Make your Competitor Your Friend [THA 163] - a podcast by Carm Capriotto, AAP

https://youtu.be/OpwPVKUNwhg

Brad Pellman first started working in the automotive industry at the age of 15 and over his career has held a wide variety of jobs at both dealerships and independent repair shops. In 1995 this dream of owning his own shop became a reality when he opened up Pellman’s Automotive in Boulder, CO with his wife, Lisa.

Brad is ASE master certified and AAM designated as well. He is currently on the Board of Directors for ASE and ASA Colorado, with past board involvement with CCPN and the TECHNET Automotive Council. He has had the added privilege of being designated as one of the Motor Age Top shops in the country. And hopes to continue to raise the awareness and importance of Independent automotive repair across the country. Brad’s previous episodes HERE.

Peter Foreman from Integra Tire, Second Generation Shop Owner, 39 Years old from Langley, BC. Peter literally grew up in the shop. As a baby, there was a cot in the office while his mom Cheryl did the books! Taking his Dad Dave’s beliefs and expanding on them, Peter went out and made a career on his own in the auto parts industry before deciding to come back and help his family bring the shop into the next age of auto service and repair in 2005. Peter is happily married with two children. His children love to visit the shop as well. Maybe there will be a third-generation one day! Learn of Peter’s Previous episodes HERE.

Paul Marquardt Started in this business in 1979 as a pump jockey and lube tech. Paul attended various training over the years, some of it daytime training 4 hours of travel time. He bought the business Northwoods Auto Techs, Rhinelander, WI, in 1990 and in 1995 expanded from 2 bays to 5 bays and became a NAPA Autocare center at the same time. He was the NAPA Stevens Point NAPA ASE Tech of the Year from 1999 through 2008 and was the National NAPA ASE Tech of the Year for 2010. Paul Joined the NAPA Autotech training team around 2011 as a contract trainer and have been doing that as well as keeping the business going. Learn of Paul’s Previous episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points: 

• Big reality is that there is enough business for everyone.
• You cannot work on all the cars that drive by your shop
• Problem is not the shop across the street or down the road
• Many shop owners have learned from their peers
• Smart shop owners are in a network and talk weekly
• There is no reason to create from scratch. Get ideas from colleagues, tweak to make them yours and implement. It is called R & D. Ripoff and Duplicate
• It is better to have friends than enemiesCall for support from a local team or network can help you solve a problem
• If you get along they can be there to help you
• You see strong comradery at events like Vision. Why can’t that get down to the very local level?
• You solve problems by having resources. Friends in your market can help you
• In Peter’s group, they used to have a Google sheet that listed all their tools so they knew what they could borrow
• If you borrow a tool twice you should own it
• You can also share business challenges and marketing ideasSome have even helped with a tech
• If you share marketing ideas use different companies to keep your identities separate
• Visit every new shop in your area. Just stop in.Ask for their opinion on things. Tools, training, etc
• Encourage the shop...

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