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PODCAST

Garage Grit Podcast

Welcome to the Garage Grit Podcast, hosted by Brad Hurlock from AA Shop Marketing. Join us as we tackle common stress points in the auto repair shop space, uniting owners for insightful conversations. Our mission is to guide your shop towards success. Tune in, be part of the conversation, and propel your business forward. Explore strategies, insights, and camaraderie needed to thrive in the competitive auto repair industry. Welcome to Garage Grit, where we shift your business into high gear, one

business management

All Episodes

01:20:50

"I want you to talk to me" — Nick Yannessa | GGP #84

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/03/19

Most shop owners think marketing is about clicks. In reality, it’s about trust, perception, and getting the phone to ring. This episode breaks down what actually drives customer confidence before they ever walk through your door.Nick Yannessa shares his journey from working in a family shop to launching a brand-new business, Auto Ficina. Early on, customer perception wasn’t something that needed to be engineered—it was inherited through reputation and relationships.That changed when Nick stepped

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00:46:55

"I want them to know we’re a family-run business" —...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/03/17

Trust isn’t built with sales tactics—it’s built through relationships. In this episode, Jonathon Grable breaks down how customer perception and communication directly shape retention, reputation, and long-term growth.Jonathon’s journey started in corporate repair environments where customers were treated like numbers. When he took over Grable’s Garage, he inherited not just a business—but a perception challenge. Customers needed to trust that the new owner would deliver the same (or better)

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01:18:35

“It's terribly hard to drive a customer into the...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/03/12

Launching a new auto repair shop isn’t just about fixing cars—it’s about earning trust before customers even walk through the door. In this Origin & Impact episode, Corey Mitrovic and Joey Kenville share how perception, reviews, and communication shaped the growth of their Colorado-based shop.Corey came from a sales and business background, while Joey spent decades turning wrenches. When they opened Elite Imports Auto Repair in December 2020, they started with zero customers, zero reputation,

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01:36:11

“You Can Do A Lot Of Business Not Knowing What You’re...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/03/10

Trust in auto repair doesn’t start with a wrench—it starts with perception. In this Origin & Impact episode of the Garage Grit Podcast, John Starkey shares how relationships, visibility, and communication turned a struggling side hustle into a multi-million-dollar repair shop in Hawaii.John didn’t begin in auto repair. He started in tech sales and dealership finance before flipping cars just to survive. When he unexpectedly bought a struggling repair shop, he had to overcome one major challenge:

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01:28:41

“You Can’t Just Say Integrity—You Have to Be About...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/03/05

DescriptionTrust is the currency of every successful auto repair shop—but many owners unknowingly break it. In this episode of the Garage Grit Podcast Origin & Impact series, Michael Mole explains how communication, authenticity, and real customer care shape how the public perceives your shop.Michael Mole didn’t start in auto repair. After leaving college and building a successful pressure washing business in coastal Georgia, he learned the fundamentals of marketing the hard way—door-to-door

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00:48:07

"We're trying to get awareness in the neighborhood...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/03/03

Reputation can build a shop. But visibility is what sustains it.Rusty and Melissa Smith didn’t start with marketing systems. Smith Automotive in Pleasant Hill, Iowa grew on referrals, word-of-mouth, and community trust. No advertising. No tracking. No customer database. Just good work and loyal customers.But growth exposed a ceiling. As they expanded bays, added technicians, and eventually opened a second location, they realized something critical: reputation alone doesn’t scale. When they purchased

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01:03:56

“People Don’t Like Confrontation — They Just Leave...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/02/26

DescriptionTrust in auto repair isn’t built in the bay — it’s built through communication. In this Origin & Impact episode of the Garage Grit Podcast, Tyler Mead shares how small shifts in customer interaction dramatically change perception, reviews, and long-term loyalty.As a third-generation owner at Ken’s Automotive & Transmissions, Tyler grew up inside the business but watched firsthand how customer expectations evolved from Yellow Pages visibility to digital-first decision making. Early

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01:33:29

The Double-Edged Sword of Online Reviews in...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/02/24

Host Brad Hurlock (AA Shop Marketing) interviews three shop owners—John Starkey (Starkey’s Auto Repair, Honolulu), Daniel Jenkins (Jenkins Auto Repair, rural Tennessee), and Michael Mole (Integrity Auto Repair, Savannah)—about why good service can still produce bad reviews and how to manage reviews overall. John describes running a large Hawaii shop with state safety inspections that can trigger angry reviews when vehicles fail, and he shares his growth goals, lift expansion plans, and rebuilding

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01:35:14

“I’m Not Making Money Off One Customer” — Ed Hajjar |...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/02/19

Trust isn’t built through advertising alone — it’s built through everyday customer interactions. In this Origin & Impact episode, Ed Hajjar explains how reputation, communication, and consistency became the real marketing engine behind a 50-year independent repair shop.Ed Hajjar of S & H Auto Repair shares the origin story behind a family-connected shop that evolved into a long-standing Akron staple. Early on, growth wasn’t about campaigns or promotions — it was about how customers perceived

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01:20:16

"People Started Saying, Go See Daniel" — Daniel...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/02/17

Building trust isn’t about flashy marketing — it’s about becoming the shop customers confidently recommend when something goes wrong. In this Origin & Impact episode of the Garage Grit Podcast, Daniel Jenkins shares how perception, visibility, and customer confidence transformed a backyard operation into a growing independent repair business.Daniel didn’t start with a commercial location or a marketing plan. After leaving dealership life, he launched Jenkins Car Care beside his home, relying

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00:49:00

"It's a service that we offer and it's a service that...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/02/12

Trust doesn’t start when the car breaks down. It starts with how customers feel the moment they walk through your door. In Episode 074 of the Garage Grit Podcast, Joe Arnold shares how customer education and transparency shape perception long before a repair order is closed.Joe grew up inside Mike’s KARS, a third-generation shop in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. When he stepped into ownership, he inherited more than bays and equipment—he inherited decades of customer expectations. Early on, visibility

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01:28:37

“People Think You’re Qualified—Until They See You...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/02/10

Perception decides whether customers trust your shop before they ever meet you. In this Origin & Impact episode, Drew Camp breaks down how mismatched expectations—between what people claim and what they deliver—shape reputation, confidence, and long-term growth.Drew shares his path growing up inside a family-run operation in Midland, Texas, and how early exposure shaped how customers viewed competence, credibility, and professionalism in an oilfield-driven market.The real challenge wasn’t

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01:13:29

“Customers trusted us before our marketing existed” —...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/02/05

In this Origin & Impact episode of the Garage Grit Podcast, Jennifer Hazeltine of American Import Auto, Inc. talks about how being visible, personable, and present in the community built customer trust long before any formal marketing strategy existed. She explains why showing up — at local events, in neighborhood groups, and online — matters far more than clicks, ads, or banners.Jennifer came into the auto repair world from a retail background and quickly realized that building relationships

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01:27:20

“Consistency beats panic marketing every time” — Tim...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/02/03

Most shop owners don’t have a marketing problem — they have a consistency problem. When car count drops, spending spikes. When things get busy, marketing disappears. In this Vendor Insights episode, Tim Shaffer explains why this cycle quietly kills growth and how shops can break it.Vendor ContextTim works with independent auto repair shops nationwide, helping owners align marketing, front counter communication, and capacity. He repeatedly sees shops investing in visibility without systems in place

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01:19:36

“Customers trust clarity in how we communicate” —...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/01/29

In this episode of Garage Grit Podcast – Origin & Impact, the founders of Performance Automotive Repair reveal how communication, culture, and clarity built customer trust and shop visibility in a rural market. From hiring challenges to refined messaging systems, you’ll hear how they shifted perception to grow and retain customers.Brandan and Kelsey Lancaster founded Performance Automotive Repair in Bayfield, Colorado, after years of technical experience and one defining decision to quit a job that

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01:42:59

Creative Marketing Strategies for Auto Shops

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/01/27

Crafting a Marketing Budget for Auto Repair Shops: Insights from The Garage Grit PodcastIn this episode of The Garage Grit Podcast, host Brad Hurlock from AA Shop Marketing is joined by three auto repair shop owners: Joe from Gettysburg, PA, Drew from Midland, TX, and Kevin from Shelton, CT. They delve into various marketing strategies tailored for auto repair shops, discussing practical ideas, innovative approaches, and real-world examples. Topics include leveraging community engagement, creative

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01:16:52

"I like it to be a comfortable place that they can...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/01/22

Most shops do not lose customers because of the repair. They lose them because the experience feels unclear, impersonal, or salesy. In this Origin & Impact episode, Kelly Michel breaks down how trust is built through what customers see, hear, and feel the moment they walk in.Kelly opened Kelly's Auto Repair & Service Inc. in Dunnellon, Florida after years of hands on experience, and learned early that visibility is not just ads or reviews. It is the environment, the conversations, and the way the

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01:25:36

"I Look For The Person First, The Resume Second."...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/01/20

If your shop is doing the work but still feels stuck, this episode hits the real problem: customers do not buy repairs, they buy trust. Matt Bozarth breaks down what changed when he took over Advanced Auto Care and started treating visibility, communication, and team alignment like revenue drivers.Matt did not grow up as a master tech owner. He came from the parts side, watched hundreds of shops up close, then bought Advanced Auto Care in Bloomington, Indiana and began upgrading the shop’s customer

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01:04:37

"If You Want Trust, You Have to Ask Better Questions"...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/01/15

Most shops do not lose trust in the bay. They lose it at the counter. In this Origin & Impact episode, Julio De Brigard explains how customer perception, communication quality, and front desk discipline directly shape outcomes, trust, and long term growth.Julio’s story starts outside the U.S., landing in Florida and stepping behind the front counter of a shop he had never worked in before. Early on, the biggest challenge was not fixing cars. It was how customers experienced the shop, how

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01:12:45

“It’s About Speed, Quality, and Being Known” — Tad...

Garage Grit Podcast ·

2026/01/13

Trust is built long before the invoice is printed. In this episode, Tad Benda explains why customer perception, communication, and consistency are the real marketing advantage for independent shops competing against chains.Tad shares his origin story, moving from the restaurant industry into ownership at Tinley Tee Tire Company in Deming, New Mexico. Early on, the shop was known locally but operated like a traditional mom and pop, with systems and visibility that limited how customers experienced

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84 results

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