Speak Up! Effective Communication

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Service Advisor TrainingWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today,I'm talking about AI voice dictation: what it is, why it feels awkward at first, and why that awkwardness is worth pushing through.I share the revelations that changed my relationship with my own output: the difference between how I type and how I actually think, the real time savings when the numbers are calculated against my actual typing speed, and what happens to my communication when the internal editor gets out of the way.I cover what makes AI dictation genuinely different from the frustrating speech-to-text you've tried before, including custom dictionaries, shortcuts, and a capture pad that finally stops you from losing your best ideas. And I look ahead at where voice interfaces are heading in the automotive service world and why getting comfortable with this now is worth your while.Word of the Day: Visceral. Felt deeply and instinctively, before the intellect has time to process. The discomfort of learning something new is visceral. So is the moment it clicks.Give it a try. I have a link in the show notes for a free trial of the tool I use, Willow Voice. Reach out and let me know how it goes, and if you've already got a dictation habit and a strategy I didn't cover, I want to hear that too.Sincerely, Craig O'NeillGet a free month of Willow Voice with my referral code: https://app.willowvoice.com?ref=95R3LJThank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Service Advisor TrainingYour partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during, and after the visit to a single thread. An end-to-end CRM for auto repair shops. https://autoflow.com/Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. https://shopdogmarketing.com/Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. https://callinbound.com/Want a more profitable shop? Start with your service advisor. They are the face of your business, the voice on the phone, and the key to every approved repair. Download 'Words That Work - The Service Advisor's Complete Phone Scripts Playbook at https://serviceadvisortraining.com/Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Service Advisor TrainingWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today,We explore the concept of felt obligation.The quiet, interior desire to consider others and honor the shared spaces we operate within.From a spring break airport crowd to a school uniform policy, from vintage airline travel to the automotive service drive, the through-line is the same: how we show up communicates something long before we say a word.We discuss what happens when a professional presentation becomes the norm violation, the challenge Carm Capriotto's The Rise places before the automotive service industry, and why felt obligation, unlike a dress code, cannot be mandated. It has to be wanted.Word of the Day: Dapper, we defined it alongside some etymology from Middle Dutch and Low German roots meaning strong, sturdy, bold. Strength of presence.Sincerely,Craig O’NeillThank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Service Advisor TrainingYour partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during, and after the visit to a single thread. An end-to-end CRM for auto repair shops. https://autoflow.com/Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. https://shopdogmarketing.com/Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. https://callinbound.com/Want a more profitable shop? Start with your service advisor. They are the face of your business, the voice on the phone, and the key to every approved repair. Download 'Words That Work - The Service Advisor's Complete Phone Scripts Playbook at https://serviceadvisortraining.com/Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Service Advisor TrainingWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today:We are tackling one of the most underappreciated skills in presenting: the ability to shorten your material without losing your mind in the process.We open with a piece of history worth knowing.The quote "I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time" is most often attributed to Mark Twain or Benjamin Franklin, and over a dozen others but its earliest verified origin belongs to the French philosopher Blaise Pascal, who wrote a version of it in 1657.The point is that some of the greatest minds in history have been making the same confession for four centuries. The struggle to be brief is real, it is universal, and you should plan on it.From there we get into four strategies for shortening a presentation:Get clear on your outcome. Your desired outcome is your editorial filter. Everything that does not serve it is a candidate for removal.Leave them hungry and have a plan to sustain them. A free, genuinely valuable resource gives your audience somewhere to go after the session ends. Lead with real value, and the line between education and promotion takes care of itself.Release the good for the essential. You may have heard the phrase "kill your darlings." The reframe here is gentler and more accurate. The content you cut is not bad, it is good. It is simply competing with something more important given your constraints. A simple fill-in-the-blank worksheet gives that content somewhere to live, and it tells your audience you thought about their experience before you walked in the room.Design for dialogue. Do not eliminate engagement to make room for content. Eliminate content to make room for engagement. If a planned moment for dialogue is not built into your presentation, you will rush over it. And with an expert audience, that conversation is often the highest-value content in the room.Word of the Day: Laconic — adjective. Using very few words to express something; brief and to the point. From the Greek Lakonikos, referring to Laconia, home of the Spartans, who were legendary for their direct, economical speech.Sincerely,Craig O'NeillThank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Service Advisor TrainingYour partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during, and after the visit to a single thread. An end-to-end CRM for auto repair shops. https://autoflow.com/Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. https://shopdogmarketing.com/Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. https://callinbound.com/Want a more profitable shop? Start with your service advisor. They are the face of your business, the voice on the phone, and the key to every approved repair. Download 'Words That Work - The Service Advisor's Complete Phone Scripts Playbook at https://serviceadvisortraining.com/Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Service Advisor TrainingWatch Full Video EpisodeI share a story that didn't make it into my recent breakout session at a conference with one of our partners.The session was on relational advising in the age of DVI, and by the time I had trimmed a four hour course down to fit a 45 minute window, this particular story simply had to go.It was too long for the time I had, and the point it made deserved more room than I could give it.That's one of the flexibilities I love about having a podcast!It's a simple story about a walk along the Chicago Riverwalk after a wonderful dinner with my family. Half a mile. Fifteen minutes. And more context packed into that short distance than I could have anticipated.The point it leads to is one I believe deeply as it relates to the work of slowing down and connecting with your clients.Word of the Day: GravitasThe quality of having serious, weighty importance or dignity; a sense of substance that commands attention and respect.I hope you'll connect with my point from this short walk in the windy city and consider taking a little time to be present with people that you meet with daily.Sincerely,Craig O'NeillThank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Service Advisor TrainingYour partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during, and after the visit to a single thread. An end-to-end CRM for auto repair shops. https://autoflow.com/Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. https://shopdogmarketing.com/Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. https://callinbound.com/Want a more profitable shop? Start with your service advisor. They are the face of your business, the voice on the phone, and the key to every approved repair. Download 'Words That Work - The Service Advisor's Complete Phone Scripts Playbook at https://serviceadvisortraining.com/Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Service Advisor TrainingWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today:We tackle one of the most universally complained about experiences in professional life — the meeting. This is a reality not just in automotive service facilities, but in every organization where people gather to get things done.Our word of the day:Axiom (noun)— a statement regarded as self-evidently true.Here is one worth treating as axiomatic: meetings are for making decisions. When they drift from that purpose, they stop being meetings and start being briefings, status reports, and blocks of time spent.We explore why so many meetings fail, and why the meeting is often being asked to compensate for broken information infrastructure rather than do its actual job.We look at David Marquet's principle from Turn the Ship Around: don't brief, certify. When team members arrive prepared and communicate their intent, the leader's role shifts from authority to assent. That is a meeting people leave with momentum.We also talk about the introductory prompt — a simple tool borrowed from Toastmasters that channels social connection at the start of a meeting and gets every voice in the room activated before business begins.Good meetings reduce conflict. They close the gap between what was decided and what people understood. When your meetings work that way, everything downstream of them works better too.Sincerely,Craig O'Neill.Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Service Advisor TrainingYour partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during, and after the visit to a single thread. An end-to-end CRM for auto repair shops. https://autoflow.com/Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. https://shopdogmarketing.com/Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. https://callinbound.com/Want a more profitable shop? Start with your service advisor. They are the face of your business, the voice on the phone, and the key to every approved repair. Download 'Words That Work - The Service Advisor's Complete Phone Scripts Playbook at https://serviceadvisortraining.com/Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Service Advisor TrainingWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today, we close out the 10-part series on public speaking tips inspired by the Toastmasters tradition with Tip number ten: Gain Experience.The word of the day is:Nascent:Nascent means just beginning to exist or develop.Still in early formation. Not yet fully formed.Every skilled communicator had a nascent season. This episode is for the people who are in theirs right now.I frame experience around two key spaces:1.) Being in the audience,2.) Being in front of the audience.….and an underlooked important piece…the middle space where so much real development happens - being beside and supporting a speaker.A few stories from my own nascent season illustrate four key concepts:The value of borrowed stage time from a mentorThe middle space model in the wild — and how to cultivate it locallyHow small moments compound into big ones over timeThe road nobody talks about: saying yes to everything, no show too smallFor the technically minded or anyone who wants to become a trainer: Being a subject matter expert does not make you an excellent presenter. You still need the reps and the feedback of real people in front of you.By the time you reach a big room, if you have done the work in the small ones, you will not be new to having an audience. Only the content will be new. That is what all those small steps build toward.Sincerely,Craig O'NeillThank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Service Advisor TrainingYour partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during, and after the visit to a single thread. An end-to-end CRM for auto repair shops. https://autoflow.com/Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. https://shopdogmarketing.com/Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. https://callinbound.com/Want a more profitable shop? Start with your service advisor. They are the face of your business, the voice on the phone, and the key to every approved repair. https://serviceadvisortraining.com/Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today:We are on tip number nine of our 10 Tips for Public Speaking series.The Toastmasters version of this tip is: concentrate on the message, not the medium.We already addressed the medium back in episode 081 (You are the medium) so today, we take that as settled and turn our attention to the message itself.Tip #9, in my framing, is this: structure your message. The heart of that tip is something most speakers never think about deliberately: the transitions between their points.I talk through why the most common preparation approaches, like heavy notes, teleprompters, and full memorization, all share the same fundamental flaw. They prioritize the words over the connection with the audience. Then I walk through the simple framework I use in my speaking workshops: introduction, body, conclusion, with transitions planned at every step.I also share a story about my son, who prepared a speech on drone laws in the car on the way to a Toastmasters meeting and delivered a genuinely strong talk with no prior speaking experience. The structure outline I shared with him worked!Our word of the day is cohesion: nounThe quality of forming a unified, well-connected whole.A cohesive talk is one where the audience always knows where you are taking them.Sincerely,Craig O'NeillThank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundAutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today:We are continuing our ten part series on ten tips for public speaking, and we have arrived at tip number eight — Mistakes Happen, Keep Going.The original Toastmasters tip is listed as "Don't Apologize."I find that worth challenging.A brief, natural acknowledgment of a mistake is perfectly human. What we are really talking about is not dwelling. Not drawing attention. Not making the mistake bigger than it was.I open with a scene I have watched play out many times at my Toastmasters club — the ah-counter who begins narrating their own filler words in real time. It is a perfect illustration of our word of the day:Perseveration. The tendency to repeat or dwell on something well past the point where it serves any useful purpose.I walk through three stages most communicators move through — from unawareness, to hyper-awareness and the spiral, to the veteran ease that comes with time and practice.The goal was never perfection.The goal is reaching a place where mistakes no longer derail you.There is a point where dwelling on a mistake causes it to become the focal point of the entire interaction — and the audience now has to manage your emotional state rather than receive your communication.Self-criticism pulls you out of presence. And presence is the entire prerequisite for connection.We close with a callback to tip number seven: people want you to succeed.If that’s true, and mistakes happen… Keep going!Sincerely,Craig O'NeillThank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundAutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today:Tip #7 for public speaking: Realize the people want you to succeed.This is a tip I totally agree with. As is, no change.We looked at what that means for a nervous speaker standing in front of a room, for a service advisor presenting a repair recommendation, and for the relationships that make this industry worth being a part of.We talked about what happens inside a strong weekly Toastmasters club, and why it's so much more than a place to practice speeches. It's a room where speakers have to do the hard work of believing they have something worth offering, and where audiences have to show up with genuine care, active listening, and structured feedback designed to lift people up.The glow and the grow. Week after week.This episode- I prove that goodwill by reading aloud a stack of handwritten “Grow and Glow” slips that I accrued during my speech earlier this week at my home club!We also acknowledge that a speaker can squander the audience's desire to see you succeed depending on where your communication is coming from. Dale Carnegie's warning on the three C's: Criticism, complaining, and condemnation.I’ve landed on this: Mutual success is the foundation of any real relationship.Today's Word of the Day:ReciprocityA mutual exchange where the success of one genuinely contributes to the success of the other.Thanks for listening!I hope that the people in your life are continually demonstrating their desire to see you succeed.If that isn’t the case… branch out and find your people.Sincerely,Craig O'NeillThank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundAutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundWatch Full Video EpisodeVisualization is OverratedIn our episode today, we take on Tip #6 from the classic Toastmasters framework: Visualize yourself giving your speech. It sounds reasonable. It's widely taught. And after sitting with it long enough, I think it's one of the weaker pieces of advice in the set.Most of us have experienced the involuntary version of visualization — the 3 a.m. mental movie that doesn't always end with applause. Lost sleep is real, and it's horrible. And the mainstream advice — picture the smiling audience, hear the applause, feel the warm handshakes — actually contradicts itself.One source I found put it plainly: the more you dwell on possible outcomes, the more likely you are to lead yourself into negative territory. And yet the same sources tell you to just picture it going well. The advice doesn't hold together.What prepares you is knowing your material, understanding your audience, doing the reps, and showing up as yourself.We also touch on the credential slide trap — another form of the same mistake, putting the focus on managing perception rather than delivering value. You're qualified. You're there because you are. Lead with value, not your résumé.The reframe: instead of visualizing yourself giving your speech, be yourself and give the speech.These tips scaffold on each other, and this one is only possible because of the work that came before it.Our Word of the Day:RuminationNoun.To ruminate means to think deeply and at length — often in circles, often at inconvenient hours. Keep that one in mind.: obsessive thinking about an idea, situation, or choice, especially when it interferes with normal mental functioningSincerely,Craig O'NeillThank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundAutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today:I tackle Toastmasters' tip number five: "relax." Spoiler alert - that's not actually helpful advice. You can't just relax on command any more than you can tell an angry customer to "calm down" and expect it to work.Instead, I'm reframing this tip entirely:Nerves are normal. Expect them. Understand them. Don't fight them.I walk you through why nervousness happens - it's your body's fight-or-flight response doing exactly what it's designed to do, even though you're facing a room full of colleagues, not a predator. Your heart races, your mouth goes dry, your voice shakes, and sometimes your mind goes completely blank on material you know cold. I've experienced it myself, even after six and a half years of Toastmasters.I tweaked the, now familiar, APAC framework to be…. (Acknowledge, Probe, Answer, Continue) … the C is usually ‘Confirm’, I explain what's actually happening physiologically and why about 74% of people experience speech anxiety.While nerve effects diminish over time with practice, you can also take heart that most of what you feel internally isn't nearly as visible to your audience as you think.So you have nerves.Good.Speak up with NERVE!Word of the Day: Equanimity - Mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in difficult or stressful situations. You can feel your heart racing before a presentation and still speak with equanimity - the nerves don't have to shake your composure.Sincerely,Craig O'NeillThank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundAutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today, I reframe the classic Toastmasters principle "Know the Room" into "Own the Room." I explore what it means to take complete responsibility not just for your presence in a space, but for what the space itself communicates to the people who enter it.Whether you're a service advisor showing up to your desk every morning or presenting at an industry event, the space you occupy testifies to the quality of your work before you even speak. This episode will help you understand why owning your workspace builds the trust that makes all communication possible.In this episode, I cover:Why arriving early isn't about knowing the layout—it's about solving inevitable problems before anyone's watching you scrambleThe contrast between speakers who lose composure when room problems arise and those who remain unflappable through disastersHow John Thornton's deliberate preparation for his training spaces communicated extreme respect for hard working speacilaists timeWhy your facility is a liminal space—a threshold between your customer's world and your shop's work—and what that threshold communicatesHow a physical workspace setup (counter barriers vs. shoulder-to-shoulder positioning) changes the relational dynamic with customersWord of the Day: Liminal - relating to a transitional or in-between space; occupying a threshold between two different states or realities.As I prepared this episode, it occurred to me that Bob Greenwood's words that impacted me were: "You dress nice out of respect for the people you are meeting with.” ALSO apply to why we should own the space we communicate in… the people we are there to connect with. They are worth it!Sincerely,Craig O'Neillhttps://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/episode/john-thornton-part-1-e181 https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/episode/john-thornton-part-2-e182 Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundAutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our Episode Today:"Know your audience." It's tip number three on just about every public speaking list. But I want to slow down on that word—audience. What picture does it put in your head?If you're imagining a passive crowd waiting to receive your message, I want to challenge that. The real question isn't "Who's watching me?" It's "Who am I communicating with?"In this episode, I dig into some communication theory—the old "Hypodermic Needle" model versus Active Audience Theory—and then get practical with three different audiences we all face:Public speaking: The Prisoner, the Vacationer, and the LearnerClients at the counter: Reading behavior through warmth, hostility, dominance, and submissionYour team: Ability and Motivation—when to collaborate, counsel, instruct, or directI found myself referencing things I’ve learned from my mentor and coach Dennis McCarron, throughout this episode. Dennis was one of only six certified trainers in Dimensional Selling and Coaching from Psychological Associates. If you want to go deeper on their Q4 framework, visit Q4Solutions.com.Our Word of the Day:INTERLOCUTOR (in-ter-LOK-yoo-ter)nounA person who takes part in a dialogue or conversationOne who participates in an exchange, not just observes itUse in a sentence: "The moment you see your client as an interlocutor instead of an audience, you stop presenting and start connecting."The big takeaway? Stop performing. Start interlocuting.Sincerely,Craig O'NeillThank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundAutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our Episode Today:Every time I hear people talk about practice and it’s connected to public speaking … I feel the need to tear down some misconceptions on this.A lot of times, people think rehearsing their speech is all this means. Memorizing. Repeating.Practice is so much deeper than that.I tie in many elements of Toastmasters and my martial arts background in this episode.I also take the “Practice Practice Practice” phrase and expand on it to three actual levels of practice.It's This:Show up vulnerably to the new thing (Practice 1)Receive and apply feedback positively (Practice 2)Stay consistently curious for a lifetime (Practice 3)Those phrases - Vulnerability / Positivity / and Consistency were inspired by a speech and a visual from Shasta Nelson several years ago - she is a speaker and the author of the book “Frientimacy”. The book is still on my reading list - but the framework she shared was, for me, instantly recognizable in Toastmasters, the Dojo, and yes, a good learning culture in our repair facility!I hope you’ll find this episode inspiring and will recognize yourself as a true practitioner in your career, communication, and leadership.Our Word of the Day:BUNKAI (boon-kai)nounJapanese martial arts term meaning "analysis" or "disassembly"The practical application of kata (forms) with a partnerYou can practice the form alone, but bunkai requires another bodyBunkai is best expressed in my experience as “application.”I hope you’ll apply this tip to: Practice Practice Pracitice!Sincerely,Craig O’NeillThank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundAutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundWatch Full Video EpisodeIn Our Episode Today:A water bottle mishap lead to a backpack saturation which caused me to have to air out my bible outside of it’s jacket… and in the process - I uncovered a Toastmasters ‘bookmark’ that has “10 Tips for Public Speaking,” I had planned and been drafting episodes on that topic before I left some of the ideas behind to pursue other scenarios - and today it dripped back into my mind and flowed into some additional inspiration.The thing is… I disagree a little on tip #1.Tip#1 says: Know your material.My suggestion - tip #1 should be: Know Thyself.I get it, and so do you, it’s not a bad tip… but it probably the least significant reason I see people struggling with effective communication. More often - I see bored or burnt out subject matter experts with no passion for what they do, or worse… resentment…In this episode, I’ll reference some inspiring material from multiple influential figures on my journey, and we’ll ask a proper question: Are you just doing this for the paycheck?KEY INSIGHT: If you have tension, nerves, and are just doing what you do for a paycheck - it WILL come through in your work - even at a subconscious level as listeners, we can detect this in a communicator.We all need a paycheck, but there are many ways to get those, why you do what you do matters because how you feel about it comes out in your work.Word of the Day:Conviction - noun.A firmly held belief or opinion; the quality of being certain about what you believe or do.Why it fits: The entire episode is about the difference between intellectual agreement ("I believe vehicle safety matters") and embodied conviction ("I KNOW my professional responsibility"). Conviction is what transforms tasks into purpose.I hope you’ll reach out to me with YOUR answers to “What is YOUR Job.”I’d love to hear them!Sincerely,Craig O’NeillThank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundAutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our Episode Today:I begin with a recollection of my grandfather, Pat O'Neill. When clients were trapped at a less-than-forthright shop (or any business) with increasing costs, he referred to this as "an elevator ride."This episode builds on our awareness that such rides are still a reality in the industry today.In episode 77 we discussed a values-based client education model that shops can adopt to avoid putting their clients through the stress of interactive subsequent approvals.This episode is about equipping clients with four questions to help protect themselves!Four Questions that STOP the Elevator Ride:Question 1: "Have you looked over the whole vehicle?Question 2: "Are there any other findings, or is this all you found in your inspection?"Question 3: "Are there any common problems on these vehicles you expect to find during this repair?"Question 4: "If you find something in the course of repairs, what will you do?"** or “Is this the final cost?”I explain how each of these is an important element to ask BEFORE you give your first “YES” for repairs.The key for our listeners is this-For Repair Facilities: Don’t withhold information. Be earnest and forthright on all things.For Motorists: Stopping the elevator ride isn’t about skepticism. It's about gathering patient information so you can give your best yes. Make an informed buying decision.Our Word of the day:EarnestAdjDefinition: Proceeding from or characterized by an intense and serious state of mind. Sincere. Genuine. Not joking or playful.Sincerely,Craig O’NeillThank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundThe Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com. "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our Episode Today:I’m joined by our producer, Tracy Capriotto! I’ve been in conversation with Tracy on the topic of the social media delete I did in the middle of last year, and I’ve been pretty happy with that choice!Fortunately, Tracy also managed a break from social media as well, and maintained it since her return from the “Carm Cruise.” She shared some valuable insights in her recent pull-back from social media applications - helped by a choice to abstain from the “internet package” while on the recent voyage!In our conversation, Tracy shares what she has learned in this time, now that she has engaged social media with far greater intentionality, self-discipline, and heightened awareness.The Word for the Day:SovereigntyNounDefinition: Complete authority and control over your own domain.In Context: We usually hear this word in political discussions—national sovereignty, territorial sovereignty. But today we're talking about personal sovereignty—specifically, sovereignty over your attention.Listen in particular to what Tracy says about her smart watch…I know you’ll find Tracy’s insights incredibly valuable, and it is my hope that she will inspire you to consider how you too can redefine the nature of your relationship with social media, and other technological distractions.Sincerely,Craig O’NeillThank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundThe Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com. "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, InBoundWatch Full Video EpisodeIn Our Episode Today:I had some recent conversations that heightened my awareness to a sales approach that, I feel, give me as much discomfort as it does clients in any repair facility.I wanted to take the time to talk about my most hated experience in the transmission shop - having to call clients with subsequent findings AFTER they had already authorized initial repairs.My discomfort lately… was hearing about a sale approach that treated that scenario as an ideal, rather than a failure.My approach I feel is relatively unlabeled - but I would call it a values based client education model. I lay out the core elements of how I see our professional responsibility, how I communicate it, and how I see the most important closing ratio being measured by my own eye-lids when I go to sleep at night.Our Word of the Day:ASYMMETRY (noun)Definition: A lack of equality or balance between two things; when one side has more of something than the other.Used in a sentence: "Information asymmetry exists in automotive service because shops have expertise and diagnostic capability that customers don't possess—the question is whether you use that asymmetry to serve or to control."My hope - is that you wont take a “shortcut to yes” but instead you’ll stay on the straight and narrow path of professional responsibility - truly council and advise with all the information you can learn and share - and avoid painful surrpises for your clients.Sincerely,Craig O’NeillThank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundThe Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com. "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.InBound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundWatch Full Video EpisodeIn Our Episode TodayIf you're like most service advisors, you get uncomfortable when a first-time customer wants to wait. I get it - the pressure, the packed schedule, the preference for phone control. But that discomfort is costing you something massive: the chance to turn a visitor into a client for life.I'm going to share why proximity matters more than you think. You'll hear about transmission pans, cramped offices, and why some of my best client relationships started with a five-mile drive. I'll explain what I was taught early on about separating customers from their vehicles to create urgency - and why those shortcuts only create transactions, not loyalty.You'll learn what waiting should actually accomplish in those first 30-60 minutes, why shops spend thousands on waiting rooms but miss the entire point, and the operational reality you need to face if you want this to work.Most importantly, you'll understand why our relationship was too often with the car when it should have been with the person.Sincerely,Craig O'NeillWord of the Day: Proximity Noun. Nearness in space, time, or relationship. When a client is physically present at your facility, you have something you can't get over the phone - the ability to build a relationship through shared experience.Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundThe Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com. "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundWatch Full Video EpisodeIf you've tried to implement a quality control system before and it fell apart, you're not alone. Over 90% of shops I talk to have no documented QC process - and many who start out approached it excited… but then slowly lose momentum and revert back to old habits.I'm going to discuss why previous QC attempts fall flat. I'll explain why red marks on your inspection forms aren't failures - they're wins - and how documenting catches becomes your most powerful training tool IF we learn to communicate the outcomes constructively.You'll hear the story of a parking lot problem in Sydney, Australia that completely changed how I think about communicating quality control to clients. I'll share what NASA's 344 single-point failures intrigue me regarding systematic approaches, and why your repair processes will benefit from a quality checkpoint before the point of no return.Most importantly, you'll understand why clients don't know what you do unless you tell them - and how one simple text message can distinguish you from "their other mechanic."This is the quality control resolution that actually sticks.Sincerely,Craig O'NeillWord of the Day: SystemicAdjective. Relating to or affecting an entire system rather than isolated parts; problems or solutions that are fundamental to how something operates as a whole. Quality control issues in our industry aren't random - they're systemic, which means they require systematic solutions.Blog Referenced:https://autoflow.com/blog/they-have-systems-for-this/Link to Curiosity Rover Mission Control “Safe on Mars” Moment: https://youtu.be/34voepoD_8Y?si=wgdTbAgLnuT2snxI&t=3537Listen … after touchdown is confirmed: “Now we’ll see where our curiosity will take us.”Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundThe Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com. "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today, I tackle something that's been bothering me for years - the phrases we use in automotive service that we THINK build trust, but actually destroy it.As we get to the end of the year, it's a good time to reflect on habits we'd like to leave behind. I've chosen five common phrases that, in my strong opinion, need to be retired. You've probably said at least three of them this week without even realizing it.The Five Phrases to Retire:"If it were my mother's car...""To be honest with you...""Trust me...""I'm not trying to sell you anything, but...""Like I said..."Here's your challenge:Pick ONE of these phrases this week.Pay attention to how often you say it.Then actively work to replace it with the alternative.That's it. One phrase. One week. You'll be amazed how much more clear your communication becomes.Word of the Day: Platitude - A remark or statement that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful; a cliché that sounds meaningful but is actually empty.Sincerely,Craig O'NeillThank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-BoundThe Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com. "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, ExpressWatch Full Video EpisodeIn Our Episode Today:Whether you're a business owner, client service advisor, manager, or mechanical specialist, you WILL eventually be confronted with negative talk from within our own industry. It's usually not blatant. It's often subtle. It always puts the industry in a bad light.It hurts ALL of us whenever it happens.How we conduct ourselves in these moments sets us apart as true ambassadors for the automotive service profession, and that's why it’s our topic today. I hope that our loyal listeners will see the cases where badmouthing happens against you as an opportunity to contrast your shop as the real professionals you are.Sometimes, it felt like our part of the industry was a constant struggle with undercutters that would attempt to blacken our good name. I'll walk you through what I learned across twenty years as a transmission specialist. How to acknowledge the client's real concern without getting defensive, and how you can't explain value until you've earned trust and respect.We’ll cover:APAC (APAC was introduced in Episode 31 with Dennis McCarron) in action even when the poison runs deep and a customer wants their car OUT. The hardest preventative move—walking into their facility to introduce yourself. And the dream scenario where other facilities call to say, "your client is shopping—we told them they're in good hands."Our word of the day:Magnanimous—Adjective.Showing generosity toward competitors. Gracious or forgiving, especially toward a rival or less powerful person.By maintaining professionalism, by being magnanimous, you win even if you do lose an occasional service order. Thanks for keeping your talk UP!Sincerely,Craig O'NeillThank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com. "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, ExpressWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our Episode Today:Have you ever lost your cool with a client?Many of us have been there.My story here is about a situation that was completely impossible for me to help with - but I was trying my best to help with - and the client remained defiant anyway…I’ve told this story many ways- and I remember the first time I ever won table topics at my home Toastmasters club was when I told a comical version of it. The story ends with the worst $200 payment I ever had to handle.While I can laugh at some facets of the story now, it is, in fact, a memorable moment in my most formative years in customer service, and it contains some serious lessons. I do believe if I knew now what I definitely didn’t know then, I would have circumvented some issues - but this is why we call it a communication journey, isn’t it?I will break down four lessons I took away from my frustrating case:Lesson 1 - Know your warning signsLesson 2 - Tag out BEFORE you lose itLesson 3 - Recognize when logic won't workLesson 4 - What to actually say when you're at the edge.Our word of the day: Forbearance: Patient self-control when you’re being provoked.I hope you get a chuckle and enjoy the takeaways here!Thanks for listening - and be sure to let me know if you enjoyed this story!Sincerely,Craig O’[email protected] You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com. "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings.In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound.Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better.Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, ExpressWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today:We are diving into one of the most stressful moments in our profession, when a client declines a critical safety repair and your mechanical specialist is standing there saying "they can't drive that." We wont be talking about winning the approval or being a better salesperson. Sometimes the client simply cannot or will not invest in the repair, no matter what you say. So what do you do next?The answer isn't just in what you say to them, it's in how you document the situation. Most facilities either write defensive notes that sound like we're scared of getting sued, or we simply write: “declined” next to the thing you recommended.I'll compare some bad documentation approaches with what professional documentation really looks like.Listen and learn language that considers legality, maintains client relationships, and helps your team see you take their safety concerns seriously.Learn to Document With A Three-Sentence Framework: (Yes, by all means, use AI to help you with this!)Sentence 1: What we found (technical, measurable) Sentence 2: What it means (consequence without threat)Sentence 3: What they chose (neutral, clear)Our word of the day: Dispassionate.It means without emotion or bias. Your documentation should be dispassionate. The facts, no drama, no defensiveness.I hope this gives you language you can use the next time this difficult situation happens… and it will happen to the best of us.Thanks for listening - and be sure to let me know if this helps!Sincerely, Craig O'Neill [email protected] You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com.  "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better. Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, ExpressWatch Full Video EpisodeIn Our Episode Today:I was sitting in my office rounding out the work day. It was about 5:30. As I was tapping away at the last lines of the last emails - I heard something like my grandmother's laughter in the other room.I should tell you, my grandmother passed in 2017, there is no way I heard her actual laugh.Then I heard it again. I heard my grandmother laugh. It really was her laugh! And I knew why.I got up from my chair - walked into my daughter's room, and my youngest, she's a freshman in high school, is sitting on her bed with a laptop computer - listening to "Meme Stories." (pronounced “Me Me.”) I smiled, went back to my office chair, closed my eyes, and just listened. With the sounds of my wife preparing dinner downstairs, the clinks of dishes, and the smell of food nearing readiness combined with my grandmothers voice and laughter... I felt as if I was at my grandparents' home 20 years ago.This was all possible because my Uncle Brad commissioned a recording project aimed at capturing my grandmothers voice and her stories. This proved priceless.For our audience I have a real hope that you will do this for you or your loved ones.In this episode - I lay out some tips that made this a real heirloom for our family.Our Word of the Day: HeirloomAn heirloom isn't just something old - it's something deliberately preserved because it holds meaning that compounds across generations.Happy Thanksgiving!Sincerely,Craig O’NeillThank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com.  "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better. Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, ExpressWatch Full Video EpisodeIn Our Episode Today:It was a busy week in Vegas at AAPEX and SEMA! Walking through those halls, I kept thinking about 2017—the year I met Chris Cloutier at AAPEX. (See Episode 64) That conversation changed my life. It led to everything I do now. And this year, I kept asking myself: Could that have happened today?Something has shifted. SEMA is where the action is. AAPEX was quiet. Vendors are chasing SEMA's crowds, getting high traffic but low-quality conversations. The fanfare is hard to ignore at SEMA, we get that - but focused and meaningful interactions were always my goal at AAPEX.While walking back to AAPEX from SEMA, I inadvertently captured a meme worthy series of shots while a burnout contest roared in the background. It’s the “cool guys don’t look at explosions” meme featureing Chris.  See below.  Even when you try to walk away from the spectacle, it follows you. And eventually? We all look, don’t we?Walking around SEMA, I kept saying: "This is like social media." Same noise, same distraction, same vanity metrics. Racing simulators at software vendor booths along with salespeople desperately trying to grab attention from the passing traffic.Here's the solution: Let SEMA be SEMA. Let AAPEX be AAPEX. The industry needs abnegation (Our WOTD) —vendors must renounce the fanfare and create more focused spaces for real business and meaningful interactions. AAPEX is supposed to be that space.  Then, after our meetings and gatherings… we can check out SEMA's spectacles. Or not.Right now, spectacle is choosing for us. And the spaces where careers change (as it did in my story) seem to be disappearing.Sincerely, Craig O'NeillThank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com.  "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better. Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, ExpressWatch Full Video EpisodeIn Our Episode Today:It was a hot day in Phoenix—August 9, 2022.I was in a boardroom delivering a demonstration on digital workflow to stakeholders in a large national organization. I began the demo portion of the presentation by adding a fictional customer to the dashboard.The name: Joe Paluka.I paused and told the audience that today—although I use this name in every demo and have hundreds of times—this hits a little different.The name comes from a phrase my grandfather used all the time. And just hours before the demonstration, I had a phone call from my father letting me know my grandfather passed away that morning.This episode isn't too personal, really... but it does highlight this particular phrase.My grandpa would often say: "They treated me like some Joe Paluka from the two-bay Sunooka" (slant rhymed to match "Paluka").It meant: "They treated me like a blue-collar tradesman, not the professional I am."I hope you'll hear this story and emerge aware of this phrase. It would make my day to hear the phrase used in my grandfather's other favorite way of uttering it: "This Joe Paluka was invited to speak at _______"—or some other achievement we of humble origins might have opportunity yet to accomplish!Sincerely, Craig O'NeillThe Word of the Day: Dapper Neat and trim in dress and appearance; marked by up-to-date elegance and stylish presentation.Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com.  "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better. Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, ExpressWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our Episode Today:We need to talk about those pesky scam emails inviting you to be a guest on an obscure podcast!I sometimes think scams are SUPER obvious and no one could fall for them… but then some of my associates started asking me for advice about replying to some of those invites and I realized… we need to talk about this.For legitimate podcasters, this has rendered cold outreach to potential guests that I do NOT know - VERY challenging.  It has become very necessary to have an introduction through a trusted network.In this episode I will lay out the anatomy of the scams, how they work, and how they find you.This is a timely topic, as it relates to what I call “Information Resillience” in this coming age of AI impersonation and a breakdown of trust that will hamper communication in the future.I hope you find this insightful - and if you have been target of a scam - please don’t be embarrassed - your story will help others!Sincerely,Craig O’NeillAnatomy of a Scam Email:  (This is a REAL transcript from an email I received and follows a similar format that I have seen in others.)Hey Craig, I'm pretty sure you are busy and wanted to make sure this did not get buried!All the best,Edris AhmadiEvolvion AIOn Wed, August 27, 2025 5:34 PM, edris ahmadi <[email protected]> wrote:Hi Craig,My colleague Derek came across your profile while looking for leaders in the automotive industry.We’re launching a new podcast series highlighting forward-thinking figures, and we’d love to feature you in an upcoming episode.We’ll dive into your background, the challenges you’ve overcome, and how you’ve carved out your place in the automotive space.Your perspective would add real value to the conversation.Would you be open to a brief call to discuss?Best regards,Edris AhmadiCEOEvolvion Ai------- Forwarded Message -------From: Derek ValkovicSent: Jul 16, 2025, 2:15 PMTo: Edris AhmadiSubject: Reach out to Craig – podcastEdris, I was searching for possible guests for the podcast and came across Craig from Autoflow. This looks like someone who'd add real value. Definitely worth reaching out!Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com.  "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better. Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, ExpressWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today:It was my pleasure to host a friend of mine, Mike Edge, who himself is a host on the “Gaining Traction Podcast.”Mike interviews a lot of folks in the auto-repair industry, focusing mostly on tire businesses.I settled on the title of our episode AFTER the conversation I enjoyed with Mike.  It is based on one of Mikes favorite books he’s read, which we discuss at the tail end of our conversation.  It’s worth touching on now - as the book Acres of Diamonds is actually a lecture by Russell H. Conwell. It sets the framework for our entire conversation perfectly.  The general theme of which is this: one does not need to look far and wide for success, those opportunities are often right beneath our feet!We learn a lot about Mike in this talk - and that’s on purpose.  Mike is normally the host - and rarely a guest!  It was really fun for me to turn the tables on him!Our first segment we focus a great deal regarding perceptions of the industry, challenges, and adoption of communication technology.  A key thing we will hear about Mike is his innate and genuine curiosity.  Curiosity makes Mike a fantastic and eager listener, and thus, a great communicator.  Loyal listeners have heard me talk many times about curiosity.For me - the real fun begins when he and I get to go a little deeper into the topics we both share a lot of interest in, like history and practical elements of our faith and seeking knowledge and truth.  We talk about books, railroads, the shootout at the OK Corral, it’s all here.I know you'll enjoy this conversation as much as I did - and am certain it will leave you thinking.Sincerely,Craig O’NeillA link to the very short 54 page book By Russell H. Conwell:  WOTD:  Coalesceverb.To come together to form one group or mass. A common goal to coalesce around.Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com.  "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better. Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, ExpressWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our Episode Today:I was sitting on hold for an active support ticket recently… the apple phone I’ve been using for three years started having an issue… and for some weird reason I made a connection to a book I read back when I was a teenager:  “How to get out of a speeding ticket.”I can’t remember the title exactly - but that may have been the title, I’ve failed to find the book and can only remember it was written by a police officer.  It was a little tongue in cheek in some chapters - but it actually did have some pragmatic and thoughtful advice about how to treat officers with respect and potentially earn a better outcome than we deserve in the moment.Topics I’ll discuss:Three simple principles to handle traffic encounters or support tickets the right wayActual tips to get out of speeding tickets… or get a lower ticket!Showing respect / Reducing fearGratitude for human help in the world today.Now.I’m also a human - and make no claims to get my personal interactions right all the time… but that’s part of why I recognize the need for topics like this.  It’s really easy to let the frustration we’re dealing with get to us - and allow it to shape our interactions.  For our listeners - I hope you’ll thing about the people you need help from at times - those part suppliers, the warranty adjudicators, upset customers… same principles apply.The lesson today is that being right isn’t what gets you results.  Effective communication gets you results.Sincerely,Craig O’NeillSpoilter alert - despite my desire to get a resolution on my iphone… there was no help that involved anything other than a low trade in value and new iPhone…I’m back- Team Android!  Lets go!Our Word of the Day today:  Umbrage.Used in a sentence:  Despite my appreciation for the support staff that tried to help me at Apple - I take umbrage at the fact that my device died a premature death so soon after my contract expired… so I switched devices and carriers.  Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com.  "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better. Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, ExpressWatch Full Video EpisodeI'm sharing a story I don't tell often - my first time attending AAPEX (Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo) in 2017.At the time I first attend - I had just left the family business, was traveling on my own dime, and was a week away from starting a new job (which didn’t go quite as planned). Being alone in a city that doesn't appeal to me - but through providence, found a few good friends, wound up at a dinner with Matt Fanslow and Eric Ziegler. The next morning - I caught a keynote speech from none other than Chris Cloutier… listen to how things unfolded from there.This episode is about showing up when everything feels wrong. About checking your competitive assumptions. About one conversation that can change everything.In this episode, I'm also sharing insights (with permission from Frank Strong) from Mark Bogdansky, VP at Auto Care Association. He has some keen perspective on our $2.3 trillion industry, the challenges ahead (talent shortage, technology), and why AAPEX is where the entire supply chain comes together to solve real problems.AAPEX 2025 is November 4-6 in Las Vegas. Wayne Gretzky keynotes. 75+ training sessions. Thousands of opportunities to make the kind of connection I made in 2017.If you've ever wondered whether AAPEX is worth attending - this episode is for you.Register for AAPEX 2025. https://www.aapexshow.com/Email me at [email protected] - let me know if I'll see you there. I'd love to record a quick conversation with you for a future episode.Show up even if it's hard.Sincerely,Craig O'NeillPeople Mentioned: Bob Greenwood, Chris Cloutier (CEO, AutoFlow), Matt Fanslow (Episode 59), Eric Ziegler, Mark Bogdansky (Auto Care Association)Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com.  "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better. Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, ExpressWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our Episode Today:I start heavy in this one, my friends.I start describing a phone call many years ago that resulted in the deaths of seven people.The tele conference that preceded the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger.Pessimism aversion.This is an important topic - and one I will strongly encourage you to take the time to hear out.You’ll get a good couple of book recommendations on this episode too!Some background.I know a lot of us are contemplating the challenges of a rapidly advancing technological wave.I’ve recently been to ASTA and enjoyed many uplifting conversations!I also heard the concern for the upcoming challenges facing our industry, and every industry!Both typed of conversation are GOOD. To voice concerns and share our thoughts on the things ahead, uncertain as they may be, doesn’t require us to put on a brave face and default to superficial optimistic assurances. Sometimes the forecast is hard to read. Anticipating and drawing out the potential tail end consequences of a technology are also healthy - as is an analytical ability to see outcomes you may not like.I think catastrophe’s are able to be anticipated - and problems can be averted.Unfortunately - we don’t always get to hear the stories of the negative consequences that never happened… precisely because they never happened. We’ll talk about optimism bias throughout the episode.Of course, we tie this all back to communication and automotive repair industry matters - but I will first take you on a brief historical journey and share some quotes to help you reframe your perspective on pessimism. The biggest takeaway: Don’t discount negative information. Receive it as data.Sincerely,Craig O’NeillThank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com.  "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better. Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, ExpressWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today:This one started when an email landed in my inbox from my former colleague and friend of the show, Jeremy Glassco.  It was one of those emails that landed at just the right time.Jeremy was e-introducing me to his newest team member, Quinn Butler. Quinn recently graduated college and before she joined AppFueled.I actually chuckled at the email, because Jeremy indicated that Quinn had been asking some important questions that our industry has been grappling with.  Our loyal listeners will remember - Jeremy is REALLY good at asking questions, so when he said Quinn is Jeremy 2.0.  I wasn’t surprised that his newest team member has already learned to be likewise.Here is the thing, this was a timely introduction.I was actively engaged with some activities at my local community college this past week and have been challenged by our CEO at Autoflow to develop and adopt AI skills.  That goal is something I’ll talk about more, but for now, I was curious about how recent graduates feel entering the work force while being schooled at the time that AI technology is emerging.Many questions come to my mind - and here we have a bright young person who can speak to us on exactly that.When you think about it, the generation currently entering the workforce knows as much, or more about emerging technologies as the professors instructing them in school, or the people already working on the teams they are joining.I believe our world is poised to witness an imminent technological revolution - so this was a neat moment in time to meet with and speak to Quinn.I’ll invite you to listen to my conversation with Quinn.Aside from meeting a great person, you’ll get to hear first hand from her unique perspective on emerging technology, the automotive space, and a little bit about what it’s like to work for socrates Jeremy Glassco.I hope you’ll enjoy listening to Quinn and feel inspired to welcome the next generation to our constantly evolving, high tech, auto repair profession.Sincerely,Craig O’NeillThank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com.  "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better. Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, ExpressWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today: I felt inspired to discuss personal accountability.We all make mistakes, and I know first hand the difficulty of confronting them head on with admission and apology. Ironically, as difficult as it seems, it is the easiest course to a practical resolution and restoration of goodwill.I don't believe in collective guilt but, am a bigger fan of individual responsibility.  On this show we talk about effective communication, but the key to effective communication is personal accountability.Topics I bring into this episode involve history, speaking, and literature I enjoy:How Organizations use "we" language - great for success, but less so when things go sideways.Quotes from George Washington - and some reflection on good vs. not so good admission of errorsA lesson I learned from Coach Rod Olson - author and keynote speaker. (Aspiring leaders, I suggest you pick up one of his books:  “The Wisdom Lunch Warrior”)A quote from Ronald Reagan from “How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age.”Being an auto-repair shop veteran, I also tell a story about a time a problem came up when servicing a vehicle for a neighbor that anyone in the industry will relate to if they have ever done work for friends, family, or neighbors (Mistakes are virtually guaranteed!).Word of the Day: AdroitAdjective: Clever or skillful in using hands or mindNo matter how adroit you are, you'll still make mistakesAdditional topics in this episode:Key Elements of Good ApologiesSpecific: Name actual mistake, not vague "errors"Personal ownership: "I allowed," not "mistakes were made"Shows understanding: Acknowledge real damage doneExplains without excusing: Show reasoning wasn't maliciousForward-looking: Demonstrate lessons learned and changes madeCustomer Service Framework: APAC(See Episode 31 with my friend Dennis McCarron for far more details on APAC)AcknowledgeProbeAnswerConfirmI hope you’ll enjoy some of the humor and lessons in this installment!Thanks for being a great listener!Sincerely,Craig O’NeillThank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com.  "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better. Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/

Thank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, ExpressWatch Full Video EpisodeIn our episode today - I welcome Autumn Gray to the podcast, a service consultant with SparkHope Automotive in the Denver Colorado area. Our loyal listeners know from Episode 058, my guest Helen shared what it is like being a single mom who couldn't afford vehicle repairs - and wished there was a program to help. Today, we get to hear from someone who's on the front lines of making that wish a reality for other women.Autumn serves as the voice and heart of SparkHope - she's the one who communicates with single mothers facing transportation crises. We hear how her heart is fulfilled in serving these women and also learn more about her background in the industry.  As a mechanical specialist, then a service consultant in a for profit shop - to eventually becoming the communication specialist she is today for this important charity.  Autumn is an industry insider with a heart of gold.We discussed some of the things that make SparkHope different from traditional charity models and Autumn shared some moving stories.  This conversation challenged me to think about partnership language versus pity language, and how organizations in any industry can serve their communities while preserving the dignity of those they're helping. There are lessons here that extend well beyond automotive - for anyone who wants to communicate with genuine compassion.One thing that really resonated: Autumn talked about the importance of working with clients - as partners - not just doing things for them. If I can encourage one thing from this episode - it would be for listeners to consider how they might apply these dignity-preserving communication principles in their own communities, whether they're business owners, volunteers, or simply neighbors who want to help.The WOTD was perfect for this conversation:"Dignity" (noun) Meaning: the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect; a composed or serious manner that is worthy of respect.More information about upcoming events and sponsorship opportunities with Spark Hope Automotive can be found on their website:  https://sparkhopeautomotive.org/events/Listeners in the Denver area - mark you calendars for November 15th for the annual gala!I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!Sincerely, Craig O'NeillThank You To Our Partners The Institute, AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, In-Bound, Express:The Institute at WeAreTheInstitute.com.  "Stop stressing over your business, you deserve a good night's sleep. The Institute’s coaching helps you achieve success and financial peace.AutoFlow at AutoFlow.com. Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during and after the visit to a single thread. Learn more at Autoflow.comShop Dog Marketing at Shop Dog Marketing.com. "Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. In-Bound at CallInBound.com. Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. Express by Facepay myexpress.io. Keep your existing merchant processor and software at your service counter. Express is integrated into your workflow to make the experience better. Contact InformationEmail Craig O'Neill: [email protected] Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersThe 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/