Beyond The Bay

About Beyond The Bay

Get ready for real conversations, fresh insights, and practical strategies to help you run and grow your shop with confidence. From tackling everyday challenges to scaling with data-driven decisions, this podcast brings you stories and solutions straight from the people who’ve been there. Here’s a snippet of what’s ahead: Handling tough customers Making the shift from intuition to data Managing growth without losing quality Real-world tips from experienced shop owners This is more than a podcast—it’s your go-to resource for building a stronger, smarter business.

Publisher

Peter Cooper

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

19 Aug 2025

Latest episode

14 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

30 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   14 Oct 2026

   AI Is Transforming Hiring, Onboarding & Technician Training for Business Owners with John Kissell

   In this episode of Beyond The Bay Podcast, host Peter Cooper (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-cooper-468367133/) speaks with John Kissell (https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kissell-4626645b/), Founder & President of ProspectForge (https://www.linkedin.com/company/prospectforge-us/) and President of Workforce Services Inc. (https://www.linkedin.com/company/workforce-services-inc./), about scaling a nationwide maintenance operation, solving the technician shortage, and using AI to improve training, inspections, and technician productivity. The conversation explores hiring speed, cultural fit, leadership development, delegation, and the system's owners need to build a business that can grow beyond their personal involvement. John shares how Workforce Services expanded from a two-bay repair shop in Billings, Montana, into a company providing brick-and-mortar shops, mobile service trucks, and technician staffing across multiple states. Drawing from his experience growing teams and managing national customers, he explains why strong operating procedures, better onboarding, servant leadership, clear core values, and access to experienced mentors are essential for sustainable growth. Key Takeaways - How repeatable standard operating procedures allow repair businesses to expand into new locations without losing quality or consistency. - Why a fast and simple hiring process helps companies secure qualified technicians before competitors do. - How AI, voice tools, and heads-up displays could support inspections, documentation, diagnostics, and technician training. - Why promoting the best technician into management can fail when leadership, communication, and coaching skills are missing. - How delegation, profitability, mentorship, and peer groups help owners move beyond daily decision fatigue and build stronger businesses. Episode breakdown with timestamps 00:00 - Teaser 01:28 - Introduction and guest welcome 01:47 - How Workforce Services expanded beyond a traditional repair shop 04:46 - Scaling nationally through standard operating procedures 08:48 - The technician shortage and faster employee onboarding 09:47 - Defining the right hire and evaluating cultural fit 16:35 - Training technicians and closing the industry skills gap 23:00 - Using AI for inspections, diagnostics, and technician mentorship 27:03 - Developing managers and avoiding leadership hiring mistakes 28:01 - Servant leadership, delegation, and hiring the best people 41:59 - Pick on people all the time for small shop owners that are struggling 52:22 - Profit, cash flow, mentorship, and breaking through growth plateaus 58:05 - Conclusion Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review. Follow the Guest John Kissell: 👉 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kissell-4626645b/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kissell-4626645b/) Follow the Guest’s Companies: 👉 Linkedin - ProspectForge: https://www.linkedin.com/company/prospectforge-us/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/prospectforge-us/) 👉 Website - ProspectForge: https://prospectforge.us/ (https://prospectforge.us/) 👉 Linkedin - WorkForce Inc.: https://www.linkedin.com/company/workforce-services-inc./ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/workforce-services-inc./) Follow Host Peter Cooper on: 👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-cooper-ascend-consulting-468367133/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-cooper-ascend-consulting-468367133/) 👉 Website: https://ascendconsulting.help/ (https://ascendconsulting.help/) 👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570030967745 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570030967745) 👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ascendconsulting.help/ (https://www.instagram.com/ascendconsulting.help/) 👉 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shopconsulting (https://www.tiktok.com/@shopconsulting) 👉 X: https://x.com/PeterCooper9084 (https://x.com/PeterCooper9084) Listen to Beyond the Bay Podcast: 👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1IH2SSXjGRDqzP3p0Ie5C3 (https://open.spotify.com/show/1IH2SSXjGRDqzP3p0Ie5C3) 👉 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-bay/id1834168994 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-bay/id1834168994) 👉 YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@petercooperAC (https://www.youtube.com/@petercooperAC)

2. 

   30 Sept 2026

   Turn Around Your Shop with Better Profit and Boundaries | Kevin DeMarco

   In this episode of Beyond The Bay Podcast, host Peter Cooper (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-cooper-468367133/) speaks with Kevin DeMarco (https://www.facebook.com/kevin.demarco.90/), Owner of DeMarco Equipment Repair (https://www.demarcoequipmentrepair.com/) in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, about running a profitable repair shop, setting better customer boundaries, and deciding when to step back from the truck. The conversation focuses on profit over busyness, follow-up, customer fit, and how owners can build a business that supports the shop instead of trapping them in it. Kevin shares how his shop grew from doing road work across fleets, trucks, trailers, and equipment into a five-person operation. His experience on the truck, managing customers, and hiring staff gives a practical view of what changes when an owner moves from doing everything to building systems, protecting cash flow, and creating space for the business to grow. Key Takeaways How to identify which jobs and customers actually make the most profit, instead of confusing busy work with business growth. Why setting clear payment terms and customer boundaries protects cash flow, staff morale, and long-term stability. The importance of following up on estimates and referrals instead of waiting for customers to come back on their own. How to think about labour efficiency before adding more employees, so you do not scale waste. Why do owners need to work on the business, not just in it, if they want to get past the growth plateau? Key Timestamps 00:00 – Teaser 00:59 – Introduction and guest welcome 01:18 – Kevin describes the range of work at his shop 03:55 – Growth through hard work and hiring employees 05:07 – Wanting to step back from constant road calls 06:10 – Peter explains profit, efficiency, and business diagnostics 09:18 – Firing stressful customers and protecting cash flow 12:21 – Setting payment boundaries and using third-party billing 16:42 – Why busy is a warning sign and follow-up matters 18:12 – Dressing for the role you want and working on the business 29:03 – Safety, distractions, and using help or AI where appropriate Disclosure: Portions of this episode (such as the introduction or promotional segments) use AI-generated voice narration produced under human editorial review. Follow the Guest: 👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevin.demarco.90/ (https://www.facebook.com/kevin.demarco.90/) Follow the Guest’s Company: 👉 Website: https://www.demarcoequipmentrepair.com/ (https://www.demarcoequipmentrepair.com/) 👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/demarco_equipment_repair/ (https://www.instagram.com/demarco_equipment_repair/) 👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/demarcoequipmentrepair/  (https://www.facebook.com/demarcoequipmentrepair/) Follow Host Peter Cooper on: 👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-cooper-ascend-consulting-468367133/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-cooper-ascend-consulting-468367133/) 👉 Website: https://ascendconsulting.help/ (https://ascendconsulting.help/) 👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570030967745 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570030967745) 👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ascendconsulting.help/ (https://www.instagram.com/ascendconsulting.help/) 👉 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shopconsulting (https://www.tiktok.com/@shopconsulting) 👉 X: https://x.com/PeterCooper9084 (https://x.com/PeterCooper9084) Listen to Beyond the Bay Podcast: 👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1IH2SSXjGRDqzP3p0Ie5C3 (https://open.spotify.com/show/1IH2SSXjGRDqzP3p0Ie5C3) 👉 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-bay/id1834168994 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-bay/id1834168994) 👉 YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@petercooperAC (https://www.youtube.com/@petercooperAC)

3. 

   16 Sept 2026

   The Cash Flow Strategies for Business Owners to Survive the Problems of Rapid Growth with Joseph Puzur

   In this episode of Beyond The Bay Podcast, host Peter Cooper (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-cooper-468367133/) sits down with Joseph Puzur (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-puzur-40b3a2278/), Owner of AD Truck Service & Repair LLC (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ad-truck-service-&-repair-llc/), to discuss the remarkable journey of growing a family-owned diesel repair shop from just 1,000 square feet to a 30,000-square-foot operation with more than 30 employees. Joseph shares the challenges that come with rapid expansion, including managing cash flow, hiring and developing technicians, building a strong company culture, and transitioning from technician to business leader. The conversation also explores customer payment strategies, marketing through Google reviews, creating scalable business systems, and why long-term success depends on investing in people, leadership, and operational excellence rather than simply fixing trucks. Expect to Learn How to manage cash flow during periods of rapid business growth Why hiring for attitude and culture often outperforms hiring for experience alone How daily communication and leadership strengthen shop culture Why systems, KPIs, and delegation are essential for scaling a repair business How Google reviews and reputation drive customer acquisition Why shop owners should stop acting like banks and protect their cash flow How to transition from being a technician to becoming a true business leader Episode Breakdown with Timestamps [00:00:00] - Teaser [00:01:09] - Introduction and Joseph Puzur shares the story behind AD Truck Repair's explosive growth [00:06:47] - Managing cash flow, taking calculated risks, and expanding into a larger facility [00:08:48] - Hiring technicians, developing young talent, and building a winning culture [00:15:16] - Leadership lessons, daily team meetings, and investing in people [00:20:06] - Cash flow challenges, customer payment policies, and protecting the business [00:23:28] - Factoring services, financial discipline, and stabilizing after rapid growth [00:29:19] - Marketing strategies, Google reviews, and generating consistent customer growth [00:32:01] - Building systems, KPIs, and making the transition from operator to business owner [00:38:26] - Future plans, franchising, company vision, and creating opportunities for employees Follow the Guest: 👉 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-puzur-40b3a2278/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-puzur-40b3a2278/) Follow the Guest’s Company: 👉 AD Truck Service & Repair LLC: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ad-truck-service-&-repair-llc/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/ad-truck-service-&-repair-llc/) Follow Host Peter Cooper on: 👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-cooper-ascend-consulting-468367133/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-cooper-ascend-consulting-468367133/) 👉 Website: https://ascendconsulting.help/ (https://ascendconsulting.help/) 👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570030967745 (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570030967745) 👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ascendconsulting.help/ (https://www.instagram.com/ascendconsulting.help/) 👉 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shopconsulting (https://www.tiktok.com/@shopconsulting) 👉 X: https://x.com/PeterCooper9084 (https://x.com/PeterCooper9084) Listen to Beyond the Bay Podcast: 👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1IH2SSXjGRDqzP3p0Ie5C3 (https://open.spotify.com/show/1IH2SSXjGRDqzP3p0Ie5C3) 👉 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-bay/id1834168994 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-bay/id1834168994) 👉 YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@petercooperAC (https://www.youtube.com/@petercooperAC)

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Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.