Ratchet+wrench Radio

In this episode, Juke Ball of Juke Auto in Austin, Texas, discusses mistakes he made as a young shop owner and the resulting lessons.  You can read the story that inspired the episode, "What You Don't Know You Don't Know" on ratchetandwrench.com.

In this episode of Ratchet+Wrench Radio, Erich Schmidt talks about the early mistakes he made as a shop owner that have enabled him to become the conscious business owner he is today. 

In this episode of Ratchet+Wrench Radio, Mike Allen, owner of Carfix Auto Repair & Tires with shops in the greater Raleigh, North Carolina area, talks about why he likes to hire fast (as quickly as the same day), how he does it, why it works and why his people stick around. 

In this episode, Bill Greeno of Quality Automotive Servicing in Truckee, California, talks about his meticulous process for onboarding new team members. Bill was a 2022 Ratchet+Wrench Best Workplaces winner and has a reputation for having a strong shop culture that begins with how he onboards his new hires. 

In this episode, Ratchet+Wrench Editor-in-Chief Chris Jones takes a look back at the events at VISION Hi-Tech Training and Expo in Kansas City, and shop owners and other industry professionals share their experiences from the event. 

In this episode, entrepreneur, speaker, and people-first growth specialist Shari Pheasant gets real about how auto repair shop owners can get down on their team's level, increase emotional intelligence, and build a shop that's truly about putting people first.

In this episode, Dave Brown of DSB Leadership Group talks about his four keys to ensuring that you get the most out of your conference networking experience. 

In this replay episode from 2022, Deanna Bumgardner from Employer's Advantage LLC joins Ratchet+Wrench Radio to talk about being an emotionally intelligent shop owner when soliciting feedback from your team, why your team fears opening up in the first place, and tips for creating an environment of open communication.

In this episode, Marc Mawhinney of Natural Born Coaches talks about what makes a great coach, why marketability trumps all, and understanding what your clients want and how to get it to them. He also offers insight into how to level up your coaching business through strategic communication.   Take the 2024 Ratchet+Wrench Industry Survey. Register for the 2024 Ratchet+Wrench Management Conference

In this episode, Cecil Bullard of The Institute for Automotive Business Excellence discusses the various available technician pay plans shop owners can use and their pros and cons. 

In this episode, Bill and Kaylin Walker of Walker's Garage in Brewer, Maine, discuss how they got their shop up and running. Bill had been a solo operator—wearing all of the hats most of the way—until Kaylin joined him in the front of the shop. They market like a big shop and now they're readying for expansion. Here's their story.

In this episode, Travis Comfort, vice president of Rick's Automotive in Springfield, Missouri, talks about the innovative mind of owner Rick Hughlett, working on fleet accounts, and their modern shop complete with an employee gym.

In this episode, Carrie-Lynn Rodenberg of Turnkey Marking talks about direct mail marketing and how auto repair shops can get the most out of it. We also discuss how to create your messaging, target your audience, measure results and how to fit it into your digital marketing mix.

In this episode, Daniel Wisian of Tech One Automotive in Austin, Texas, talks about what's new at his shop and walks us through his processes as a shop owner. He talks about his hiring and retention practices, expanding his shop, how he budgets for marketing, and collaborating with Tesla early on. Wisian's shop was featured in the March 2023 issue of Ratchet+Wrench.

In this episode, Ratchet+Wrench Radio host Chris Jones reviews some of his favorite episodes of the year and talks about changes to the podcast for 2024. Sponsord by Ford Motorcraft

In this episode, Chris Enright of Enright Automotive talks about how he amassed a huge following on social media. To date, he has 53,000 YouTube subscribers, 30,000 TikTok subscribers, 45,000 Instagram followers and his Instagram Reels have over 50 million views. Chris talks about how he did it and how you can find your brand voice on social media and get noticed.   Sponsored by Ford Motorcraft

In this episode, Jeff Furrow of Wellsboro Automotive talks about being a relational leader and how that translates into creating an environment where his technicians can learn, grow, and in turn train their fellow techs. He also discusses his apprentice program and how he finds students. Sponsored by Ford Motorcraft

In this episode, Mike and Susan Henn of Henn Automotive talk about their southern North Carolina shop. Mike talks about getting rejected by the bank for a loan, building his shop with his own hands, how he trains his technicians, and why they stay for the long haul (most have been with the shop for over a decade). Susan discusses managing the front end, why providing full benefits matters and her role in creating the environment of the shop. Sponsored by Ford Motorcraft.

In this episode of Ratchet+Wrench Radio, Rachel Spencer of Spencer's Auto Repair shares her journey through shop ownership and how she overcame challenges personally and professionally to become the empathetic and strong leader she is today.    Sponsored by Ford Motorcraft

In this episode, Daniel Stewart, service manager at Oceanside Auto in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, talks about his shop, its future goals, its culture and how he gets the best from his Gen Z technicians.  Sponsored by Ford Motorcraft