Yesterday I heard a story from a client that I had to share. Mike, a shop owner from Dallas called his business coach in a panic. "I just found out through the grapevine that THREE of my best techs are looking at other shops," he said. "One already has an offer. I had no idea they were unhappy." Sound familiar? Here's the kicker: All three techs had been with Mike for 5+ years. They weren't leaving for money. They were leaving because of something Mike never saw coming - they felt invisible. One tech later told him: "You talk to me when something's broken or when I mess up. But you never ask how I'm doing or what would make my job better." Ouch. LESSON: Mike learned something that changed everything: Exit interviews are autopsies. By then, your tech is already gone. What he needed were "Stay Interviews" - proactive, 10-minute weekly conversations that catch problems while you can still fix them. Here's the exact system Mike implemented (that kept all 3 techs from leaving): The Monday Morning Stay Interview Process Step 1: The 3-Question Check-In (5 minutes) Every Monday, Mike asks each of his top techs: 1. "What's one thing that went well for you last week?" 2. "What's one frustration you're dealing with right now?" 3. "If you could change one thing about your job this week, what would it be?" Step 2: The Early Warning Scorecard (2 minutes) Mike tracks these 5 flight-risk indicators weekly: - Energy level (1-10) - Tool/equipment complaints - Customer and team interactions and overall mood - Initiative on jobs (taking on challenges vs. bare minimum) - Water cooler talk (engaged vs. withdrawn) Any score dropping 2+ points = immediate deeper conversation Step 3: The Fix-It Promise (3 minutes) Mike commits to addressing ONE issue each week - even small ones. - Week 1: Fixed the shop fan that had been broken for 6 months - Week 2: Changed the parts ordering process that was driving everyone crazy - Week 3: Started rotating who gets the gravy jobs

For years, I've been telling shop owners that "chatting up the tool guy" for tech leads was a dying strategy. Tool dealers are getting bombarded from every angle—everyone wants the same thing: "Know any good techs?" It's exhausting for them. And frankly, ineffective for you. But here's what I missed... I was talking to a shop owner today and she shared a story that flipped my perspective: Her A-tech was quietly job hunting and asked the tool guy for a reference letter to land a dealer position. But here's the twist—because this owner had built a REAL relationship with his tool guy (not just the "got any leads?" variety), the tool guy gave her a heads up. Result? The owner got ahead of it. Invited the tech for a conversation. Countered the offer. The tech is young and frankly in my opinion needs to learn a lesson, so he decided to leave anyway but it was better that it wasn't totally out of the blue. That heads up gave the shop owner a bit more time to prepare so they weren't caught totally flat-footed. The lesson hit me like a torque wrench to the head: Stop treating tool guys as tech vending machines. ❌ Start treating them as your shop's early warning system. ✅ Think about it: - They're in EVERY bay - They hear EVERY conversation - They know who's happy, who's looking, who's checked out - They're neutral territory—techs trust them Your tool guy isn't your recruiter. They're your intelligence network. The strongest shops don't just buy tools from these folks. They build genuine relationships that create a protective moat around their talent. So here's my revised stance: - Asking tool guys for tech leads? Still not great. - Building real relationships with them? Absolutely golden. The difference? One is transactional. The other is transformational. What's your take? How has your relationship with tool dealers impacted your retention? Drop your thoughts below. 👇

Here are 3 proven ways to build unbreakable trust with your employees (that most shop owners completely miss): 1️⃣ Share the WHOLE Story - Your team can't trust you if you only share the wins. They need the real picture — including the challenges. Action step: In your next team meeting, openly share one challenge the shop is facing. Watch how transparency transforms trust. 2️⃣ Keep the Small Promises - It's not the big commitments that break trust — it's the small ones you miss. That oil filter you said you'd order? That schedule you promised to post? Action step: When you say "I'll send that over," do it within 24 hours. No exceptions. Small follow-through = massive trust. 3️⃣ Make Feedback a Daily Habit - High-trust teams give and receive feedback without fear. It's how they get better, faster. Action step: Add a 2-minute "Feedback + Shoutout" to your daily huddle. One improvement, one recognition. Every. Single. Day. The trust test: Would your team say they trust each other — and trust YOU? Drop a comment: Which of these will you implement first? 👇

Your best diagnostic tech is interviewing elsewhere right now. Not because you don't pay well. Not because your shop isn't successful. But because after 5 years of making you money, he still feels like "just another employee ID" – a number, not a member. Here's the brutal reality: While you're protecting your P&L like a state secret, shops down the street are revolutionizing how they treat technicians – not as employees, but as partners who deserve to know how the business really works. Your tech sees the invoice for $150/hour labor but takes home $35. Without context, he assumes you're pocketing the difference. Meanwhile, he's working in the dark, guessing at what matters, and eventually leaving for someone who treats him like a partner in serving your customers. The cost of this secrecy is destroying shops: - It takes 67,800 new techs annually just to replace those leaving the industry - The average shop loses $47,000 in productivity for each tech that quits - Tech turnover increased 23% last year alone (and it's accelerating) - Every good technician has 8 automotive businesses trying to hire them But here's what kills me... You're already sharing 27% of gross revenue with your techs through wages. Yet they have no idea if they're helping the business succeed or bleeding it dry. They work blind, waste money unknowingly, and leave feeling undervalued. The solution that's revolutionizing independent shops: Schmidt Auto Care in Ohio was hemorrhaging techs until they implemented Open-Book Management with a gain-sharing formula. Here's exactly what they did: 1. Financial Transparency Boot Camp: Taught every tech how gross profit, effective labor rate, and parts margin drive the business 2. Weekly Scoreboard Huddles: Published hours sold, comeback %, and margin data. Every tech forecasts their next week's production 3. Gain-Sharing Formula: Pays quarterly bonuses from 15% of EBIT above baseline (prevents over-distribution while rewarding performance) 4. Equity Participation: Created phantom stock vesting over 3-5 years for senior techs

@Eddie Lawrence owner of Mobile Transport Repair in Colorado Springs, CO shared this amazing story today on our Life Calibration call about the power of building shop culture... I was doing my regular one-on-ones with my techs last week when John, one of my newer, younger technicians, stopped me cold. "Eddie," he said, "I'm not used to this." I thought he was about to complain. Instead, he continued: "I've never worked for a company that really cares. The fact that we're sitting here talking about my personal goals and plans outside of work... I've never experienced anything like that." That hit different. LESSON: Here's what most shop owners miss: Culture isn't just a buzzword - it's your competitive advantage. When you implement a positive workplace culture through systems like Life Calibration, you're not just reducing turnover (though that alone saves thousands). You're creating something bigger: ✅ Employees who WANT to come to work ✅ Teams that solve problems WITHOUT you ✅ A business that runs smoother while YOU sleep better The math is simple: - Cost to replace a tech: $5,000-$15,000+++ - Cost to build culture: Your time + genuine care - ROI: Priceless (but also measurable in retention, productivity, and your own peace of mind) ACTION: Ready to transform your shop culture? Here's your starting point: 1. Schedule 1-on-1s with each employee - Ask about their personal goals, not just work performance 2. Implement Life Calibration workshops - Give your team tools for work-life integration (not separation) 3. Create regular feedback loops - Monthly meetings where people can share mistakes without fear 4. Empower decision-making - Let your employees own their work and feel valued 5. Track your progress - Measure retention rates, productivity, and your own stress levels Remember: "Building a thriving workplace culture doesn't just drive business success. It empowers the owner to lead a healthier, more joyful, and well-rounded life."