Ratchet+wrench Radio

Welcome to the first-ever weekly news round-up podcast from Ratchet+Wrench. This week, Ratchet+Wrench reports on vehicle inspection news. 

What do Kobe Bryant, Ben Hogan and the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team have in common? They were all underdogs who used their unique approaches to stay focused on their processes—to unbelievable results. In this episode of From the Editors, vice president of content Bryce Evans and editorial director Anna Zeck dive deeper into three unique stories of triumphing over adversity, and how this month’s feature on the Best Workplaces ties into that concept (2:00). On the 40th anniversary of their historic win against the Soviet Union, we take a look at Herb Brooks’ unique strategy for coaching the U.S. Olympic Hockey team (4:50). Next, we discuss one of Bryce’s favorite golfers, Ben Hogan, who dominated the scene in the late 1940s and early 1950s, despite numerous injuries and disadvantages. Finally, Kobe Bryant’s untimely death resurfaced a powerful speech from his jersey retirement (14:50).  All three of those iconic underdogs took their (real or perceived) disadvantages starting out and turned them into be

In this special podcast, the winners of Ratchet+Wrench’s inaugural Best Workplace awards sound off on what makes their shops worthy of the title. Chip Broemmer, owner of Advanced Car Care,  shares how he worked with his staff in order to allow him to be able to provide tools to his technicians (1:00); Bryan Gossel, owner of BG Automotive, shares how he maintains his award-winning culture across multiple locations (5:35); and Ricky Jordan, one of the owners of Fifth Gear Automotive, shares what he believes puts his shop above the rest.

It's fun to make New Year's resolutions, but so many of us struggle to stick to them. In fact, a recent study from Strava found that approx. 80 percent of people who make New Year's resolutions drop them by the second week of February (so, yeah, right about now). If you are one of the many that contribute to this statistic, it may be time to find a better approach. On this episode of Ratchet+Wrench Radio, we're talking with Jim Murphy, a business coach with Elite Worldwide, on the best ways to identify (15:00) and stick to your personal and business goals (3:44, 4:58, 8:30, 9:04), including how they relate to one another (1:24) and when it's time to reassess them (5:23, 13:53). We even discuss a personal goal to visit every U.S. National Park, one shared between R+W staff writer, Abby Patterson, and Murphy (2:43). Here's some more insight on achieving your goals: Reach Your Goal: https://www.ratchetandwrench.com/articles/8606-reach-your-goal Proper Goal Setting: https://www.ratchetandwrench.com/articles/

Monthly guest Aaron Stokes shares his secrets for increasing ARO. 

Monthly guest Frank Leutz, a podcast guru, shares how to make your own podcast.  1:00: Introduction  5:15: Why you should have a podcast  7:30: Business plan for your podcast  11:30 Format and structure of the podcast 12:30 Podcast logo  14:00 Getting ideas for content   22:30: Recording, broadcasting and editing  27:30: Grow your audience  32:30: Podcast payoff  38:00: Wrap-up 

In the inaugural episode of From the Editors, vice president of content Bryce Evans and editorial director Anna Zeck break down the biggest stories in the February issue of Ratchet+Wrench.   First, the two discuss the shift in leadership styles over the years (anyone remember lots of yelling from their high school coaches?), why it’s important to serve your teams, and how to put each team member in the best position to succeed (2:22). Next, learn exactly how to implement “the new golden rule of leadership,” which involves leading employees how they need to be led (6:30). To round out the issue, find out columnist Aaron Stokes’ tips for getting out of a rut and how to stay motivated when the best direction to take is unclear (10:20).   And finally, get a behind-the-scenes look at Ratchet+Wrench’s latest launch, the ADAPT: Automotive Technology Summit, happening May 31-June 2 in Nashville (12:15).   

Casey Welch, CEO and co-founder of Tallo, a hiring platform, shares how shop owners can attract Generation Z and how they're different from Millennials.  2:00 minute mark: Who Gen Z is 3:00 minute mark: How Gen Z differs from Millennials  6:00 minute mark: Gen Z's similarities to the Baby Boomers  7:30 minute mark: How to attract these job candidates  11:00 minute mark: What Gen Z is looking for in an employer     

Grote Industries was recently highlighted by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb for its partnership with Ivy Tech Community College and the Indiana Department of Correction. Through the program, Grote provides workplace experience and training, as well as opportunities for permanent employment to women returning to the workforce.  Andrew Garrett, human resources officer at Grote, discusses the benefits to the program and why automotive repair shop owners should consider getting involved in something similar.

Monthly guest Aaron Stokes shares his pick for the KPI you should be tracking (but probably aren't) and how to go about improving it. 

This week on Ratchet+Wrench Radio, we talk with two marketing experts from Podium on how to up your game in the marketing playing field.

Publicity is a great way to reach customers, but not every shop owner is trained for it. Frank Leutz, owner of Desert Car Care of Chandler, and co-host Susie Wong, discuss the dos and don’ts of a press release, how to attract the media and how to prepare for a TV appearance.   Hear more from Frank at http://bit.ly/WrenchNation

Aaron Stokes shares how negative staff members can disrupt the entire business, how to prevent it from happening and how to know when enough is enough.

Tom Burden, founder of Grypmat, shares the inspiration behind his tool tray, which was named one of Time's Best Inventions of 2018, and his advice on finding your inner problem-solver. 

Frank Leutz and co-hose Susie Wong break down their marketing calendar and provide tips so others can create their own for the upcoming year.

Jason Stretch, owner of Legendary Automotive and Truck Service, discusses the importance of recruiting and his approach to the process.

With the holiday season upon us, Aaron Stokes discusses the importance of giving thanks for one of your most valuable assets—your employees. 

In his inaugural podcast, Frank Leutz, owner of Desert Car Care of Chandler, and co-host Susie Wong, tackle the tech shortage and discuss the techniques that have worked for them as well as areas that they’ve struggled with. 

In this week's episode of Ratchet+Wrench Radio, Junior Word, president of Carquest North America discusses how he's been able to keep a focus on the customer throughout his time with the company and what he hopes to bring to his new position.

Jim Lang, president of Lang Market, discusses what independent shop owners need to do in order to stay relevant.