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.

A few weeks back I got off a call with Dennis from Honest-1 Auto Care in Roswell, GA. He didn't wait. While most shop owners are saying "let's revisit this after the holidays," Dennis was planting seeds. And those seeds just turned into a productive conversation with a strong candidate who wants to come to work at his shop. They are working out the details and he's expected to start in January. Think about that for a second. Most shops will come back from the holiday break, realize they're still short-staffed, and then start thinking about recruiting. By the time they write/post an ad, get responses, schedule interviews, make an offer, get one accepted, and wait for the tech to give their two week's notice? It's March. Maybe April. And they've lost another quarter running short-handed. Dennis skipped all that. Because he understood something I shared in my last post: techs aren't hibernating right now. They're scrolling. They're thinking. They're quietly planning their next move for the new year. The shops that start conversations now are the ones with new toolboxes rolling in when January hits. The shops that wait? They're competing with everyone else who had the same "after the holidays" idea. Here's what I've noticed: I've talked with over 20 shops this past month. Good shops. Shops that need help. And most of them are waiting. Which means January is going to be packed here at Technician Find. We'll definitely hit capacity and have a waitlist. So this is my one last nudge before the year ends. If you've been thinking about getting help finding your next tech, now is the time to have that conversation—not January. Drop a comment or DM me "2026" and let's schedule a quick hiring clarity call. December you will thank you. P.S. Dennis runs an independent shop, just like you. He just decided that waiting was costing him more than moving forward.

Most of you aren't going to use it😔 Here's the update: Users can now leave Google reviews without showing their full name. "Jessica Thompson" can become "Jess T." or even "DogMom87." Sounds like a customer-getting thing, right? Wrong. This is a hiring thing. Here's what I've learned from placing hundreds of technicians: Good techs Google your shop before they ever apply. They're reading your reviews. Studying how you respond. Looking for red flags. Deciding if you're worth their toolbox. Think about it—how many times have YOU avoided leaving a review because you didn't want your name floating around on the internet? Your customers feel the same way. And every review you didn't get is one less piece of evidence that your shop is the kind of place a quality tech would want to work. Now the friction is gone. Here's your move: Next time you want a review from a customer, try this: "Hey, do you mind leaving me a quick review? It'll really help me grow my business. And in case you didn't know, you can actually hide your name now when leaving a Google review—in case you don't want your name out there on the internet." Watch how many more people say yes. The shops who tell their customers about this first will stack reviews while everyone else is still posting "We're Hiring" on Indeed. Your reputation isn't just for customers anymore. It's part of your recruiting strategy. How many reviews do you have right now? Drop the number below. 👇

"A-level would be great but we've lost hope. I'd settle for a B or C tech willing to learn that's upbeat." A shop owner said this to me recently. And I get it. The frustration is real. But something in that sentence is worth examining. Is hiring a B-tech with the right attitude actually "settling"? Or is it strategic clarity about what you actually need? Here's where it gets interesting: I've talked to owners who say "I need an A-tech" — but when I ask them to define what that means specifically for their shop, they can't. I've also talked to owners who hired "B-techs" with great attitudes and clear growth potential — and those techs became their best producers within 18 months. So I'm genuinely curious… When you say you need an "A-tech," have you actually mapped out: → What specific skills are non-negotiable vs. trainable? → What personality and culture fit looks like for your shop? → Whether you have systems to develop someone who's 70% there? Because here's the trap I see: Some owners wait for a unicorn they don't actually need — while great B-techs with perfect attitudes go to competitors who were clearer about what they were looking for. And some owners "settle" for a B-tech without doing the work to define what success actually looks like — and then wonder why it didn't work out. Same decision. Completely different outcomes. The difference isn't the tech level. It's the clarity. So here's my question for you: Would you rather hire an "upbeat B-tech" — or hold out for a maybe-mythical A-tech? And more importantly: How confident are you that you actually know the difference for YOUR shop? Drop your take below. 👇

You didn't buy a business. You bought a job you can't quit. 60-80 hours a week. Back on the tools. Writing estimates between oil changes. Putting out fires that never stop coming. Meanwhile... Your kid's game? Missed it. Date night? Rescheduled. Again. That "freedom" you imagined when you opened the shop? Nowhere to be found. Here's the brutal truth nobody told you: If you take a day off and everything falls apart... You don't own a business. You ARE the business. And that's not sustainable. It's not scalable. And it's slowly killing the thing you built. Your spouse knows it. Your body knows it. Deep down—you know it too. But here's what most shop owners miss: The answer isn't working harder. It's not another productivity hack. It's not "grinding until it works." The answer is building a team you actually trust. Not just bodies in bays. Technicians who show up. Who give a damn. Who can run the show when you're not there. Because when that happens? You're not just hiring help. You're buying your time back. You're buying fewer fires. You're buying the freedom you thought you were signing up for in the first place. So let me ask you: If your team was solid and fully staffed—how would your week look different? Drop your answer below. 👇