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

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

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

For years I thought I could handle the hiring process on my own. But, after far too many bad hires, it was clear I needed help. Promotive came through for me with a rock star hire in just a few days and I couldn't be happier. Swallow your pride and bring in Promotive for that open position you have at your shop today. You can thank me later. Learn more HERE

AI for Shop Owners: Open the Hood of the Future is happening June 12-13 at Carfix in Raleigh, NC. Use AI to your advantage! Register HERE

Sam Freeman is the Partner Manager with Promotive Ethan Whidden is a Sales Representative. Today, they share with Mike what they've learned about the challenges of recruiting in the automotive repair industry. They discuss the unrealistic expectations shop owners often have when looking for that elusive “A tech” and why most owners should reconsider what they truly need in their shops. The conversation covers the importance of clear communication—both when hiring and when working with vendors—and the need for accountability on both sides of the hiring process.

Timestamps:
00:00 - The reality of open bays & shop hopping
01:14 - Walking the trade show floor & exhibitor life
03:23 - Ethan Whidden on joining Promotive, shop culture, and genuine conversation
07:27 - Mike Allen confesses: why he hesitated to use Promotive
08:45 - Effort vs. results in recruiting—Matt Lofton’s tough love
09:01 - Why most shops think they need A-techs (and why they’re wrong)
14:47 - Defining technician levels (and what “A-tech” really means)
17:26 - Expectations vs. reality: shops, techs, and unicorn hires
18:09 - The shop owner who took “unrealistic” to new levels
19:31 - Diagnosing your real hiring needs
20:01 - Chaos coordinators & fixing the front office
21:02 - You don’t need a unicorn—you need to be a better owner
24:01 - Shop competition: Mario Kart, go-karts, and Monopoly battles
27:02 - Epic neighborhood parties and community building
33:06 - Localized guerrilla recruiting vs. Promotive (can you DIY?)
34:03 - Why shop owners make terrible customers for vendors
35:09 - Communication, unspoken expectations, and messy outcomes
37:58 - Candidate screening, accountability, and whose fault is it, really?
41:41 - Hiring stories: ghosting, no-shows & offers used as leverage
51:14 - Why techs really leave—(hint: it’s not always money)
01:00:05 - What you SHOULD pay your B-techs and A-techs in 2026
01:06:09 - Boasting moms, cheer championships, and motivation
01:11:08 - Code yellow, code red: shop bathroom confessions