Quantcast
Jump to content


It’s the Holiday; put down your tools, close your laptop

Joe Marconi
 Share

Recommended Posts

Joe Marconi Grand Master

Joe Marconi

Posted
Posted

Let’s face it, as business owners we run a marathon all year long. Our day as no start, no middle and sometimes, no end. We do what we have to do. It’s our life, our job, and to a degree, it defines who we are.

 

But, in spite of all that, we need to take a breather from time to time. So set aside time this holiday season and put down the tools, put away the laptop and focus on the things that really matter. Take this time of the year and spend it with the family, with friends and set aside time for you too. Do something different. It will do you a world of good.

 

Trust me; the business is not going anywhere. The truth is the time you take away from the business will recharge your batteries. You’ll be in better shape to move forward.

 

Make the best of this holiday season!

 

 

 

 

  • Like 6
Gonzo Grand Master

Gonzo

Posted
Posted

I'm going to spend the long weekend with family and friends... no cars, no mention of cars, no nothing about cars. I promised my wife a new custom sewing table for her quilt studio. So, I'll be making mortise and tenon joints, cutting, sanding, and playing in my wood work shop. I've got to build drawers too (blind dovetails) and all the hardware. I think I've got plenty to do.

 

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Frohe Weihnacten ! ! ! !

  • Like 1
alfredauto Experienced

alfredauto

Posted
Posted

Been off since wed, real nice. Drove 1000 miles spent xmas with my parents and my brothers and sisters. They all have grown up families so nobody visits too much these days. Sick in bed today so the internets my friend.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Available Subscriptions

    See all Subscription Plans

  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

    • Joe Marconi
      The Toolbox is Last to Leave, First is the Heart
      By Joe Marconi in Joe's Blog
         0 comments
      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.

  • Similar Topics

    • carmcapriotto
      Tax Season Recap and Tips [E167] - Business By The Numbers
      By carmcapriotto
      Thanks to our partners, NAPA TRACS and Promotive
      April 15th is behind us — but your tax strategy shouldn’t stop there. In this episode, Hunt Demarest, CPA at Paar Melis, shares exactly what auto repair shop owners need to be doing based on how their tax season wrapped up. Whether you filed early, waited until the last minute, or punted with an extension, Hunt helps you take the right steps now to avoid penalties, reduce next year’s bill, and keep your shop’s finances dialed in.
       In this episode, you’ll learn:
      Why filing an extension isn’t always a problem — but failing to plan ahead is The costly myth about tax extensions that trips up even seasoned shop owners What to do now if you owed a big tax bill or got a refund The IRS’s rules on estimated taxes and why ignoring them leads to penalties Smart financial habits every shop owner should adopt after tax season ends
      Did you know that NAPA TRACS has onsite training plus six days a week support?
      It all starts when a local representative meets with you to learn about your business and how you run it.  After all, it's your shop, so it's your choice.
      Let us prove to you that Tracs is the single best shop management system in the business.  Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at NAPATRACS.com
      Thanks to our partner, Promotive
      It’s time to hire a superstar for your business; what a grind you have in front of you. Introducing Promotive, a full-service staffing solution for your shop. Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit www.gopromotive.com.
      Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive Repair
      Visit us Online: www.paarmelis.com
      Email Hunt: [email protected]
      Text Paar Melis @ 301-307-5413
      Download a Copy of My Books Here:
      Wrenches to Write-Offs Your Perfect Shop 
      The Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com/
      Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto https://remarkableresults.biz/
      Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/
      Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/
      The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/
      The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/
      Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/
      Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
    • Changing The Industry
      Bonus Episode - Creating Chaos Through Impulsive Business Decisions With Tannar and Kassiady Markham
      By Changing The Industry
      Bonus Episode - Creating Chaos Through Impulsive Business Decisions With Tannar and Kassiady Markham
    • JustTheBest
      Car Count Before Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, 2025
      By JustTheBest
      If you're ready to skyrocket your car count so that you can finally make the money you know you and your family deserves, you're in the right place, because it's never been easier to grow your repair shop, as long as you have the right offers and deals to attract customers.
      But I will warn you if you make the same flimsy and lame offers that are just like your competitors, you’re actually making it harder to grow than it ever has been before.
      Because I want to make this easy, you’re lucky. Right now I’m starting a brand new Private Case Study Group where I will help 3 repair shops deploy my “Perfect Offer Formula” that lets you generate car count immediately, and if you start today, you can do it before Mother’s Day (May 11, 2025) and continue to do that month after month.
      The best part is, you’ll do it all without ever discounting your prices, adding free services, or tossing in Give-a-Ways that only attract the bottom feeders and car owners without money.
      In this case study, I’m going to give you the exact formula that you need so you can grow quicker without wasting time trying to figure out how to get car count and what to do next or what offers you should run this month. 
      Look, there’s only three reasons you’re not getting the car count you want right now…
      #1) Either you don’t have a compelling offer that focuses on value -not price
      #2) Your offers are just plain terrible and they aren’t what people want or need.
      Or 
      #3) You don’t have the correct packaging or (as we call them, wrappers) for your offer. 
      What I see a lot of repair shops do is they literally just use flimsy lame offers that look just like what your competitor is doing… 
      Or they try to duplicate offers the big box auto repair shops are making… 
      Or they continue to discount their prices… trying to come up with that secret formula that makes some phony illusion of a great deal.
      But all of that is just a race to the bottom.
      This private case study program's going to solve all of that for you because I'm not only going to literally take you by the hand and show you everything that you need to do, I’m actually going to do it for you! 
      And this doesn’t matter if you don’t think you can do it, or you’re not good with that math and calculating prices, or even if the last offer or ad you ran was a total big fat loss!
      We're actually going to be working together. And I'm literally going to tell you everything you need to do, starting from you spending 20 minutes setting up your pricing profile, 
      Then I’ll build out your personalized plan, 
      I’ll be tweaking things and helping you decide exactly what offer to create, and then do all the heavy lifting to create the three Value Wrappers… that make your offer stand out in your market; get car owners to stop and see your offer; then book their job immediately…(not next week, next month, or when they get around to it!) and much, much more
      And then after that, you're going to get 30 days of check-ins where you can ask me questions. 
      I'll ask you to share your sales statistics and analytics so that we can improve them. 
      I'll send you new ideas for the other 3 Perfect Power Offer Strategies that are proven to work, and even do so much more, and by the end of that, you’ll have the complete “Perfect Offer Program” that will let you stop chasing car count once and for all!
      And since I'm going to be coaching you throughout this program for your specific account, know that it doesn't matter what market you’re in; it doesn’t matter if you don’t have one of those fancy main street locations; and it doesn't matter how much marketing experience you have because I'm literally going to be meeting you exactly where you are. 
      No matter what you need, I'm going to help you do that. 
      If you need better wrappers (to actually get people to see your offer), I'm going to help you do that. If you need help putting your perfect offer together, I'm going to tell you exactly how you should be doing that differently so that you can skyrocket your car count.
      In just the past few months, the typical repair shop that's gone through this program has grown their car count within 15 days of starting, and nobody has ever gained less than 10 new jobs the first month if they implement everything that I show them to do continually. (Your results may vary, depending on how well you follow our directions)
      Now, there is one catch.
      Actually, there’s three catches.
      #1- This is a nationally advertised program across United States and Canada, and it’s limited to only 3 qualified repair shops. 
      #2- This private case study group is limited to only one repair shop per market. In other words, I won’t compete against myself.
      #3- This may be the last time I offer this Exclusive One-on-One Case Study Opportunity to grow your car count immediately - because I'm still only one person, so I can only work with so many shop owners.
       
      The longer you wait to grow your car count, the harder it's going to get started.

      Please do not make the mistake that I made, which I literally regret every single day. That is that I didn't start growing car count earlier when I was a shop owner. Car count is the solution to just about every auto shop problem.
      So if you don't sign up right now, it could decrease the odds that we can actually work together, because once we get the three shops we’re looking for, I'm going to have to shut this opportunity down.
      That just means it's going to be even harder to grow your car count.
      Remember, nobody else can provide and guarantee you results before Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, 2025, so please stop procrastinating.
      Go below, register right now. I cannot wait to help you hit your goals because at the end of the day, you actually have nothing to lose. 
      I'm literally going to tell you everything that you need to do. You are going to implement it, and you're going to get the results that you want, period.
      And oh, in case you’re wondering, there’s no money back guarantee… because this is a totally FREE Case Study Group. 
      That means there's zero risk to you if you sign up right now while you still can. 
      https://thecarcountfixer.com/go

      Hope this helps! See you in the case study group!
      Matthew
      "The Car Count Fixer"
    • carmcapriotto
      From Brain Fog to Better Sleep: Transforming Health for Business Owners [RR 1036]
      By carmcapriotto
      Thanks to our Partners, NAPA Auto Care, NAPA TRACS and Automotive Management Network Mauro Stara from 6packceo.com shares powerful strategies for staying strong, sharp, and energized as a business owner. He breaks down common myths about health and highlights the importance of a personalized approach to well-being. Key areas of focus include the essential roles of sleep, nutrition, and stress management in promoting longevity and a high-quality life.
      Mauro offers practical tips for optimizing sleep by aligning with your circadian rhythm, managing light exposure, timing meals strategically, and maintaining proper electrolyte balance. He encourages listeners to treat their health like they would their car, prioritizing regular care and attention to ensure a longer, more energized life.
      Show Notes Watch Full Video Episode The Institute of Automotive Business Excellence: https://www.wearetheinstitute.com/ Overview of Dr. Jessica Kriegel (00:00:00) Three-Step Change Equation (00:02:47) Accountability in Business (00:03:31) Results Pyramid Explanation (00:04:11) Beliefs and Experiences (00:05:09) Defining Workplace Culture (00:06:50) Hospital Story for Illustration (00:12:02) Transformative Change Through Storytelling (00:14:09) Culture of Caring (00:15:09) Storytelling in Meetings (00:15:58) Generational Dynamics (00:17:51) Technology Adoption Across Generations (00:20:37) Connecting with Dr. Kriegel (00:22:23)
      Thanks to our Partners, NAPA Auto Care, NAPA TRACS and Automotive Management Network Learn more about NAPA Auto Care and the benefits of being part of the NAPA family by visiting https://www.napaonline.com/en/auto-care NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with onsite training and six days a week of support and local representation. Find NAPA TRACS on the Web at http://napatracs.com/ Get ready to grow your business with the Automotive Management Network: Find on the Web at http://AftermarketManagementNetwork.com for information that can help you move your business ahead and for the free and informative http://LaborRateTracker.com Connect with the Podcast: -Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/ -Join Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmasters -Join Our Private Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976 -Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriotto -Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/ -Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/ -Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RResultsBiz -Visit the Website: https://remarkableresults.biz/ -Join our Insider List: https://remarkableresults.biz/insider -All books mentioned on our podcasts: https://remarkableresults.biz/books -Our Classroom page for personal or team learning: https://remarkableresults.biz/classroom -Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carm -Special episode collections: https://remarkableresults.biz/collections The Aftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com/ Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/ Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/ Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/ The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/ The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/ Speak Up! Effective Communication with Craig O'Neill: Develop Interpersonal and Professional Communication Skills when Speaking to Audiences of Any Size. https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/         Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio
    • Changing The Industry
      Episode 213 - Navigating The Family Business With Joseph Schindler
      By Changing The Industry
      Episode 213 - Navigating The Family Business With Joseph Schindler


  • Similar Tagged Content

  •
    Joe Marconi

    Isn’t It Time We Rethink What a Master Level Technician Is?

    By Joe Marconi, in Automotive Industry,

    1 comment 1 1,666 views
    Joe Marconi

    Marketing Strategies To Attract and Retain Your Ideal Customers

    By Joe Marconi, in Automotive Marketing,

    0 comments 722 views
    Joe Marconi

    Five Proven Tips to Improve Your Bottom Line

    By Joe Marconi, in Selling Automotive Repair,

    0 comments 1,497 views

  • Our Sponsors

Main Sections

More Sections

Discussion Forums

×
×
  • Create New...