Ratchet+Wrench Radio

Your Field Guide to Hiring and Firing

Hiring and firing are actions all shop owners must maneuver, but may struggle to master. Roxi Bahar Hewertson, a consultant, business expert and author of books like "Hire Right, Fire Right: A Leader’s Guide to Finding and Keeping Your Best People," shares her tips for setting yourself and your team up for success through the hiring process, as well as how to be thorough and respectful when it's time to let somebody go.

Your Guide to Social Media Marketing Dos and Don’ts

Megan Williams, co-founder of 3P Marketing Solutions, talks with associate editor Mike Munzenrider about what makes a successful social media marketing strategy. While Williams approaches things from a collision repair perspective, listeners across the repair industry will hear some great tips for making the most of your social media efforts

Keeping Ahead of Today’s Tech Shortage

With a boost in post-COVID repair shop business, shop owners are facing fresh pressure to hire and retain talented technicians. Monthly guest and ShopFix Academy founder Aaron Stokes explains why now is the time to invest in your shop's talent before they get a better offer. 

The Making Of A Mobile Repair Business

Joel Milne, CEO of RepairSmith, joins the show. RepairSmith is a full-service mobile repair business that is rapidly expanding along the west coast. Milne shares insights on how the company is growing, where it hopes to be in the next few years, and some really great information on the little intricacies of running a mobile repair business and how it all works logistically.

How to Build Emotional Customer Connections Post-COVID

How do your customers feel about your shop? What is their emotional connection to your business and its role in their lives? And ultimately—what does that mean for your bottom line? Desert Car Care's Frank Leutz explains how shop owners can maximize their emotional impact by aligning the physical and digital customer shop experience in a post-COVID culture. 

How a Small Shop Launched Its Own 501C3

For Levon Arnold, owner of Long Arm Mechanics in Garden City, Idaho, community outreach is more than a goal. It's been built into his shop's day to day procedures through its own 501C3 program.  Tune in to learn how Arnold went about launching the program, some of the challenges faced along the way, and how the program has been incorporated into the shop's every day workflow. 

How to Time Your Next Shop Remodel

A tired, outdated operation can have a bigger impact on your shop's bottom line than you may realize.  Shop Fix Academy founder Aaron Stokes breaks down the remodel process and how shop owners can gauge if it's time for a few simple upgrades or a full refresh, as well as a few inexpensive tricks for simple maintenance that can make an impact. 

Becoming a Bilingual Business

Howie Berman, executive director for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, joins Ratchet+Wrench Radio to discuss the increasing importance of catering to a multilingual customer base. 

Simple Tips to Optimize Your YouTube SEO

You don't have to be a YouTube influencer to make the most of your video content.  From automated captions and thumbnail images to comment management and video descriptions that tell a story, Frank Leutz, owner of Desert Car Care in Chandler, Ariz., shares a few key tips for making the most of your video content that can help new users discover your shop. 

Making Appointments in 2021

Bolt On Director of Education John Burkhauser discusses driving and appointment trends of the second COVID summer and what shop owners can expect (and how to prepare) for an influx of used vehicles.