LIFT Your Shop

What if the biggest thing holding your auto repair shop back isn’t your building, your bay count, or even your pricing—but the way you serve the customer?

In this episode of the LIFT Your Shop Podcast, Kelsey sits down with Charlie Zlatkos of Pleasant Car Care and Auto Hospitality Group to talk about how a hospitality-first approach has helped transform the way his shops operate and grow. Charlie shares his journey from working in gas station repair shops to building a highly successful automotive business—and the processes that helped him get there.

They dive into what it really means to create an exceptional customer experience, including why Charlie believes in “saying yes,” how his team walks customers through repairs without overwhelming them, why transparency builds trust, and how better systems can dramatically increase what a shop is capable of producing.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Charlie’s journey from Greece to building his own auto repair business
• How a small shop can produce surprisingly big numbers
• Why inspecting every vehicle is so important
• The “Moneyball” approach to presenting repairs and maintenance
• Why overwhelming customers with a huge estimate can backfire

• How shop tours and transparency help build customer trust

• Why great service can support higher pricing
• Charlie’s philosophy of “Yes is the answer. What is the question?”

• How staffing, processes, and technology make saying yes possible
• Why AI should create more time for human interaction, not replace it
• The importance of clean, organized shops and a strong customer experience
• Why discipline and consistency matter just as much as having the right process

Charlie also shares real examples from his shops—including how one small location reached a $460,000 month and how another location grew from roughly $135,000 per month to approaching $900,000 in a month while operating from essentially the same footprint.

Whether you’re trying to increase revenue, improve your customer experience, strengthen your processes, or simply understand how much potential your existing shop may have, this conversation offers a different way to think about growth.

Learn more about LIFT Auto Repair Marketing:
https://liftautorepairmarketing.com/

Learn more about Charlie’s approach and Auto Shop Answers:
https://autoshopanswers.com/

If you enjoyed this episode, like, subscribe, and follow the LIFT Your Shop Podcast for more conversations with leaders across the automotive industry.

What does it really take to grow from technician to shop owner — and eventually build a successful multi-location auto repair business?

In this episode of the LIFT Your Shop Podcast, Kelsey sits down with Greg Bunch, owner of Aspen Auto Clinic and CEO of Transformers Institute, to talk about the lessons he’s learned over 25 years in the automotive industry.

Greg shares how he went from buying a $250 Volkswagen Bug and learning to fix cars himself to building his first shop out of his garage — and eventually growing to six locations.

They dive into the realities of building an auto repair business, including:

• When to stop working in the business and start working on it
• Why growing too quickly can create major cash-flow problems
• The danger of lifestyle creep as your shop becomes successful
• Why shop owners need to understand their financials and KPIs
• How to know when you're actually ready for a second location
• The systems and processes needed to successfully scale
• Why strong SOPs alone aren't enough without the right people
• How hiring and company culture affect long-term growth

• Mistakes Greg made along the way — and what he would do differently today

Whether you're running your first shop, considering a second location, or already managing multiple locations, this conversation is packed with lessons on leadership, financial discipline, systems, hiring, and sustainable growth.

If you enjoyed the episode, like, subscribe, and follow the LIFT Your Shop Podcast for more conversations with leaders throughout the automotive industry.

Learn more about LIFT Auto Repair Marketing:
https://liftautorepairmarketing.com/

Learn more about Greg Bunch & Transformers Institute:
https://transformersinstitute.com/

What happens when expanding to a second auto repair shop goes completely wrong?

In this episode of the Lift Your Shop Podcast, Kelsey Outram sits down with Joe Valind of Auto Safety Center, a four-location auto repair business in the Greater Milwaukee area, to talk about the successes — and failures — that shaped his journey from technician to multi-shop owner.

Joe's story didn't follow a perfect path. He started as a high school apprentice at the same shop he would eventually own, working his way through the industry before purchasing the business. Years later, convinced his first location had reached its potential, Joe took a chance on a second shop.

It didn't work.

Without the financial foundation, leadership structure, or systems needed to support another location, the expansion turned into 18 months of challenges and ultimately ended with Joe being evicted from the second location.

He returned to Store 1 knowing it was a pivotal moment for the business. Instead of letting the failure define him, Joe used it to rethink how he operated, improve profitability, strengthen his team, and build the foundation he would need to eventually expand again.

Today, Auto Safety Center has four locations.

In this episode, Kelsey and Joe discuss:

• Joe's journey from high school apprentice to auto repair shop owner
• Buying his first shop after repeatedly being turned down by banks
• Why freedom doesn't automatically come with business ownership
• The mistakes behind his first attempt at opening a second location
• Why Store 1 should be running successfully before adding Store 2
• Rebuilding a business after hitting rock bottom
• Using marketing and incentive-based pay plans to drive growth
• Getting a shop to operational and human capacity before expanding
• Why strong leadership becomes one of the biggest constraints in multi-shop growth
• Developing managers and promoting leaders from within
• Using character, chemistry, and competency as cultural guardrails
• Why you can't want someone's growth more than they do
• Encouraging employees and helping them see potential they may not see themselves
• Building a business that can operate without the owner
• Why cash reserves matter before acquiring another location
• Evaluating demographics, traffic, and market conditions before choosing a new shop
• How an unexpected conversation led Joe to an off-market acquisition opportunity
• Learning from failure instead of repeating it
• Lead measures vs. lag measures and why behaviors ultimately drive KPIs

One of the biggest lessons from Joe's story is that adding another location shouldn't be an "instead of" decision because you're frustrated with your current shop. It should be an "in addition to" decision because the first business is healthy, profitable, properly staffed, and capable of operating without you.

If you're an auto repair shop owner thinking about opening a second location, building a leadership team, or trying to create a business that doesn't depend entirely on you, this episode offers a firsthand look at both what can go wrong and what it takes to do it differently the next time.

Joe's book recommendation:

• The 4 Disciplines of Execution

Joe specifically recommends the book for its distinction between lead measures and lag measures — focusing not only on the KPIs you're trying to achieve, but on the behaviors that actually create those results.

Want to connect with Joe?

Joe shares his email toward the end of the episode for shop owners who want to reach out and connect.

If you enjoyed this episode, like the video and subscribe to the channel for more conversations with auto repair shop owners and industry leaders about growing stronger, more profitable businesses.

Lift Your Shop Podcast
Hosted by Kelsey Outram | Lift Auto Repair Marketing

#AutoRepair #AutoRepairShop #ShopOwner #MultiShopOwner #AutomotiveBusiness #ShopManagement #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #AutoRepairMarketing #LiftYourShop

What does it actually take to grow an auto repair shop from a tiny two-bay operation into a $3M+ business?

In this episode of the Lift Your Shop Podcast, Kelsey Outram sits down with Ryan Cerny of Stoiched Automotive in Appleton, Wisconsin to talk about his journey from technician to shop owner — and the numbers, systems, and decisions that helped him steadily scale his business.

Ryan started small, leasing a 1,500-square-foot corner of a tractor-trailer shop for just $695 a month while working as a technician during the day and repairing vehicles nights and weekends. Eventually, that side business became his full-time focus and grew into a 9,000-square-foot, nine-bay operation doing more than $3 million in annual revenue.

But this conversation isn't just about growth.

Ryan breaks down the financial side of running a healthy auto repair business, including how shop owners should think about gross profit, net profit, technician costs, overhead, cash reserves, labor rates, and GP per hour.

In this episode, Kelsey and Ryan discuss:

• Going from technician to auto repair shop owner
• Growing steadily without trying to scale too quickly
• Why Ryan recommends keeping roughly three months of overhead in reserve
• Understanding your P&L instead of managing from your checking account balance
• Gross profit vs. net profit — and the targets Ryan watches
• Understanding the true cost of your technicians
• Gross profit per hour and why Ryan's service advisors understand the numbers
• Giving service advisors flexibility to save jobs without simply discounting
• Training service advisors and continuously improving sales skills
• How Ryan would approach acquiring and operating a second location
• Creating team buy-in through systems, leadership, and incentive-based compensation
• Why your marketing plan should be mapped out before expanding
• The importance of creating a five-year vision while staying open-minded about how big your business can become

One of Ryan's biggest lessons after more than a decade in business? Don't underestimate how far you can go in 10 years.

If you're an auto repair shop owner trying to better understand your numbers, improve profitability, build a stronger team, or prepare for your next stage of growth, this episode is packed with practical insights you can take back to your shop.

Books Ryan recommends:

• Three Feet From Gold
• Toolbox Truce

Want to connect with Ryan?

Ryan recommends reaching out to him via Facebook DM.

If you enjoyed the episode, like the video, subscribe to the channel, and turn on notifications for more conversations with successful auto repair shop owners and automotive industry leaders.

Lift Your Shop Podcast
Hosted by Kelsey Outram | Lift Auto Repair Marketing

#AutoRepair #AutoRepairShop #ShopOwner #AutomotiveBusiness #AutoRepairMarketing #ShopManagement #AutomotiveIndustry #BusinessGrowth #AutoRepairBusiness #LiftYourShop

From 1 Shop to 10 Locations: How Jim Brown Scaled a Multi-Million Dollar Auto Repair Business.

How do you go from running one struggling shop… to scaling 10 high-performing locations?

In this episode of the LIFT Your Shop Podcast, Kelsey sits down with Jim Brown, owner of Speed Auto Repair, to break down the exact systems, mindset shifts, and operational strategies that transformed his business.

After nearly 20 years of operating a single shop, Jim made a pivotal change—implementing structured systems, inspections, and daily reporting.

The result? More success in one year than the previous 19 combined, and a rapid expansion to multiple locations generating millions in revenue.

This episode dives deep into what it actually takes to scale—from building strong processes and teams to evaluating acquisition opportunities and creating a culture that drives growth.

What You’ll Learn:

- The 3 biggest changes that transformed Jim’s shop overnight

- Why inspecting 100% of vehicles is a game-changer

- How daily reporting and meetings drive performance and profitability

- What to look for when buying your second (or third) shop

- The key metrics that determine whether a deal is worth it

- How to scale from 1 to 10+ locations without losing control

- How to build a culture that develops leaders from within

- Why systems—not hustle—are the foundation of growth

What does it really take to build a highly profitable auto repair shop—even in a tough location?

In this episode of The LIFT Shop Podcast, Kelsey sits down with Jay Huh, owner of CARMEDIX in Durham, North Carolina, to break down how he went from working out of his home garage to building a shop generating over $3 million in revenue—and consistently netting $60K–$100K per month.

Jay shares the real story behind his journey, including the mistakes, mindset shifts, and systems that allowed him to scale, simplify, and ultimately step out of day-to-day operations.

This episode dives deep into what actually moves the needle in a shop—from pay plans and hiring to marketing strategies that drive consistent car count.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why most shop owners stay stuck (and how to break out of it)

• The difference between working in your shop vs on your shop

• How to structure commission-based pay plans that drive performance

• The key metrics every shop owner must track daily

• Why gross profit dollars matter more than percentages

• How to consistently hire technicians—even in a “shortage”

• The marketing strategy that keeps bays full (including direct mail)

• Why systems—not location—determine your success

In this episode of the Lift Your Shop Podcast, Kelsey sits down with Matt Curry, founder of Craftsman Auto Care, to break down what it really takes to scale an auto repair business the right way.

After building Curry’s Auto Service to 10 locations and $18M in revenue, retiring at 47, and then coming back to do it again — Matt now runs 8 shops (with more on the way) and is on track for $36M in sales.

So what’s the secret?

It’s not flashy marketing.
It’s not complicated systems.

It’s operational discipline.

In this episode, Matt shares:

• The 3 core things every shop must do to grow fast

• Why full digital inspections (with photos + video) are non-negotiable

• How presenting estimates in order of priority builds trust

• Why test driving every vehicle before AND after service matters

• How he gamified Google reviews to approach 10,000 five-star reviews

• What it takes to attract and retain top technicians (including $300K+ earners)

• Why most shops struggle with hiring — and how to fix it

Matt simplifies growth down to this:
Be honest.
Be nice.
Do what you say you’re going to do.
Inspect every car.
Present everything transparently.

That’s how you build trust.
That’s how you scale.
That’s how you create real freedom.

If you’re a shop owner trying to grow from $30K months to $200K months — this conversation is packed with actionable insight.

In this episode of the Lift Your Shop Podcast, Kelsey sits down with Eric Walker, owner of Walker Automotive in Elkton, Kentucky, to talk about what truly separates great shops from average ones.Eric shares how bringing back old-school customer service — commitment times, promise-based scheduling, loaner vehicles, and real accountability — has transformed his shop’s growth in a town of just 1,600 people. He explains why trust is the real product shops sell, how leadership and training changed his business, and what it takes to stop “owning a job” and start running a real company.From building a high-performing team to creating a culture of ownership, training, and continuous improvement, this conversation is packed with practical insights for shop owners who want to grow without excuses.If you’re struggling with hiring, team performance, training, or scaling beyond yourself — this episode is for you.

In this episode of the Lift Your Shop Podcast, LIFT Auto Repair Marketing CEO Kelsey Ostrom sits down with Tonnika Haynes, owner of Brown’s Automotive, to talk about pride in the trades, leadership, and building the next generation of technicians.

Tonnika shares her journey growing up in a family-owned shop, transitioning from collision repair to mechanical, and what it really takes to build trust—with customers and with your team. This conversation dives deep into why blue-collar work deserves more respect, how shop owners can mentor young technicians, and why culture matters just as much as KPIs.

From hiring younger techs and developing service advisors to redefining success beyond college degrees, this episode is a powerful reminder that dirty hands can still mean clean money—and meaningful work.

• Why the trades deserve more respect

• How to mentor and grow young technicians

• The importance of shop culture and leadership

• Customer service lessons from collision repair

• Giving the next generation a real opportunity to succeed

If you’re a shop owner, manager, or technician who cares about people, culture, and long-term success, this episode is for you.

👉 Subscribe for more conversations on auto repair marketing, leadership, and shop growth.

In today’s episode, we sit down with Jason Fan — owner of one of the fastest-growing European specialty shops in his region — to talk about the real work behind scaling a shop, elevating team performance, and building a business that changes lives.

Jason shares what transformed his operation over the past 18 months: daily meetings that actually work, leadership built on encouragement instead of pressure, and the shift from working in the business to working on the business. He breaks down why he moved from general repair to European, how he created a high-end customer experience, and why the environment of your shop silently influences trust and ticket averages.

We also dig into:
• How to run daily meetings without them becoming repetitive
• The mindset shift that allowed his team members to grow financially and personally
• Why shop appearance and customer experience matter more than most owners think
• The transition from technician to true business leader
• The systems and coaching that helped him scale
• The importance of building a shop that empowers employees to build real wealth
• The book that completely changed his approach (The E-Myth)

Whether you're a general repair shop, a European specialist, or an owner trying to grow your second or third location, Jason’s story gives a clear blueprint for how to upgrade culture, process, and leadership — and why doing so transforms the entire business.

If you want to reach out to Jason, you can connect with him on Facebook at Jason Fan.