Ratchet+wrench Radio

The independent shop's path to success can be rugged—if you're not willing to adapt. In Rissy Sutherland's inaugural Grow episode as part of the Ratchet+Wrench Radio network, she delves into the best practices two shop owners used to prosper in their markets.

Craig Noel, owner of Springfield, Ore.-based Sun Automotive, and member of Elite Pro Service for almost 8 years, discusses the importance of 20 Groups, and how they helped him become a stronger owner and leader. 

Dennis Houska, owner of  Houska Automotive in Fort Collins, Colorado, talks about the ways how he, as an owner, taps into his employees for ideas and ways to grow and improve his business. 

For this episode, we decided to feature a shop owner who participated in the 2017 Shop Performance KPI Survey. Thorp’s single-shop operation boasts an overall gross profit margin over 60%, a net profit margin over 20%, and an annual revenue of 1.4 million. In our interview, he outlines what KPIs he’s made a priority to track in his shop and how they’ve helped improve his operation.

Owner of Casey's Automotive in Virginia, Bryan Jewett, discusses the challenges that young shop owners face and how he overcame them. 

Taylor Pickering, Ratchet+Wrench All-Star Award winner, marketing director and fleet manager at Pickering's Auto Service, outlines the importance of having a structured marketing strategy, budget and reporting system.

Cecil Bullard, CEO of the Institute for Automotive Business Excellence, discusses why many shop owners are afraid to raise their labor rates and how that fear could be holding them back.

Mike Davidson, owner of Parkway Automotive in Little Rock, Ark., is looking to bridge the gap between the automotive repair industry and the education system with his non-profit organization, the American Skilled Labor Association. And a huge part of that, he says, is building an apprenticeship program that not only attracts students into technical schools, but also sets them up to become the best technicians possible as they head full-time into the profession. He provides the key steps to structuring a successful apprenticeship program for both mentees and mentors.

Industry tech guru Donny Seyfer, co-owner of Seyfer Automotive in Wheat Ridge, Colo., sits down with Ratchet+Wrench editor Bryce Evans to discuss the 2017 Shop Technology Survey, industry technology trends, and how your shop can benefit from an era of rapid technology advancement. 

A scholar of telematics for years, Derek Kaufman has written on and discussed the subject ad nauseum. Today, as the managing partner for Schwartz Advisors, he’s pushing to make the technology a crucial, everyday component of automotive repair shops. Kaufman joins Ratchet+Wrench to discuss the progression of connected car technology, the necessary equipment for shops, and why we must educate drivers on how it offers improved shop-to-customer communication.

Charlie Marcotte, owner of Pride Automotive and founder of Family Service Day, discusses the importance of giving back to the community and how it's impacted him as a shop owner. 

Ron Haugen, owner of Westside Auto Pros in Des Moines, Iowa, discusses his shop's transition to paperless processes, and how any shop can reap the benefits of going digital.  

Adam Liu, Ratchet+Wrench's March cover subject and the owner of M-Spec Performance in Middle Village, N.Y., discusses his top tips to achieving a 22 percent net profit. 

Industry legend Mitch Schneider, owner of Schneider’s Auto Repair in Simi Valley, California, joins Ratchet+Wrench for its debut of Ratchet+Wrench Radio. After 50 years as a shop owner, Schneider is in the process of selling his business and moving into a new role in the automotive repair world. He discusses the importance of succession planning, the process he's undergone transitioning the business to new hands, and how he plans to continue to help the industry.