Speak Up!

About Speak Up!

A perfect compliment for an individual and for small businesses is to be a better communicator. Craig O'Neill exemplifies influence and leadership in helping people find their fullest potential as communicators. “Speak Up!” is a podcast that clearly focuses on learning to communicate more effectively so that we can influence positive change in all our interactions.

Publisher

Craig O'Neill

Category

business · business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

28 Jul 2024

Latest episode

2 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

120 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   2 Nov 2026

   Overcoming Objections with Dave Schedin [E119]

   Watch Full Video Episode (https://youtu.be/IN_EnDXCb0Y) In our episode today: Most service advisor training starts at the moment a customer says “that’s too expensive.” Dave Schedin believes that’s often too late. In this episode, I speak with Dave, a former Master Technician, shop owner, and automotive coach, to talk about what often happens in our communication at the counter. Dave’s new book, Overcoming Customer Objections, makes the case that advisors often create the objections they complain about. If the customer hasn’t understood why the repair is needed, doesn’t trust the person across the counter, or can’t see what the repair actually protects, the price will always feel too high. Dave’s view is that customers don’t buy repairs. They buy confidence, trust, and peace of mind. This is a conversation about communication more than sales, but we remind you, sales isn’t a dirty word. We get into how an advisor builds trust with someone and also dig into the harder parts: where establishing value ends and pressure begins, how to handle a customer who truly can’t afford the repair, and whether scripts help or hurt at the front counter. Word of the day: Candor. Honest, open frankness in speech, and the quality that lets a customer weigh a decision with real information. If you only take one thing from this episode: The objection is often decided long before the price comes up, so the work starts earlier than most shops think. Dave's Book: Customer Objections 3.0: Customers do not buy repairs. They buy confidence, trust, and Peace of Mind: Schedin, Mr. Dave: 9798192333822: Amazon.com: Books (https://www.amazon.com/Customer-Objections-3-0-Customers-confidence/dp/B0HG3SXNZL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1YTW85J6MRJPM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.E2RuDPvBao-gOeDDxw6nL6VqiHIzTPRCAMBp2quWOEAnVyS2DoVF3Hwq7R_Dot4iVFXxE2lBO1fxkx2iQMbHylm9Ddm41J_MrYTghen855Vs-Gez56pSAxURJi_itVFo2Kf56uCLYS2RiTpePDs9_y4iaJUx4QWxDbfvYvNpHILKxWbgBmYReKiTpX3TGj6TGNiK2XUt8kKkd4MyIEoSci4tnXxzI4xNXBQ3gyH-N_M.mugLeoqc9yXtmaBVCCJ6nANY-CfQdsIl1CS724Un4No&dib_tag=se&keywords=Customer+Objections+3.0%3A+Customers+do+not+buy+repairs.+They+buy+confidence%2C+trust%2C+and+Peace+of+Mind&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1792007708&sprefix=customer+objections+3.0+customers+do+not+buy+repairs.+they+buy+confidence%2C+trust%2C+and+peace+of+mind%2Caps%2C197&sr=8-1) Dave's Email: dave@computreksystems.com I think after you hear this conversation with Dave, you'll agree that the communication skills we're discussing here go far beyond our role in auto repair and apply to every conversation at all in any context where you are communicating value to others. This is going to be a fast favorite on my episode list. Enjoy! Sincerely, Craig O’Neill Thank You To Our Partners Autoflow, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Advanced Shop Leadership Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during, and after the visit into a single thread. An end-to-end CRM for auto repair shops. https://autoflow.com/ (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/ (https://shopdogmarketing.com/) Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. https://callinbound.com/ (https://callinbound.com/) Advanced Shop Leadership's 20 groups are built for motivated shop owners who want more balance, more fulfillment, and the right peers to grow with. ASL is selective. Find out if you qualify at ASL.COACH: https://www.advancedshopleadership.com/ (https://www.advancedshopleadership.com/) Contact Information Email Craig O'Neill: speakup@craigoneill.net Join Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmasters (https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmasters) The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ (https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/) Download and Listen on Our Mobile App: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/ (https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/) Remarkable Results Radio Podcast (https://remarkableresults.biz/) with Carm Capriotto: https://remarkableresults.biz/ (https://remarkableresults.biz/) Automotive Field Theory (https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/) with Matt Fanslow: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/ (https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/) Business by the Numbers (https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/) with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/ (https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/) The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast (https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/) with Brian and Kim Walker: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/ (https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/) The Weekly Blitz (https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/) with Coach Chris Cotton: https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/ (https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/)

2. 

   26 Oct 2026

   ASE Veracity With Dan Aldrich [E118]

   Watch Full Video Episode (https://youtu.be/v9sYEzBe-Ec) In our Episode Today: ASE certification is voluntary almost everywhere, and it still divides our industry. Some techs love it, some say it doesn't go far enough, and some seem afraid of it. In this episode, I sit down with my friend Dan Aldrich director of Automotive Technical Training for Christian Brothers Automotive, overseeing training across more than 300 franchise locations. Dan was featured in a July 2026 article by Chris Jones in Vehicle Service Pros, titled From Skeptic to Believer: One Training Leader's ASE Journey, which caused me to reach out to Dan and have this conversation. Jones, Chris. “From Skeptic to Believer: One Training Leader’s ASE Journey.” Vehicle Service Pros, July 23, 2026. Link to Article: https://www.vehicleservicepros.com/show-coverage/ase-event-coverage/article/55393047/from-skeptic-to-believerone-training-leaders-ase-journey (https://www.vehicleservicepros.com/show-coverage/ase-event-coverage/article/55393047/from-skeptic-to-believerone-training-leaders-ase-journey) In my conversation with Dan we get to hear details of Dan's story, some of the challenges he faced as a young mentor, and how it would eventually lead him to his role with Christian Brothers, and ongoing contributions that benefit our industry broadly. Word of the day: veracity Veracity (noun, vuh-RASS-ih-tee) means truthfulness or accuracy, how closely something matches the facts. The word entered English in the 1600s from Latin veracitas, from verax, meaning truthful, which comes from verus, true. The same root gave us verify (to make true), verdict (a true saying), aver (to declare true), and verity. It's also behind the word very, which once meant true, as in the very thing. It's a great story of learning the value of not just education and continuing learning, but the value of credentialing and the sense of accomplishment that comes with it. Sincerely, Craig O’Neill Thank You To Our Partners Autoflow, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Advanced Shop Leadership Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during, and after the visit into a single thread. An end-to-end CRM for auto repair shops. https://autoflow.com/ (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/ (https://shopdogmarketing.com/) Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. https://callinbound.com/ (https://callinbound.com/) Advanced Shop Leadership's 20 groups are built for motivated shop owners who want more balance, more fulfillment, and the right peers to grow with. ASL is selective. Find out if you qualify at ASL.COACH: https://www.advancedshopleadership.com/ (https://www.advancedshopleadership.com/) Contact Information Email Craig O'Neill: speakup@craigoneill.net Join Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmasters (https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmasters) The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ (https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/) Download and Listen on Our Mobile App: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/ (https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/) Remarkable Results Radio Podcast (https://remarkableresults.biz/) with Carm Capriotto: https://remarkableresults.biz/ (https://remarkableresults.biz/) Automotive Field Theory (https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/) with Matt Fanslow: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/ (https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/) Business by the Numbers (https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/) with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/ (https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/) The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast (https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/) with Brian and Kim Walker: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/ (https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/) The Weekly Blitz (https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/) with Coach Chris Cotton: https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/ (https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/)

3. 

   19 Oct 2026

   5 Communication Hurdles with Marketing with Dan Vance [E117]

   Watch Full Video Episode (https://youtu.be/RMB5tWf5ZzY) Is Your Water Clean? The Five Marketing Hurdles Holding Your Business Back In our episode today, I’m sharing a conversation with my friend and show sponsor Dan Vance of Shop Dog Marketing, recorded as a webinar for Autoflow. It grew out of a few Speak Up episodes, including Episode 14, What Your Opt-Outs Are Telling You, and it looks at the five hurdles that keep shops from holding on to the customers they already have. We start with a familiar attitude in a slow season, “it’ll come back around,” and why a reactive text blast is usually too late and carries real risk. Then we walk through the hurdles: We’re not communicating about what matters to people. We’re not cultivating a real community. We’re not earning an opt in for the messages we send. We’re sending mass blasts without express written permission. Our whole organization isn’t oriented toward retention. Along the way, Dan tells the story of Backpack Betty and what real community looks like. I share what CRM was supposed to mean, why automated customer buckets aren’t relationships, and what a birthday message could be if you actually noticed something about your customer. We cover exit scheduling and why retention rate may be the most important number on a service advisor’s scorecard. I also share something a scene from HBO’s Rome, and the question I would ask every shop about its messaging: Is your water clean? Should I want it? We wrap up with audience questions about waiting room service lists and creating your own shop magazine. Word of the Day: Cultivate. To prepare and tend something so that it grows, or to build and nurture a relationship over time. Books mentioned: The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis; Stolen Focus by Johann Hari; How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age by Dale Carnegie & Associates; Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! Sincerely, Craig O’Neill What Your Opt-Outs are Really Telling You [E014]: https://craigoneill.captivate.fm/episode/what-your-opt-outs-are-really-telling-you-e014 Thank You To Our Partners Autoflow, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Advanced Shop Leadership Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during, and after the visit into a single thread. An end-to-end CRM for auto repair shops. https://autoflow.com/ (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/ (https://shopdogmarketing.com/) Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. https://callinbound.com/ (https://callinbound.com/) Advanced Shop Leadership's 20 groups are built for motivated shop owners who want more balance, more fulfillment, and the right peers to grow with. ASL is selective. Find out if you qualify at ASL.COACH: https://www.advancedshopleadership.com/ (https://www.advancedshopleadership.com/) Contact Information Email Craig O'Neill: speakup@craigoneill.net Join Our Virtual Toastmasters Club: https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmasters (https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmasters) The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ (https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/) Download and Listen on Our Mobile App: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/ (https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/) Remarkable Results Radio Podcast (https://remarkableresults.biz/) with Carm Capriotto: https://remarkableresults.biz/ (https://remarkableresults.biz/) Automotive Field Theory (https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/) with Matt Fanslow: https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/ (https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/) Business by the Numbers (https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/) with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/ (https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/) The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast (https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/) with Brian and Kim Walker: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/ (https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/) The Weekly Blitz (https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/) with Coach Chris Cotton: https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/ (https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/)

Who has been a guest on Speak Up!

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Kent Bullard
• Sara Fraser
• Brandon Crusha

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 35 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

70

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0

Contact Speak Up!

Guest appearances

Books guests

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

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