Thanks to our Partners, Pico Technology, Autel, and Independent Wrench Jobs

Watch Full Video Episode

In this episode, Matt recaps his trip to VISION 2026 in Kansas City. What starts as a simple event recap turns into a reflection on why conferences like VISION matter so much: the training, the conversations, the hallway discussions, the tools, the friendships, and the people pushing the industry forward.

Matt talks about recording with Carm Capriotto, bouncing between classes with friends, teaching hands-on PicoScope and key programming classes, and sitting in on standout sessions covering EEPROM work, AI for shop management, and lab scope strategy.

He also highlights the Tech Talks session, where several presenters stepped up and delivered impressive case studies, tool insights, and even a strong last-minute presentation. This episode is part recap, part appreciation, and part reminder that the real value of events like VISION is not just the information. It is the people.

In this episode, Matt discusses:

1. His trip to VISION 2026 in Kansas City
2. Connecting with friends including Bryn Klein and Carlos Mercado
3. Recording with Carm Capriotto about his NAPA Insights article
4. How that article builds on ideas about relationships, communication, and lessons from marriage counseling
5. Sitting in on the EEPROM / used module programming class with Mike Christofferson, Ira Waldman, Tim Iezzi, Chris Farley, and Kai
6. Seth Thorson’s class on using AI and large language models for shop management
7. Teaching an all-day hands-on PicoScope class with Scott Shotten
8. Help from Keith DeFazio and Brandon Steckler during the Pico class
9. The packed AESwave booth at the trade show
10. Teaching an essential key cutting and programming class with Andrew Sexton
11. Why he has come around on the value of Lishi tools
12. The Tech Talks session and the presenters who stood out
13. Joe Glass and his case studies
14. Mike Blackeney’s diagnostic process and presentation on the MT Pro lab scope
15. Trevor from AutoNerdz stepping in on short notice and delivering a strong presentation
16. Why Tech Talks is such a valuable entry point for future presenters
17. Jerry Holcomb’s recognition and legacy within VISION
18. Why VISION remains one of the best places for training, networking, and reconnecting with people in the industry

People mentioned in this episode:

1. Carm Capriotto
2. Brin Klein
3. Carlos Mercado
4. Tanner Brandt
5. Mike Christofferson
6. Ira Waldman
7. Tim Iezzi
8. Chris Farley
9. Kaimana Holokahi
10. Seth Thorson
11. Michael Becker
12. Scott Shotton
13. Keith DeFazio
14. Brandon Steckler
15. Andrew Sexton
16. Kirk Holland
17. Pedro de la Torre
18. Joe Glass
19. Mike Blacconaire
20. Trevor from AutoNerdz
21. Jerry Holcomb

Tools and topics mentioned:

1. PicoScope
2. Lab scopes
3. EEPROM and used module programming
4. AI and large language models in shop management
5. Key cutting and programming
6. Lishi tools
7. MT Pro lab scope
8. Diagnostic process
9. Technical training
10. Networking in the automotive repair industry

Key takeaway:

VISION is never just about the classes. It is about sharpening skills, seeing tools used in real-world contexts, learning from smart people, and reconnecting with the kinds of people who make this industry better.

https://visionkc.com/

Sponsors:

Pico Technology

Autel

Independent Wrench Jobs

Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology

Are you chasing elusive automotive problems? Pico Technology empowers you to see what's really happening. Their PicoScope oscilloscopes transform your diagnostic capabilities. Visit PicoAuto.com

Thanks to our Partner, Autel

From drivability diagnostics and TPMS service to ADAS and advanced safety systems, Autel helps technicians follow OEM procedures and repair with confidence. Learn more at Autel.com

Thanks to our Partner, Independent Wrench Jobs

Independent Wrench Jobs is a new, tech-only community to help you find better independent shops—fair dispatch, steady work, real leadership. No games.

Built by Technician Find—serving the industry since 2017. Join free at IndependentWrenchJobs.com

Contact Information

1. Email Matt: [email protected]
2. Diagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size. https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/

Thanks to our Partners, Pico Technology, Autel, and Independent Wrench Jobs

Watch Full Video Episode

In this episode, Matt takes on a question that listeners have apparently been enjoying asking: what’s on his “Mount Rushmore” of various categories? Before getting there, though, he gives a quick follow-up to the No Good Deed Goes Unpunished home-plumbing saga, where a simple bathroom fix turned into tracking down a hidden bathtub drain leak caused by questionable original construction choices.

From there, Matt dives into his personal Mount Rushmore lists, starting where it matters most for this audience: scan tools and lab scopes. He walks through the tools that earned their place not necessarily because they are the newest, but because they were foundational, capable, and memorable in the evolution of automotive diagnostics. Then, in classic Matt fashion, things branch out into pro wrestling and podcasting, with some thoughtful distinctions between popularity, performance, influence, and personal appreciation.

This one is part diagnostics nostalgia, part opinion piece, part rabbit hole and fully in the spirit of a listener driven episode.

In This Episode:

1. A follow-up to the bathroom plumbing story and a cracked bathtub drain elbow
2. A discussion on questionable construction practices and what motivates rushed workmanship
3. Matt’s Mount Rushmore of scan tools
4. Matt’s Mount Rushmore of lab scopes / oscilloscopes
5. A two-tier Mount Rushmore of professional wrestlers: biggest draws / most popular. Best in-ring performers
6. Matt’s Mount Rushmore of podcasters

Matt’s Mount Rushmore: Scan Tools

Matt frames this as a historical and personal list rather than a current buying guide.

Tools that made the cut:

1. GM Tech 2 – still a lifesaver when other tools come up short
2. Snap-on Red Brick (especially graphing versions / MTG 2500) – a huge leap forward in capability and accessibility
3. Autel MaxiSys / Maxisys-era tools (especially the early highly capable platforms) – a major step forward for aftermarket capability
4. VAG-COM / VCDS – absurd capability for the price, especially for Volkswagen/Audi work

Matt’s Mount Rushmore: Lab Scopes

A list built around influence, usefulness, and personal experience.

Scopes that made the cut:

1. Pico 4425A – the standard-setter and Matt’s personal favorite
2. Snap-on Vantage Pro – portable, capable, and still highly valued in the shop
3. Pico ADC 212 series (especially the 212/3) – a major turning point in what techs expected from a scope
4. Fluke 98 – one of the early serious handheld automotive lab scopes that helped shape the category

Matt’s Mount Rushmore: Professional Wrestlers

Matt splits this into two categories because wrestling is both performance and business.

Biggest Draws / Most Popular:

1. Hulk Hogan
2. The Rock
3. Stone Cold Steve Austin
4. John Cena

Best In-Ring Performers:

1. Shawn Michaels
2. Bret Hart
3. AJ Styles
4. Ric Flair

Matt’s Mount Rushmore: Podcasters

A mix of influence, longevity, reach, and personal listening.

Names and shows discussed:

1. Soft White Underbelly
2. Joe Rogan
3. Kevin Smith / Scott Mosier (SModcast)
4. Lex Fridman

With an honorable and very relevant nod to:

1. Carm Capriotto in the automotive podcast space

Notable Themes:

This episode really leans into a fun idea, but there’s still a deeper thread running through it:

1. “Best” is not always the same as “favorite”
2. Influence matters
3. Foundational tools and people deserve credit even when newer options exist
4. Legacy, capability, and context all shape what belongs on a personal “Rushmore”

Listener Call-Out:

Matt wants to know:

1. Do you like this kind of episode?
2. Do you want more “Mount Rushmore” discussions?
3. What automotive-specific categories should be next?

Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology

Are you chasing elusive automotive problems? Pico Technology empowers you to see what's really happening. Their PicoScope oscilloscopes transform your diagnostic capabilities. Visit PicoAuto.com

Thanks to our Partner, Autel

From drivability diagnostics and TPMS service to ADAS and advanced safety systems, Autel helps technicians follow OEM procedures and repair with confidence. Learn more at Autel.com

Thanks to our Partner, Independent Wrench Jobs

Independent Wrench Jobs is a new, tech-only community to help you find better independent shops—fair dispatch, steady work, real leadership. No games.

Built by Technician Find—serving the industry since 2017. Join free at IndependentWrenchJobs.com

Contact Information

1. Email Matt: [email protected]
2. Diagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size. https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/

Thanks to our Partners, Pico Technology, Autel, and Independent Wrench Jobs

Watch Full Video Episode

Matt opens with a home-repair “birthday gift” project that spirals from a simple bathroom refresh into a full-blown floor/toilet/subfloor/plumbing/trim/electrical ordeal. What starts as a kind gesture turns into a week-long marathon of improvisation, problem-solving, and unexpected complications.

From there, he ties the experience directly into life in the repair shop: helping someone out, taking on a difficult job, making an exception, or trying to do the right thing can sometimes backfire in spectacular fashion. But the real point of the episode is deeper than the saying “no good deed goes unpunished.” Matt argues that the phrase feels true mostly because of bias, we remember the painful, sideways jobs and forget the many times helping people went just fine.

The takeaway: keep doing the good deeds. The occasional disaster isn’t punishment for being helpful; it’s just part of the game, and our brains are wired to remember the bad outcomes more vividly.

Key Topics Covered

1. A “simple” bathroom repair that became a major renovation
2. Hidden damage and how small symptoms often point to bigger problems
3. Improvisation and mechanical aptitude outside your normal field
4. How this mirrors difficult jobs in automotive repair
5. The “charity case” / exception job that turns into a nightmare
6. Bias, memory, and why bad outcomes stick harder than good ones
7. Why you should still help people when it makes sense

Main Takeaways

1. Small problems often hide bigger ones. (At home and in the shop.)
2. Doing the right thing can get messy — that doesn’t make it wrong.
3. We remember painful exceptions more than routine wins.
4. Bias can distort how we judge “helping people.”
5. Keep helping when you can. The bad outcomes are memorable, but they are not the whole story.

Notable Moments / Discussion Highlights

1. Matt’s “cheap labor” role in a birthday bathroom remodel
2. Discovering a corroded toilet flange and badly rotted floor
3. Reinforcing unsupported bathtub flooring and rebuilding structure
4. Plumbing improvisation under a new vanity
5. Upgrading to GFCI in a bathroom that didn’t have one
6. The repair-shop analogy: the customer who arrives after multiple failed attempts elsewhere
7. Making exceptions (like customer-supplied parts) and regretting the one time it blows up
8. Why “no good deed goes unpunished” feels true — because bad outcomes are easier to remember
9. Closing encouragement to keep doing good work and helping people

Quotes / Lines Worth Pulling

1. “No good deed goes unpunished.” (episode theme / setup)
2. “I make it up as I go.” (great humility + problem-solving angle)
3. “More importantly, it doesn’t leak.”
4. “It’s not because it’s a good deed. It was just going to happen eventually anyway.”
5. “It lines up with our biases, and gives us a reason to complain.”

Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology

Are you chasing elusive automotive problems? Pico Technology empowers you to see what's really happening. Their PicoScope oscilloscopes transform your diagnostic capabilities. Visit PicoAuto.com

Thanks to our Partner, Autel

From drivability diagnostics and TPMS service to ADAS and advanced safety systems, Autel helps technicians follow OEM procedures and repair with confidence. Learn more at Autel.com

Thanks to our Partner, Independent Wrench Jobs

Independent Wrench Jobs is a new, tech-only community to help you find better independent shops—fair dispatch, steady work, real leadership. No games.

Built by Technician Find—serving the industry since 2017. Join free at IndependentWrenchJobs.com

Contact Information

1. Email Matt: [email protected]
2. Diagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size. https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/

Thanks to our Partners, Pico Technology, Autel, and Independent Wrench Jobs

Watch Full Video Episode

Minnesota’s been a pressure cooker lately—and watching people process the same event in completely opposite ways has been… a lot. Matt sits down again with Margaret Light (LMFT, Equilibrium Therapy Services) to talk about why we’re so reactive, how cognitive distortions hijack conversations, and why “how we fight” matters more than the topic. Then we drag all of it into the repair shop—because if you’ve ever tried to explain “it’s not the same problem” to a stressed-out customer, you’ve already lived this episode.

Key Topics Covered

1. Why two people can watch the same event and walk away with 180° different realities
2. The collapse of shared “ground rules” and the rise of contempt-as-a-personality
3. Cognitive distortions in the wild: all-or-nothing thinking, “shoulds,” rationalization, deflection, confirmation bias
4. Holding multiple truths at once (without your brain blue-screening)
5. Professional standards vs. personal judgment (“should” vs. conduct)
6. Grandiosity: why it feels good and why it burns relationships down
7. How online reactivity becomes practice—and then leaks into work and home
8. Repair shop translation: The “same problem / not the same problem” infinite loop. De-escalation without admitting guilt. Curiosity as a tool: “Help me understand what you’re seeing.” Perspective-taking as a discipline (yes, Richard Feynman makes a cameo)
9. Star Wars logic traps: “If you’re not with me, you’re my enemy”… uh… that’s a Sith problem

Memorable Quotes (for the description or socials)

1. “If you’re not with me, then you are my enemy.” (and yes, we know… Sith energy)
2. “The first thing I assess isn’t what couples are fighting about—it’s how they’re fighting.”
3. “You do what you practice.” (online included)
4. “One of the hardest things to do is maintain a moderate position in response to something extreme.”
5. “Someone has to do something different—or you’ll just repeat the same statement forever.”

The Shop Takeaway (listener-facing)

If you work with people—customers, coworkers, leadership—you’re going to deal with different realities. The fix isn’t “win the argument.” The fix is:

1. Clarify the goal of the conversation (support? facts? policy? emotion?)
2. Validate emotion without surrendering standards
3. Replace “No you’re wrong” with curiosity + explanation
4. Keep integrity: don’t fight dirty even when they do

Practical Script: Front Counter Comeback Loop When a customer says, “It’s doing the same thing again,” try:

1. Validate fear without admitting fault
2. “Okay—I hear why that feels really concerning, especially after the money you just invested.”
3. Clarify their definition of ‘same’
4. “Help me understand what you’re seeing that makes it feel like the exact same issue.”
5. Ask permission to explain
6. “Are you open to hearing what we found and how it’s different from last time?”

Bridge with a shared goal

“My goal is the same as yours: make this make sense and get you back to confidence in the car.”

Guest Bio

Margaret Light is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the president of Equilibrium Therapy Services, serving clients in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She helps individuals and couples build better relational toolkits, identify blind spots, and replace reactivity with effective communication. https://www.equilibriumtherapyservices.org/

Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology

Are you chasing elusive automotive problems? Pico Technology empowers you to see what's really happening. Their PicoScope oscilloscopes transform your diagnostic capabilities. Visit PicoAuto.com

Thanks to our Partner, Autel

From drivability diagnostics and TPMS service to ADAS and advanced safety systems, Autel helps technicians follow OEM procedures and repair with confidence. Learn more at Autel.com

Thanks to our Partner, Independent Wrench Jobs

Independent Wrench Jobs is a new, tech-only community to help you find better independent shops—fair dispatch, steady work, real leadership. No games.

Built by Technician Find—serving the industry since 2017. Join free at IndependentWrenchJobs.com

Contact Information

1. Email Matt: [email protected]
2. Diagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size. https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/

Thanks to our Partners, Pico Technology and Autel

Watch Full Video Episode

Matt answers listener emails about oscilloscope aliasing—what it is, whether all scopes can do it, and how it can trick you into diagnosing failures that aren’t real. Using a “pegboard and golf tees” mental model, he explains how a digital storage oscilloscope samples voltage, stores it in memory, and then reconstructs what you see on-screen. The key takeaway: aliasing isn’t magic, it’s math—specifically the relationship between sample rate, timebase, and memory buffer. He also explains why some scopes (especially Snap-on) behave differently than Pico-style workflows, and how misunderstanding that screen-to-buffer relationship can create fake-looking “dropouts.”

Who This Episode Is For

Anyone using a handheld/PC-based automotive DSO (Pico, Snap-on, Autel, etc.)

Techs chasing intermittent cutouts, crank/cam dropouts, injector events, CAN glitches

Anyone who has ever said: “The waveform looked wrong… but the fix didn’t fix it.”

Key Topics Covered

What aliasing is (in plain language): the scope fails to accurately reconstruct the waveform you’re testing.

Can all oscilloscopes alias? The spicy answer is yes, they all can—especially digital scopes—depending on setup and limitations.

Analog vs. digital (audio analogy): Digital sampling is like digital audio—there are “samples,” and reconstruction depends on how well you capture the real signal.

The “pegboard model” for DSO operation: Up/down holes = voltage levels (vertical resolution). Left/right holes = time positions (sample points in memory). The scope measures voltage, then “plants a peg” in memory and connects the dots.

Vertical resolution vs. time performance: 8-bit can look stair-steppy. 12/16-bit improves vertical accuracy. But most real-world failures come from time-domain limitations (sample rate + memory dynamics)

Sample rate vs. buffer size (why scopes “fall apart”): Put too little time on screen → not enough samples to define the signal. Put too much time on screen → scope rejects/skips samples because the buffer can’t hold it all. Either way: the displayed waveform can become fiction.

How aliasing creates “phantom dropouts”: Gaps that look like crank sensor dropouts or reluctor issues. Can send you straight into the diagnostic swamp

Why Pico changed the game: Early Pico automotive scopes stood out because they brought big memory buffers to real shop problems. Capture longer events accurately, then zoom in for detail

Snap-on screen/buffer behavior is different (and people get burned): Snap-on scope often shows a “window” into a buffer (buffer bar flying across). You don’t “zoom in like Pico”; you effectively set detail first, capture the event, then zoom out to find it and return to your detail level. Misunderstanding this is a common cause of “dropouts” that are really aliasing/misuse

The Big Takeaways

Aliasing can make a good tech chase a bad story.

The waveform on-screen is an interpretation, not a photograph.

Know your scope’s strengths: Some are built for speed, some for memory, some for both—but your settings decide your fate.

If you’re hunting an intermittent: Your success depends on matching: expected event speed, sample rate, memory depth, the scope’s display/buffer behavior.

Practical “In-the-Bay” Tips

If the trace shows perfectly suspicious gaps: question your timebase, question your effective sample rate, verify with a different capture strategy (less time on screen, more sample rate, different scope mode)

Don’t trust a dropout unless: it repeats consistently under the same conditions, and you can capture it without stretching timebase beyond what your scope can support.

Learn your platform’s workflow: Pico-style: capture longer, freeze, zoom in. Snap-on-style: capture detail first, trigger/freeze, then zoom out to locate the event

Mentioned / Referenced (People + Tools)

Pico Technology

Autel

Older scope references: Fluke 90-series, Tektronix

Training/class voices mentioned: Harvey Chan, John Thornton, Scott Manna, Tim Iezzi, Ira Waldman, Scott Shotten

Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology

Are you chasing elusive automotive problems? Pico Technology empowers you to see what's really happening. Their PicoScope oscilloscopes transform your diagnostic capabilities. Pinpoint faults in sensors, wiring, and components with unmatched accuracy. Visit PicoAuto.com and revolutionize your diagnostics today!

Thanks to our Partner, Autel

From drivability diagnostics and TPMS service to ADAS and advanced safety systems, Autel helps technicians follow OEM procedures and repair with confidence. Learn more at Autel.com

Contact Information

1. Email Matt: [email protected]
2. Diagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/

Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size. https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/

Thanks to our Partners, Pico Technology and Autel

Watch Full Video Episode

A random YouTube Shorts interview turns into a surprisingly sharp lesson in leadership. Matt shares a story from Rob McElhenney about working with Danny DeVito—and how DeVito’s humility and audience-awareness reveal something shop owners and managers can use immediately: collaboration beats ego, and if you want to reach a demographic (customers or employees), you’d better listen to them. Process matters. Culture matters. And the best people in any field tend to be the most open to input.

Matt talks about:

1. Rob McElhenney (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Wrexham co-owner, Ryan Reynolds connection)
2. Working with Danny DeVito (also Taxi, Twins)
3. The key moment: DeVito asks Rob what to say during an improv gap because:
4. DeVito knows what’s funny to his generation
5. But Rob knows what’s funny to the target audience
6. So DeVito wants direction to serve the project, not his ego

The Big Takeaways

1. Process matters more than outcome
2. The “how” shapes culture, quality, retention, and long-term success.
3. Great collaboration can be surprising—but it shouldn’t be
4. Even top-tier people can be genuinely curious about your perspective.
5. If you’re targeting a demographic, listen to that demographic
6. Marketing, messaging, shop vibe, even hiring… all improve when you seek input from the group you want to attract.
7. Openness is a leadership signal
8. Approachable leadership reduces fear of dismissal/condescension and increases idea-sharing.
9. Ego-check is good business
10. “What’s best for the shop?” beats “what do I prefer?”
11. Retention + recruiting bonus
12. When employees feel heard and respected, they stay—and they tell others.

Memorable Lines

1. “You hired me to be the old guy… but you’re not going for my generation.”
2. “Be a leader, not a dictator.”
3. “Lesson number one: pay attention to YouTube Shorts… don’t just mindlessly scroll.”

Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology

Are you chasing elusive automotive problems? Pico Technology empowers you to see what's really happening. Their PicoScope oscilloscopes transform your diagnostic capabilities. Pinpoint faults in sensors, wiring, and components with unmatched accuracy. Visit PicoAuto.com and revolutionize your diagnostics today!

Thanks to our Partner, Autel

From drivability diagnostics and TPMS service to ADAS and advanced safety systems, Autel helps technicians follow OEM procedures and repair with confidence. Learn more at Autel.com

Contact Information

1. Email Matt: [email protected]
2. Diagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel
3. Subscribe & Review: Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/

Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size. https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/

Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology

Watch Full Video Episode

Matt uses the movie Mr. Baseball (Tom Selleck as Jack, an aging Yankees player traded to Japan) as an analogy for life in the automotive repair world—especially for veteran mechanical/technical specialists whose bodies start breaking down and whose production (and pay) can drop as a result. The core theme: your role can evolve from “hour-cranker” to leader/mentor, but that requires radical honesty, ego-checking, and intentional changes—from physical maintenance to skill expansion to management systems that properly reward wisdom.

Key points & takeaways

The “Mr. Baseball” analogy

1. Jack believes he’ll dominate, but reality shows a hole in his swing and a body that’s not keeping up.
2. His old talent used to hide the problem—until it doesn’t.
3. The turnaround begins when he accepts reality, retrains, and recommits.

Auto repair parallel: age vs. mileage

1. It’s not always “age”—it’s the mileage, injuries, wear, and accumulated strain.
2. As bodies degrade (knees, backs, shoulders, hips, neck), production drops, and pay plans tied heavily to output can punish experience.

Ego check: redefining value

1. When you can’t “crank hours” like you used to, value doesn’t disappear—it changes.
2. Veterans often become natural leaders even if they don’t recognize or accept it.
3. Leadership, mentoring, and stabilizing the team have real economic value—if the organization is willing to see it.

Management responsibility

1. Shops can’t afford to “cast blind eyes” to what veterans contribute beyond billed hours.
2. The goal is optimizing the whole organization (the unit), not just individual output.
3. If compensation and structure ignore mentoring/leadership value, the industry risks driving out the people who make everyone else better.

Action steps for the veteran specialist

1. Take care of the body: whatever works—massage, chiro, yoga, tai chi, mobility work, sleep/mattress upgrades, recovery habits.
2. Expand skill sets into areas that are less physically taxing but high value (systems, diagnostics, workflow support, training others).
3. Be honest and matter-of-fact about your limitations and your value—ask for role adjustments when needed.

Culture shift

1. Checking egos at the door isn’t weakness—it’s how you stay in the game longer.
2. The best teams rally when leaders own their shortcomings and recommit—same in the shop.

Memorable lines / quotables

1. “It isn’t the age… it’s the mileage.”
2. “You’ve been getting away with it because talent covered it—until it didn’t.”
3. “Awareness sucks… but it’s the job.”
4. “The unit matters—the entire organization being productive, valuable, and profitable.”

Listener challenges

1. Identify your “hole in the swing”: what used to be easy that you’re now compensating for?
2. Write down 3 ways you add value that aren’t billed hours (mentoring, process improvement, comebacks prevented, training).
3. Pick one body-maintenance habit you’ll commit to for 30 days.

Resources mentioned

1. Movie: Mr. Baseball (Tom Selleck)

Audience

1. Veteran mechanical specialists and technical specialists
2. Shop owners/managers designing pay plans and roles
3. Younger specialists who want to understand the long game

Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology

Are you chasing elusive automotive problems? Pico Technology empowers you to see what's really happening. Their PicoScope oscilloscopes transform your diagnostic capabilities. Pinpoint faults in sensors, wiring, and components with unmatched accuracy. Visit PicoAuto.com and revolutionize your diagnostics today!

Contact Information

1. Email Matt: [email protected]
2. Diagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel
3. Subscribe & Review: Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/

Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size. https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/

Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology

Watch Full Video Episode

Matt goes down a rabbit hole on the science of bubbles and comes back with something surprisingly practical: cavitation is a major source of cooling-system component damage, especially in and around water pumps. The “bad guy” isn’t the bubble forming—it’s the bubble collapsing, releasing intense localized energy, micro-jetting, and shock waves that pit and erode metal surfaces over time. The takeaway: approach cooling-system maintenance as anti-cavitation prevention, not just “keep it from overheating.”

Key topics covered

Why cavitation damage is often misattributed to electrolysis (and what’s actually happening)

The real destruction mechanism:

1. Bubble collapse → extreme localized heat (doesn’t “cook” the system, but signals energy density)
2. Micro-jet stream through the collapsing bubble “donut” → pitting/erosion
3. Shock wave effects (ties into why ultrasonic cleaning works)

How bubbles form even in a pressurized cooling system

1. Localized low-pressure zones behind an impeller blade
2. Pressure drops along surfaces and restrictions (design or contamination-caused)

Why “radiator cap” is a misleading name

1. Better term: degassing cap
2. It maintains system pressure (key to preventing local boiling) and “burps” gas/vapor out

Coolant chemistry isn’t just freeze/boil protection

1. The inhibitor package forms a protective barrier on internal surfaces that absorbs cavitation attack
2. Over time that protection depletes → cavitation damage shows up

Water quality matters more than most people think

1. Minerals/impurities can create deposits → restrictions → pressure drop zones → bubbles
2. Contamination can also become nucleation points for bubble formation
3. Distilled/RO water or properly formulated premix is the safer play

“Universal coolant” skepticism

1. Use proper coolant type for the application—chemistry and inhibitor packages matter

Practical takeaways for shops

Start treating cooling-system service as evidence-based prevention

Testing and inspection that should be part of regular maintenance:

1. Degassing cap pressure test (rated pressure matters)
2. Coolant concentration (ideally with a refractometer/hydro refractometer)
3. pH testing (imperfect, but can hint at inhibitor depletion)
4. Voltage potential test with a DMM (if present, verify grounds and consider additive depletion as a possible indicator)

Recommend coolant replacement based on:

1. Test results you can measure + time/mileage intervals (what you can justify)

Customer communication angle (the “why they should care”)

A simple way to explain it without going full science-documentary:

1. “Coolant doesn’t just prevent freezing and overheating—it protects the inside of the cooling system.”
2. “Over time the protective chemistry wears out, and tiny vapor bubbles can collapse and pit metal surfaces.”
3. “We’re restoring protection, verifying pressure control, and preventing long-term erosion.”

Memorable moments / quotables

1. “It’s not the bubble forming—it’s the collapse.”
2. “We don’t think about cooling-system maintenance from an anti-cavitation point of view.”
3. “We should stop calling it a radiator cap… it’s a degassing cap.”

Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology

Are you chasing elusive automotive problems? Pico Technology empowers you to see what's really happening. Their PicoScope oscilloscopes transform your diagnostic capabilities. Pinpoint faults in sensors, wiring, and components with unmatched accuracy. Visit PicoAuto.com and revolutionize your diagnostics today!

Contact Information

1. Email Matt: [email protected]
2. Diagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel
3. Subscribe & Review: Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/

Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size. https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/

Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology

Watch Full Video Episode

Comebacks. Rechecks. Catastrophic parts failures. The stuff that makes everyone’s stomach drop. Matt makes the case that a big part of management’s day-to-day job is not “policing people,” but acting like an investigator—leading with genuine curiosity to figure out what actually happened and what should change.

Using Dr. W. Edwards Deming’s framework, Matt breaks problems into two buckets:

1. Common cause: Variation that’s built into the system (processes, tools, training, information flow, software, vendors, documentation, workflow chaos, etc.). These problems are repeatable—and if you don’t change the system, they’ll happen again.
2. Special cause: A true one-off—rare, hard to predict, not systemic. Sometimes the correct response is support, not a giant policy overhaul.

The goal: build trust, reduce fear, and improve the shop over time through “constancy of purpose”—not knee-jerk blame.

Key Talking Points & Takeaways

1) Management’s role when things go wrong

1. Be an investigator, not a prosecutor.
2. Start with: What happened? Why did it happen? What made it easier to fail than succeed?

2) Deming’s lens: common cause vs. special cause

1. Most problems are common-cause (system-driven), not “someone screwed up.”
2. Mislabeling causes creates chaos:
3. Treating common-cause problems like special-cause ones = scapegoating, fear, repeated failures.
4. Treating special-cause problems like common-cause ones = overcorrecting, unnecessary rules, wasted effort.

3) Examples of common-cause “system” failures (shop edition)

1. Torque wrench out of calibration.
2. Scan tool software out of date / tooling gaps.
3. No real shop management system (handwritten tickets, misreads, manual re-entry).
4. Process interruptions / constant context switching.
5. Cheap unknown parts sources creating avoidable risk.
6. Lack of SOPs, training, or accessible info.

4) What a real special-cause looks like

1. A normally reliable part fails unexpectedly (the one “bad water pump” out of hundreds).
2. A rare freak mistake by a trusted specialist with no obvious systemic trigger.
3. Response: support the person, document it, monitor trends—don’t build policy off a unicorn.

5) The trust factor

1. When leadership doesn’t jump straight to blame, the team feels safer.
2. Psychological safety improves communication, honesty, and long-term quality.

Practical “Investigator” Questions for Comebacks/Rechecks

1. What changed (tools, parts source, workflow, staffing, interruptions, information)?
2. Was the process followed—and if not, why was it hard to follow?
3. Was the right info available at the right time?
4. Was the equipment accurate and current?
5. Is this repeatable (system) or truly rare (special cause)?
6. What system change makes the “right way” easier and the mistake harder?

Mentioned / Referenced

1. Dr. W. Edwards Deming
2. Common cause vs. special cause variation
3. Deming’s 14 Points
4. “Constancy of purpose”
5. Social media’s tendency to supercharge blame and hot takes

Listener Call-to-Action

Matt wants your thoughts and stories:

1. Have you seen a shop handle a comeback well?
2. What system fixes reduced repeat issues?
3. Where does blame creep in—and how do you fight it?

Contact Information

1. Email Matt: [email protected]
2. Diagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel
3. Subscribe & Review: Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/

Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size. https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/

Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology

Watch Full Video Episode

This episode uses professional wrestling’s “part-time performer” phenomenon—stars who leave, come back, and instantly get the spotlight—to explore something that happens in auto repair, too:

When a specialist has a reputation that brings cars through the door, the right move is to lean into it—not resent it.

Key Talking Points & Takeaways

1) The Seth Rollins Quote Sets the Tone

1. “If you’re not learning, then you’re stagnant… and the business isn’t progressing.”
2. Matt frames growth as a requirement—not a nice-to-have—for both the individual specialist and the shop.

2) Wrestling 101: “Protecting the Business” vs. “Understanding the Draw”

Matt revisits early WrestleMania and the idea of kayfabe (protecting the illusion) to explain a bigger concept:

1. The “outsider celebrity” (like Mr. T back then) wasn’t about pride—it was about bringing eyes and money.
2. Selling offense (“selling” = making it look like it hurts) is part of making the other person look legitimate.

3) The Modern Version: The Part-Time Star Problem

Matt runs through the familiar cycle:

1. A star goes to Hollywood or appears occasionally (Rock, Cena, Undertaker, Lesnar, Goldberg).
2. They return and get major wins/titles.
3. The full-time grinders feel slighted—until they see the business reason:
4. Those names are draws. Draws bring revenue.

4) The Auto Repair Translation: The Specialist Who Brings Work In

Here’s the pivot:

1. In shops, you sometimes have that person:
2. the alignment specialist
3. the drivability/diagnostics specialist
4. the transmission/differential rebuilder
5. the ADAS/calibration person
6. the accessory/TPMS/trailer/camper person
7. Customers don’t just ask for the shop… they ask for that specialist by name.
8. Matt’s point: Don’t let ego or envy sabotage something that helps everyone.

5) “Lean Into It” (Instead of Getting Weird About It)

Matt argues you should:

1. Promote that specialist more, not less.
2. Treat their reputation as an asset to the entire shop.
3. Recognize what it actually creates:
4. more cars in the door
5. more opportunities for ethical work
6. higher ticket averages
7. more stability for the business

6) Keep Ego in Check (For Them and for You)

Matt acknowledges the fear: “If we hype them up, will their ego explode?”

His take:

1. True specialists usually know their lane is narrow and the shop ecosystem is bigger than them.
2. The shop can’t survive on only alignments / only rebuilds / only diagnostics.
3. It’s a team sport: everyone has a role and the work requires all of it.

7) The “Be Careful What You Wish For” Reality

Being “the person” customers ask for sounds awesome—until:

1. expectations pile up
2. pressure rises
3. living up to the legend becomes exhausting
4. relief replaces ego when you actually solve the problem

Memorable Lines / Quotables

1. “If you’re not learning, then you’re stagnant… and the business isn’t progressing.”
2. “It isn’t about that. It’s about the money—these people are draws.”
3. “Instead of being upset about it… lean into it.”
4. “Be careful what you wish for.”

Listener Challenge (Call to Action)

1. Identify one area you could sharpen into a true specialty.
2. If your shop already has “that specialist,” ask yourself honestly:
3. Am I helping amplify that draw… or quietly resenting it?
4. Look for a “see a need, fill a need” opportunity that benefits the whole shop.

Thanks to our Partner, Pico Technology

Are you chasing elusive automotive problems? Pico Technology empowers you to see what's really happening. Their PicoScope oscilloscopes transform your diagnostic capabilities. Pinpoint faults in sensors, wiring, and components with unmatched accuracy. Visit PicoAuto.com and revolutionize your diagnostics today!

Contact Information

1. Email Matt: [email protected]
2. Diagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel
3. Subscribe & Review: Loved this episode? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/

Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/

Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size. https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/