Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE

ASTA is coming up September 24-26 in Raleigh. Be there or be square, dog! Register now and use code confess25 for $25.00 off your registration. Sign up HERE

If you're like me and aren't good at marketing, don't do it on your own. Let the experts handle it. Touch HERE for more on Turnkey Marketing.

Tired of your shop’s social media looking like every other repair shop on the internet? Stand out with 47 Consulting. Learn more HERE

Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one is happening in Dallas Texas, September 10-12. Learn more HERE

When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!

Today, Jamie Caldwell from Jamie's Garage joins Bryan Pollock and Mike Allen as Jamie shares the story of scaling from one stressed-out location to five thriving shops. How? He hired character over skill. They also talk about different pay structures when Jamie shares why his team isn’t paid commissions—and how that’s improved culture and teamwork.

Timestamps:
00:00 "Stolen Truck Insurance Windfall"

04:35 "Extended Warranty Dispute Strategy"

07:59 "Mastering Scripts Before Freestyling"

12:17 "Shifting Focus to Good People"

15:15 European Auto Shop Journey

18:13 Private Equity Impact on Auto Industry

20:07 Future Possibilities and Industry Impact

24:45 Relational vs. Transactional Business

27:22 Hiring Challenges and Compensation Talks

33:57 "Flat Rate vs Teamwork Culture"

38:15 Embracing Transparency in Leadership

41:55 "Discovering TikTok During COVID"

44:33 Race Car Engine Connection

48:59 "Business Over Social Media Earnings"

Keep shop management, payments, marketing (all the things) all in one place with Tekmetric. It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Click HERE

ASTA is coming up September 24-26 in Raleigh. Be there or be square, dog! Register now and use code confess25 for $25.00 off your registration. Sign up HERE

Turnkey Marketing has made my life SOOO much simpler, AND they've helped keep the phone ringing. Do you need these two things too? Learn more HERE

Tired of your shop’s social media looking like every other repair shop on the internet? Stand out with 47 Consulting. Learn more HERE

When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!

Elite Worldwide's Ignite 2027 is coming up in February and NOW is the time to sign up. It's happening in Vegas February 4-6 and it will be the best 3 days of your shops year when you attend. Learn now HERE

Todd Speciale is the founder of Make Sales Great Again and best selling author of The Ultimate Sales Bible. Today, he and Mike discuss the reputation of salespeople and the keys to selling with integrity. Todd also shares the story behind his company and book, emphasizing the importance of honesty and culture in building successful sales teams.

Find out more about Todd here

Timestamps:
00:00 Who do people distrust most in sales? 
01:00 Todd’s keynote that broke all Mike’s rules
02:30 Why Todd Speciale speaks—his personal story and passion for helping others
05:06 The real meaning behind “Make Sales Great Again”
07:00 Why Todd left timeshare & how the right sales tactics can change an industry
09:00 Dirty sales: How to SELL and still sleep at night
10:30 Sales from the negative—flipping the pitch with integrity
12:00 Firing the top 1%: Why the best sales aren’t always the best people
14:00 Blocking objections & how to own the conversation
16:05 Who does Todd’s consulting actually help—and how?
18:00 How can auto shops attract high-level sales talent with lower ceiling pay?
19:45 The power of culture: 71% hate their jobs—how to fix that!
21:00 Best industries for ethical sales training—and the truth about training
23:10 Door-to-door horror stories: What it REALLY teaches you
25:30 Who invests the most in their teams? The inside scoop on insurance, real estate, roofing & more
29:35 Inside Todd’s books: The Ultimate Sales Bible & more
33:00 Why the sales process hasn’t changed—but the buyer sure has
36:00 Old school vs. new school: Changing prospects and tactics
38:53 The compensation trap—can performance pay ever reward ethics?
41:00 How to weed out the wrong hires before they cost you
44:20 Where to find great trainable sales talent: Youth, servers, and bartenders
47:00 Mythbusting the “kids don’t want to work” narrative—how to develop the next generation
50:52 How to reach Todd Speciale and learn more

Tekmetric opened my eyes to just how much a good SMS will do for a shop. Their software is top of the line, and with them, so is my shop. Try them for yourself HERE

ASTA is coming up September 24-26 in Raleigh. Be there or be square, dog! Register now and use code Confess25 for $25.00 off your registration. Sign up HERE

My marketing before and after signing up with Turnkey Marketing is pretty scary. In a good way. Get your marketing right today HERE

Tired of your shop’s social media looking like every other repair shop on the internet? Stand out with 47 Consulting. Learn more HERE

Make your techs happier with Detect Auto. They'll stop getting "check noise" or "check vibration" from advisors with the customer concern tool. It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Book a demo HERE

Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one is happening in Dallas Texas, September 10-12. Learn more HERE

Nate Winston owns Winston's Complete Auto Care in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Today, Nate shares with Mike how he and a friend one day decided to start a shop...with ZERO experience in the industry...They talk candidly about the challenges of business partnerships—including the fallout from a partnership built on a handshake deal—and offer hard-won advice for anyone considering opening a shop with a friend.

Like the episode? Call 704-CONFESS or email [email protected] to share your stories or feedback!
 
Timestamps:
00:00 Business Partnerships: Like Marriage...Without the Sex 
02:02 Meet Nate Winston: From Blinds Factory to Auto Shop Owner 
03:29 Starting a Shop with Zero Experience 
06:08 Living in the Shop: Early Struggles as Entrepreneurs 
08:25 Growing the Business & Chamber of Commerce Involvement 
11:47 Partnership Breakup: What Went Wrong? 
14:16 Why Every Partnership Needs an Agreement 
17:17 Building a Business “Prenup” vs. Friendship 
18:23 Opening a New Shop: The Leap to Solo Ownership 
20:17 Coaching, Training & The Value of Events for Shop Owners 
22:50 One-Man Operation: The Challenges and Plans for Hiring 
24:58 Biggest Challenges in 2026 and Beyond 
26:13 Cutting Out Heavy Work: Focusing on the Right Jobs 
28:34 Tektonic 2026 Preview & Vendor Networking 

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE

ASTA is coming up September 24-26 in Raleigh. Be there or be square, dog! Register now and use code confess25 for $25.00 off your registration. Sign up HERE

Turnkey Marketing takes the stress of doing something I'm not good at off my plate. And gives it to someone who is. Click HERE for more.

Tired of your shop’s social media looking like every other repair shop on the internet? Stand out with 47 Consulting. Learn more HERE

Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one is happening in Dallas Texas, September 10-12. Learn more HERE

When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!

Jon Cabak is the co-founder and CEO of Detect Auto. Today, he shares with Mike about Detect Auto’s maintenance recommendation tools and talks about their new partnership with BG Products to streamline customer education and shop efficiency. The conversation also explores how AI is already transforming shop operations, from business analysis to coaching service advisors, with Jon sharing practical ways shop owners can leverage these technologies today.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introducing The "Maintenance Recommendation System" & the Struggle for a Good Name
01:05 Jon Cabak's whirlwind trip: Meetings, markets, and minimal sleep
02:11 Jon's goals at C&R AAPEX: Building partnerships and sharing tech
02:47 Who is Jon Cabak? CEO of Detect Auto, building better tools for shops
03:06 How Detect Auto helps service advisors ask the right questions
04:06 New features: BG Products partnership & integrating educational content for customers
05:00 Educating customers with videos, Tekmetric integration dreams
06:16 The power of video explainer tools for maintenance sales
07:13 Coaching new shops: How to launch a maintenance program
07:49 Why shops struggle to sell maintenance—and how to avoid “kitchen sinking” new customers
09:13 Making a maintenance plan not a one-time sales event
10:11 Detect Auto’s printable/PDF maintenance planning tool
11:02 “SUN”: The new name for maintenance—Shit You Need!
11:46 AI’s best use in shop ownership, ChatGPT in action, and practical subscription tips
13:06 Voice tech, call analysis, and smarter prospecting with AI
14:00 Pipe dream or next reality? AI that writes your service tickets
15:00 Using AI for real-time scripts and to improve advisor performance
16:45 Ongoing upgrades: Overcoming latency and training obstacles
18:31 AI for pre-service surveys and reducing customer friction
19:10 Practicing objections and role-playing with voice AI
21:11 Upgrading your AI subscription — Is it worth it?
21:57 Using AI to analyze business trends and shop performance
22:42 Grok, Gemini, Claude: Testing the new AI tools for shops
23:44 Will software engineers be replaced by AI? Real talk about tech careers
25:19 What Detect Auto features are most valuable to shop owners?
27:09 How onboarding and training shops faster drives ROI

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE

ASTA is coming up September 24-26 in Raleigh. Be there or be square, dog! Register now and use code confess25 for $25.00 off your registration. Sign up HERE

If you're like me and aren't good at marketing, don't do it on your own. Let the experts handle it. Touch HERE for more on Turnkey Marketing.

Tired of your shop’s social media looking like every other repair shop on the internet? Stand out with 47 Consulting. Learn more HERE

Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one is happening in Dallas Texas, September 10-12. Learn more HERE

When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!

Bryce Evans is the founder and editor-in-chief of Auto Service Leader. Today, Bryce and Mike talk about the future of automotive media, the role of independent journalism, and how Auto Service Leader's innovative magazine is reshaping the information gap for shop owners. Their model puts content ahead of advertising, giving readers practical information they can actually use. They also cover the current state of journalism, the challenges of maintaining editorial integrity in today’s click-driven media landscape, and what independent shop owners can do to navigate an industry rapidly changing due to private equity and consolidation.

See Auto Service Leader's work HERE

Timestamps:
00:00 Can True Investigative Journalism Survive Today’s Media Landscape?
01:05 Auto Service Leader’s Magazine Model – No Ads, Just Content
03:27 Building a Consistent Brand & Publication Experience
05:00 How Shops & Partners Get Featured in Auto Service Leader
06:19 Bryce Evans’ B2B Publishing Background & Ratchet Wrench Insights
08:46 Filling the Information Gap: What Shop Owners Really Need
09:53 Auto Service Leader’s Searchable Resource Hub Explained
11:09 What’s Next for Auto Service Leader in 2026?
13:12 Bryce Evans’ Journey: Journalism, Moving Into Automotive
17:09 Lessons from Newsrooms & What Changed His Career Path
20:58 Why Community and Peer Groups Matter for Shop Owners
22:15 Is Print Media Dead? Newspapers vs New Media
23:27 “Everyone’s Got a Podcast” – Modern Media Challenges
25:17 Media’s Role in Political Division & Clickbait
26:19 Absolutism and the Importance of Nuance in the Auto Industry
29:44 The Art of Interviewing: Insights for Great Journalism
33:25 Dealing With Agenda-Driven Coverage as a Business Owner
36:57 Is Print Here to Stay? Why High-End Magazines Matter
38:09 Navigating Hot Button Topics: Relational vs. Transactional Selling
41:32 How Auto Service Leader Handles Problematic Sources
42:32 Private Equity & Consolidation’s Impact on the Automotive Industry

Keep shop management, payments, marketing (all the things) all in one place with Tekmetric. It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Click HERE

ASTA is coming up September 24-26 in Raleigh. Be there or be square, dog! Register now and use code confess25 for $25.00 off your registration. Sign up HERE

Turnkey Marketing has made my life SOOO much simpler, AND they've helped keep the phone ringing. Do you need these two things too? Learn more HERE

Tired of your shop’s social media looking like every other repair shop on the internet? Stand out with 47 Consulting. Learn more HERE

When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!

Elite Worldwide's Ignite 2027 is coming up in February and NOW is the time to sign up. It's happening in Vegas February 4-6 and it will be the best 3 days of your shops year when you attend. Learn now HERE

In this episode, Mike Allen and Bryan Pollock talk with Mr. Subaru. Mr. Subaru talks through his experiences navigating drama in the automotive influencer space and addresses accusations of clickbait content. He shares some colorful stories from his time as a Snap-on dealer, including the challenges of repossessing toolboxes from delinquent customers. Finally, Mr. Subaru discusses his upcoming plans to build a new shop on his property and the future direction of his YouTube content.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Are you a Clickbait Creator? Mr. Subaru on Online Drama
00:19 - The Truth About Tool Content—Is It Clickbait?
01:08 - Rock Hill & South Carolina’s Automotive Scene
03:03 - Content Creator Drama & Automotive Industry Comparison
07:09 - Shop Builds: Mr. Subaru Gets Bank Approval for His New Shop
08:51 - How It All Started: Mr. Subaru’s First YouTube Videos
10:59 - The COVID Boost: Explosive Growth on YouTube
12:12 - Monetization Woes: TikTok, Facebook, & Instagram
13:33 - The Snap-On Dealer Experience—Sales, Credit, & Repos
17:15 - Wild Repo Stories: Guns, Knives, & Toolbox Sting Operations
21:30 - The Biggest Toolbox Sale Ever
26:03 - Market Insights: Charlotte Money, Shop Opportunities, & Area Growth
29:12 - Podcasting & Automotive Media Scene in Carolina
29:37 - Drama vs. Good for the Industry: Podcast Growth Strategies
33:08 - Rage-Bait vs. Thoughtful Content: Finding Balance
35:55 - Instant Opinions & The Problem with Social Media Hate
37:00 - Shop Anonymity & Weirdos—Dealing with the Downside of Fame
39:16 - Diagnosing for the Diagnostically Challenged: Mobile Work Stories
45:27 - B-Techs, A-Techs, and Weaponized Incompetence Rant
47:22 - Diagnostic Training on YouTube: Scanner Danner & Self-Learning
48:53 - What’s Next for Mr. Subaru? Shop Builds & New Content
51:19 - DIY vs. Shop Content: Who Does It Serve Best?
54:02 - Upcoming Events: Visions, Asta, Farm Show, and More
56:08 - Favorite Training Classes & Shop Stories
57:37 - Sumos, Hurricanes, and Confessions—Podcast Outtakes

Tekmetric opened my eyes to just how much a good SMS will do for a shop. Their software is top of the line, and with them, so is my shop. Try them for yourself HERE

ASTA is coming up September 24-26 in Raleigh. Be there or be square, dog! Register now and use code Confess25 for $25.00 off your registration. Sign up HERE

My marketing before and after signing up with Turnkey Marketing is pretty scary. In a good way. Get your marketing right today HERE

Tired of your shop’s social media looking like every other repair shop on the internet? Stand out with 47 Consulting. Learn more HERE

Make your techs happier with Detect Auto. They'll stop getting "check noise" or "check vibration" from advisors with the customer concern tool. It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Book a demo HERE

Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one is happening in Dallas Texas, September 10-12. Learn more HERE

In this episode, Mike Allen and Matt Lofton break down 2025's financial results from the shop, and talk about what went wrong and what went right. Matt encourages Mike to work towards pre-booking appointments to drive repeat business, and Mike states his goals for boosting net profit in 2026.

Timestamps:
00:00 Matt thinks Mike should only focus on the shop?
01:15 Confessions intro
03:02 Recapping the year: top-line numbers, gross profit, and performance metrics
05:07 Gross profit calculation, labor rates, and tech efficiency
09:35 Ad spend breakdown—what’s working, what’s wasted
11:15 Setting ambitious but achievable 2026 profit targets
13:43 Staffing, productivity by the billable hour, and role expectations
16:03 Navigating seasonal slowdowns and weather curveballs
21:21 Drilling into process—team consistency and customer experience
26:16 Tech inspections, quality DVIs, and closing rate improvements
33:04 The #1 process change to add 10% net profit
34:16 How (and WHY) to start pre-booking appointments for consistent car count
39:00 Pre-booking accountability & reminder hacks that actually work
41:51 Retention challenges with new customers & recapture campaign ideas
45:14 Why “state inspection only” tickets kill profitability
48:48 The key takeaways—retention, consistency, and focusing on fundamentals

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE

ASTA is coming up September 24-26 in Raleigh. Be there or be square, dog! Register now and use code confess25 for $25.00 off your registration. Sign up HERE

Turnkey Marketing takes the stress of doing something I'm not good at off my plate. And gives it to someone who is. Click HERE for more.

Tired of your shop’s social media looking like every other repair shop on the internet? Stand out with 47 Consulting. Learn more HERE

Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one is happening in Dallas Texas, September 10-12. Learn more HERE

When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!

Jared Haleck is the new Chief Product Officer at Tekmetric, and today he talks with Mike about the rapid innovation happening in automotive shop management technology. Jared shares his perspective on how AI tools can streamline service advisor-customer interactions, making it easier to gather, document, and translate repair information for technicians. The conversation also explores the future potential of AI in automating repair estimates and improving digital vehicle inspections—emphasizing that the biggest barrier to integrating these tools is just shop owners’ creativity.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Will Tekmetric take over the world??
00:21 – Confessions of a Shop Owner Presented by Tekmetric
01:13 – Speed Vegas recap: Racing exotics, leaderboard drama, and surprises
05:15 – Jared Haleck’s background & first impressions of Tekmetric
08:43 – What does a Chief Product Officer actually do? (And, yes, nerds are involved)
10:39 – The AI revolution: Early adopters, ChatGPT, and what every shop should know
13:04 – Practical AI: Intake conversations, tech translation, and smarter service writing
16:25 – Summarization, speech-to-text, and eliminating “translation loss”
20:03 – Why voice (and phone) is key to the next auto shop breakthrough
25:33 – Wish list: AI-powered digital vehicle inspections & visual documentation
32:30 – Word choices, loss aversion, and writing the story customers need
34:44 – The real trick: Getting creative with AI prompts and trying new ideas
36:12 – Gemini, Claude, or GPT: Which AI platform works best?
39:54 – Where can shop owners get the most bang-for-their-buck with AI today?
41:25 – Fast hacks: Using iPhone Notes for instant transcriptions
42:29 – What’s next? The roadmap to automated estimate building
44:32 – Why Tekmetric is leading the innovation race (and how to join)

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE

ASTA is coming up September 24-26 in Raleigh. Be there or be square, dog! Register now and use code confess25 for $25.00 off your registration. Sign up HERE

If you're like me and aren't good at marketing, don't do it on your own. Let the experts handle it. Touch HERE for more on Turnkey Marketing.

Tired of your shop’s social media looking like every other repair shop on the internet? Stand out with 47 Consulting. Learn more HERE

Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one is happening in Dallas Texas, September 10-12. Learn more HERE

When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!

Jimmy Purdy is the host of The Gearbox Podcast and owns Shift'n Gears Auto Repair in Paso Robles, California. Today, he and Mike Allen talk about how Jimmy nearly doubled his business in 2025 using the sometimes unpopular AutoShop Answers method. The conversation also covers the challenges of balancing profitability with company culture and how shop owners often struggle to find the one “silver bullet,” when success is really about picking up the right gold nuggets along the way.

Timestamps:
00:00 The golden rule: fully inform the customer before doing any repairs
01:08 Trade show tricks: why veteran vendors bring two pairs of shoes
02:08 Shoe disasters, hiking stories, and quick-thinking hacks
03:28 Shop growth: Doubling sales, why net profit isn’t the whole picture
04:41 Breaking revenue ceilings: Big changes and new sales processes
05:37 Shiny object syndrome and tracking the right KPIs
06:21 Learning to filter industry advice and run the shop your way
07:36 Sales process overhaul: From tech mindset to customer experience
08:53 What great client experience actually means—beyond the inspection
10:10 Shop coaching, sales training, and implementing what works for YOU
12:25 Adapting big shop advice for smaller or rural markets
13:55 Customizing processes, balancing growth and team happiness
15:11 Efficiency breakthroughs: Improving inspections and workflow
17:37 Overcoming DVI inconsistency and getting buy-in from your team
21:50 Estimating strategies: Why quoting everything isn’t always best
25:22 Lessons in sales: The “kitchen sink” rule and sales fatigue
29:13 Team training, scripting, and crushing phone intake times
34:43 Bringing team to trade shows for real buy-in (and to avoid “Black Monday”)
39:11 Evolving customer expectations and modernizing shop experiences
44:39 The myth of the universal “right way” to run a shop
51:06 Seven-day work weeks, shop culture, and the truth about tech retention
54:13 Letting your team find their own wins—even new gloves count
56:06 Shop life, family life, and defining your own success as an owner
57:17 Where to find more: Jimmy’s Gearbox podcast & how you can get involved

Keep shop management, payments, marketing (all the things) all in one place with Tekmetric. It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Click HERE

ASTA is coming up September 24-26 in Raleigh. Be there or be square, dog! Register now and use code confess25 for $25.00 off your registration. Sign up HERE

Turnkey Marketing has made my life SOOO much simpler, AND they've helped keep the phone ringing. Do you need these two things too? Learn more HERE

Tired of your shop’s social media looking like every other repair shop on the internet? Stand out with 47 Consulting. Learn more HERE

When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!

Elite Worldwide's Ignite 2027 is coming up in February and NOW is the time to sign up. It's happening in Vegas February 4-6 and it will be the best 3 days of your shops year when you attend. Learn now HERE

Rick White is the founder of 180Biz, and he hates people who do free diag. So.....this is awkward now...Today, Mike learns more about Rick and his coaching philosophies only then to stir the pot and bring up everything he opposes Rick on. What do you think? Is free diag a smart marketing move, or a decision only idiots make?

Timestamps:
00:00 – Welcome Rick White to the Show - Now Let's Fight!
06:10 – Why Men Struggle with Feelings (and How That Shapes Shop Leadership)
10:00 – Building a Coaching Empire: Rick White’s Approach to Scaling and Staying Grounded
17:45 – How to Interview a Coach (and Why Some Clients Get Fired)
24:12 – One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Franchise Model vs. Tailored Shop Coaching
29:40 – Private Equity in the Auto Industry: Boon or Bust?
35:18 – Passing the Shop to the Next Generation: Equity Equivalence & Creative Solutions
41:55 – “You Do You”: Why There Are Many Ways to Run a Successful Shop
45:03 – The Real Cost of Free Diag: Metrics, Marketing, and Moneyball Tactics
57:10 – Coaching Confessions: Ego, Impact, and the Danger of Explosive Growth
1:07:50 – Final Thoughts: What Matters Most for Shop Owners Right Now