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Rick White is the founder of 180Biz, and he hates people who do free diag. So.....this is awkward now...Today, Mike learns more about Rick and his coaching philosophies only then to stir the pot and bring up everything he opposes Rick on. What do you think? Is free diag a smart marketing move, or a decision only idiots make?

Timestamps:
00:00 – Welcome Rick White to the Show - Now Let's Fight!
06:10 – Why Men Struggle with Feelings (and How That Shapes Shop Leadership)
10:00 – Building a Coaching Empire: Rick White’s Approach to Scaling and Staying Grounded
17:45 – How to Interview a Coach (and Why Some Clients Get Fired)
24:12 – One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Franchise Model vs. Tailored Shop Coaching
29:40 – Private Equity in the Auto Industry: Boon or Bust?
35:18 – Passing the Shop to the Next Generation: Equity Equivalence & Creative Solutions
41:55 – “You Do You”: Why There Are Many Ways to Run a Successful Shop
45:03 – The Real Cost of Free Diag: Metrics, Marketing, and Moneyball Tactics
57:10 – Coaching Confessions: Ego, Impact, and the Danger of Explosive Growth
1:07:50 – Final Thoughts: What Matters Most for Shop Owners Right Now

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In this episode, Mike Allen, Bryan Pollock, and Braxton Critcher look back on a year of "Confessions of a Shop Owner". They play back the top moments on the podcast in 2025, and each give their most embarrassing confession thus far. Oh, what a year it has been, and oh, what a year 2026 is setting up to be. Remember, this is the last episode that Mike is current ASTA President...this is about to get good...Finally.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro: The Year of "Edit That Out" (But Did We?)
01:12 – Amateur Podcast Setups & Tech Fails
03:12 – 65+ Episodes Later: What Did We Even Do?!
04:30 – Are We the Best Automotive Podcast in the Galaxy?
05:10 – Going Viral: Social Media Buzz & Darren’s Big Weekend
08:07 – Most Memorable Guest: Darren Barney Shares a Vulnerable Story
12:16 – The "16-Foot Trailer" Incident with Zeb Beard
17:00 – When Guest Rage Turns the Podcast Upside Down – David Roman Goes OFF!
22:00 – Saturday Shop: Do Employees Actually Want to Work Weekends?
24:36 – The Great Staffing Challenge & "Short Term Gain, Long Term Pain"
27:47 – Our Most Embarrassing Tech Confessions & Social Media Mishaps
32:43 – Confession Time: When Braxton Lost All the Podcast Files
33:43 – Misspelling Sponsor Names… and the Tattoo Bet is On!
35:01 – Who’s REALLY The Fastest Driver in the Crew?
39:09 – The All-Time Most Embarrassing Shop Owner Confession
43:20 – The Viral Aftermath & Listener Group Chat Chaos
48:30 – Hospitality Suite Stories: Couch Shopping & More Debauchery
50:00 – The Greatest Hot Mic Moment That Will Never Air
52:37 – Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Confessions in 2026?
54:24 – Favorite Moments & Listener Shout-Outs
56:06 – Parting Thoughts & Why We Love This Podcast

Register for Tekmetric's Tektonic Conference in Huston coming up in 2026 HERE

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Register for Elite Worldwide's Ignite 2026 Conference January 30-31 - Remember to use this code: CONFESSIONS

In this special Christmas Coaching Call, Mike Allen and Matt Lofton talk about goal setting for the New Year. They did into the details of how to properly project technician hour capacity and slow and busy seasons. They also discuss the importance of a strategic marketing budget, saying that marketing should generate opportunity—not just sales—and how matching tactics to team strengths is crucial for success.

Timestamps:
00:00 Farmer Analogy for Shop Owners: Understanding Harvest Seasons
00:20 Why Bad October & August Can Sink Your Year
01:00 Navigating Health Insurance Options for Your Team
03:05 Payroll Mistakes = Free Health Insurance?!
04:20 Christmas Episode Intro & Why Shop Goal Setting Matters
05:19 Goal Setting Philosophy: The “Elite Pro Service” Approach
06:53 Grounding Goals in Math, Not Hope
07:54 Calculating Real Shop Capacity with Tech Hours
09:01 Factoring Satellite Locations into Your Planning
10:02 Breaking Down Staff Roles & Realistic Productivity
13:01 Training & Growing Technician Skillsets
15:00 Risks & Rewards of Upskilling Your GS
18:24 Effective Labor Rate & Parts-to-Labor Ratio Explained
20:15 The Monthly Capacity Game & Avoiding Average Traps
26:36 Why August & October Are Your Make-or-Break Months
28:02 Adapting Your Monthly Goals to Holidays & Vacation
29:02 Getting Your Team Singing from the Same Goal Sheet
30:00 Coaching Your Team: The Basketball Analogy
32:09 Communicating Daily Goals for Technicians & Advisors
36:59 Tracking Approvals, Car Count, and Setting Realistic Targets
40:29 Translating Manager Math into Daily Team Wins
42:38 Setting Your Marketing Budget (3-5% or Up to 10%?)
44:08 Google Ads vs. Direct Mail: What Works for New Shops?
47:30 The Myth of Bad Customers—Fixing the Real Problems
54:21 Community Events, Brand Building, and Consistency
55:36 Wrapping Up: Getting Linked Up With Elite & Your Shop’s Growth
55:37 Christmas Family Fun Gone Wrong! Elf on the Shelf Stories