Ratchet+Wrench Radio

How to Woo Customers, Protect Your Business and Nail New Hires

This week's episode contains snippets of some of our best and most listened to interviews of the year.  First up, editorial director Anna Zeck chats with Dynamic Automotive's Dwayne Myers to learn how shops can approach the sensitive topic of price and avoid making customers feel vulnerable, overwhelmed, or taken advantage of.  Then, William Ferreira, a go-to repair defense specialist, explains how to bridge the gap and build an attorney relationship that's well worth the investment.  Finally, columnist and Shop Fix Academy founder Aaron Stokes discusses hiring tips to take into the new year and why you might be holding your hiring potential back. 

The Struggles that Shop Owners Face

Staff Writer Paul Hodowanic chats with body shop owner Louie Sharp about his battles with PTSD and childhood trauma as the two embark on a larger discussion about mental health among shop owners. Thought to be one of the most stressful last two years for business owners in modern history, the discussion yields plenty of strategies shop owners can use in their own lives to ensure their mental health is strong. 

Productive Vendor Relationships

With supply chain disruptions making headlines and headaches this year, it's a good time to take a closer look at what makes a great relationship between operators and suppliers. Adam Tatum, director of operations at the Virginia Group, a Jiffy Lube franchisee based in the east coast, joins the podcast to talk about his best practices for maintaining great relationships in the industry.

Podcast: Make Telematics Work for Your Shop

Derek Kaufman, managing partner for Schwartz Advisors, chats with Digital Multimedia Editor Noah Brown about all things telematics: What they are, how they've changed over the last couple of years, and how your shop can use the technology in the coming years.

Taking Advantage of the Holiday

Editorial Director Anna Zeck welcomes Ratchet+Wrench columnist and Shop Fix Academy Founder Aaron Stokes to the podcast to discuss how to optimize the time between Christmas and the New Year. Stokes shares what every shop owner should be doing before the start of the new year and how to set yourself up for success heading into 2022. 

How to Master Digital Marketing

Christina Ross, president of Silver Frog Marketing, joins Digital Multimedia Editor Noah Brown to outline what makes a good digital marketing campaign and how to effectively employ one for your shop. 

Why You Struggle to Hire

Editorial Director Anna Zeck caught up with Shop Fix Academy Founder and Ratchet+Wrench columnist Aaron Stokes to discuss hiring and recruiting. Zeck and Stokes discuss how shops should present themselves, how to act as your best self and how that affects your ability to get the best team members. Stokes identifies what you could be doing wrong and how to fix it. 

Integrating Technology in Auto Repair

Tekmetric Co-Founder Prasanth Chilukuri joins staff writer Paul Hodowanic from the 2021 AAPEX Show to briefly discuss Tekmetric's new developments before having a longer discussion on technology and its integration into the repair business. 

ADAPT Automotive Technology Summit Preview

10 Missions Media Editorial Director Anna Zeck spoke with Vice President of Content and Events Bryce Evans about what exactly the ADAPT Automotive Technology Summit is, what you can expect while you're there, and why the event is so important for the automotive aftermarket. Spots are still open for the Summit! Register online at adaptsummit.com/register.

The Benefit to Hiring Veterans

Pete Baldine, President of Moran Family of Brands joins Editorial Director Anna Zeck to discuss the company’s commitment in adding veteran owners and employees and the value they bring to the system.   Moran Family of Brands, one of the nation’s leading automotive repair franchises, counts 14 United States veterans among its 120 total franchisees. Moran franchise owners have been enlisted in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines branches of the military, as well as the national guard.