John Baranski started as an automotive technician in the middle of the 2008 recession, when shops were closing and layoffs were constant. Instead of quitting, he learned everything no one else wanted to do. Water leaks. Convertible tops. Hybrids. That grit carried him from fixing cars to fixing boats… and eventually, into leadership.

Today, John is a shop foreman in the marine industry, managing a team that repairs some of the most advanced wake and performance boats in the world.

In this episode, we talk about:

👉 How to survive shop closures and layoffs

👉 Turning hard jobs into career opportunities

👉 Building accountability and trust on the shop floor

👉 The difference between working hard and leading hard

👉 What it takes to move from wrenching to leadership

If you’re a mechanic, technician, or service professional who wants to level up, this conversation will hit home.

🎧 Listen to more episodes of The Wrench Turners Podcast

👉 https://www.youtube.com/@WrenchTurners

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Subscribe for episodes on:

Service advisor training

Technician productivity

Repair order accuracy

Dealership leadership and culture

Fixed Ops coaching and management

Automotive Content Creation

Event Media and Publication

Event Filmography

Listen to The Wrench Turners Podcast

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ScwRP0DFMtDsp83JxPhPK?si=26aeb4be65da45eb

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FixedOPS Marketing — Service marketing tools for dealerships

https://www.fixedopsmarketing.com

https://www.youtube.com/@fixedopsmarketing

https://www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketing

Chapters:

00:00 – Opening Prayer

01:00 – Who is John Baranski?

03:00 – Discovering a Passion

05:00 – Getting Recruited

07:00 – Surviving the 2008 Crash

09:00 – Learning Work Ethic

12:00 – Accountability, Trust

15:00 – The Power of Great Leadership

18:00 – Finding Culture and Coaching

20:00 – Moving to Florida:

23:00 – Becoming a Master Tech

26:00 – Reaching the Top

29:00 – The Hardest Jobs in the Dealership

31:00 – Transition from Cars to Boats

34:00 – Entering the Marine Industry

36:00 – Learning Boats from Scratch

38:00 – Mentorship, Mindset, and Learning

42:00 – Universal Skills All Mechanics Share

44:00 – Advice for Technicians

47:00 – “Do the Jobs Nobody Wants to Do”

49:00 – The Wildest Customer Stories

51:00 – The Coolest Thing That Ever Happened at Work

52:00 – Final Thoughts and Closing Quote