Honest Garage Podcast

Shawn Gilfillan's story is not polished, easy, or overnight. It is busted knuckles, hard lessons, bad hires, a major injury, personal setbacks, and the decision to keep growing anyway.

Shawn is the owner of Automotive Magic and Magic Lube and Rubber in New Jersey. Together, the two businesses create a smart split. Automotive Magic handles the heavier repair work, while Magic Lube and Rubber focuses on the maintenance lane. Different services, same foundation: trust, professionalism, and relationships that last.

In this episode, Shawn shares how he grew up around tools, helped his dad restore a 1962 Corvette, worked through shops where the values did not always line up, and eventually decided to build the kind of place he wished existed. He also opens up about a brutal quad accident that left him hospitalized, bedridden, and forced to run the business from home while his brothers helped keep the doors open. That season became a turning point. Shawn had to stop being the hero in the bay and start becoming a real operator.

You will hear how his leadership changed through coaching, self awareness, and a much slower approach to hiring. Shawn talks about hiring for values, emotional intelligence, coachability, and culture instead of just technical skill. He also shares a powerful message for owners who feel overwhelmed: get clear on your purpose, stop trying to do everything yourself, and build a business that lines up with your values.

If you are a shop owner trying to grow past survival mode, protect your culture, and become the kind of leader your team actually needs, Shawn's story is worth hearing.

Links: Honest Mechanic Marketing (HMM): https://honestmechanicmarketing.com/ Automotive Magic: https://automotivemagic.com/Magic Lube and Rubber: https://magiclubeandrubber.com/

Eric Newton is a second generation shop owner, but his story is not about being handed a business. It is about earning a seat at the table, surviving hard seasons, and then stepping into leadership at the exact moment the shop entered a new chapter.

Eric is the second generation owner at Curt's Auto Repair in Phoenix, Arizona, a long standing shop known for honest diagnostics, diesel work, brakes, AC repair, and straight communication that builds trust over time. In this episode, Eric walks through how he started in the shop young, worked through years of change, and then navigated an ownership transition that did not go the way he expected. Instead of a simple handoff, two business partners, Jeremiah and Mike, came in alongside him so the original owner could retire fairly and the business could keep moving forward without getting squeezed.

Eric also shares what he is focused on now. Cleaner systems, stronger accountability, better hiring decisions, technician pay, and building a shop that can scale with repeatable processes. He talks about concepts like EOS and why the future of the shop has to be intentional, while still keeping the core promise simple, tell the truth, do not sell what is not needed, and protect the team culture.

If you are a second gen operator, thinking about partners, or trying to modernize a legacy shop without losing integrity, this conversation is worth hearing.

Links:

Honest Mechanic Marketing (HMM): https://honestmechanicmarketing.com/

Curt's Auto Repair: https://mycarhurts.com/

Chris Keefer did not grow up planning to be a career tech or a shop owner. He was a BMW enthusiast who knew enough HTML in the early 2000s to make a trade with a local BMW shop. Let him work on his car a few days a week, and he would build them a website. He never left.

In this episode, Chris shares how a German trained mentor shaped his standards, including a lesson that still drives his leadership today. Knowing when you do not know is part of doing the job right. Over time, Chris became a high level producer, then built Independent Motorcars, a full service European specialist shop in Miramar, San Diego focused on BMW, Porsche, Mercedes Benz, and Audi.

You will hear how the shop grew from a 2,500 square foot start into the unit next door, then made the post Covid leap into an 11,000 square foot facility that reflects pride in the work and respect for the people doing it. Chris also gets candid about the business being relationship driven and not easily scalable, why he refuses the private equity style cookie cutter mindset, and how investing in real benefits and a clean, organized environment changes how techs show up for customers.

Chris also drops a simple marketing move that actually fits a specialist shop. If you are an enthusiast, join the clubs aligned with your niche because that is where rock solid long term customers come from.

Links:

Honest Mechanic Marketing (HMM): https://honestmechanicmarketing.com/

Independent Motorcars: https://www.independentmotorcars.com/

Brandon Stapley started where a lot of real shop stories start, turning wrenches in his dad's backyard, then grinding through side work and a rough two bay setup tied to a construction yard in the Arizona heat. When that yard went away, Brandon had to make a decision. Fade out or build something real.

Today Brandon runs multiple brands in Arizona, including Stapley's Garage in Mesa and Stapley Car Care in Chandler, plus a quick service concept called Oil Buddy. In this episode, Brandon breaks down what changes when you stop being a technician who owns a shop and become an operator building a team across more than one location.

You will hear how his hiring philosophy evolved into hiring for personality and coachability, how he protects culture without letting the wrong people take advantage, and why most marketing problems are really operations problems in disguise. Brandon gets specific about missed call opportunity cost, call recording and scoring systems, and why tracking phones and follow up matters as much as ads if you want consistent growth.

If you are trying to scale without losing standards, and you want a real look at what it takes to grow multiple locations while keeping people and processes tight, this episode is worth hearing.

Links:

Honest Mechanic Marketing (HMM): https://honestmechanicmarketing.com/

Stapley Car Care: https://www.stapleycarcare.com/

Stapley's Garage: https://www.stapleysgarage.com/

Oil Buddy: https://oilbuddy.net/

Todd Santos did not take the typical straight line into shop leadership. He learned the trade, learned the front counter, and learned what a shop should never feel like for a customer. That mix shaped how he runs the day to day at Ken's Auto Center in San Diego, serving the Mira Mesa and Miramar area since 1999.

In this episode, Todd gets specific about what changed everything for their customer experience. Hiring and developing the right service advisor, building repeatable communication habits, and using TechMetric digital vehicle inspections to create real transparency. He talks about why being "thorough" is not a buzzword, it is how you earn trust when you are recommending work.

Todd also explains how he thinks about warranties and accountability, including why they stand behind work with clear terms like a 24 month, 24,000 mile warranty on common brake jobs, and why trust gets complicated the moment another shop touches the vehicle. The bigger theme is simple, set expectations early, document clearly, and never sell what is not true.

If you want a practical look at improving the front counter, tightening inspection flow, and building a reputation that holds up, this conversation is worth hearing.

Links:

Honest Mechanic Marketing (HMM): https://honestmechanicmarketing.com/

Ken's Auto Center: https://www.kensautocenter.com/

Julio Campos has built Dragonfly Automotive in San Diego by obsessing over the things most shops treat as "extras." Communication that is clear. A customer experience that feels intentional. A team that is trained and developed, not just thrown into the fire.

In this episode, Julio shares what has actually helped Dragonfly grow in a competitive market like San Diego. He talks about creating a premium experience without losing authenticity, how to build consistency across the shop, and why the real differentiator is not the repair itself, it is how the customer feels from the first interaction to the final handoff.

You will also hear Julio's perspective on building people. How he thinks about training, mentorship, and creating a workplace where technicians and advisors can level up instead of burning out. If you want practical insight on running a sharper operation and earning loyalty in a market where customers have options, Julio's interview is worth hearing.

Links:

Honest Mechanic Marketing (HMM): https://honestmechanicmarketing.com/

Dragonfly Automotive: https://www.dragonflyauto.com/

Alex Rodriguez built Euro Cars Southend around a clear promise. If you own a European vehicle and you want it serviced the right way, you should not have to settle for guesswork, vague answers, or a rushed experience.

In this episode, Alex shares how he developed a specialist mindset and why focusing on European platforms changes everything. The tooling, the training, the diagnostic approach, and the standards you have to hold if you want to protect customers from expensive mistakes. He talks about what is working in his shop right now, how he keeps work flowing without sacrificing quality, and why communication is the real difference maker in a premium service environment.

You will also hear Alex's perspective on customer expectations. How to educate without talking down, how to set priorities clearly, and how to build long term loyalty in a niche market where reputation travels fast. If you are building a specialty shop, or you want a better playbook for higher end customer experience and consistency, this episode is worth hearing.

Links

Honest Mechanic Marketing (HMM): https://honestmechanicmarketing.com

Euro Cars Southend: https://eurocarssouthend.com/

Brian Parada did not grow up thinking he would own an auto repair shop. He came in through business school, lawnmower engines, corporate tire stores, and a long stretch of learning how the industry really works when you are the one responsible for the customer and the outcome.

Today Brian leads AutoTek Automotive Service and Repair in Raleigh, North Carolina, and in this conversation he gets real about the parts of shop ownership most people avoid. The diagnostic work that eats time under flat rate pay systems, the training gap that separates great techs from parts changers, and why Brian refuses to put his name and his warranty on work unless it is done the right way.

You will also hear why customer happiness is not just a nice idea, it is survival. Brian talks about running a shop in the digital age, handling reviews, responding to complaints, and building a reputation where the word honesty actually shows up in what customers write. He also shares how communication and updated estimates matter when jobs change mid repair, and why transparency protects both the customer and the shop.

If you want practical insight on diagnostics, training, quality control, and what it takes to earn trust at scale, this episode is worth hearing.

Links:

Honest Mechanic Marketing (HMM): https://honestmechanicmarketing.com/

AutoTek Automotive Service and Repair: https://www.autotek.biz/

Brandon Todd built his entire brand around a promise most shops are afraid to make out loud. Be the honest mechanic people hope they find when they are stressed, busy, and do not know who to trust.

Brandon is the owner of My Honest Mechanic in Concord, North Carolina, and in this episode he shares how the name became a mission, not a slogan. He talks about seeing corruption in the industry and refusing to build a business model that pressures advisors and techs to push sales just to protect a paycheck. Instead, he built a pay structure designed to support honesty, with hourly pay and bonuses in the background, so the team can focus on quality work and real customer education.

You will also hear why putting honesty in the name creates real accountability. Brandon explains how being a state inspection station can be a breeding ground for shady behavior, and why his shop will not slide illegal tint or cut corners to "help someone out." That conviction is not always popular, but it is the reason customers stick.

If you want a clear example of how integrity can be operational, not just inspirational, this conversation is worth hearing.

Links:

Honest Mechanic Marketing (HMM): https://honestmechanicmarketing.com/

My Honest Mechanic: https://mhmauto.com/

Curt Morgan started Shadow Mountain Auto Service in Phoenix in 2008 with a simple motto: Character counts. In this episode, Curt explains how he has spent nearly two decades proving that character, kindness, and profitability can live in the same shop.

This conversation goes deeper than tactics. Curt shares how emotional intelligence shows up in leadership, how to build a team where people actually like working together, and why telling the truth early prevents drama later. He also brings a rare outside perspective because he has served on the Better Business Bureau board and spent years on Phoenix's Automotive Repair Advisory Committee, reviewing serious complaint cases and seeing exactly what separates great shops from the ones that damage public trust.

If you want to build a shop that wins long term by doing the right thing consistently, Curt's episode gives you both the mindset and the real world proof.

Links:

Honest Mechanic Marketing (HMM): https://honestmechanicmarketing.com/

Shadow Mountain Auto Service: https://shadowmountainauto.com/