The Gain Traction Podcast features top tire and auto repair professionals, shop owners, industry executives, and thought leaders.
Gain Traction
Claim This Podcastby Mike Edge
4.4(14 reviews)
233 episodes
Updated Daily
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88
Podcast Authority
BetaExcellentBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality93
Social90
YouTube72
Engagement89
Podcast Overview
The Gain Traction Podcast features top tire and auto repair professionals, shop owners, industry executives, and thought leaders.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
1/2/2018
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88
Podcast Authority
BetaExcellentBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
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Social90
YouTube72
Engagement89
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Recent Episodes
June 17, 2026
Why Long Car Loans Are Changing Auto Repair
<p><strong>Tim Szabo</strong> is the <strong>owner and president of Trail Tire stores in Edmonton, Alberta, and Hoosier Tire Western Canada.</strong> He grew up working in his father’s repair shop, became a journeyman technician at 21, and has spent nearly three decades in the automotive industry.</p><p><br></p><p>His experience spans vehicle repair, shop operations, customer service, and business ownership. That background gives him a clear view of how long car loans and repairs are changing customer behavior, maintenance decisions, and the role independent shops play in keeping aging vehicles on the road.</p><p><b><strong>In this episode…</strong></b></p><p>Eight-year auto loans have changed the repair cycle. Drivers reach the five-year mark still owing years of payments just as suspension work, fluid services, leaks, tires, and other major expenses begin appearing. Trading the vehicle often means carrying negative equity into another long loan, so repairing and maintaining the current vehicle becomes the more practical path.</p><p><br></p><p>That shift creates a new responsibility for multi-location operators. A declined repair no longer means the customer sees no value in the work. Many customers lack a clear picture of what the vehicle is worth, what they still owe, and what continued neglect will cost. Shops that explain those numbers, document developing problems, and present financing without pressure become trusted advisers rather than another unexpected bill.</p><p><br></p><p>Customer education also protects future revenue. Clear recommendations, digital inspection records, and documented “next time” items give customers time to plan. They show exactly how a small leak, skipped service, or delayed repair turns into a larger failure. The shop earns trust by helping customers avoid the same financial situation again.</p><p><b><strong>Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: </strong></b></p><p>[01:02] Tim Szabo’s automotive background and career path</p><p>[05:03] Long car loans reshape vehicle repair decisions</p><p>[08:20] Trail Tire’s approach to customer financing</p><p>[14:34] Deferred maintenance reduces vehicle value</p><p>[18:36] Customer education prevents repeat repair problems</p><p>[22:47] Education as the foundation of a successful shop</p><p>[25:05] Digital records strengthen transparency and trust</p><p>[27:09] Tire preferences and budget tire demand</p><p>[29:46] Business lessons from Ford v Ferrari</p><p>[35:01] Tim’s guiding philosophy and closing advice</p><p><b><strong>Resources mentioned in this episode:</strong></b></p><ul><li><a href="https://ca.linkedin.com/in/tim-szabo-45699893">Tim Szabo on LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://trailtire.com/alberta-edmonton-tamarack/">Trail Tire Tamarack Website</a></li><li><a href="https://treadpartners.com/">Tread Partners</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@GainTraction">Gain Traction Podcast on YouTube</a></li><li><a href="https://gaintractionpodcast.com/">Gain Traction Podcast Website</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/edgemike/">Mike Edge on LinkedIn</a></li></ul><p><b><strong>Quotable Moments:</strong></b></p><ul><li>“Mileage doesn’t kill cars, neglect does.”</li><li>“People’s vehicle is their freedom.”</li><li>“The customer needs to know everything we’re doing, so that we don’t hide anything from them.”</li><li>“Educating your customer is a key foundation in owning a successful shop.”</li><li>“You never get in life what you deserve, you only get what you negotiate.”</li></ul><p><b><strong>Action Steps:</strong></b></p><ol><li>Review how service advisers explain negative equity.</li><li>Create a standard process for presenting repair financing.</li><li>Document every developing problem.</li><li>Build a maintenance plan around long car loans and repairs.</li><li>Track declined work and revisit it at every visit.</li></ol>
June 10, 2026
The Simple System That Can Add 5% Profit to Your Shop
<p><strong>Jim Noblitt</strong> is the District Manager at Auto Care USA in Houston, Texas, with more than four decades of automotive experience. He entered the industry in 1979 as a mechanic’s helper, advanced into technician and dealership roles, and later helped launch Cornerstone Automotive; a business that contributed to the early operating model behind Christian Brothers Automotive.</p><p><br></p><p>Noblitt went on to build and operate Mission Car Care in Katy, Texas, for 20 years before selling the business in 2022. His experience as a technician, owner, consultant, and multi-location operator gives him a practical view of recovering lost profit in an auto repair shop through disciplined processes, stronger financial controls, and better use of shop data.</p><p><b><strong>In this episode…</strong></b></p><p>Revenue does not disappear only through weak sales or low car count. It also disappears through unreturned cores, defective parts, missing credits, incorrect shipments, and paperwork that never gets reconciled. Noblitt estimates that these overlooked details can represent four to five percent of annual sales losses, money the shop has already earned but failed to collect.</p><p><br></p><p>Multi-location operations carry even greater exposure because the same process failure repeats across every store. A return shelf filled with aging parts represents trapped cash, and an unverified credit slip represents money that has not reached the bottom line.</p><p><br></p><p>Shop metrics expose another layer of lost opportunity. An extremely high close ratio often signals that advisors are presenting only the customer’s original concern. A very low close ratio signals that customers are receiving large estimates without clear priorities. Digital vehicle inspections, average written repair orders, and close ratios reveal whether advisors are identifying needed work, communicating value, and separating urgent repairs from services that belong in a future visit.</p><p><br></p><p>Recovering lost profit in an auto repair shop requires owners to study what the numbers are saying, assign accountability for routine financial controls, and correct small operational gaps before they spread across multiple locations.</p><p><b><strong>Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: </strong></b></p><p>[01:17] Jim Noblitt’s four-decade automotive industry career</p><p>[03:25] Advancing from technician to dealership operations</p><p>[04:12] Helping shape Christian Brothers Automotive’s early model</p><p>[08:46] Building and selling Mission Car Care after 20 years</p><p>[12:20] Applying decades of experience through shop consulting</p><p>[14:24] Recovering profit through stronger parts return controls</p><p>[18:55] Using shop metrics to diagnose operational weaknesses</p><p>[22:54] Why experienced shop owners still need business coaching</p><p>[24:34] Leadership built on fairness, trust, and quality work</p><p><b><strong>Resources mentioned in this episode:</strong></b></p><ul><li><a href="https://treadpartners.com/">Tread Partners</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@GainTraction">Gain Traction Podcast on YouTube</a></li><li><a href="https://gaintractionpodcast.com/">Gain Traction Podcast Website</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/edgemike/">Mike Edge on LinkedIn</a></li></ul><p><b><strong>Quotable Moments:</strong></b></p><ul><li>“The numbers will usually tell you where your holes are.”</li><li>“Knowing your numbers is so important.”</li><li>“You’re presenting all the facts now.”</li><li>“Nobody cares like the owner, you know.”</li><li>“Do a good job and treat people the way you want to be treated.”</li></ul><p><b><strong>Action Steps:</strong></b></p><ol><li>Audit every return shelf tomorrow morning.</li><li>Assign one person to own parts returns and credits.</li><li>Create a weekly return-credit report for every location.</li><li>Review close ratios beside average written repair orders and DVI results.</li><li>Build recovering lost profit in an auto repair shop into the management scorecard.</li></ol>
June 3, 2026
Meet AACF: The Foundation Quietly Backing the Aftermarket Industry
<p><strong>John Kairys</strong> is the <strong>Executive Director of the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation (AACF)</strong>, a position he has held for the past two and a half years. Before stepping into the role, he served on the AACF board, giving him deep organizational context from both a governance and operational standpoint.</p><p><br></p><p>Kairys brings more than 40 years of experience in the automotive aftermarket to the foundation. He is a consistent presence at industry conventions, trade shows, and annual meetings; including Auto Care Connect and the APSG, working to raise awareness of the AACF across every segment of the aftermarket.</p><p><b><strong>In this episode…</strong></b></p><p>Most shop owners know their employees by name. They know who just had a baby, who's been with the shop for fifteen years, who's holding things together and who's quietly struggling. What they don't always know is what happens to that person when a car accident totals their vehicle, a house fire displaces their family, or routine back surgery leaves them unable to walk.</p><p><br></p><p>The automotive aftermarket has a safety net built specifically for those moments. It isn't workers' comp. It isn't a GoFundMe. It's a 501(c)3 nonprofit with a 29-person volunteer board, a mid-90s approval rate, and a five-day window from application to ACH deposit. The people it helps aren't just technicians and counter staff; they're marketing managers, warehouse drivers, and executives. Anyone employed in the aftermarket qualifies, whether the hardship is work-related or not.</p><p><br></p><p>John Kairys runs that organization. He's spent two and a half years as Executive Director making sure shop owners and their employees know it exists because awareness is still the AACF's biggest obstacle.</p><p><b><strong>Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: </strong></b></p><p>[01:01] Meet John Kairys, Executive Director of the AACF</p><p>[02:15] Who qualifies and what hardships the AACF covers</p><p>[06:01] The annual Classic Car Sweepstakes: How to donate and enter</p><p>[07:54] Stories of hope: A routine surgery that changed everything</p><p>[12:42] Stories of hope: A totaled vehicle, then a house fire two weeks later</p><p>[15:39] Corporate giving, sponsorships, and the annual SEMA fundraiser</p><p>[19:28] Two paid staff, a 29-member board, and how to connect</p><p>[22:14] The Aftermarket Hearts Giving Circle: Recurring giving for industry insiders</p><p><b><strong>Resources mentioned in this episode:</strong></b></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.aftermarketcharity.org/">Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation Website</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkairysconsultant">John Kairys on LinkedIn</a></li><li><a href="https://treadpartners.com/">Tread Partners</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@GainTraction">Gain Traction Podcast on YouTube</a></li><li><a href="https://gaintractionpodcast.com/">Gain Traction Podcast Website</a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/edgemike/">Mike Edge on LinkedIn</a></li></ul><p><b><strong>Quotable Moments:</strong></b></p><ul><li>"We like to say we take care of our own."</li><li>"Our biggest challenge is awareness, and that is getting people to know who we are and what we do."</li><li>"The AACF is the on-ramp to the freeway of recovery."</li><li>"After losing so much so quickly, the AACF gave me hope and a way to start over." — AACF recipient, shared by John Kairys</li><li>"God forbid, if ever you need that help, the AACF will be there for you."</li></ul><p><b><strong>Action Steps:</strong></b></p><ol><li><strong>Share the AACF with your team this week.</strong> Send an internal message or post a one-pager in your break room with the link to aftermarketcharity.org. </li><li><strong>Make a corporate donation or explore sponsorship.</strong> The automotive aftermarket charitable foundation is a 501(c)3, meaning contributions are tax-deductible. </li><li><strong>Sign up for the Aftermarket Hearts Giving Circle. </strong>Recurring donations start at $5 a month.</li><li><strong>Add AACF to your employee onboarding materials.</strong> The application is at aftermarketcharity.org, reviewed within 24 hours, and results in a direct ACH deposit within five days.</li><li><strong>Attend the SEMA events if you're in Las Vegas. </strong>Reach out to John Kairys directly through the leadership page at aftermarketcharity.org to get involved.</li></ol>
233 total episodes available
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