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Sara & Kevin Bickford Worked at Firestone for 10 years and bought the Fox River Tire & Auto

Richie & Leslie Zimmerman from Lafayette, LA, MSO, grew to three stores and sold to strategic buyer MONRO Inc.

Dennis McCarron started his career Bridgestone/Firestone working in various sales and management level positions prior to leading the national retail management training programs. Most recently, Dennis was the Executive Director of Dealer Strategic Planning Inc. (DSP 20 Group), providing coaching and consulting services to its members.

With over 25 years of experience in the tire & automotive industry, Dennis is a seasoned professional with vast tire and auto service industry experience. He is also a featured columnist for Modern Tire Dealer, “Business Insights”

Dennis continues to teach workshops around North America to tire dealers from financial acumen to behavioral selling and leadership and coaching skills. Hear Dennis’s previous episodes HERE.

Joel Zaleski started his career at PriceWaterhouseCoopers before joining Monro, Inc. as the Vice President of Acquisitions and Operations Support, responsible for leading the company’s acquisition strategy and supporting the operations of Monro’s nearly 1,200 auto service and tire locations. During his time at Monro, Joel oversaw the company’s commercial and wholesale operations, as well as various corporate support functions including, pricing, customer service, facilities, and training.

Joel’s experience in leading the acquisition strategy at the tire and automotive service industry’s largest strategic buyer, Monro, Inc., gives him the credibility and expertise to represent sellers during the sale process.

Joel is a CPA and member of the International Business Brokers Association. Listen to Joel’s previous episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

  • Kevin and Sarah BickfordWorked for Firestone for 10 years
  • Bought the Fox River Tire & Auto
  • Richie and Leslie ZimmermanOwned and Sold 3 Shops to Dennis McCarron
  • Richie now has his Residential Contractor License to build Log Homes
  • Leslie is opening a boutique Fitness GymLeslie “Operate your business like it’s your last day”
  • Advice when wanting to buy a businessHave a good real estate attorney as part of the transactionHave a good relationship with your local bank
  • Importance of the SBA relationship
  •  Challenges new owners face with existing staffLittle changes can seem HUGE
  • The power of a new trash can
  •  Sell your business when it’s at its healthiestAdvice to the industry to be at your pinnacle20 Group
  • Align yourself with the best of the best in the industry
  •  Maximize your profit margin
  •  Education and making yourself better
  •  Joel ZaleskiOpportunities in deals with buyers and sellers
  • Evaluation of the business for buyers
  • Buy up market share
  • Run your business everyday like you are going thru an auditKeep it in tip top shape
  • The hard work will payoff
  • Expect the unexpected
  • Be prepared, do it now
  •  Dennis McCarronRun the business like you are owners
  • Don’t buy a business to buy a job
  • Successful owners run a business, not buy a job
  • Learn from people that are smarter than youYou don’t always want to be the smartest person in the room
  • Be ok with not knowing something and asking how to do it
  •  The value set in hiring good peopleInheriting staff is a challenge when buying a business
  • A crew that can drive your culture and trust they will do that
  • Letting staff members go is just part of the process, a pruning process
  • Hard labor, really trying at times, but it’s worth it at the end of the day
  • Be patient with own learning curveInvest time in finding great staff
  • Find people you can partner with and learn from
  • Figure out when you need help with
  • Understand your margins to be profitable
  • Rewards are significant
  • Hindsight is always so clear
  • Rewards are all worth while
  • Align yourself with the right people
  • Education is important
  • Take care of your employees
  • Expect the unexpected
  • Stay green and growing so you can be ready and ripe!
  • If you’re looking to sell, use your professionals
  • Use a broker and real estate attorney
  • Talk to the people that do that part of the business for a living
  • Know your numbers on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis
  • Know what your profitability is
  • Address small issues when they come up so they don’t become big issues in the future
  • Is it too late to start making that change to improve the business?

Resources:

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Buy Carm a Cup of Coffee 

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This episode is brought to you by Shop-Ware Shop Management. It’s time to run your business at its fullest potential with the industry’s leading technology. Shop-Ware Shop Management will increase your efficiency with lightning-fast workflows, help your staff capture more sales every day, and create very happy customers who promote your business. Shops running Shop-Ware have More Time and generate More Profit—join them! Schedule a free live demonstration and find out how 30 minutes can transform your shop at getshopware.com

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This episode is brought to you buy Shop Marketing Pros. Your guides are Kim and Brian Walker with a rich history as shop owners and industry veterans. When someone searches for a shop, who are they finding? Your competitors? It should be you! The good people over at Shop Marketing Pros know how to drive website traffic and make Google work for you! www.shopmarketingpros.com

Click to go to the Podcast on Remarkable Results Radio

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

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      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.
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