the videos. And so my first call ever with Aaron was, I'm questioning why these guys can't turn as many hours.
What are you going to do to help me get my guys to turn 100 hours a week? 100 hours a week. That was your standard? Yes. And so I talked to him. Okay. 5 minutes. This is the truth. First call I ever had. Didn't know him. Yeah, she knew him from the article. And the biggest thing I got was, I'll never forget him saying, you know how to be a fantastic technician right now, but you're going to learn how to be a better business owner than you are a technician.
And that was no way you could say that to me. It was almost an insult because I was like, I was such a good tech. Yeah, I felt like I'd do it all. But then that's what he told me. He said, I've been on the phone with you for 5 minutes and I know that all you need your text to turn is 35 to 40 hours.
You're different. And that's the first time he ever told me. Didn't even know me that well, but he was like, you have a gift. And so I was like, okay, yeah, so that's where it started. Took off, took the big risk to fly. I hadn't flown anywhere, God knows how long. And like I said, about 10 or 12 years I think was the last time I flew from Macau, like to go to Macau when I started in '12.
So we flew out and came over and took the chance. Met some unbelievable people, and, uh, man, the rest was just— from that year on, our revenue just went up and up and up and up. We finished '21 at $1.1 million. So we— dude, wow, $20K a month to $1.1 million. So you— so you 4 or 5x your business in the first year.
That's awesome, dude. Good job. Never missed— thank you— never missed a conference to this day. Okay. Um, the following year we did $2.3 million. Tell us why you kept coming to the conference. Like, from going from not flying— yeah, you're coming every quarter. The first thing that happened was when I came to this conference in this building, um, Remedy Suites, I think I could say.
So where I came out there and I sat down and I ate breakfast with my wife, and I saw a bunch of former technicians, and they were smiling and laughing, and some of them had tans. It's like, you don't get a tan here. Forearms supposed to be white. You're like, they just were having the time of their lives. Now I just observed that.
Yeah. And I wanted to be part of what they had. Sure. Yeah. That's the— before I even stepped foot into the conference in the vendor hall, that's, that's what I saw that year. And so there was this— they understand me. When I sat at tables for lunch, people poured into me. Right. And it became like, that's one of the reasons, honestly, why I was— those people giving back to me is the most magical thing.
And it came right from our mentor. They don't have to. But something happens in here when you start having success that you never thought even existed, Bert. Absolutely. You start getting the want to say, wait a minute, you have no idea what is out there for you. No offense, you've done very well in your business. I'm not trying to take any of that away, but you have no idea what's out there for you, and you can't even comprehend where you can go.
It's crazy. So, so true. Yeah, so abundance, abundance. And you, in that community, that's what I love about Shofiq so much, is that attitude catches fire You know, everybody that's in that community and the community pours into itself is literally self-feeding. Yeah, right. So all of that encouragement, all of that abundance just flows into everything. It's— I don't know that you can put that into words and I don't know how to even describe it.
It just feels different. It's not one thing, right? It's— yeah, it's like all the ingredients have to be right, right? You know, coming to the events or putting something like the board in place or having a conversation with a coach or, you know what I mean? Yeah. And all those little things in place are, you know, you can talk to two different people and they're completely different stories, but different aspects of this spark different things.
And it's God using all the people. I mean, this is not something that, as good as all the staff and coaches are and you guys are as people, as much as we've leveled up, this is a God thing every time. For sure. You know, and you talk about the board system, do you know the, I'd never had the board system in a couple years of coming here until you did the Board is the Boss.
That was the last time. Oh, wow. When you— I don't know if you remember doing it, but you did it. Vaguely do, yes. Yeah, and when you did the Board is the Boss, uh, but 308 was the first time that we were able to get them to buy in and keep our people. That's awesome. To where they buy in. That's where they understood it.
Yeah. You know, when I first started working for Aaron 15 years ago, there was a version of the board behind me right there in front where customers could see it. I remember a lot of my clients were like, what if the customers— we don't have anywhere to put the board, they're going to look right at it. That's like, it's wonderful, they love it.
They're just like, oh, that's my name, it's right there. You know, ours is in the, in the waiting room, right when they look at it, right when they come in, and they can see it. It— as an employee who'd never been in the auto industry, it was just a cool way to like, it tells me what to do. I don't have to store everything up here.
Yeah, I think we were like too much. On people having to store things up here. Yeah. Yes. You know what I mean? And just getting a shop owner to understand that this is going to help you. Yeah. It's gonna take some stress off you. Yep. It's gonna give your people a safety net to kind of follow. Yeah. And the receipts were here.
So when I got here with people, there were people who understood me. Yeah. Like that's never changed either. Like all the level-ups that have happened in my life through ShopFix, through God, through friends, when I get here, I can sit down with anybody, people that are doing half my revenue, quarter of it, 4 times it. And you know, we're always— we were always told either you're the student or the teacher.
Can't tell you how many times I've been both, and it's been the biggest blessing in the world to be able to start off as you're the student, you're the student, you're the student, then you have a chance to be the teacher. And you can't be quiet. You hear them over there struggling, and you just have to go in. It's like this unexplainable thing.
You feel a need, you feel a push. And for me, it's— I think it's, it's God, go. Yeah, I got you here for this reason. It's not to sit here and be comfortable. They need to hear the hope and see the hope. Absolutely. I love that part of it. I love the community, and I love exactly that, right? It's— it hit me just as you were talking about it, like the first thing you did, Lowell taught you how to hire people.
Now you are teaching people how to hire. 5 years later, one of them I, I've got 3 or 4 clients that reach out to me like, oh my gosh, Stan's, uh, ALW, it, you know, it helped me hire somebody within, you know, 20 hours or something. Like, it, it's crazy because you put your ego aside, or because your wife put your ego aside.
Megan may have put your ego aside for you, I don't know. Yeah, but because of that, you've hired marketing, and I heard systems in there. Oh yeah. When you put the systems in, what happens to the chaos? Because there was obviously chaos. Whenever there is burnout, there's always chaos. Yes. Those two are like married. And me being a diva, if there's chaos, I'm coming.
You're what? A diva tech. I was a diva tech. So diva techs and diva advisors, they will find their own solution if there's a lack of leadership. Sure. Over and over and over. And so with me being that type of person, sure, um, The first thing I noticed was I am not a systems guy naturally. Okay. I'm a good technician. I'm— all my tools are in the right place because they have to be.
Sure. Not naturally, because they have to be right. I know I can be more efficient with it. So in my workplace, I become very detailed, but normally I'm just not as much. So what I learned was these systems, when I started seeing other shops that have more success, I'm like, what are you doing? I'm like, well, it's this system. Like, no, no, no, really, what are you doing?
Yeah. No, well, it's this. I'm looking for the silver bullet, which is— and it's not like it's this system. And then I got After you start spending time with people, you get more and more efficient at those systems. Just like I did as a tech. Just like Aaron said I would. Literally, he's like, you're going to become a better— I was like, that's impossible.
I'm two good things in this world. I was a good basketball player and I was a good technician. There's nothing else that I'm great at. And he 100%. And so, and that's what happens. The progression is you don't even know who you can become. Yeah, I never had the freedom to think. Wow. And have my own. Since I was a young kid, everything was an emergency, so I never had a chance.
Until shop fix. Seriously. And it corresponded directly with my church at home. Was crazy. Church was starting to grow and take off with my pastor, who's a Marine. And so they were very similar in, in their God, you know, guided by God. And so, sure, it's just so easy to follow the systems. The more that we had a problem, we could start learning, okay, we have this problem, what will fix it?
This system. We have this problem, what'll fix it? This system. So I watched the Manager's Trap, the Manager Trap, which was one of the videos working out last year, and it redid my entire concept on a problem we were having, right? It's The Manager Trap. It was talking about why rider managers can be better in certain situations and what you need to do.
I'll never forget The Manager Trap just completely fixed what we were doing wrong. It was just like, I looked, I was like, well, what did— because it meant something different this time. And what we were doing over and over and over again was we kept trying to manage the people, right? It was like, well, yeah, you're supposed to manage your people. Now, I believe you're supposed to manage the systems.
Yeah, the people who don't follow the systems are who you train and then discipline if they— and I'm not trying to be that but you train them efficiently. But then the ones that want to fight you, which are mostly divas, now you can bring them in and say, hey, why are you not doing this? Absolutely. So I've learned very good on doing that, on being able to do that.
But that gave me the financial freedom. The next thing I had was employment. I was afraid to discipline them. I was afraid I would lose them. So many people know that in this industry, you can't have a hard conversation with a tech because he's going to walk out. Now where are you? So you sort of justify why not to do the right thing.
But I learned it here. Which is why you told me last year when we had some of the vendors were literally coming in. Yep. Trying to see how we were doing it. Absolutely. Like, dude, they're charging people this much money. He said, give it to them. And you made me realize, Berg, it wasn't mine ever to keep. That's right. This is stuff that I learned.
It was a gift from God, and we need to just give it to everybody. You're just making the industry better. Yeah, it's the community. Yes, sir. I remember later on saying, I told Ernest, I said, you know what I think the big difference between y'all and a normal person is before they meet somebody? I said, I think you guys are more efficient at decision-making and you're more disciplined than I've ever heard any two people speak in my life.
That's what I noticed, that they were able to be more disciplined. That's a gold nugget right there. That is a gold nugget. Wow. And, um, and he goes, wow, I never thought about that way. I said, well, I get to see you guys. I mean, so, so that was— they, in other words, let's unpack that a little bit. Yeah. So in other words, they weren't stumbling over a decision.
Oh no, they weren't taking a week or a month, correct? They were making it in seconds. Seconds. That's why everybody was calling, like That's the other thing, Bird. How many phone calls as you started progression? Yeah. How many phone calls do you get about these things that you're the only one who can get the answer? Sure. That's where we were with Aaron for a long time.
Yeah. You know, and so, and right up all the way it was that way. But you become such an efficient decision maker. If you walk through a door in your house and all these coats are on the rack and you hurt your elbow, I might do it 50 times because it's just a nuisance. Sure. Aaron's going to stop it right then. Oh yeah.
He is the guy that's going to have an answer for it right then. Right. This was the same way where they just had this unbelievable way of just fixing things fast. Yeah, it's the best way I can say it. I remember watching this video recently, and it was, um, all of the videos that we've seen, but one of them, I think Aaron said, it's not that I'm necessarily a better operator, I can just fix it faster.
Yeah, more efficient. Yeah, more to make decisions faster. That's it. It's the wrong decision, correct? Or the right decision, just make it. But you learn if it's wrong. Yeah, and that's where you get the experience because you're making so many a day now compared to you being afraid to make one before. Now you're making so many a day, you're getting better at every decision.
Yeah, and you're realizing that's where your wisdom comes from. That's exactly what it is. That's what I was thinking. That's a good point, God. That's exactly what it is. Yeah, incredible. That's a very— we kind of just snuck that one in there. Snuck it in there. Little nugget. Supposed to be the funny guy. Supposed to be funny. Sometimes I'm a little wise.
Yeah, say that again though. Oh, okay. So, and this is something a mentor told me, it was wisdom comes from the book of Proverbs but also from failures. And that's it. That's the only places that wisdom comes from. If we always did everything right, Yeah. We wouldn't learn anything, right? And that's the way God designed it. I mean, if you look at everyone in the Bible, all the big names, they all made mistakes.
Yeah. David, Moses, they all made mistakes. And that's where they gained their wisdom, right? Yeah, he didn't use the best. No. He didn't, not at all. He used the broken. Aaron, broken person, you know, 8th grade education, right? Made decisions. They weren't always the right decision, but he always learned from them. Every decision he made, he learned something. And quickly, like you're saying, yeah, he quickly made his way to the success that he was because he wasn't afraid to— I'm gonna make that decision.
Here's the decision. Okay, that wasn't right. Let's pivot. That wasn't right. You know, instead of— there's so many— shall I mean, we've coached people, you've coached people. Sure. How many, how many clients do you get that you're talking to them at the same thing over and over again? And it's not because they made a decision and failed, it's because they didn't decide on going for it.
Yeah, they just stayed where they were. Wow. Because they were so afraid, right? Yeah. And, um, you— we forget about that. Yeah. You know, even with home life or whatever. Yeah. With our kids, you're so afraid for your kids to make the wrong decisions. And it's like, you know, I tell my daughters, just make a decision and go. Yeah. Don't, don't be so frozen.
Crazy. It's interesting for those listening to this podcast right now, like, there, there's some wisdom in that. You can have two different mindsets and One is, oh, I'm going through this thing because it's just my luck. I'm going through this thing, you know, it always happens to me. Or you can have the mindset of, I'm going through this failure, air quotes, failure for my good.
Yeah. Oh, so good. Because the only way you can get to that next level wisdom is to go through a failure. Y'all need to pick up on that. And every— this is what I love about all the coaches. We all have limps. Every single one of us have limps. But we had to have those limps or we wouldn't have wisdom. So one of the things that came from you guys just saying that was that I remember thinking to myself, the first real thought that I came up with was the Greg Sands and that they're official.
I was like, I've never been able to come up with just the reason why these people are this, right? I've had thoughts, but originality, I wasn't able to. I never had really the time to even care about. Being— having a craft, so to speak, I guess it would be. But what you said about, you know, the breakthrough and how people get into a place where they have to have a limp.
And the one thing I learned was in life, you're going to be a victim. There's going to be times when you're going to be a victim. And we talk about you can't stay there. So this is what came to me. It's not what you're going through. I ask a lot of people, is it? And I want to be understanding what's going on in your life.
All these things are heavy. It's just you haven't been through it before. So it's your current inability to deal with it. Yeah. It's not everything that's happening to you because Everything that's happened to me, I might be able to give to Berg, and he could just— sure, sure. Aaron could just— right, I could just— for some of you. So I think it's, it's everything.
It's not everything that's happening to you. No, I just need people to understand it's their current inability. You don't know how to be efficient enough. You don't know how to deal with that yet. And that's okay, that's being human. But you can learn it. I mean, I learned it at a former mechanics coaching company. Absolutely. Yeah, it's not happening to you, it's happening for you.
Correct. Amen. And with that, like, all of these coaches with the limp, all of these coaches with gone through failures, right? And you guys may be sitting on the other side just listening going, yeah, but you don't know my situation. No, we probably have had most of them in our coaching. You'd be surprised. Here's what's crazy is God does not call the qualified.
He qualifies the called. And when you're called, there's a higher level of authority that is grabbing you which means you don't have an easy way, you don't have an easy street, you don't have a highway, an interstate to get to your destiny. It means, all right, God's like, we're gonna, we're gonna take you off-road for a minute because we need to build some character.
Yes. We need to build some failures because I need to give you more lenses. That's right. I need to give you another perspective. I need to get you— I need to give you more wisdom. Yes. And the only way wisdom comes from failure, from failure. Yep. Man, it's true. There's a lot of depth in how we live. You know, we're all God-loving.
You guys are some of the best people to look up to in my life. And I love doing this with you guys. I think that when you hear that kind of wisdom and you hear what wisdom truly is, and you hear that you don't have to have it all together right now. No. There's always hope. Yeah. You know, and seeing like you talked about the Revenues guys in my store and finishing where you said, you know, it's pretty high to be right at $5 million.
Started in 2020, right? And go from the year before, $292,000 in a year to $5 million in a year. Wow. I don't know what the percentages are, but I know that it would be impossible without God and that God brought me here. And that even when I first started coaching, one of the things that I was— and Megan and I spoke to you about this— and I wanted to be able to still make sure I could show my faith because I don't know how to fakely teach without God being involved.
Sure. So I can't tell you the street smarts. Because without God being in them, it's not the same thing. Stan, so you've been a coach for— with us for over 3 years. What is the greatest joy of being a coach? Like, what have you— what's, what's a highlight or a moment or just a general thing? I would say without a doubt is seeing that breakthrough.
There's nothing like when a client has just come from— and it's almost all, all of our clients, it was us, right? You come from a place of poverty, you've never had wealth, you've never known even how to think like that, because it's not the money that comes. Right? I love when they get the discipline together enough to continually do it, right? A lot of times I talk about Profit First.
If you don't have a P&L, I'm like, you guys at least have got to put this percentage away. And if you don't know the book, it's a great book to read. Start there. And I messed up again. I said, well, what I need you to understand, it's not the money you're putting away, it's the discipline of doing it and not touching it.
Because if you can raise $5,000 or $10,000 or $50,000, you can raise $100,000. Sure. You could, because the discipline is the most important thing. So when they have that breakthrough, I know there's nothing in life that can happen that can take away that breakthrough from them again. And I can reassure them that what you just did, you never have to go back again.
Sure. So they have this breakthrough of, oh my gosh, I had it, but am I going to be able to keep it? The one thing we've learned here above all with Aaron is you can keep it and you can even have more blessings. And so seeing that breakthrough, because they really don't believe fully until they have the breakthrough, right? It's almost like, you know, even in faith, you're supposed to have faith about God.
And then is there heaven? But when you get to heaven, you know, like you're going to know, you're not going to completely know till then. But God asked you to. Same thing with this. It's crazy to me how I think about it this way, but once they have the breakthrough, now they really believe that there's more. And you usually see after that first breakthrough, there becomes this growth that you just sit back and say, you know, God, look what you just did.
Yeah. And you just give the glory and let them go. It's incredible. That is the best part, is seeing that breakthrough they never thought was possible. You just saw 5 generations change at that decision. Awesome. That is my favorite, favorite thing. I love it. Stan, thank you so much for being on the ShopFix Academy podcast. You're such a blessing to ShopFix. Thank you for being a part of the community.
You are a big part of changing people's lives. Well, thank you guys. I think, um, I just want to say thank you to you and ShopFix Academy and everything you guys have given. Guys, don't give up on yourself. You never— you don't have to do it alone. Uh, that's the biggest thing I want to tell people. You have people out here who understand, as you said at the beginning, what you're going through.
When I get here, this is my family. You guys are my family. You guys are my family that you don't see behind the camera putting the work in, and everybody comes in here, and I just want to say thank you. It's the honor of my life, 100%. Thanks, guys. I appreciate you.
More from Shop Fix Academy Podcast
Super Tech OR Owner: My 15 Year Struggle & How I Fixed It | EP13 | Shop Fix Academy Podcast
90 hours a week, elite technician credentials, and a growing shop... but Eric Walker was still failing as an owner. Why? He couldn't grow long term while carrying the whole auto shop on his back. The cars were being fixed, but nobody’s work was ever good enough. So the “super tech” kept stepping in, taking over, and teaching his team to depend on him. In this episode, Guy Roberts and Michael "The Berg" Rosenberger dig into the shift from technician identity to actual ownership. Learn the moment Eric realized his standards were holding his people back, why letting a technician struggle can actually reduce the owner’s struggle, and why the guy with the quickest answer can become the biggest bottleneck in the building. Your job is no longer to be the hero who fixes every car themselves. Your job is to build people who can solve problems without you. Eric spent more than a decade carrying the load. Today, his auto shop has a 13 person team rowing in the same direction even when he isn’t there.Stop searching for better technicians and start developing the ones you have with Tech Fix.https://shopfixacademy.com/tech-fix?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-tech-fix&utm_content=ctaGet the structure and support to stop carrying your entire shop yourself with Shop Fix LITE.https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=ctaLearn how top shop owners build teams that perform without everything falling back on you with our free Replays & Guides.https://shopfixacademy.com/replays-and-guides?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shopfix-resources&utm_content=cta
I Spent 10 Years Stuck at $1.7M, Now I'm About To Hit $5M (How I Did It) | EP12 | Shop Fix Academy Podcast
For ten years, Wayne Watson's shop hit the same wall — $1.5M to $1.7M in revenue, eight bays, no way through. He'd been in business since 1993, tried everything, and still couldn't crack $2 million. Then something shifted. Today he runs 18 bays, did $4M last year, and his team is already gunning for $6M. He explains how he spent years managing the wrong numbers: parts percentage, GP benchmarks, shop supplies, before discovering where the real breakthrough was hiding and the reframe that reordered how he sees his entire business: that the difference between broke and profitable usually comes down to three or four cars a day.Get the structure, coaching, and accountability to take control of your numbers and build a more profitable shop with Shop Fix LITE. https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=ctaLearn alongside operators who have overcome the same financial, leadership, and operational challenges you’re facing at a Shop Fix Academy Event.https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sfa-events-2026&utm_content=cta Stop tracking numbers without knowing what to do next, watch From Guesswork to Growth and learn the metrics that actually drive profit.https://shopfixacademy.com/guessworktogrowth?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=fromguessworktogrowth&utm_content=cta
From Harsh Truths In Mentorship To Reaching A $14M Operation | EP11 | Shop Fix Academy Podcast
Hard conversations don’t hold you back, they expose what has to change if you want to grow.In this episode, multi-shop owner Adam Preusser sits down with Guy Roberts and Michael "The Berg" Rosenberger to talk about the kind of mentorship that doesn’t just tell you what you want to hear. This conversation gets into why real growth often starts with accountability, covering the relationships that challenged Adam's thinking and expanded what he believed was possible. He shares what he learned from the mentors who pushed back, why surrounding yourself with people who simply agree with you can keep you stuck, and how those hard-earned lessons helped shape the owner he became while building an operation now profiting roughly $14M annually. Learn why the right mentor should challenge you, accountability has to come before growth, and you need to hear the harsh truths you've been avoiding.Join Shop Fix LITE and learn alongside experienced coaches and a community of shop owners committed to building stronger, more profitable businesses.https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=ctaAccess free guides, training, and on-demand replays from Shop Fix Academy to keep growing long after this episode ends.https://shopfixacademy.com/replays-and-guides?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shopfix-resources&utm_content=ctaThere's something different about learning in a room full of shop owners who are solving the same challenges you are.https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sfa-events-2026&utm_content=cta
Your Shop Isn't Scaling Past $1M For These 5 Reasons...
The average U.S. auto repair shop profits under $600K, however the average Shop Fix Academy grown shop profits $2.4M. Guy Roberts and Michael “The Berg” Rosenberger cover 5 proven strategies that explain why so many owners still can’t break the $1M ceiling. This is not a car count problem. It is a leadership, people, systems, and capacity problem. Learn whether or not a $1M manager can actually lead a $2M store, why the employees who helped you reach your first million may not be the ones who can help you double profits, and how hiring more bodies can double overhead without moving production. They unpack the “Front of The Step, Back of The Step” model every growing shop owner needs to understand. Stay tuned to get the right people producing at the right level, and scale a $1M shop into a $2M operation without crushing cash flow along the way.Ready to break through your next growth ceiling? Shop Fix PRO gives you 1:1 coaching, proven systems, and a community of experienced shop owners to help you build a stronger, more profitable business.https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-pro?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-pro&utm_content=ctaExplore free replays, practical guides, and proven resources designed to help you improve profitability, strengthen your team, and grow your shop with confidence.https://shopfixacademy.com/replays-and-guides?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shopfix-resources&utm_content=ctaThe best shop owners never stop learning. Explore upcoming Shop Fix Academy events and find the training that's right for you and your team.https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sfa-events-2026&utm_content=cta
Related across the catalog
Episode 274 - Can The Automotive Service Industry Be Saved? With Cecil Bullard and Wayne Marshall
Don't get to the end of this year wishing you had taken action to change your business and your life.Click here to schedule a free discovery call for your business: https://geni.us/IFORABEDon't miss an upcoming event with The Institute: https://geni.us/InstituteEvents2026Shop-Ware gives you the tools to provide your shop with everything needed to become optimally profitable.Click here to schedule a free demo: https://info.shop-ware.com/profitabilityTransform your shop's marketing with the best in the automotive industry, Shop Marketing Pros!Get a free audit of your shop's current marketing by clicking here: https://geni.us/ShopMarketingProsShop owners, are you ready to simplify your business operations? Meet 360 Payments, your one-stop solution for effortless payment processing.Imagine this—no more juggling receipts, staplers, or endless paperwork. With 360 Payments, you get everything integrated into a single, sleek digital platform.Simplify payments. Streamline operations. Check out 360payments.com today!In this episode, Cecil Bullard and Wayne Marshall discuss the challenges facing the automotive industry today. They examine the complexities and controversies surrounding technician licensing and certification, highlighting the need for industry-wide standards. The conversation also addresses the importance of financial literacy and measurable productivity in running a successful shop.00:00 Debating dealership licensing issues10:17 Balancing employee pay and motivation13:05 Building Employee Loyalty18:33 Improving employee wages and management23:01 Business fundamentals and financial ratios29:03 Planning an Exit Strategy35:00 Chris Enright on industry frustration41:01 Need for sophisticated testing46:14 Importance of unique selling proposition51:13 Importance of inclusivity and differentiation54:12 Challenges with membership relevance01:03:44 Young talent and enthusiasm01:04:15 Recruiting a young car enthusiast
Episode 272 - Mentoring the Next Generation of Techs with Luke Murray and Charles Burke of Worldpac
Don't get to the end of this year wishing you had taken action to change your business and your life.Click here to schedule a free discovery call for your business: https://geni.us/IFORABEDon't miss an upcoming event with The Institute: https://geni.us/InstituteEvents2026Shop-Ware gives you the tools to provide your shop with everything needed to become optimally profitable.Click here to schedule a free demo: https://info.shop-ware.com/profitabilityTransform your shop's marketing with the best in the automotive industry, Shop Marketing Pros!Get a free audit of your shop's current marketing by clicking here: https://geni.us/ShopMarketingProsShop owners, are you ready to simplify your business operations? Meet 360 Payments, your one-stop solution for effortless payment processing.Imagine this—no more juggling receipts, staplers, or endless paperwork. With 360 Payments, you get everything integrated into a single, sleek digital platform.Simplify payments. Streamline operations. Check out 360payments.com today!In this episode, Lucas Underwood and David Roman are joined by Charles Burke and Luke Murray from the Worldpac Training Institute. The conversation focuses on the importance of mentorship and structured apprenticeship programs in the automotive industry, the challenges of reaching and engaging more shop owners with effective training and business resources, and the personal impact of mentorship—both in the industry and in personal life.00:00 Transitioning from technical to business training05:42 Grounded from flying career09:44 Choosing movies before streaming12:41 Becoming a BMW instructor14:04 Focus on mentor training18:43 Mentorship and training apprentices19:46 Creating a custom apprenticeship program23:10 The importance of effective mentorship28:29 Building ASTA through community sharing31:50 Explaining profit margins simplistically33:25 Helping others with industry insights38:01 Funny story about Chris Chesney39:21 Spreading the word about free training42:11 Passion-driven learning benefits
Why Most Shop Owners Stay Stuck | Jimmy Lea - Ep 16
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 DEMOAnybody 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 episode, Tonnika Haynes Downshifts with Jimmy Lea, Vice President of Business Development at The Institute for Automotive Business Excellence, to talk about the real journey of becoming a successful shop owner. Jimmy breaks down the importance of bringing value whether you’re on stage speaking or working with your team at the shop. He shares how coaching can transform not just your business but your life, giving practical advice on moving from chaos to control and learning to delegate effectively.Timestamps:00:00 Bringing Value vs Chasing the Spotlight – The Key to Longevity02:13 The Recharge Routine: Thriving as an Industry Extrovert04:04 Honing Your Craft: Speaking, Coaching, and Constant Growth06:03 Connecting with Your Audience: The Secret Sauce of Great Presenters07:45 Daily Mindset Practices for Owners & Leaders09:09 Jimmy's Journey from Call Tracking to Industry Rockstar13:43 Nailing Your Niche: How to Stand Out & Grow in the Automotive Space16:18 Why Shop Owners, Service Advisors, and Trainers All Need to Bring Value21:28 The Power of Coaching: Why You Can’t Afford To Go It Alone26:06 Technician to Owner: The Real Phases of Shop Leadership30:25 From Chaos to Control: The Blueprint for Scaling & Letting Go34:52 Delegation and Team Building – Getting Out of Your Own Way35:10 The Real Payoff: How Coaching Impacted Tonnika Haynes’ Team and Life40:06 Raising Labor Rates, Elevating the Industry & Gaining Community Respect43:00 Trade Schools, Teen Techs, and Changing Perceptions51:10 Shop Lessons vs College Degrees – Real-World Business Smarts58:07 Final Takeaways: Coaching, Mindset, and Rethinking What “Success” Looks Like
Burn the Boats: AJ Nealey’s Multi-Unit Breakthrough - Bonus Zoom Episode 6
Glenn Piccolo interviews AJ Nealey about his journey from a one-bay garage to a five-store multi-unit operator in Maryland. AJ shares how Key to Key training, Rack Attack tactics, strict hiring standards, and fraud-prevention controls transformed his business, helped him stop tolerating mediocrity, and drove rapid improvement. The episode covers practical takeaways for shop owners: implement core fundamentals every day, recruit and retain A-players, use accounting controls to stop theft, and lead from the front with relentless execution to scale successfully.