From service stations with gas pumps to today’s DVIs, Mike Scaglione of Kempsville Auto Care Center shares 45 years of lessons on running a shop, leading in Virginia, and why he believes inspections and charging what you’re worth matter more than ever.

Guests:

Mike Scaglione — Kempsville Auto Care Center — Virginia Beach, VA

What you’ll learn (shop-owner takeaways):

How service stations evolved into modern shops

Why DVIs boost sales and protect your shop

State inspections: burden or business builder?

Balancing customer trust with photo/video evidence

Local zoning battles and expansion challenges

VAA membership benefits for shop owners

Passing credit card fees vs. absorbing costs

Work-life balance and importance of date night

Timestamps

00:00 – Mike’s shop intro

01:07 – From service stations to food shops

02:55 – Early manuals and time guides

05:30 – Internet replaces phone books

07:39 – Math errors cost real money

09:36 – Why DVIs matter

12:39 – Handling customers with photos/videos

14:01 – Trust vs. oversharing inspections

15:00 – Cars visit shops less often now

16:45 – Work-life balance in the early years

19:14 – Using DVIs for comebacks

20:49 – State inspections in VA and PA

23:54 – Should more states require inspections?

25:52 – Inspection costs and politics

28:03 – Is it worth keeping inspections?

29:57 – Safety and liability on the road

32:00 – Rising ownership costs with ADAS

32:48 – Autonomous cars in the future

35:39 – Freedom, rural vs metro pushback

40:07 – Why service stations still exist

41:36 – Local zoning and shop expansion

44:05 – Elections and zoning impact

47:11 – Environmental rules: runoff ponds

48:06 – Recycling water and gray water use

49:55 – Virginia Automotive Association (VAA)

52:12 – $350 membership pays for itself

54:37 – Today’s time crunch for shop owners

56:40 – Relying on your team

58:02 – DoorDash now delivers parts

01:01:08 – Family life vs. shop chaos

01:05:36 – Charging credit card fees

01:08:50 – Marketing cash discounts

01:12:54 – Fishing after hurricanes

01:15:50 – Offshore windmill farms debate

01:20:00 – Final lessons on saving and balance

01:23:52 – Upcoming VAA meet and greets

01:24:36 – Ongoing training and events

01:26:32 – Closing reflections

01:28:40 – Wrap

Call-to-Actions

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Links

Listen on Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/garagegrit

Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/forautorepairshopowners/

Learn more: https://aashopmarketing.com