Had a conversation with a shop owner that got my blood pressure up. A competitor—a dealer employee—literally walked onto his property and tried to recruit one of his techs while the guy was on break. Just... showed up. On his lot. Talking to his people. Here's my take: That's not "recruiting." That's trespassing wrapped in desperation. And here's the thing—if they'll do that to you, they'll do it to their own people too. That's not a culture. That's a churn machine. What this shop owner did immediately: → Told the team: "If anyone approaches you on our property, bring it to management. No drama—just info." → Made it crystal clear: "You're not in trouble. We just need to know." → Had a calm, professional conversation with the business that pulled this move: "Do not come on our property again. Contact me directly if you want to talk." No shouting. No threats. Just clear boundaries. But here's the real lesson: The only long-term protection from poaching isn't policies or signage or confrontation. It's culture + clarity + communication. If your techs know what they have, know they're valued, and know you're invested in their future—some guy in a polo shirt wandering onto your lot isn't a threat. He's a reminder of what they don't want. Now I want to hear from you: What would you do if a competitor tried to poach one of your techs—especially on your property? Drop your playbook 👇 - Do you confront the other shop? - Do you set a policy or put up signage? - Do you pull your tech aside and ask what they need to stay? - Do you do nothing and just double down on culture? What's your move? P.S. The shop owner told me his tech brought it up before he even knew it happened. That's when you know your culture is working.

"I think I let some good ones slip through the cracks." He hadn't been great about responding to comments and messages on his recruiting ads. Shop got busy. He figured if someone was really interested, they'd apply. Here's what most shop owners miss: Your Facebook recruiting ad isn't just an ad. It's a conversation starter. When you run these campaigns, unexpected things happen: → Happy customers comment saying nice things (reply and thank them) → Potential NEW customers ask if they can bring their car in (yes, this happens constantly) → The ads get shared by folks who know techs → Technicians like, comment, or share the ads That last one is where the gold is. Some techs comment to ask a question—they want to see if anyone's actually listening before they apply. Some "like" the post to bookmark it because they're at work. Some share it to send to a buddy. Every. Single. One. Is an opportunity. Look at their profile. Send a message: "Hey, saw you liked our post—are you looking for a shop or just curious?" You'd be amazed how many conversations start that way. The lesson: You're paying for these leads. Every notification is a potential conversation. Don't flush your money by ignoring them. Reply to everything. Engage with everyone. P.S. Speed matters. When someone comments or messages, respond fast. Quality techs have options—they're not waiting around for a callback.

Let me tell you a quick story. A few months back, I got a text from Jeff Lee. He and his wife Amy own J&R Service Center—three shops, including a motorsports division. His message? "That ad got five responses in one day. Between 15 and 30 years of experience. You might wanna spread that around, bud. It definitely hits the buttons." Two minutes later, another text: "Two more just came into the inbox. That's seven. Over 10 years experience." Now look—that doesn't happen every day. That's an outlier for sure. But here's what's NOT an outlier: Ads that stand out get responses. Ads that look like everyone else's get ignored. Go search Indeed right now. Type in "automotive technician in [your city]" You'll see 380+ jobs that all look EXACTLY THE SAME. Same boring headlines. Same "requirements first" structure. Same invisible, forgettable copy. Meanwhile, the techs you actually want? They're scrolling past all of it. So I put together something special for you. Inside the classroom, you'll find: → A 16-minute video walkthrough showing you exactly how the ad that got those 7 responses was built—section by section → The actual swipe-and-deploy template you can customize for your shop → A custom AI tool (Mini Travel Brochure) that writes the relocation section if you're open to hiring outside your area → Another AI tool (Tech Ad Tuner) that diagnoses what's wrong with your current ad and shows you exactly how to fix it Your ad is usually the first impression a technician has of your shop. It's the highest-leverage thing you can work on if you're serious about attracting real talent. Go grab these tools and write something that makes a tech stop scrolling. 📍 Find it all in the classroom under "Grab a technician ad template that works!" Remember—techs aren't reading every word. They're scanning. They're deciding in seconds whether you're worth their time.

Got this question from a client yesterday. Here's what most shop owners don't realize: Techs aren't hibernating. They're still scrolling social media and hanging out in the trade groups just as much as any other time of year. They're just not moving yet. Which means December is actually the perfect time to start conversations—not close them. Think of it like warming up an engine before you drive. The shops that plant seeds now? They're the ones techs reach out to in January when they're finally ready to make a move. The shops that wait? They're competing with everyone else who had the same "wait until the new year" idea. Recruiting is like marketing—it's never a bad time to do it. And when you really need it, you always wish you started sooner. Are you planting seeds now or waiting for spring?

After 7 years of helping shops hire technicians, I've noticed something: Most shops are rusty at hiring because they're not doing it all the time. And that rustiness is costing you great techs and service advisors. @Brian Nerger from Nerger's Auto Express just hired 2 technicians and a service advisor in a month using this system (and helped a diesel tech land his dream job at Caterpillar along the way). Here's exactly what he did differently: Part 1: The Speed-to-Contact Game Changer Brian followed Leigh Anne Best from Mighty Auto Pro's "text-first" system that's absolute gold: The 3-Touch Text Formula: 1. Immediate text (within 30 minutes of receiving resume): "Good afternoon John, my name is [Your Name] with [Shop Name]. Thank you for sending your resume for our Automotive Technician position. After reviewing your resume, [Owner Name] would be very interested in meeting with you. Would you be available this afternoon to come in and talk about this opportunity?" 2. Follow with the job link so they know exactly which position 3. Keep everything in text - creates a trackable conversation history Why this works: Techs are under cars all day. They can't answer calls, but they'll check texts at lunch. Part 2: Stop Being a Resume Snob Brian's breakthrough came when he stopped judging resumes and started having conversations. His new approach: - Call everyone with ANY automotive experience (he even called candidates from past years apps) - Start by asking, "what has you looking for a new opportunity right now?" - Then ask this golden question: "If we were talking a year from now and you look back and had the best year of your life personally and professionally, what would that look like?" - Build relationships, not just fill positions Even when someone isn't a fit, Brian goes above and beyond. He recently helped a diesel tech connect with Caterpillar (where the tech wanted to work) and regularly connects entry-level candidates with Jiffy Lube and Valvoline managers for training opportunities (who end up sending him general repair work).