Ep 169: How They Doubled Revenue With Fewer People with Brian Moak

0:00Every minute matters. It is the belief, the core value, the driver of how we operate. If I let my passion lead, I always wind up in the wrong direction because I get excited and then I pounce on that shiny penny in the corner rather than seeing the dirty quarter over there. Then we have to look at whatever metrics you judge it by and say, where is the leak?

0:25So that we can fix the problem to create a better symptom. You're listening to the Limitless Leadership Podcast, the podcast designed to help automotive repair shops learn how to lead, coach, train, and manage their team better by sharing proven techniques and thought-provoking interviews from industry leaders. Are you ready to transform your leadership skills by tapping into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results?

0:50Let's get ready for liftoff. It's time to go from great to greater. Here's today's episode. Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of the Limitless Leadership Podcast. Before we get started, don't forget to like, comment, subscribe, do all the things you need to on social media to help this podcast impact people and build leaders just like the leader I have, uh, sitting across from my computer screen today.

1:19He is a good friend of mine. He is the 2025, uh, Ratchet and Wrench franchisee, or no, uh, uh, owner of the year. All-Star of the year. Yeah. All-Star. I'm butchering this entire thing, so that's okay. Basically, he, this dude is legit. All right. He's also the executive VP of the Heart Division for Telly Tire and the marketing lead for Telly. Uh, good friend of mine, my friend Brian Moak.

1:41Brian, thanks for being on the podcast. Josh, I'm thrilled to be here. Thank you for having me, man. Really, it's great. Man, I've been excited for you to be on the show. Uh, I'm excited for our audience to get to know who you are, what you do, and how you do it. Um, I've really enjoyed getting to know you more, uh, quite a, quite a bit over the last 6 months or so.

1:57But when I say— look, I'm talking to the listening audience right now— when I say that this guest is going to bring the fire, he's going to bring the fire. Uh, I have learned so much from him, uh, since we first met. And, um, when I say that there is no one who does things quite like Brian Moak. That's an understatement. Um, this guy understands, uh, operations.

2:21He understands systems. He understands what it's like to truly lead people and lead organizations. And that's exactly what you're doing for, uh, Heart, for Telly. Um, but I'm not gonna steal your thunder. Why don't you go ahead and share with the audience who you are, what you do, and how you do it? Shops that thrive long-term aren't the ones with the most tools.

2:39They're the ones who've stopped wasting time managing them. TechMetric is the all-in-one auto repair platform that brings shop management, payments, and marketing together so everything works the way it should. Your team works cohesively, your customers come back more often, and you always know exactly how your business is performing. Whether you're leading the shop, managing the front counter, or turning wrenches in the bay, TechMetric gives every person on your team what they need to do their best work.

3:04That's auto repair done right. Visit techmetric.com or use the link in the show notes. All right, leaders, whether you're running a shop, leading a team, or leveling up in your career, you know details matter. And if you're like me, that includes keeping your beard on point. That's why I trust the Bearded Brotherhood. Their beard oils, beard balms, and mustache waxes, among other, are made with all-natural ingredients.

3:27No junk, no shortcuts, just top-tier quality that keeps my beard looking sharp and feeling great. And let's talk Whether it's their best-selling Woodsman or my personal favorite, Lone Stranger, the Bearded Brotherhood keeps me smelling fresh and my beard stays soft all day. If you take your beard game seriously, this is the stuff that you need. And because you're part of the Limitless Leadership Podcast family, I've got a deal for you.

3:53Just visit thebeardedbrotherhood.co/lead15 to grab your favorite products and and get 15% off in the process because a great leader deserves a great beard. Now back to today's episode. Well, I mean, I think you did a good job and I appreciate it. My name is Brian Moak. It is awesome to be here. I love what you stand for, Josh, and what you do.

4:18And I listen to your podcasts and they are fantastic. And I do love that your mission is to create impact. And I think that's where you and I align actually. I think that's where our friendship was was born. And so, um, yeah, what I do, I run HART Certified Auto Care. We have 7 current locations with 3 coming in August, so we'll be up to 10.

4:40Um, well, we were acquired by Telly Tire, uh, in June— uh, sorry, not June, January, January 2nd of this year. Uh, so we are part of a 91-location, uh, phenomenal organization across 8 states. We're really— we're, we're growing and thriving and And it's really exciting. But in Chicago, we are the repair first, the service division of Telly. And so that's our focus.

5:10We're about 85% to 90% service, 10% to 15% tires, depending on which location we have. Really focused on quality, really focused on a high level of educating our customers and serving them. And I think the maybe differentiator for us is our speed. I mean, you're gonna hear this probably 38 times on this 30-minute call. I have a saying which is every minute matters.

5:37It is the belief, the core value, the driver of how we operate. And it shows up in every area of the business. So yeah, we're, We're, we're, we're good. We're friendly and we're fast. You know, we're reasonably priced. I wouldn't say we're the cheapest. We don't want to be. We're a great value for our customers. Well, Brian, you just gave us a lot to work with.

6:03I have plenty of follow-up questions based on what you just shared. But before I get into those questions, can you share with our listening audience— by the way, if you're listening to this episode, you can also watch this episode on YouTube at The Bearded Leader. You can find this episode and plenty more. But share with the audience how you got here. Share with the audience how you got in the automotive repair industry and really your journey on where we're at now.

6:26Yeah, no, so I've been doing this for 20, 22 years now. I know I don't look old enough for it, but I have been. And so it has been a journey. I started out with my dad. We started building something together. Excellent, uh, is an excellent mechanic, had an amazing business on his own, tried to force me out of the industry, and I, I had nothing to do with that.

6:51All I wanted was to work with him and learn from him and grow with him. Um, and, uh, out of college, 2 days later, uh, went to work, and he sat me down. I'll never forget it, uh, to this day. Sat me down and told me that when I was 40, I would buy him out. Uh, I am 44, and I bought him out when I was 27.

7:11And so it has been a roll since. A story that you have enjoyed is at 27, I bought a business that he and I were growing and it was a really strong, very well-run, very mom-and-pop. All of our invoices were still handwritten, but doing great business. And it took me exactly 7 years to drive it right into the special assets division at the bank.

7:38Literally couldn't have done anything. I mean, couldn't have done it worse. Almost on the verge of bankruptcy. And from 2016 to 2020, what year are we now? '25. We more than, I mean, I know we're '26 now, but last year was the year I'm talking about 'cause I sold beginning of this year. We more than doubled in size, 2.2x in size, same number of people, same number of bays with one less day.

8:03We closed on Saturdays. So it's been a journey, and the journey's just getting started. You know, now I'm involved with Telly, and I get to impact all these stores across the country. I'm running marketing for the whole company now, and I just feel like the, you know, heart is exploding. The opportunity to get involved at a bigger table, a bigger plate at the table is, I mean, if you don't know me, but if you do, that's pretty exciting to me.

8:32I love the challenge and I love the work. So yeah, I mean, I probably just went on a little longer than you wanted, but yeah, no, it's been quite a ride. Brian, that was great. And I appreciate you sharing all that. It's very evident to anyone who's listening or watching, Brian Moak is a passionate individual. He genuinely cares about who he does it with, what he does in the process.

8:56And the fact that company is called Heart, um, for, you know, that's, that's perfect because you are a heart guy. You are someone— say it again. It's what we lead with. So, and I love that you share that. Can you elaborate on that? Like, when you say we lead with our heart, like, elaborate on that for the listening audience. Well, I mean, I think it means a lot of things, uh, to me.

9:17We have 3 rules. I've shared them with you, uh, uh, and there are 3 rules that we live by, right? The 3 rules of the game. We call them our rules of the game. Number one, we do the right thing. Number two, we always do the best that we can. And number three, we show others that we care. And if we do those 3 things, we're good to go all the time, every day.

9:37And so to me, leading with heart is taking care of people. It's empowering people. It is giving them a path forward. I've shared with you that we now have, I think, as just my division, we have like 85,000 customers across Chicago. But to me, I have, I have 96 customers. Those are my employees. Those are the people that I serve. Those are the people that I show up for.

9:58And if I do a great job for them and they buy what I'm selling, then they go kill it with the 85,000 we have. I love that you just shared that. Ironically, I just jumped off a coaching call with another client of mine, and what we talked about was, uh, leadership starting with us. And it's like, we've got to lead ourselves first before we can lead those around us.

10:15And I believe in leading yourself first, then your team, then your guests. Because when you lead your team and you serve your team, like if, if, if I'm serving my team and, and, and sorry, I, I realize I misspoke. We wanna serve ourself first, then our team, then our guests. When we serve our team, it naturally bleeds into the guest experience. Um, you mentioned the rules of the game.

10:36I would imagine that those 3 rules of the game, um, is one of the reasons why you were able to climb out of the financial assets division. Uh, but I'm, I'm curious, what was the turnaround, Brian? Because you talked about, essentially a, a massive dip. What was the turnaround for you? All right, folks, as you know, great leadership isn't about doing everything the best.

10:55It's actually about having the right partners in your corner to build your shop success. It's about putting the right team in place. It's about choosing the right vendors to make you a pro, making pro moves. And when I think about the pros, I think about Shop Marketing Pros. The know, like, and trust factor, that's a real thing, and Shop Marketing Pros understands that.

11:15That's why I wanna recommend Shop Marketing Pros to become your marketing partner in your shop. They get to know, like, and trust you and your business to then help your audience get to know, like, and trust you too, and bring your shop to the next level. So when I talk about making pro moves, this is the kind of move I'm talking about.

11:33This is the kind of standard-setting partnership that's gonna elevate your shop. So if you're ready to become a pro in your shop, visit shopmarketingpros.com. And partner with the best. This episode is brought to you by Limitless Leadership because great teams don't happen by accident. They're led on purpose. If you're tired of wearing all the hats, putting out fires, and wondering why your team won't step up, Limitless Leadership is for you.

11:57They help leaders transition from player to coach who develop people and multiply impact through in-person or online leadership training like the Limitless Leadership Blueprint or their Roots to Results coaching method. Their services are designed to help you tap into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results and help you create safety and trust in order to provide clarity and direction. So if you're ready to stop managing chaos and start leading with purpose, head to limitlessleadership.co to book a complimentary discovery call today.

12:27Massive dip is an understatement. Uh, but the turnaround really, you know, it's funny, you introduced me and you, you shared that I'm passionate. Uh, which I am. Uh, my energy is through the roof. I feel like I'm getting younger every day. I will tell you though, you know, people have this belief, and I had this belief, that if you have energy and you're passionate and you, and you are, and you'll work hard, that's all you need.

12:51And you know what I found out? My passion was actually an Achilles heel for me. Passion and energy if it's going in the wrong direction is not so good. And the problem that people face is they throw their entire— everything they have into what they believe is the winning outcome. And I love that. I think it's great. It just better be the winning outcome.

13:19And so for me, what I had to do is, you know, look, Heart has almost tripled in size. Uh, even in the last 6 months. And yet I'm involved in helping with a bunch of special initiatives on the tele corporate side. I'm running marketing for the entire organization. My day now is about 10 to 15% heart, 85 to 90% everything else. But we're way up.

13:49We're leading. Heart is, is, is growing at a crazy pace. And it's not meaning we've added more stores, which we've had. I mean, actual stores are growing. So here's the thing about passion, right? It's exciting. It gets people interested. It piques interest. It gets them maybe curious to buy in. My thing, my magic sauce has been that if I let my passion lead, I always wind up in the wrong direction because I get excited and then I pounce on that shiny penny in the corner rather than seeing the dirty quarter over there.

14:24And so for me, what I've had to do is I put systems around everything. Everything, everything has a lane. Everything has to stay in that lane. I love collaboration. I love working together. I love, you know, fierce debate. I think it's that that's how you get smarter and better. And for me, knowing who I am, if I don't systematize the next thing, if I don't engineer it to the outcome, my passion, my energy takes over and it leads me in the wrong direction almost every time.

15:03So you gotta know yourself. Hey, this is great, man. And I, you, you just helped me understand why you and I click so well together because I find myself in a very similar lane when I know that my emotions Uh, when they get high, whether I'm excited, whether I'm frustrated. I mean, like, I wear my heart on my sleeve, and when my emotions are high, my logic tends to be low.

15:24But emotional maturity is having feelings but not letting our feelings have us. And you just shared something I think that's, that's really, uh, important, and that is you put a system around it, and all of a sudden you're, you're forced to operate within the parameters or the boundaries or the guidelines that you have, your— that you've created for yourself, which I think is, is, um, is is solid.

15:45Yeah, something I learned years ago, Josh, is that we can't build a solution for the symptom. We have to build a solution for the problem. And the thing that happens when I get passionate and excited, it's usually I get inflamed because of a symptom. And if I fix that symptom, it just pops right back up a week later. Yeah, because I didn't address the problem.

16:10And so what we have built in our culture and our company, we are problem finders. And it doesn't mean we're negative. Believe me, that's— it's not like we're like— but we're problem finders. We don't talk about symptoms. We talk about problems, right? Like people talk about, you got to, you got to build your ARO. Love it. I think it's great. How? What is the one thing or the two things that have to happen to create that?

16:34That is a symptom, not a problem. Yeah. If your ARO is low, then we have to look at whatever metrics you judge it by and say, where is the leak so that we can fix the problem to create a better symptom? That's so good, man. Everything you're sharing, it, it, if I hear you correctly, I believe it starts with mindset and understanding how powerful our minds, which are, in my opinion, the most valuable asset that we own, how powerful they are.

17:03And recognizing that humans have up to 60,000 thoughts per day. Studies show that 80% of our thoughts are negative, 90% of our thoughts are repetitive, and it's important that we are strengthening our mindset and operating with a healthy mindset when we're leading ourself, our team, and then our guests. One of the things that you shared with me months ago, Brian, that I have even stolen and used on coaching.

17:26Right. So thank you for that. I guess I need to send you a check in the mail. Um, but this phrase, and you shared, Josh, capacity is a mindset. Capacity is a mindset. That, quite frankly, Brian, rocked my world in the greatest way possible because here I am thinking that I am just burning the candle at both ends. It's a daily grind, bell to bell, and I'm trying to operate with high energy and a lot of passion just to keep me going one day at a time because entrepreneurship is hard.

17:54It, it, like, this is, let's call it what it is. I jokingly say that ever since I became an entrepreneur, I sleep like a baby, which means I wake up in the middle of the night bawling my eyes out sometimes. But, but here's what, here's what you helped me remember, remember, and that is capacity is a mindset. Can you share with our audience what that means to you?

18:12Capacity being a mindset? Yeah. So 2016, on the verge of bankruptcy, I think we were doing $7 million at the time. I mean, we're pretty big for 3 shops. Uh, it's amazing how someone could screw up that, right? So, but the reality is, is I thought we were at full capacity. I really did. My solution was we have to expand, we have to do this, we have to do that.

18:33Again, focusing on symptoms, not problems back then. I didn't know better. And one of the things that we kind of clicked into and locked into was what you just said, capacity is a mindset, right? So why did we think we were at full capacity. What, what gave us the right to say that, right? Don't we owe it to our technicians? We owe it to them to do better, to get them more work, to fill the shop, to— I mean, we owe it to them.

19:03I think people have that backwards. They think the technicians owe us, you know, we owe them the work. That's my opinion. And so, so we had to look, and we do it through data. We have a saying around here— I'm all— I have a lot of sayings, and it's data-driven gut approved. And, and the, the, the feeling of the data has to create the impact, but the data has to show me where to look in the first place, right?

19:26And so we got really good at looking at data. And what's really fascinating is the, um, the same $7 million at 3 stores turned into $15 million at 3 stores, less people, No more bays, 5 days a week versus 6 days a week. Wow. Yeah. So less people and you went from 6 days to 5 days. Oh yeah. And over doubled the revenue.

19:53Yeah. We're not working more, we're working smarter. And so I'll give you a silly example. A really, this is really silly. Okay. When I, when I ran the 3 stores before I got acquired, I had an executive assistant. And I swear to God, I thought that I would never function without that support. Again, limiting belief, capacity. I can't, I can't, uh, manage more.

20:18I can't handle more. And then I meet Aaron Telly. He's running what, at that time, you know, 80 stores, doesn't have an assistant. I'm like, there's no way I'm gonna get, you know, keep this assistant for me. Like, I mean, this guy's a powerhouse. He's doing it without it. And in my mind, I'm like, all right, you got to challenge yourself. You can do this.

20:36Like, you have to do it. Like, nobody else has one. You're not going to have one. Luckily, my assistant became, uh, head of HR for Heart. She's rocking it. She's unbelievable. But, but I had to learn how to— I mean, I'm doing probably 5 times, maybe more, the workload than I was before. And by the way, that is not a negative statement.

20:57I love it. But, but, but the, the ability to get more done in the same amount of time is actually what I'm really good at. And so I had to learn for myself, how do I manage my day? It is inexcusable to me to tell someone you're going to do something and not do it. It is inexcusable for me to be late on something.

21:21It is inexcusable to me to hold someone accountable and then fall short yourself. I don't believe in that and I never will. So for me, if someone is having that problem, if they're falling behind, if they, then they have to look at themselves first and they have to optimize their, what they're doing. You know, I had a mentor that used to tell me, you could be busy all day long organizing your desk.

21:47You were busy, but you weren't productive. One of the greatest mistakes any of us can make is assuming all of our thoughts are actually true. And you just said, we always think like, We, we think that we are at capacity, or we, we, we don't think that we can go more than we, than we otherwise should. And the reality is we're always gonna find evidence in the things that we think or believe.

22:07And we're gonna say that question, right? I mean, like, like one of the 4 major reasons why teams are getting held back starts with mindset and the fact that we think that we can only do X, Y, or Z, when in reality there's so much more potential, there's so much more meat on the bone. Lack of better terms. Um, I have the best friend who built a billion-dollar company.

22:27And billion with a B? Billion with a B. One of the smartest guys I know. And he had a, he has a cute saying that he used to kind of lead with in his, in his, in his, uh, executive team. He would say, if we're talking and we're using feelings, we're always gonna go with mine. But if we're talking with facts, and we can back it up with data, I'm open to the best solution.

22:52Okay. And I love that. Yeah, I love that. It's— I mean, it's— we can't lead and be leaders off of feelings. Uh, you and I have talked about this. Feelings are not facts. Feelings are the reaction we have to something in the moment. And a lot of those are stacked and triggered by a lot of stuff that's happened before, right? So it's like we have to remember that we, that feelings can't drive.

23:19It can be a part of the energy. It can be a part of the passion and the, the, I'm gonna go get it and I won't take no for an answer. Sure. It can be the fuel behind it, but it can't be the driver. Brian, I, I appreciate you sharing this. I mean, you and I have even talked about this, even with the, the coaching that, that I do with Limitless Leadership and how, um, you know, cuz we've talked about like, could, you know, could we do some coaching with you guys and, and your team and, and And you're like, hey man, respectfully, like, I appreciate you, I know you do a great job, but

23:47we've gotta have data behind it. We've gotta have, like, I like that you said data-driven, gut-approved. And, you know, I think the gut is there. The data is something I'm still working on trying to prove because as you know, a lot of what we do, it's intangibles that turn into tangibles. But let me go back to something that you kind of touched on, and that is how it's the limiting mindset, it's the limiting beliefs, it's the way that we're thinking of things.

24:12And Brian, you've shared with me before that, you know, Aaron and the Telly organization had reached out to you for, I mean, you were kind of dodging their calls for a good year or so. Yeah, a year and a half. So help me understand what that process looked like because I know that the acquisition for you was a, you know, you are on the beginning of another incredible journey.

24:37Sure. Walk us through that process. And mainly because there's someone listening right now who might be thinking about selling, who might be already being entertained by other people who are trying to acquire them. Talk us through what you went through and where you're at now, and maybe give some insight to someone who might be going through the same things. Yeah, sure. I mean, it's a deeply personal decision, right?

25:01It is the thing that I believe I think every person that gets acquired ought to have a Josh or someone behind them to help them through that. Because I think that when you are a business owner, it's not just a job. It's not what you do. It's an identity. And so it's a deeply personal decision. And for me at the time, we were having a ball.

25:30You know, we, we, it couldn't have been more fun and, and business was great and we were moving in this incredible direction. We have a fourth, we had a fourth store coming on board that we were building from the ground up. Our team was, you know, fired up and all cylinders running and we had a goal of 10 locations by 2030. Wouldn't you know it?

25:50I'll have 10 locations by the end of this year. And like, but I mean, again, capacity's mindset, but like the, The thing that's so interesting is I had no, um, interest in letting go of that, right? I had none. Zero. Like, it wasn't even like, oh, should I look at it? It was zero. And, um, Aaron Telly has a great team, uh, of, of people that were reaching out to me.

26:14And, uh, uh, T is his name, and he would call me regularly, and, and I'd say, look, man, I'm— I appreciate the call, you're a really nice guy, but I'm, I'm just not interested. Um, I don't even know that, like, you know, Aaron, uh, Telly, from what I've done, my research from our calls, is more tire first, we're service first. I, I just, I don't think it's a fit.

26:33You know, a lot of stuff that I had really no proof of. Yeah, but, uh, a belief of. And, um, and then I won the All-Star Award, and T calls me up and he's like, look, Aaron wants to talk to you. You have to give him, just give him 30 minutes. And I was like, fine. I don't even know why I took the call.

26:53I really don't. I mean, I was making more money than I could ever imagine. I was living, I'm, you know, I've got a flexible work life. I'm doing really what I want when I want. You kind of can't ask for better, right? And I took the call with Aaron and it was supposed to be 30 minutes. It lasted like almost 3 hours.

27:10And what I learned in that moment or those moments that made up 3 hours was, This guy is different, at least different than what I thought or what I believed he might be like. Sure. And, and different than the other calls that I had taken over the years. Um, 'cause you always, as an owner, you, so it's like your responsibility to be exploring what's out there.

27:32Um, and, and I talked with Aaron and I realized that we really view the world very similarly. It's people first, it's culture first. It is, uh, uh, providing a great product. It's taking care of the foundation so that we can grow strong. I mean, We just, it was like I was talking to an old friend that I never met him before. And what was really interesting to me is when I brought up the tire first, service first, you know, we talked about that.

27:59And believe it or not, he created the Heart Division, which is repair first, for us to drive that business model. And, you know, for me in my career and in my journey, I wound up, uh, I wound up in a phenomenal place. I got a great deal on the business. I feel very good about that. Um, and what's most exciting for me now is I wake up and, you know, somebody else may, may find this overwhelming.

28:28I do not. I mean, I'm driving it. I mean, I'm doing emails at, you know, 4:45 in the morning. And by the way, no one's asking me to do that. It's not like there's like this big fear that if, oh, I've If you get acquired, they're gonna work you to death. It's like, not at all. I'm driving that. I couldn't be more supported.

28:47I mean, couldn't. It has been, I think he was worried about working with me a little bit. I'm sure you've noticed I have a large personality. And I think I was worried about coming into an organization and being an employee. And, you know, I just, I feel so empowered. I feel so supported. And I feel listened to. And, you know, you kind of can't ask for more than that.

29:12My team is doing fantastic. We had no casualties. We had zero acquisition casualties, meaning we lost nobody on the shops we've acquired since then. We've had no casualties. Like, I'm really proud of what we're creating and I feel really excited about it. The runway is massive. It's massive. So if you are someone that is in that place where things are going great, I don't know, it's probably worth looking into.

29:43Maybe they go greater. You know, if you are someone that's at the tail end of the career and you're like, and I'm not even talking about us, although I would highly encourage you to explore us because I really believe in what we do. It's, you have to, I think it's our job to explore what's next. It's our job to be planning for what's next.

30:02And again, I was wrong. I was wrong about my assumptions about what this would be were wrong. And I'm so glad I dug in because it's been phenomenal. I mean, and I can't say it strong. It's been an amazing, amazing thing for me and for the team. I'll tell you what, man. I mean, again, you and I met probably 8 months ago or so, and I've learned quite a bit from you in in that timeframe, and you and I are able to catch up fairly often, and I see the level of energy, passion, fun, just your, I mean, your heart is huge for Heart and for Telly.

30:41And that to me, that's a testament to Aaron and his leadership. I wanna highlight and honor you for a moment too though, because you talked about how you feel empowered, supported, listened to. You guys are a people-first and a culture-first organization, but you're also a strong leader, one of the best leaders that I know. And I know that your team members feel empowered, supported, and listened to because of your leadership.

31:06They don't feel the weight of your title. They feel the energy and influence of your leadership. So I wanna highlight you and honor, honor you in, in that regard. Um, but let's, let's talk about, like, let's say you are someone who's listening and, and maybe you've been flirting with the idea of, uh, of, um, selling or, um, an acquisition of some, of some sorts.

31:27Um, Brian, could you share with the audience, how can we get in touch with you? How can we get in touch with Telly to learn more about, about the people-first, culture-first environment that you are creating and cultivating? Yeah, email me, brian@heartautocare.com. Send me an email. I'd love to connect with anybody. Um, It's like I said, it's a deeply personal decision, but but I'm I'm certainly open, and we are we are in growth mode.

31:54So if if if this is on your radar, it's definitely on ours. And yeah, we're we're we're open and ready. Brian at heartautocare.com. That's Brian with an I. So B R I A N at heartautocare.com. And I'll tell you what, man. Telly has my endorsement. I mean, I having known you and seeing the the work that you guys do from afar, if I'm a shop owner, I mean, at the very least, it warrants a conversation.

32:24So I just, I wanna commend you for that. But let's talk about leadership and what leadership means to you. If I were to ask you, Brian, what does leadership mean to you? How would you answer that question? Well, I sum it up with one sentence, right? Right? I mean, there's all the buzzwords, right? It's like empowerment and listening. And I appreciate everything you just said.

32:48And I believe it's how we do it, right? But we have a tenure at heart, an average tenure, an average employee tenure of like 14.2 years. Hold the phone for a sec. Hang on a second. 14.2 years? That's incredible. It is incredible. And you're not going to find that anywhere else. Maybe. I don't know. They are a remarkable group. I mean, a remarkable, remarkable group.

33:12And, you know, I think I've learned this. People have a belief. And by the way, we do all these things, so I know they're important, but, you know, we take care of them. We show them appreciation. You know, we have stocked lunchrooms in every place, fully stocked. They have their own budget. They pick whatever they want. I don't wanna get involved in that.

33:30But like, you know, we do a lot of fun culture things. I think we pay better than anyone in the industry, uh, and we're proud of that. Uh, they deserve it. It's all— they earn it. Um, uh, I think we help them. We, we career path them. We give them like— I believe in a path forward, path forward management. Um, so we know where they want to go.

33:52We help them get there, but they got to do the work. We can just help them. Um, but to me, all those things are great. They're all great and they're all important, right? Um, you know, you, you, you got culture, you got comp, you got, you You got great work hours, 5 days a week, all the stuff. It's great for an employment ad, you know, for we're hiring.

34:12But that's not why they stay. All those things are great. But the reason they stay, my kind of leadership, what I do, what I believe in, it helps them win. I help people win. And when you can provide all the niceties and all the culture and all the good stuff and give them a win every year, you get tenure like 14.2 years and they do better every year.

34:46It's my commitment to them, but I can't do the work. I can only provide the structure and the supports to help them do it. Our team works hard. They work really hard. And I know, I know our industry is an industry of hard workers and I'm not putting anybody else down, but the way that we work, every minute matters. We don't have people showing up 6 minutes late and taking a 3-minute coffee and talk.

35:11That is 10 minutes of missed opportunity. Yeah, we don't believe in that. You wouldn't last with us if that was your mindset. You just wouldn't. How do you find someone who may not fully understand the, uh, concept of speed or a sense of urgency? Yeah. But when you instill that in them as a habit, that becomes a, a, a way of life.

35:33Like, how do you identify that in someone in an interview process? Um, I think it's really, it's funny, I'll say this and, and the world around me, meaning my whole team would be like, oh my God. But it's, it's really, that's like the vibe. Piece. I can't even believe I said that out loud, but it's really like, you know, I want to learn how someone works.

35:53And by the way, they don't let me interview. I'm awful at it. So, you know, I'm probably speaking out of turn here. You know, you got to know what you're good at and what you're not good at. I am the worst hirer you've— I just love talking to people. So get me in a room with someone and hear about their career. It's like all of a sudden I find out what their traumas were when they were 4.

36:11You know, it's like I'm really bad at hiring. So, so I want to be really clear at that. I'm very good at spotting talent. Like everyone that's on my executive team started very, very at an entry level. Our, our highest producing technician was a porter first. The, the vice president of ops of HART started as a part-time driver, customer, uh, answered phones and drove people.

36:35He's now running the whole thing. Like, uh, the head of our marketing team was answering phones first. The head of HR was answering phone. Like, we are, uh, the manager of my largest store started off as, uh, just a, uh, you know, an entry-level service advisor. Well, hey, you, you talked about creating a career path for people. Yep, that's it. Organizations don't do that.

36:55That's it. And what a miss they have. What a miss. Because all of our talent is home— well, not all of it, we have a lot of new people, but, uh, we are, we are homegrown. And that, that's a wonderful thing. And you know what's awesome about that? Is those people care not just about the work, but they care about helping the next group come up.

37:13They don't feel like they're training their replacement. They understand that they are helping support the doubling of our revenue, right? And so it's like— and by the way, I'm a, I'm a believer in mutual alignment. So they win, I win, we all win together. Yeah, uh, always, always, always, always. So, uh, you know, for me, again, back to your question of what does leadership mean game.

37:34It is we have to help our teams win. We have to. And there's a lot of things to win at. There's a lot of things. It's, you know, their comp. We have to— they have to win at that. They have to win at feeling good about what they do. They have to know what their career path is and then achieve it. That's a win, right?

37:54Like, we have to set the stage and the processes. And like, I believe in reverse engineering everything. Here's where I want to go. What are the 30 steps I have to take to get there? And then that's where we start, start, and then we follow those steps. Well, that's how we career path our teams through training, through support, through, you know, all of it.

38:13So I believe that if you can help people win, they don't leave you. And if you can help win, I think winning begets more winning. Preach. That's so good. And I, I, I really, I, I like what you said too, Brian, about it's not about you getting a win. That, that, that's a byproduct of helping others win. But even your team, like looking at, I want to fix my ARO.

38:33That's a symptom. Me winning is a symptom. Yeah. Yeah. They gotta win. And if they win and they win every day, all the time, guess who else does? This guy right here. Right? Like it's, yeah, that's how it works. Well, and, and the cool thing is like, if, if they're, if they're emulating how you lead, which it sounds like they do, it's not even for them.

38:51It's not about their own wins. It's about helping others win because even for them, it's a byproduct when they win. So, um, man, helping people win, that is leadership in Brian Moak's terms. Let me ask you the second question I ask every guest on every episode, which is, Brian, what is the best advice that you've ever received from a coach or a mentor?

39:11You know, it's funny, I've watched your episode, so I knew this question was coming, and I've been thinking a lot about it. I have had the privilege of having some awesome mentors, and, you know, I traveled around the world with Tony Robbins for a little while. This was during my, like, trying to find myself era, and like, Uh, I've had awesome mentors, and so I really thought about what, what it was I wanted to tell you here.

39:33And you know what's interesting? The thing that kept popping up was this. I had a mentor that once told me that the most important thing to do is keep the problem the problem. And I didn't understand it at first. I needed him to really dig in and explain it to me. Oftentimes when you're sitting across the table from someone and you believe in one thing and they believe in another thing, we become the problem.

40:06I'm trying to win against you. You're trying to win against me. It winds up creating a stalemate and somebody always loses. And again, you know, if winning begets more winning, I think losing begets more losing. And so the thing that I learned is that if you keep the problem the problem, you walk around the table and you sit on the same side of the table and you both face the challenge together, then it's not about you being wrong or me being right or vice versa.

40:37It's about us looking at the opportunity and building something together that it allows me to take 'em by the hand and walk 'em where I want to go. Make it their opportunity, empower them to do it. And, and, you know, it's interesting, I don't even know that I'm doing it justice in explaining it, but the power that that has created in my personal momentum of not— and it's funny, I mean, I'm, I'm very strong, very strong-minded, very, you know, I talk at this level almost all the time.

41:10So I am— I know that I'm an intense, intense person. Um, but even— and I still catch myself, you know, still to this day, even knowing this, even knowing that I've become— and I— it's like, it's funny, anyone who's met me recently, they ought to know I used to be 10 times worse. So they probably can't imagine that. But like, you know, I, I really believe that if we keep the problem the problem, it allows us to see it clearly and to build that reverse engineer.

41:36That's the thing, right? I'm not looking to make you wrong. I'm just looking to fix what's happening. That's all I care about. If I understand what you're sharing correctly, what this also does is it allows for the growth and development of the people involved in the, in, in the problem solving. Oh yeah. To exponentially increase because the problem stays the problem and it's not about all the other little things and the distractions and the, the, the, the noise in the background, if you will.

42:05That gets in the way. Instead, you guys are both focused on the problem being the problem, and it allows for growth and development. Is that fair to say? 100%. And think about this. You pointed this out a few minutes ago. The people that I work with, they have emulated my form of leadership, right? They wouldn't be able to do that if I just— and this is, by the way, when I was on the verge of bankruptcy, I led this way.

42:28You're wrong. I'm smart. You're an idiot. Let's go. Right? And so, like, What I learned is that for them to do what I wanted or where I saw them, uh, where their potential could go, I had to teach them to see the solution the way I did. And guess what? Sometimes I was shocked and they had a better solution and I love that.

42:52Yeah. But, but I, they don't learn if you whack-a-mole and tell them what to do and move on to the next. Yes. And so for me, keeping the problem the problem lowered guards and allowed us to look at it together. And then I was able to raise up the level of engagement, raise up the level of strategy, raise up the level of how we go to business.

43:15And that, that was— that, that piece of advice, although I didn't realize it in the moment, I didn't realize it when it happened, uh, to this day has been one of best tidbits I ever got. I'll tell you what, man, that's, that's powerful what you just shared. And, you know, I, Brian, I know, I know you, and I know that you operate at an incredibly high level, and I can only assume that your team members operate at a very high level as well.

43:38I'm not suggesting that there's a bunch of Brian Mokes around because there's only one Brian Moke as far as I'm concerned. But what I can say is that I know that you have been able to raise their leadership lid, and you've been able to elevate them and help them increase their performance because of the connection that you have that creates the engagement that they deserve.

43:55And ultimately the byproduct, uh, is, is a performance increase because you said it, man. Like these guys, they know how to do their job. Yeah. They know how to do their job. But when we show up and we step up as leaders and connect with them, it creates engagement. And when we know that 77% of team members, statistically speaking, are disengaged, then that tells me as a leader, my objective is to create engagement because I know engaged team members perform better.

44:21And that's, that's what you are so great at doing. So I'll tell you what, I say it a little differently, but we're saying the same thing. Okay. I, I, I, I promote team ownership. I love this. So keep going here. We, it's funny. I was with our newest acquisition last night. This was the speech last night. And, and it is, you know, we got to think about our career.

44:46It's funny. People, you ask them, what's your biggest asset? My business or my home or whatever. You know, you don't own a home. My car, right? It's like, no, absolutely not. Your biggest asset is your career. I don't care. I don't care how much money you got. Your biggest asset's your career. If you think about the return that you get, let's say I've worked for 22 years.

45:07The return that I've had on those 22 years is mind-blowing. But that's not just me. I mean, even like a technician, you think about the compound of what they've earned over that time. It's massive. Show me any other vehicle on the planet, investment vehicle on the planet that earns that kind of return, right? And so we need our teams to look at their job as if they own it.

45:33It's theirs. And if you own something and you have an asset, what is the sole purpose of an asset? There's only one. It's to create a return. That's it. That's all an asset's there for, to create a return. And so if your team looks at their time and their commitment and their job as their asset, and it's their job to create a return on it, that's powerful.

46:01That is next level stuff. That is how you double in size. I mean, the newest acquisition we took over was a powerhouse in Chicago. We've added 42% to their ARO In the first month and a half. 42%. That's right. Wow. And so my point is capacities and mindset, own your job. Every minute matters. I got a lot of these sayings, but they all work together.

46:23And that's, that's how you create the magic. It's right there. And by the way, you gotta have a process that backs it up. Well, let me ask you, Brian, so you, you alluded to the, uh, back in your Tony Robbins days, that was your, uh, trying to find yourself era. Um, yeah, put it all on a credit card. It was awesome, Josh.

46:39Well, let me, I'm gonna switch this. I'm actually gonna turn this question to the audience. If you are in your trying to find yourself era, why have you not reached out to Brian Moak yet? That's, that's what I'm gonna— if we're— if you're through this entire interview so far and you have not already sent an email to Brian, you're doing yourself a massive disservice.

46:5842% ARO increase in a month, um, but that's just one of many, uh, positive changes that you guys make. I love the fact that you alluded to this concept of intrapreneurship, not entrepreneurship, but intrapreneurship, which is which is ownership. Um, I'm gonna, I'm gonna end with a question for you, Brian, and you might, you might not be happy with this question because I'm putting you on the spot here, but one of my favorite quotes from Steve Harvey, he says, your career is what you're paid for, your calling is what you're made for.

47:25I'm gonna put you on the spot. What is, what is Brian Moak's calling in life? My calling in life. That is putting me on the spot. You know, it's interesting. I think my calling is also how I define success. My calling in life is to live to my full potential in every area that I exist. And I think that That's ever-growing, right?

48:05But as a father, I need to be present. I have to show up. I have to not be on a call when I'm with my kids. I have to listen to them and care about them. As a spouse, same thing. I have to show up and make special time and put that first and grow that. As a leader, as a manager, as whatever I— as a son, as a whatever, as a friend, whatever category that I exist in, And I know this is like a tall order, right?

48:35You can't be good at everything, um, but you can try to be. And, and that's— I think my, my calling has been to live to my full potential in everywhere I exist and to understand that sometimes I fall short. And when I do, I learn from it and I try to do better. When you're giving yourself grace in the process, um, look, perfection is reserved for God, but Um, the, the name of the game is progress and you're making progress.

49:02And I'll, and I'll say this too, man, as a friend, Brian, you're doing just that. Like you are living your calling, you are maximizing your potential. And man, I'm honored to know you. Uh, I'm so glad that you got to jump on the podcast. This will not be your only time on the podcast. I know our audience is walking away better than before.

49:21So thank you for being here and, uh, looking forward to the next time. Thanks, Josh. This was great. And thank you for tuning into another episode of the Limitless Leadership Podcast. As you know, we look to transform our leadership skills by tapping into unrecognized potential to achieve limitless results. So thanks again, everyone. Have a great day. Don't forget to smile today. Tell your loved ones how much they mean to you.

49:40I'm Josh Parnell reminding you to keep leading well.