SOS - Shop Owner Solutions

We can’t find good help these days! Maybe you’ve heard that from colleagues or said it yourself. You look around nearly every type of employer and everyone seems to have the "Help Wanted" sign out - even in the best environment, finding workers is tough.

Of course, as challenging as things are now, this industry has been through tough times today. Tough circumstances take tough people – we’re here to help shop owners make the best of tough times.
Shop Owner Solutions is your life preserver through the industry’s rapids – getting past those 3 am panics or the things that keep you awake any way. In this episode, Doug Kaufman from Shop Owner magazine and Vic Tarasik from Shop Owner Coach, talk with Mike Simard from Simard’s Auto, Fairbanks, AK.

What's the most destructive word in your shop? Sometimes, the word is "yes." In challenging economic times, saying yes to everything may seem like the only way to reach your business goals but not every job, every customer or every opportunity is right for you. Sometimes, saying "no" is the best thing you can do.
In this episode, Vic and Doug discuss the power of no with two shop owners who had to learn it the hard way. AJ Nealey, from Nealey's Auto Service in Edgewater, MD and Wendy Clawson, from The Swedish Solution in Chagrin Falls, OH, share their wisdom, their successes and - in frank terms - some of their downfalls when it comes to the prospect of disappointing someone or losing a job by saying no. In addition, they share examples of things a shop owner should NEVER say no to, including vacations, family time and improving team morale and training.
This episode of Shop Owner Solutions is presented by Shop Boss.

You have a lot of expensive "stuff" in your shop - but is that the most valuable part of your business operation? Your investment goes way beyond the hard assets like tools, equipment, your customers' vehicles and your building. Without an effective use of your time your business will only go so far.

"The biggest investment successful shop owners make is in time," says Vic Tarasik, Shop Owner Coach. "One thing we often forget about time is that it is the most perishable thing we have." Guests on this episode are Brian Bates, Eagle Automotive, Littleton, CO; and Scott Thorley, president of Protractor

In this podcast series, guests discuss some of the nightmares shop owners face with leading shop owners from across the country. Shop Owner Solutions is intended to help you avoid the 3 am panic – together, hosts Vic Tarasik and Doug Kaufman will explore the things that cause you the most stress, put your anxiety into high gear and keep you from feeling like you’re achieving the success you deserve. This podcast episode is presented by Protractor.

There's nothing more exciting – or intimidating - than an all-you-can eat buffet. Everything you could possibly want is waiting for you. Choose wisely and you'll enjoy the experience- choose poorly and it will ruin your (and everyone else's) evening.
Similarly, today's Shop Management Systems seemingly offer an often overwhelming amount of features. What's best for your business? How do you choose the system or features that you really need?
To help you fill your plate, Doug Kaufman, editor of Shop Owner and Vic Tarasik, owner of Shop Owner Coach, speak with Danielle Commandeur, Commandeur Mechanical, Claremont, Saskatchewan, Canada, and Cavan Robinson from ShopBoss about their experiences navigating the buffet.

In this podcast series, Shop Owner Solutions hosts discuss some of the nightmares shop owners face with leading shop owners from across the country. Shop Owner Solutions is intended to help you avoid the 3 am panic – together, Vic and Doug will explore the things that cause you the most stress, put your anxiety into high gear and keep you from feeling like you’re achieving the success you deserve.

Finance can be a huge headache for shop owners. It's important to get paid for the work you do, of course but there can be significant challenges to collecting the payment when the repair is completed. Have you ever looked across the counter and wondered, "Is this transaction going to be a dream or a nightmare?" The search for contactless options has led many shop owners to implement text-to-pay systems. What was once a "nice to have" option has quickly become a "must have" business tool. In this episode of Shop Owner Solutions, Doug Kaufman and Vic Tarasik talk with Jesse Meddaugh from 360 Payments, San Jose, CA and Charlie Marcotte from American Pride Automotive, Hampton Roads, VA..

What's the scariest time of the year? It's not New Years, when you look in the mirror and realize how far you are from completing your resolutions. It's not Halloween, with its zombies and scary clowns. It's not even Thanksgiving, with the threat of a dry turkey and judgmental relatives. No, for many shop owners the real fear comes wiith employee reviews, when you sit one-on-one with an employee to talk about their accomplishments and shortfalls.
Employee reviews don't have to be scary or unproductive. In this episode of Shop Owner Solutions, Doug Kaufman, editor of ShopOwner and Vic Tarasik from Shop Owner Coach talk with Brian Bates, owner of Eagle Automotive in LIttleton, CO, about how you can you ensure that reviews are beneficial to both parties and ultimately a learning and growth exercise for the entire team?

Digital vehicle inspections (DVI) let a customer "look over your shoulder" as you inspect and repair their vehicle. They are proven to be helpful to the sales process - so why are some shops very successful with the procedure and others struggle to implement this simple shop tool? A picture is worth a thousand words and, in this episode, Vic and Doug discuss digital vehicle inspections with Kurt Kennedy from Kennedy Auto Solutions in Tom Ball, TX, and Chris Boshaw from Shop Boss.

Truly, shop operations have changed - are you keeping up? Just as technology has changed the way you repair cars and service your customers, the ways you can request and accept payment have changed as well. In this episode, Vic and Doug discuss new technology in the credit card processing industry and how it affects shop owners with Steve Ciabottoni from 360 Payments.

When you set out to climb the mountain to success, it helps to know where you want to go. It also helps to have someone to climb along with you. When it comes to shop marketing, do you have the lifeline to support you?In this episode, Vic and Doug discuss the idea of partnering with someone who can help you set your goals and achieve them. Guests are Dwayne Myers, Dynamic Automotive, Frederick County, MD and Margaret Palango with Autoshop Solutions. This episode is presented by Autoshop Solutions.

Self-improvement gurus say you should have no regrets - everything you've done has made you the person you are today. Google "Terrible Tattoos" however, and you'll see some things people wish they could somehow erase from their past. Most of us, as we look back on our careers, recognize things we should have done differently. In this episode Doug Kaufman, editor of ShopOwner and Vic Tarasik from Shop Owner Coach discuss the idea of mentorship with Bryan Rex, Fleet Services, Everett, WA and Tyson Anderson, Master Mechanic, Providence, UT. This episode is presented by 360 Payments.