Shop Fix Academy Podcast

Working longer hours may seem like your solution, but it's actually the problem keeping you stuck. In this episode, Guy Roberts and Michael “The Berg” Rosenberger break down what it looks like to be time broke, money broke, or oftentimes both. They cover the warning signs that an auto repair business is slipping toward a cash-flow crisis. You'll learn why adding more cars can make a broken operation worse, which financial and operational numbers deserve your attention, and why the owner cannot remain the center of every sale, repair, decision, and customer problem. If your repair shop stays busy while your time and cash keep disappearing, this episode will help you identify the real constraint and start building a more profitable shop that doesn't depend on you for everything.

Our Sponsors:Tekmetric is the all-in-one platform built specifically for auto repair—it's what modern, growth-minded shop owners are running on. https://auto.tekmetric.com/4g8XPX0 When Leads Near Me and Shop Fix Academy work together, auto repair shops win. When proven digital marketing combines with powerful coaching and a passionate community, the results are remarkable!Book your strategy session today. Mention code SHOPFIX and get $500 off your first month.https://leadsnearme.com/ShopFixPodcast/Our Products:If you want your shop to reach the next level, start with the person leading it and build your foundation with Shop Fix LITE.⁠https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=cta⁠Better leadership starts with learning what to do differently, so create your free training account and start putting proven Shop Fix strategies to work in your shop.⁠https://shopfixacademy.com/free-training?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=freetrainingaccount&utm_content=cta⁠Motivation can get you started, but growth takes continued execution, so see what’s coming up at Shop Fix Academy and get in the room for what’s next.⁠https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sfa-events-2026&utm_content=cta

Most auto repair shop owners assume weak car count means they need more marketing, but sending more customers into a shop that isn't ready to say "Yes" can make the REAL problem even worse. Ryan Hillenbrand joins Guy Roberts and Michael “The Berg” Rosenberger to explain how better operations, stronger average repair orders, and a consistent customer experience have to come before aggressively buying more demand. Learn the marketing tiers a growing repair shop should work through, from the opportunities already available inside the business to professional digital marketing and the advanced tactics many owners jump into too early. Your repair shop needs to convert its marketing into sustainable revenue before deciding where the next marketing dollar should go.

Our Sponsors:Tekmetric is the all-in-one platform built specifically for auto repair—it's what modern, growth-minded shop owners are running on. https://auto.tekmetric.com/4g8XPX0 When Leads Near Me and Shop Fix Academy work together, auto repair shops win. When proven digital marketing combines with powerful coaching and a passionate community, the results are remarkable!Book your strategy session today. Mention code SHOPFIX and get $500 off your first month.https://leadsnearme.com/ShopFixPodcast/Our Products:If you want your shop to reach the next level, start with the person leading it and build your foundation with Shop Fix LITE.⁠https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=cta⁠Better leadership starts with learning what to do differently, so create your free training account and start putting proven Shop Fix strategies to work in your shop.⁠https://shopfixacademy.com/free-training?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=freetrainingaccount&utm_content=cta⁠Motivation can get you started, but growth takes continued execution, so see what’s coming up at Shop Fix Academy and get in the room for what’s next.⁠https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sfa-events-2026&utm_content=cta

A shop can stay busy yet still lose money when the owner doesn't know which numbers to track, which systems are broken, or what needs to change first. In this episode, Guy Roberts and Michael “The Berg” Rosenberger sit down with Matt Carlson, a former Microsoft software engineer who had never worked in a professional repair shop before starting his own. Matt eventually grew to five locations generating $1.56 million in one month! Matt breaks down how broken workflows, pay plans, and a lack of accountability kept his first shop stuck, and what happened when he finally began implementing the systems and coaching already available to him. Improving the way you operate doesn't require abandoning the purpose behind your shop. A strong mission can help attract the right employees, customers, and community. Learn how Matt turned operational chaos into scalable growth, while creating a cycle between business and nonprofit that makes a much larger impact beyond the shop.

Almost every shop owner can relate to being so stuck working as a technician in their shop that they never have a chance to grow the business itself. Shop Fix Academy Coach Kyle Meadows was in the same boat: sleeping at the shop so he could work 24/7, just trying to get the next mortgage payment, always working on the next car..but he actually found a way out, and in this episode he breaks down how you can do the same!

From less thank $20K months at his auto repair shop to averaging over $600k months now, Kyle has locked down VITAL systems and processes that make it so he doesn't even have to BE AT THE SHOP.

Learn the specific techniques he uses at his shop today that allowed him to spend 4 months this year on vacation while his shop was still printing money! Anyone can achieve true freedom in their shop with the right systems.

Most struggling shop owners are not short on effort. They are repeating activity without the disciplined execution, self-leadership, and culture needed to move the business forward. In this episode of the Shop Fix Academy Podcast, Guy Roberts and Michael “The Berg” Rosenberger sit down with Eric Thomas to explain why motivation can start the engine yet fail to carry a business to the next level. Eric reveals how consistent activity becomes rehearsed failure when a team stays busy without producing the required result. Learn why successful owners plateau, how past wins create complacency, and why the leader must change before the shop can grow. From visible standards and team fit, to accountability that requires strong commitment, this conversation shows how a repair shop can create consistent performance without depending on individual heroics.

If you want your shop to reach the next level, start with the person leading it and build your foundation with Shop Fix LITE.

https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite

Better leadership starts with learning what to do differently, so create your free training account and start putting proven Shop Fix strategies to work in your shop.

https://shopfixacademy.com/free-training

Motivation can get you started, but growth takes continued execution, so see what’s coming up at Shop Fix Academy and get in the room for what’s next.

https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events

“Don’t work with family” is Willie Robertson’s humorous warning, but Duck Commander grew because the Robertsons learned when to lead, when to let go, and where each person fit. In this episode, Guy Roberts and Michael “The Berg” Rosenberger sit down with the Duck Commander CEO and Duck Dynasty star to break down the family business decisions that helped turn Phil Robertson’s vision into a multigenerational company. Willie explains why a son or daughter should never be treated as the automatic successor, how matching people to roles they actually want protects the business, and why real empowerment requires the current owner to step aside. He also reflects on the $1 million offer Phil received, why money is not every employee’s strongest motivator, and why growth cannot come at the expense of the families behind the business. Learn how clear roles, honest communication, and real authority give a family business its best chance to grow and give the next generation something worth carrying forward.Your shop can only grow as far as your leadership does, so explore Shop Fix Academy and become the leader your business needs next.https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=ctaYour service advisors play a major role in your shop’s growth, so invest in their development with Sales Fix.https://shopfixacademy.com/sales-fix?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-sales-fix&utm_content=ctaGive your technicians room to keep growing by building their skills and investing in their development through Tech Fix.https://shopfixacademy.com/tech-fix?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-tech-fix&utm_content=cta

Every failing business has a failing owner. In this episode featuring Bar Rescue's Jon Taffer, Guy Roberts and Michael "The Berg" Rosenberger challenge shop owners to stop blaming their employees, competitors, location, or circumstances. Learn why excuses are the common denominator of failure and how real progress begins when an owner accepts personal responsibility. Jon Taffer breaks down what he notices first inside a business, including cleanliness, organization, systems, and the pride demonstrated by the team. But rescuing an auto shop takes more than fixing its operations: owners must build trust and create a strong emotional connection with both customers and employees. From the first phone call to the final vehicle pickup, every customer interaction is an opportunity to strengthen or damage the relationship.Build stronger systems and raise the standards inside your shop with Free Training from Shop Fix Academyhttps://shopfixacademy.com/free-training?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=freetrainingaccount&utm_content=ctaReady to replace excuses with action? Join Shop Fix LITE for the coaching and accountability to keep moving forward.https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=ctaIf your business needs more than another quick fix, book a Membership Call to find the right level of support for your shop.https://calendly.com/d/cnn9-zv8-hdm/shop-fix-membership-interview?month=2026-09&utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-pro&utm_content=cta

People don’t quit companies, they quit bosses. And in this episode of the Shop Fix Academy Podcast, Guy and Berg break down just how much your manager can make, or break, your auto repair shop. After more than 30 years in the automotive industry, one pattern has become impossible to ignore: when car count is steady, ARO is steady, and a shop still can’t move the needle, the problem is often sitting in the manager’s seat. The good news? Management can be fixed. Today, we are digging into 25+ battle-tested lessons for shop owners on how to build, support, and hold a great manager accountable. From where your manager should physically sit in the shop, to daily meeting cadence, how to correct employees, how to find meaningful coaching moments throughout the day, and why your manager needs to understand the P&L, we cover the entire owner-manager relationship. This is THE operating playbook for building a manager who can actually run your shop.

Build stronger leaders, create greater accountability, and take back control of your shop with free webinar replays and guides from Shop Fix Academy.

https://shopfixacademy.com/replays-and-guides?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=replays-and-guides&utm_content=cta

The right room can change what you believe is possible for your shop. Check out Shop Fix Academy’s upcoming events and get in the room with owners and teams committed to getting better.

https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sfa-events-2026&utm_content=cta

Knowing what needs to change is one thing. Having the coaching, systems, and accountability to change it is another. Join Shop Fix LITE and start taking back control of your shop.

https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=cta

90 hours a week, elite technician credentials, and a growing shop... but Eric Walker was still failing as an owner. Why? He couldn't grow long term while carrying the whole auto shop on his back. The cars were being fixed, but nobody’s work was ever good enough. So the “super tech” kept stepping in, taking over, and teaching his team to depend on him. In this episode, Guy Roberts and Michael "The Berg" Rosenberger dig into the shift from technician identity to actual ownership. Learn the moment Eric realized his standards were holding his people back, why letting a technician struggle can actually reduce the owner’s struggle, and why the guy with the quickest answer can become the biggest bottleneck in the building. Your job is no longer to be the hero who fixes every car themselves. Your job is to build people who can solve problems without you. Eric spent more than a decade carrying the load. Today, his auto shop has a 13 person team rowing in the same direction even when he isn’t there.Stop searching for better technicians and start developing the ones you have with Tech Fix.https://shopfixacademy.com/tech-fix?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-tech-fix&utm_content=ctaGet the structure and support to stop carrying your entire shop yourself with Shop Fix LITE.https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=ctaLearn how top shop owners build teams that perform without everything falling back on you with our free Replays & Guides.https://shopfixacademy.com/replays-and-guides?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shopfix-resources&utm_content=cta

For ten years, Wayne Watson's shop hit the same wall — $1.5M to $1.7M in revenue, eight bays, no way through. He'd been in business since 1993, tried everything, and still couldn't crack $2 million. Then something shifted. Today he runs 18 bays, did $4M last year, and his team is already gunning for $6M. He explains how he spent years managing the wrong numbers: parts percentage, GP benchmarks, shop supplies, before discovering where the real breakthrough was hiding and the reframe that reordered how he sees his entire business: that the difference between broke and profitable usually comes down to three or four cars a day.Get the structure, coaching, and accountability to take control of your numbers and build a more profitable shop with Shop Fix LITE. https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=ctaLearn alongside operators who have overcome the same financial, leadership, and operational challenges you’re facing at a Shop Fix Academy Event.https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sfa-events-2026&utm_content=cta Stop tracking numbers without knowing what to do next, watch From Guesswork to Growth and learn the metrics that actually drive profit.https://shopfixacademy.com/guessworktogrowth?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=fromguessworktogrowth&utm_content=cta

Hard conversations don’t hold you back, they expose what has to change if you want to grow.In this episode, multi-shop owner Adam Preusser sits down with Guy Roberts and Michael "The Berg" Rosenberger to talk about the kind of mentorship that doesn’t just tell you what you want to hear. This conversation gets into why real growth often starts with accountability, covering the relationships that challenged Adam's thinking and expanded what he believed was possible. He shares what he learned from the mentors who pushed back, why surrounding yourself with people who simply agree with you can keep you stuck, and how those hard-earned lessons helped shape the owner he became while building an operation now profiting roughly $14M annually. Learn why the right mentor should challenge you, accountability has to come before growth, and you need to hear the harsh truths you've been avoiding.Join Shop Fix LITE and learn alongside experienced coaches and a community of shop owners committed to building stronger, more profitable businesses.https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=ctaAccess free guides, training, and on-demand replays from Shop Fix Academy to keep growing long after this episode ends.https://shopfixacademy.com/replays-and-guides?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shopfix-resources&utm_content=ctaThere's something different about learning in a room full of shop owners who are solving the same challenges you are.https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sfa-events-2026&utm_content=cta

The average U.S. auto repair shop profits under $600K, however the average Shop Fix Academy grown shop profits $2.4M. Guy Roberts and Michael “The Berg” Rosenberger cover 5 proven strategies that explain why so many owners still can’t break the $1M ceiling. This is not a car count problem. It is a leadership, people, systems, and capacity problem. Learn whether or not a $1M manager can actually lead a $2M store, why the employees who helped you reach your first million may not be the ones who can help you double profits, and how hiring more bodies can double overhead without moving production. They unpack the “Front of The Step, Back of The Step” model every growing shop owner needs to understand. Stay tuned to get the right people producing at the right level, and scale a $1M shop into a $2M operation without crushing cash flow along the way.

Ready to break through your next growth ceiling? Shop Fix PRO gives you 1:1 coaching, proven systems, and a community of experienced shop owners to help you build a stronger, more profitable business.https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-pro?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-pro&utm_content=ctaExplore free replays, practical guides, and proven resources designed to help you improve profitability, strengthen your team, and grow your shop with confidence.https://shopfixacademy.com/replays-and-guides?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shopfix-resources&utm_content=ctaThe best shop owners never stop learning. Explore upcoming Shop Fix Academy events and find the training that's right for you and your team.https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sfa-events-2026&utm_content=cta

$1 million in debt, a full parking lot, and no idea where the money was going.

In this episode, Ryan Hillenbrand sits down with Guy Roberts and Michael Rosenberger to break down how he clawed out of 7-figures of debt without shutting the doors.

Ryan shares the hard lessons that forced him to stop running on gut instinct and start facing his numbers every single day. They get into why cash in the bank doesn't mean you're profitable, how growth can make a shop in debt even more dangerous, and why copying every other shop in town keeps you stuck and broke.

Learn the secrets of productivity, labor, parts, inspections, payroll, and the daily habits that move a shop from drowning in debt to producing real profit.

Get the structure, coaching, and accountability to take control of your numbers with Shop Fix LITE

https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite

Explore free guides, training replays, and practical resources to help you build a more profitable shop.

https://shopfixacademy.com/replays-and-guides

Explore Shop Fix Academy Events led by operators who have overcome the same financial, leadership, and operational challenges you're facing now.

https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events

Get Tickets Now! Learn the systems top shop owners use to consistently increase profit and build stronger teams at Shop Hackers Conference. https://shophackersconference.com/

Ted Becker went from being a solo operator in his shop with zero confidence to becoming a hiring and interviewing expert with a team of A-level staff members consistently bringing in $235k a month with three bays. In this episode Ted breaks down the hiring tips and tricks that he used to attract top tier talent to his shop and the mentality pitfalls that almost kept him at $30k a month. After losing his manager right before going on a life changing trip to a Shop Fix conference, Ted gave a shot to a brand new employee on his second day and learned what an A-tier staff member actually looks like and how hiring the best technicians and service advisors makes freedom in your shop a real option.

Hiring great technicians is only the beginning. Build their skills with Tech Fix Live.https://shopfixacademy.com/techfixlive

Growing your team starts with growing your leadership through Shop Fix LITE.https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite

Get Tickets Now!

Learn the systems top shop owners use to consistently increase profit and build stronger teams at Shop Hackers Conference. https://shophackersconference.com/

Tech Fix Trainer Kevin Roth went from working 120 hours a week to helping lead the #1 training program for technicians in the world, and in this episode of The Shop Fix Academy Podcast he explains how. Join Guy and Berg as they uncover how Kevin went from having no accountability and only making $18k a month with his shop to submitting to a coach and implementing the systems and training that brought him to over $340k monthly revenue. With his in depth knowledge of technicians Kevin is able to break down the specific tools and frameworks he uses to get his technicians to be all in on building a better future for themselves and the shop and how his sudden success freed him up to do what he really cares about: helping shop owners and technicians change their lives.

Invest in the technicians you worked hard to hire with Tech Fix.

https://shopfixacademy.com/tech-fix

Invest in the service advisors who drive customer trust and consistent profit with Sales Fix.

https://shopfixacademy.com/sales-fix

Get the structure and clarity your shop has been missing with Shop Fix LITE.

https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite

With a growing shop, a great local reputation and a team that ran the business without him, Allen Baughman thought he'd finally built the dream operation every shop owner chases, but instead his top performers were quietly telling his techs the shop was a sinking ship and plotting to start their own.

In this episode, Allen breaks down the mistakes that led to 10 empty bays and him being forced to turn wrenches again, the pay plan switch that erased his profit for six straight months and the vital leadership and culture lessons that he learned to turn everything around and build a $5.6M repair shop.

Join The Fastest Growing Network Of Auto Repair Professionals!

Get the structure and clarity your shop has been missing with Shop Fix LITE.

https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite

Get Tickets Now!

Learn the systems top shop owners use to consistently increase profit and build stronger teams at Shop Hackers Conference.

https://shophackersconference.com/

Join Us at Our Events!

Explore Shop Fix Academy Events led by operators who have solved the same profit, leadership, and operational challenges you’re facing now.

https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events

People don't usually go from working as a firefighter to accidentally starting a series of auto shops generating over $9 million, but that's exactly what happened to Coach Brandon Peavy. When Brandon saw a vacuum in his hometown to start an emergency services company he jumped on it and quickly scaled it to 100 employees, but what he wasn't expecting was for it to transform into a 7-figure auto repair business. In this episode, Berg and Guy sit down with Brandon as he explains the practical business level changes he implemented that turned his unintentional venture into his biggest success, including why your tech cost in your shop management system is probably lying to you, how he used the reset button to win his team over, and what finally unlocked multi-shop ownership after two years of dead ends.

Get the structure and clarity your shop has been missing with Shop Fix LITE.

https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite

Learn the systems top shop owners use to consistently increase profit and build stronger teams at Shop Hackers Conference.

https://shophackersconference.com/

Explore Shop Fix Academy Events led by operators who have solved the same profit, leadership, and operational challenges you’re facing now.

https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events

With a full lot, $3 Million in revenue and a huge local following, Coach Thomas Andrews and his business partner Mike should have been at the height of their lives, but instead they were drowning in overhead and nonexistent profit margins. In this episode, Thomas breaks down the brutal coaching question that exposed their ego at the door, why revenue is the most dangerous number in your shop, the moment he almost gave it all up and the mindset shift that took them from 18 hour days and no ROI to a $1.5M profit swing in just four years.

Get the structure and clarity your shop has been missing with Shop Fix LITE. https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite

Learn the systems top shop owners use to consistently increase profit and build stronger teams at Shop Hackers Conference. https://shophackersconference.com/

Explore Shop Fix Academy Events led by operators who have solved the same profit, leadership, and operational challenges you’re facing now. https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events

$240,000 should be the baseline for a service advisor, but instead it seems like a dream to many shop owners. In this episode Berg and Guy investigate the phone calls that drive your business and how to change your front counter to actually bring in profit. They dive into the systems that will protect your liability, basic objection handling that will save your $8,000 tickets and how properly training one advisor can generate over a quarter million dollars for your shop!

Get the structure and clarity your shop has been missing with Shop Fix LITE. https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite

Learn the systems top shop owners use to consistently increase profit and build stronger teams at Shop Hackers Conference. https://shophackersconference.com/

Explore Shop Fix Academy Events led by operators who have solved the same profit, leadership, and operational challenges you’re facing now. https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events

Down to $1,100 in savings Coach Stan Andrewski and his wife made an all or nothing decision to buy a plane ticket and save his business. In this episode Stan explains how he went from bartering his tool truck for a failing auto shop, spending seven years working weekends and draining his 401(k), to hitting $5 Million with his business. Learn from his mistakes as he opens up on his first call with Shop Fix founder Aaron Stokes that gutted his ego, the 100-hour-a-week demand he was making of his techs that was quietly killing his shop and the core principles that brought him from being a great technician to a great business owner.

Get the structure and clarity your shop has been missing with Shop Fix LITE. https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite

Learn the systems top shop owners use to consistently increase profit and build stronger teams at Shop Hackers Conference. https://shophackersconference.com/

Explore Shop Fix Academy Events led by operators who have solved the same profit, leadership, and operational challenges you’re facing now. https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events