Shows
Body Bangin'How Top Shops Develop Techs in 2025 | Ep #132 with Jason BartanenWhat does it really take to attract great technicians, train them the right way, and build a shop culture that actually keeps them?In this power-packed episode of Body Bangin’, I sat down with Jason Bartanen, industry educator, trainer, and founder of Collision ProAssist, to break down the real reasons shops struggle with talent… and what the best operators are doing differently.Jason has trained thousands of technicians across the country. He’s seen what works, what fails, and why some shops keep losing people no matter how much they pay.This episode is a r...
2025-11-1951 minBody Bangin'The Truth About Accountability in Collision Repair | Ep #125In this no-holds-barred episode, Micki Woods sits down with Kyle Motzkus and Clay Hoberecht, two industry pros who say what others won’t.They get brutally honest about the lack of accountability in the collision world, calling out fake certifications, clout-chasers, and shops that talk a big game but don’t follow OEM procedures.What you’ll hear:- Why ego is killing repair quality and what real leadership looks like- RTA: consumer protection or shop-owner trap?- The shocking truth about “certified” shops not following procedures- What happens when y...
2025-07-221h 30Body Bangin'Mental Health in Collision Repair | Ep #124In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Micki Woods sits down with industry leader Andy Tylka, owner of Tag Auto Group and founder of Brake the Stigma, to talk openly about mental health in the collision industry.This isn’t your typical business podcast. Andy shares his own mental health journey, from years of struggle and stigma to building a culture of support across his 15+ locations. Whether you’re an owner, tech, CSR, or just someone trying to keep it together…you’ll want to hear this.Here’s what you’ll learn:How Andy’s...
2025-07-0845 minBody Bangin'How Two Shop Owners Changed Collision Repair | Ep #123In this powerful episode, Micki Woods is joined by Jeff Butler and Justin Lewis—two shop owners who fought for years to protect collision shops and consumers alike, and won.They helped pass a groundbreaking Right to Appraisal (RTA) bill in Washington, and they’re here to share what every shop owner needs to know about it—and how to take action in your own state.Here’s what you’ll learn:✅ What RTA Actually Is: Why it matters, how it works, and why most shops are still misunderstanding it.✅ Why WA Had to Step...
2025-06-2454 minBody Bangin'4 Day Work Week at Auto Body Shops | Ep #122In this value-packed episode, Micki Woods sits down with Kena Dacus, co-owner of Dacus Auto Body & Collision Repair, to uncover real-world strategies for shop owners who are ready to grow smarter, not harder in the collision repair industry.Here’s what you’ll learn: ✅ Insurance Headaches: Why getting paid for proper repairs (like safety inspections) feels impossible, and how Kena’s team manages the pushback. ✅ Towing Business Truths: The real cost of adding towing services, the risks you need to know, and why it’s a completely different business model from collision repair. ✅ T...
2025-06-1033 minBody Bangin'Ep #121: Things Need to Change with Michael GiarrizzoI am talking with Michael Giarrizzo, CEO/President of DCR Systems, about embracing the change of our industry. As our vehicles become more complex things NEED TO CHANGE!Vehicles today are safety machines on wheels so what is your shop doing to make sure you are keeping those vehicles that come to you after a collision are being restored so they operate exactly like they would if they never would have gotten into an accident.We need to start taking on the responsibility of this to create a sustainable future in our industry! No m...
2024-07-1655 minBody Bangin'Ep #120: SE Collision Conference Insider with WMABA and CCAThank you to our wonderful sponsor, Lombard Equipment, who sells new and refurbished equipment AND provides training on that equipment in your shop!Reach out to them and get the help you need...Massachussets Office: (800) 422-PULLFlorida Office: 888-440-WELDVirginia Office: 833-MIG-WELDVisit them online: https://lombardequipment.com/What made this year's SE Collision Conference amazing? Several of those involved chatted about some things that happened behind the scenes plus a recap of the show. Joining me today is: Josh Kent - CCA's Executive Director, Kyle Bradshaw - CCA's President a...
2024-06-2537 minBody Bangin'Ep #119: RTA - The Process & The Shop's Role with Steve Krieps at the SE Collision ConferenceThank you to our wonderful sponsor, Lombard Equipment, who sells new and refurbished equipment AND provides training on that equipment in your shop!Reach out to them and get the help you need...Massachussets Office: (800) 422-PULLFlorida Office: 888-440-WELDVirginia Office: 833-MIG-WELDVisit them online: https://lombardequipment.com/We are talking about a very polarizing topic today with Steve Krieps of Collision Safety Consultants of West Virginia. Steve was part of a panel at the SE Collsiion Conference where they discussed the pros and cons of RTAs (Right to Appraisals), PRI...
2024-06-2133 minBody Bangin'Ep #118: Take Advantage of the Slow Times with Kevin Lombard & Dave Caron at the SE Collision ConferenceFor all of you listening Lombard Equipment is offering a FREE Air Jack (3 bag) with purchase of any Chisum equipment piece PLUS Chisum is offering incredible factory pricing through the end of June!https://youtu.be/AsTdmSVxSHs?si=v-sKc171vEm1eaKCKevin Lombard & Dave Caron of Lombard Equipment chat with us today about the opportunities shops have as they are experiencing some slow downs right now.A survey was done and found that a technician standing up ergonomically (versus down on the ground) are 22% more efficient!They also talk about the latest frame...
2024-06-2037 minBody Bangin'Ep #117: It's Time to Level Up! with Blake Farley at the SE Collision ConferenceThank you to our wonderful sponsor, Lombard Equipment, who sells new and refurbished equipment AND provides training on that equipment in your shop!Reach out to them and get the help you need...Massachussets Office: (800) 422-PULLFlorida Office: 888-440-WELDVirginia Office: 833-MIG-WELDVisit them online: https://lombardequipment.com/I'm excited to bring to you today Mister Blake Farley, the Executive VP of Operations for Quality Collision Group from the Southeast Collision Conference. Blake talks about how he used to get in his own way thinking he didn't need any feedback or...
2024-06-1930 minBody Bangin'Ep #116: Recruiting & Retaining Technicians with Jay Goninen at the SE Collision ConferenceThank you to our wonderful sponsor, Lombard Equipment, who sells new and refurbished equipment AND provides training on that equipment in your shop!Reach out to them and get the help you need...Massachussets Office: (800) 422-PULLFlorida Office: 888-440-WELDVirginia Office: 833-MIG-WELDVisit them online: https://lombardequipment.com/Next in our lineup from the Southeast Collision Conference is Jay Goninen, the President and Co-Founder of Wrench Way and the Podcast host of "Beyond the Wrench". Jay talks about some great things to consider about if you are looking to get some...
2024-06-1828 minBody Bangin'Ep #115: Stop Your Shop's Leaky Profit with Taylor Moss at the SE Collision ConferenceThank you to our wonderful sponsor, Lombard Equipment, who sells new and refurbished equipment AND provides training on that equipment in your shop!Reach out to them and get the help you need...Massachussets Office: (800) 422-PULLFlorida Office: 888-440-WELDVirginia Office: 833-MIG-WELDVisit them online: https://lombardequipment.com/Today we chat with Taylor Moss of OEC (OE Connection). Taylor talks about some of the main ways that shops are losing (leaking) profit and how you can stop the leaks!Taylor utilizes Repair Logic and offers a free demo if you...
2024-06-1721 minBody Bangin'Ep #114: Build Your Business with Enjoyment with Bruce Schronce at the SE Collision ConferenceThank you to Lombard Equipment, our wonderful sponsor, whose goal is to help improve the quality of people's lives.Reach out to them and get the help you need...Massachussets Office: (800) 422-PULLFlorida Office: 888-440-WELDVirginia Office: 833-MIG-WELDVisit them online: https://lombardequipment.com/Next in line at the SE Collision Conference we are taking with StrongLead's CEO, Bruce Schronce. Bruce and his team help grow collision centers. In his session he gives 5 critical aspects of growing your business, attracting, developing and retaining great people, leadership cohesion, and enjoying a meaningful...
2024-06-1421 minBody Bangin'Ep #113: Create a Bulletproof Repair Plan with Danny & Kyle at the SE Collision ConferenceLombard Equipment, our fantastic sponsor has 5 star online reviews, they do all of their own service and warranty work! Amazing! :) Reach out to them today...Massachussets Office: (800) 422-PULLFlorida Office: 888-440-WELDVirginia Office: 833-MIG-WELDVisit them online: https://lombardequipment.com/Kyle Motzkus, GM of Hunter Autobody, and Danny Gredinberg of the DEG (Database Enhancement Gateway) are with us today!Their session was called "Self Confidence: An advanced repair plan you can expand on."They discussed the non-negotiable required operations and how they talk about some of these more complex t...
2024-06-1327 minBody Bangin'Ep #112: ADAS - To Calibrate or Not to Calibrate with Greg Peeters at the SE Collision ConferenceLombard Equipment, our fantastic sponsor, has been in business for over 30 years providing equipment, service, training, AND support! Reach out to them today!Massachussets Office: (800) 422-PULLFlorida Office: 888-440-WELDVirginia Office: 833-MIG-WELDVisit them online: https://lombardequipment.com/Today we are chatting with Greg Peeters of Car ADAS Solutions. Greg's session was titled "The Critical Steps Involved to Achieve an OEM-Centric Calibration".We chat about the good, the bad, the truths and untruths about ADAS as well as what it takes to do an accurate calibration as...
2024-06-1222 minBody Bangin'Ep #111: Building Value in Your Business with Matt DiFrancesco at the SE Collision ConferenceThank you to Lombard Equipment - our sponsor of this series! Lombard Equipment not only sells new and used equipment but they have real LIVE people answer their phone!Reach out to them and get the help you need...Massachussets Office: (800) 422-PULLFlorida Office: 888-440-WELDVirginia Office: 833-MIG-WELDVisit them online: https://lombardequipment.com/Next in line at the SE Collisiion Conference we are taking with Matthew DiFrancesco who had a session titled "Building Value in Your Shop". Matt is the owner of High Lift Financial and the podcast host of "...
2024-06-1118 minBody Bangin'Ep #110: Future-Proof Your Shop with Mike Anderson at the SE Collision ConferenceShoutout first and foremost to Lombard Equipment - our sponsor of this series and your #1 choice when looking to purchase new and refurbished equipment from Maine to Miami!Reach out to them today! Massachussets Office: (800) 422-PULLFlorida Office: 888-440-WELDVirginia Office: 833-MIG-WELDVisit them online: https://lombardequipment.com/We are kicking off the series from the SE Collision Conference 2024 in Greensboro, North Carolina with the one and only Mike Anderson of Collision Advice! Mike had a couple of sessions: 1) Future-proof Your Shop: Tomorrow’s Success Starts with Today
2024-06-1030 minBody Bangin'Ep #109: Taking the Gloves Off with Clay HoberechtWinner of the 2024 Vehicle Care Rockstar Award given out by BodyShop Business went out to Clay Hoberecht - owner of Best Body Shop in Wichita!Clay talks about what he does differently, why he does it and what separates him from other shops.Reach out to Clay directly:Clay's Email: bestbodyshopinwichita@yahoo.comEpisode #55 with Clay: Get Paid for What You Do and Change Your Mindset with Clay Hoberecht: https://youtu.be/s46WhSvjClkBest Body Shop's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BESTBODYSHOPINWICHITACollision Cocktail Hour: https://collisioncocktailhour.comWichita Wagyu: https://wichitawagyu.com____________________________ C...
2024-05-2159 minBody Bangin'Ep #108: SE Collision Conference is Comin'! with Jordan Hendler & Josh KentJordan Hendler & Josh Kent join me today to talk about the SE Collision Conference that will be happening very soon! From May 16-18th the festivities will be going down!On Friday, May 16th there is an award ceremony with cocktails, games and a whole lot of fun. This event is by invite only or if you purchased a ticket to the attend the amazing classes.Starting Saturday, May 17th at 8:30am EST the classes kick off with Mike Anderson of Collision Advice and sessions run all day. The tradeshow floor is free to anyone...
2024-05-0723 minBody Bangin'Ep #107: Hidden Gems to Grow Your Business with Rick SeloverRick Selover has been in the business for a long time and has been helping shops grow for just as long! Rick understands the power of perspective and of self awareness. After putting things into action in his own life and seeing the power of it all, he started helping others in our industry.We talk today about some basic things you can switch up in your every day life that will impact your person, your body and also your business and the way you function!If you take 1 thing that popped into your mind...
2024-04-3046 minBody Bangin'Ep #106: NE Collision Conference Highlights with Ken MillerThe NE Collision Conference just wrapped up and I only heard amazing things about it! Today we talk with Ken Miller, President of the AASP New Jersey and Co-Owner of 821 Collision in North Haledon, NJ. He shares with us some of his top takeaways and most popular highlights of the show. If you have never been to the NE Collision Conference it is the weekend of St. Patty's Day in March every year so make sure to register when it comes around in 2025. This conference has the largest trade floor and is known as the "mini-SEMA".
2024-04-0940 minBody Bangin'Ep #105: Overcoming Common Shop Challenges with Kyle MotzkusToday, my friend Kyle Motzkus, who's the general manager over at Hunter Auto Body in St. Louis, Missouri, and I are having a chat about the common challenges collision shops face. Kyle's got some great insights to share!We'll cover everything from the importance of getting the intake process right with clients to ensuring they're the right fit for your shop, setting clear expectations, walking them through the repair process, drafting repair procedures, staying in touch with both the insurance carrier and the customer, and even handling payments post-repair.Kyle's a seasoned speaker at industry...
2024-03-2650 minBody Bangin'Ep #104: The Keys to Success with Louie SharpLouie Sharp, owner of Sharp Auto Body talks to us today about the keys to his success. As a former marine his mindset shift completely changed his life and his business.Louie drops so many amazing gems in this episode. Check this out:Life is either easy or hard and you get to choose how you play the game.Be the point of the spear. Lead the charge for what is right, for what's just and what is fair.In coaching he starts with the owner. For every business owner, Louie shares that you have to...
2024-03-1256 minBody Bangin'Ep #103: Stand Out in a Consolidator's Market with John ShoemakerDid you know that in our collision world today that only 44% of body shops are independent? Take advantage of that!John Shoemaker joins us today and we dive a little bit into his session at SEMA with the SCRS classes where he spoke on “Being Elite in a Consoldator’s Market”.John is a legend in our industry. He’s a long time veteran who now is a BDM for BASF where he is able to help out shops plus he speaks at conferences and association events across the country.Being elite in your mar...
2024-02-2740 minBody Bangin'Ep #102: EV Collision Repair Niche with Steve BakerI had the pleasure of hanging out with Steve Baker, manager of Windermere Collision Center in Winter Garden, Florida. At Windermere their team has decided to really get niche in the EV repair segment. We discuss the importance of their processes and how that has been a big needle mover for them. We also discuss some of the difficulties they have had repairing the EVs and how they are overcoming them. In addition, if you are thinking of either getting into the EV certifications for Tesla, Lucid, Rivian, etc or pushing harder into those – Steve gives some great recommendations....
2024-02-1345 minBody Bangin'Ep #101: Loaner Vehicles - Another Revenue Stream? with Laura TierneyToday we are talking with Laura Tierney from ShopLoaner.com and discussing something that is gaining a lot of momentum in our industry – vehicle loaners in your shop.This doesn’t mean that you have to give out free loaners to people. This means another revenue stream for you. It means that you could provide a value to your guests by having a vehicle on site or even providing a vehicle for less money per day to customers who don’t have rental coverage. It also allows you to really provide for that guest at another level. ...
2024-01-3045 minBody Bangin'Ep #77: The Golden Rule Doesn't Work with Mark OlsonThank you to our sponsor - Lombard Equipment! Selling equipment for over 30 years who not only does training IN your shop they do hands-on training ON YOUR EQUIPMENT! :)https://lombardequipment.com/Mark Olson was one of the great speakers at the SE Collision Conference. He talks about the different generations and how different each one will do something as basic as making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You add in the 4 different personality types which are: amiables, expressives, drivers and analyticals. He also talks about "communicating to discover and understand". That would shift the world!
2023-05-0824 minBody Bangin'Ep #73: You're Losing Money on Your Labor Rates with John ShoemakerThank you to our sponsor - Lombard Equipment! Selling equipment for over 30 years who not only does training IN your shop they do hands-on training ON YOUR EQUIPMENT! :)https://lombardequipment.com/"Reverend" John Shoemaker of BASF is what I like to call him! John always has great input and today he's talking about charging for the proper labor rates with proper labor times.What's the difference? Labor types depict the labor rates!Why do we not talk about that more often?Most shops are using body and refinish as a labor type...
2023-05-0218 minBody Bangin'Ep #72: New Mixing Technology that Eliminates Waste with Amanda ValmonteThank you to our sponsor - Lombard Equipment! Selling equipment for over 30 years who not only does training IN your shop they do hands-on training ON YOUR EQUIPMENT! :)https://lombardequipment.com/As a vendor and sponsor of the SE Collision Conference, Amanda Valmonte, BDM with PPG, talks with us about the latest automated mixing system technology called Moonwalk!Moonwalk is 100% automated other than the loading of toners on the mixing bench and it's 100% accurate based off of the variant the painter selects!The Moonwalk system is blowing up in the US! One of...
2023-05-0114 minBody Bangin'Ep #71: Pre & Post-Measuring with Chad DellingerThank you to our sponsor - Lombard Equipment! Selling new and refurbished equipment from Maine to Miami and helping anyone anywhere with their equipment questions. :)https://lombardequipment.com/Car O Liner is a sponsor of the SE Collision Conference and we talk today with Chad Dellinger. Chad says that we will see pre-measuring and post-measuring needed on every vehicle so it's important to do the trainings to be able to repair the vehicles the way they were meant to be repaired by the OE procedures.He talks about the changes needed to document the...
2023-04-2813 minBody Bangin'Ep #70: Write Your Strongest Sheet with Danny GredinbergThank you to our sponsor - Lombard Equipment! They are the REAL DEAL. Check them out: https://lombardequipment.com/Another great episode from the SE Collision Conference with Danny Gredinberg! Danny had a session where he talked with shops about how they can utilize the DEG to get paid for what they do plus the SCRS Bot Tool.Visit www.DEGweb.org to use this great resource. It helps you and all others in the industry since once the DEG looks into your submission/inquiry they talk to your information provider and the information provider...
2023-04-2717 minBody Bangin'Ep #69: EVs Love Glue Pulling with Chris WhiteLombard Equipment provides in person, HANDS ON training. Visit their website: https://lombardequipment.com and talk to them about your equipment needs!Our 3rd interview from the SE Collision Conference is the owner of KECO - Chris White! KECO is a glue pulling system that has taken over the world. :)We've talked to Danny Hacker before about how to do glue pulling which got SO many downloads. Click here to watch episode #60 with Danny as he gets into the details: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-60-glue-pulling-is-changing-the-game-with-danny-hacker/id1558234037?i=1000596287624KECO blew up...
2023-04-2621 minBody Bangin'Ep #68: Set the Stage for the Repair & the Experience with "Big Chris" HerronLombard Equipment recommends you ask about the service after the sale when looking to buy equipment. When you purchase equipment from Lombard their very own reps come to your shop to do your training and will provide loans equipment if something ever needs servicing! Visit their website: https://lombardequipment.comBig Chris of Big Chris Collision in Aiken, SC was an attendee at the SE Collision Conference and his takeaways are super valuable PLUS he talks about communicating with our customers about the insurance issues. Chris has customers that pay thousands of dollars after the repair and...
2023-04-2513 minBody Bangin'Ep #67: Lots of Sales Cover Lots of Sins with Mike AndersonWe are kicking off the SE Collision Conference series of daily podcasts coming from Richmond, Virginia and I want to give a shout out to Lombard Equipment - the BEST equipment company on the East Coast providing extraordinary customer service, training and support! Visit them here: https://lombardequipment.com/Mike Anderson, of Collision Advice, spoke on the topic "Be Extraordinary!" and that's in every aspect of business - with customers, your employees, in OEM research, etc. He really feels that shops are getting complacent in large due to being so busy and forgetting that customer service is...
2023-04-2423 minBody Bangin'Ep #66: Creating a Winning Shop with Andrew BatenhorstAndrew Batenhorst is the collision center manager at Pacific BMW in Glendale, CA where they just won the BMW shop of the year award! Out of 272 shops they ranked #1!!Andrew is all about the process in his shop and the results speak for themselves. He talks about what changes he's implemented in his shop that has made such incredible changes such as:The Value of Processto allow them to be efficient & not wasteful, to be consistent and to put the right people in the right spotallows him to stop putting out fires and manage & develop h...
2023-04-1845 minBody Bangin'Ep #65: You Need This Free Tool! with Danny GredinbergDanny Gredinberg is an industry veteran and you've probably seen him around! On today's podcast, Danny shares with us what the DEG is (Database Enhancement Gateway) and the powerful uses it provides to help you get paid for what you are doing.The DEG is a FREE resource for the industry which improves the accuracy of the estimating systems. 50% of the online inquiries make changes to the information providers like CCC, Mitchell & Audatex. You don't just help yourself when you use this - you help EVERYONE!The DEG helps with:Incorrect LaborMissing PartsMissing LaborClarification o...
2023-04-0451 minBody Bangin'Ep #64: Lexus Shop of the Year with Jesse ParksFreeman Collision Center in Santa Rosa, California won the award of Lexus Shop of the Year for 2022 and today we are talking with collision center director, Jesse Parks. Jesse shares with us what he feels allowed his team to win this year, how his mindset has shifted since attending the Discover Leadership Training with Mike Jones and the things that he's passionate about in his shop.Jesse is all about being stronger together and I am in 100% agreement!Reach out to Jesse Parks directly: Email: jparks@freemanmotors.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in...
2023-03-2151 minBody Bangin'Ep #63: Growing Your Shop in Every Way with Steve OlsonSteve Olson of Louisville Collision Center in Louisville, KY is BACK on the podcast! He was killing it a year ago in 2021 and now they have taken things to a whole new level and in 2022 they added 5 new techs and increased their net profit by 65%. Yes, you read that right. Now they are geared up to blow the top off in 2023.Steve talks about how to maximize each RO, how he grows his people, bonus programs, what his blueprint estimators do, scheduling vehicles, getting parts deposits, how they set up their 10K sq ft lobby and MORE!
2023-03-0735 minBody Bangin'Ep #62: Unlock Your Impossible Life with Chris M. KingChris M. King of Status Flow is my personal performance coach. He's an author, a keynote speaker, he works with the Navy Seals and so much more! As someone that has helped me unlock areas of my life and after hearing the incredible feedback from the first time he was on the podcast I wanted him to back on come on and share some things with you that are transformational!Once something becomes possible in your mind it becomes possible in your life. We talk about the power of our speech. We talk about mindset. We t...
2023-02-2152 minBody Bangin'Ep #61: Do Things Different with Michael BradshawMichael Bradshaw of K&M Collision in Hickory, NC received the 2022 BodyShop Business Executive of the Year Award for a single location! As a shop that is now working a 4-day work week they are doing things differently and seeing incredible results both in profit and in morale!Michael and his team have built an amazing culture and he gives us some examples of things they are doing to instill that personal connection with his team members. He is big on personal investment and pouring into his people. K&M Collision also strives to repair the vehicle...
2023-02-0748 minBody Bangin'Ep #60: Glue Pulling is Changing the Game! with Danny HackerGlue Pulling might not be taking over the world but it's definitely changing the game and as shop owners, managers, techs, etc - we owe it to ourselves to be informed about the incredible things on the market that can help us do a safer, better repair! Danny Hacker is on the show today and as a veteran of the industry and shop owner as well as working for KECO, Danny is so knowledgeable about glue pulling and shares some key pieces of info that shops really need to listen to.We talk about the misconceptions of...
2023-01-2439 minBody Bangin'Ep #59: Can a DRP Fix Cars Correctly? with Jerald StieleJerald Stiele is an owner of 3 body shops in Minnesota - two Collision Center 1 shops & Hopkins Auto Body 1. They have 8 OEM Certifications/Recommendations and are a DRP for a couple of insurance companies AND he says it's possible to do so WHILE repairing the vehicle properly (according to OE recommendations).He is frustrated by the generalization that shops can't be a DRP shop AND fix cars properly. How is that possible? Listen in as he shares how they handle their DRP relationships.Jerald is a huge proponent for getting involved in your local trade schools...
2023-01-1029 minBody Bangin'Ep #58: Use the Appraisal Clause to Get Paid with Bill WalkowiakIf you've never seen Billy Walkowiak's posts on social media then you are missing out! Billy is a major advocate of the consumers and I like to think of people like him as the super-heroes in our industry. You should see the wins he is able to get for our consumers!As a veteran of the collision industry, he owns Collision Safety Consultants where he specializes in appraisal clause, total loss, diminished value and post-repair inspections.Tune in for some INCREDIBLE information that most of us do NOT know:The body shop can not invoke...
2022-12-1956 minBody Bangin'Ep #57: What They Did After Dropping Their DRPs with Drew PlischkeGold Coast Auto Body in Chicago, Illinois decided years back that the insurance company DRP model was not in line with what they wanted for their shop or their customers. After dropping all of their DRPs they worked for years on developing and honing their repair process to best help their customers and make things as seamless as possible within the shop. Listen in as Drew Plischke, the Director of Client Insurance Reconciliation at Gold Coast Auto Body, shares with us the pitfalls they found when dropping those relationships with insurance companies and how they've turned things around to...
2022-12-0550 minBody Bangin'Ep #56: The Disconnect with Female Customers with Katie MaresAs shop owners we think we are providing 5-star customer experience yet data shows that only a small percentage of our customers think the same thing! Where's the disconnect?As one of the most popular keynote speakers for her talks on 5-star customer experience and, more specifically, the female experience - Katie Mares talks with us about how men and women are wired and how we can grow our culture and the quality of customer experience. Katie has a Masters in Adult Training and Development and is the author of "CustomHer Experience" which is set to r...
2022-11-1449 minBody Bangin'Ep #55: Get Paid for What You Do and Change Your Mindset with Clay HoberechtAs a shop owner of Best Body Shop in Wichita, Texas, Clay Hoberecht is running his shop unlike most shops out there and having great success!As a client of Barrett Smith (episode #53) Clay was so frustrated with the industry as a whole and was begging to have different and do different. The main desire for him was to be able to do a safe and proper repair and be compensated appropriately which - at that time - felt impossible.After being slammed busy with cars wrapped around the building he checked his bank account t...
2022-11-011h 08Body Bangin'Ep #54: The Gifts & Opportunity of Being Different with Jamie McKinneyJamie McKinney is the author of "Speak Up, Sister", is a motivational speaker and leadership coach! She grew up in the collision industry starting at PPG and found that her path as a female could help both women and men, alike, step up and feel empowered."If you avoid the fear of striking out - that's when you get to hit the homerun".As her first job out of college, Jamie felt frustrated as she was talked over by the folks that had been in the industry longer than she had been alive.She leaned...
2022-10-1745 minBody Bangin'Ep #53: Don't Give Away Your Power to Insurance Companies with Barrett SmithBarrett Smith of Auto Damage Exerts (ADE) is a popular contributor to BodyShop Business as he speaks very openly and, oftentimes, controversial about insurance companies. Having been born into family that owned a shop then working for insurance as an adjuster to having his own shop helped him learn and create a process to help his own shop flourish. He now brings shops on as clients and teaches them this very different way to deal with guests and these insurance companies.His shops have LESS stress and HIGHER profits! Join us on the Collision Cocktail Hour...
2022-10-0335 minBody Bangin'Ep #52: Getting Insurance to Pay with Walt SilmonWalt has been having success getting insurance to pay for the full "estimate" or as he calls it - the "invoice" so we dive in to how he's doing it!His 2 main takeaways are:1 - Run your body shop like any business2 - Get your customer involved After hearing about some of Walt's successes with insurance payouts I asked him to come on the podcast to share what he is doing since SO many shops reach out to me and are completely exhausted by the back and forth and non-payment from the insurance...
2022-09-1243 minBody Bangin'Ep #51: The Federal Government May Owe You Money! with Ray RothDid you know that about 93% of shops have NOT claimed money that is owed to them as part of the CARES Act Stimulus that was enacted to help businesses that suffered because of Covid-19? Well, I hadn't either! Ray Roth of Stout (a full service financial firm ) shares with us what it takes to qualify for this Employee Retention Credit (ERC). Shops can get up to $26,000 back PER EMPLOYEE! Yes, you read that right!Get your free consultation from Stout to see if you may qualify: https://info.stout.com/stout-omega-erc-engagement-signup-0Connect with Ray Roth...
2022-08-2931 minBody Bangin'Ep #50: Handling Industry Pressures & Thinking Outside the Box with Mike TownleyThis is a re-launch of episode #10 since it applies very nicely to what I'm hearing at all of the shops I work with. Everyone is dealing with a lot of pressure in so many ways in our industry. Mike Townley, owner of Telesis Collision Center, talks about a very outside-the-box idea we did in our days at Valley Motor Center, dealing with industry pressures and knowing different personality types to place your best people in the best positions for them.Connect with Mike TownleyEmail : mike@telesiscollision.comWebsite: https://telesiscollision.com_____________________________ ...
2022-08-1543 minBody Bangin'Ep #49: More $$ in Your Pocket on C/C Transactions with Jeremy ScottI'm seeing a lot of talk on the social media chat boards talking about shops adding a surcharge on top of credit card transactions. So, basically, if you run your guest's credit card they automatically pay x dollars on top of that charge to offset the fees you get charged as the shop owner. There are also ways you can save money when taking credit cards that you might not even know about...actually, most business owners don't know!Jeremy Scott is someone I trust for my clients and he educates us on what running a surcharge...
2022-08-0133 minBody Bangin'Ep #48: Are Waivers a Thing of the Future? with Kyle BradshawThere were SO many great takeaways during the SE Collision Conference and Kyle Bradshaw, the CCA President and Fixed Ops Director of K&M Collision, wraps up this series. Kyle talks about the value of being a part of any association PLUS he talks about THE hot topic at the conference - WAIVERS! Should you or shouldn't you? Or more like...will you or won't you?Connect with Kyle Bradshaw Email : kyle@kandmcollision.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-bradshaw-ab060520a/_____________________________ Connect with Micki on LinkedIn Now! :) https://www.linkedin.com...
2022-07-2118 minBody Bangin'Ep #47: What are the Gaps in Your Leadership with Bruce SchronceCreating a clear path and being a great leader aren't just things that we know how to do! As a leadership development specialist and life coach, Bruce Schronce talks with us about how he helps his clients be clear in their goals and identify what the gaps are in their current leadership style. Part of that is knowing what to say "yes" to so they know what to say "no" to.One of my favorite messages from this: Whatever has gotten you where you are at now is not going to get to where you want to...
2022-07-2028 minBody Bangin'Ep #46: 5 Ways to Sustain Success in Your Shop with David WillettDavid Willett of Spark Underwriters spoke at the SE Collision Conference and speaks at events around the country. Today we dive into his talk about the 5 main ways we, as shops, can sustain success. David also speaks on the importance of getting into a niche where there isn't a lot of competition and how imperative it is to get to know at least 3 things about each employee so we can effectively build relationships with them and develop them.Connect with David Willett of Spark UnderwritersEmail : David.Willett@sparkuw.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com...
2022-07-1922 minBody Bangin'Ep #45: Changing the Way We Communicate is Key with Kristen FelderIn a post-Covid environment how should we be talking and dealing with our consumers? Instead of telling our customers what WE think they want to know or WE think they need to know, Kristen shares ways to listen to what the customer needs and how to communicate with them to meet them where they are at using key conversational skills.She also shares with us some key points from her few days at the SE Collision Conference that were great!Connect with Kristen Felder at Collision HubCollision Hub: https://collisionhub.comEmail...
2022-07-1826 minBody Bangin'Ep #44: Dos & Don'ts of Purchasing Equipment with Kevin Lombard & Dave CaronAll shops have to purchase equipment at some point in time and there are things to think about before you invest that "Quan". (Jerry Maguire shout out if you've never heard that term.) Kevin, the owner of Lombard Equipment, has over 45 years in collision equipment and brings a lot of knowledge to the table along with Dave!They are in over 1,000 shops per month!Although you may be out of the service area of Lombard Equipment, which is Maine to Miami, you can definitely learn a few things about equipment purchasing dos and don'ts....
2022-07-1519 minBody Bangin'Ep #43: How Shops are Finding & Retaining Talent with Dave LuehrA very popular guest of mine was a speaker at the SE Collision Conference and spoke specifically on a VERY hot topic...how shops are successfully finding and retaining talent and why shops are not being affected by this "talent shortage". His team educates and provides leadership education shops need to build a "magnetic business model" using the 5 key elements:1 - Meaningful Work (finding fulfillment) 2 - Acknowledgment (recognizing individual people)3 - Measurement (to gamify your shop)4 - Teamwork (pit crew style production models)5 - Goal Guidance (career pathing)Check out...
2022-07-1422 minBody Bangin'Ep #42: Maximize Your Billable Hours with Sam VenezuelaSam Venezuela with National Autobody Research Company spoke at the SE Collision Conference and shared with shops how they can collect more billable hours at better labor rates and share rates to combat insurance pushback using powerful, evidence based data.You've probably heard of Billable Genie and it's no wonder so many shops are raving about this tool. It provides real proof that insurers really do pay for things - even though they may be denying it. It references approved and paid insurance estimates showing evidence of line items that have been paid over 100,000 times...using an e...
2022-07-1334 minBody Bangin'Ep #41: Common Gaps in Your Garage Insurance with Alex WhittitYou may think that you have a wonderful insurance plan but typically, you won't know you are missing something vital until it's too late!Alex Whittit from Intrepid Direct spoke at the SE Collision Conference and talked to shop owners about common gaps in their garage policies, and also the importance of "Cyber Liability". Companies like Rivian require 1 million dollars in cyber liability in your garage policy and we expect to see more requirements like this in the future. Why would you be liable? Listen to Alex to learn more!If you are wanting to have a...
2022-07-1216 minBody Bangin'Ep #40: What Makes Our Shop Different with Michael BradshawEveryone says they do the best work and have the best customer service so what separates your shop? At K&M Collision in North Carolina Michael Bradshaw, the VP, talks about the things that makes their shop different including understanding the insurance policy and how the appraisal clause works and when to utilize that knowledge.He had a session at the SE Collision Conference that was very popular and I see the industry moving in the direction of us, as shops, being responsible to educate our consumer on many different levels.Connect with Michael Bradshaw -
2022-07-1123 minBody Bangin'Ep #39: Growing Your Shop and Your People with Jordan HendlerJordan Hendler is someone you may have seen around in the last 20 years. She's the executive director of the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association, the Communications Manager for CIC, is part of SCRS Society of Collision Repair Specialists AND is president of Admin Concepts. Wow! That's a mouthful!In the 4th interview of this series Jordan and I talk about ways the industry can get more involved, how you can grow your shop and your people and how passion is a differential for all things. Jordan is such a great asset to our industry!Connect...
2022-07-0818 minBody Bangin'Ep #38: You Don't Know What You Don't Know with Thomas McFinchThe 3rd interview of this series at the SE Collision Conference is with Thomas McFinch of I-CAR. I-CAR has shifted its focus from training to educating so what does that mean? Thomas talks about the pitfalls he sees a lot of shops fall into and the wonderful things he sees that are a necessary shift for our industry!Connect with Thomas McFinch - Website: https://www.i-car.com/s/Email Thomas: thomas.mcfinch@i-car.comCall Thomas: 402.960.0847_____________________________ Connect with Micki on LinkedIn Now! :) https://www.linkedin.com/in/micki-woods-36374121/
2022-07-0716 minBody Bangin'Ep #37: Maximizing Those Certifications with Rachel Collector & Patrick PorterThe 2nd interview of this series at the SE Collision Conference is with Rachel Collector & Patrick Porter of Assured Performance - an OEC Company. We chat about the OEC "takeover" and what that means for you in shops. We also discuss what Assured Performance can provide a shop that you may not be taking advantage of including the VIP Card Program, education, the power of dealership relationships and what you can do in your shop to grow that relationship that works with what you are already doing, and maximizing those certifications!Connect with Assured Performance or Directly...
2022-07-0621 minBody Bangin'Ep #36: Change the Way You Compete with Mike AndersonWe kick off the next 14 episodes with an interview I had the pleasure of doing with THE Mike Anderson of Collision Advice! We will talk with the speakers and some of the sponsors of the SE Collision Conference so we can all have a taste of what those in attendance had the pleasure of experience first hand.On today's episode Mike touches on several of the things he spoke about in his sessions:1 - Utilize technology and give employees back more time2 - When there is no communication, negativity fills the void3 - Voice...
2022-07-0522 minBody Bangin'Ep #35: Goal and Succession Planning for Your Shop with Matt Di FrancescoMany of you shop owners have an idea of what you'd like for your shop when your children or a manager takes over but how can you guarantee that will happen? You also have goals for your shop in terms of success and finances so how do you create a plan and execute it so it becomes a reality?We are talking with Matthew Di Francesco of High Lift Financial and he shares his process when helping shop owners with finances and succession planning. His motto is: Aligning Family and Business for Generational Wealth
2022-06-2038 minBody Bangin'Ep #34: Using Video to Educate Your Guests with Frank RinaudoToday we talk with Frank Rinaudo, owner of Frank's Accurate Body Shop in Slidell, Louisianna. I found Frank on LinkedIn and loved the videos he was making which showed the difference between an improper repair and a proper repair. As a non-DRP shop he understands the importance of education his guests and this was a way he could do so.He also shares with us some great information on becoming a non-DRP shop if that's the direction you are thinking of going in your shop.Full YouTube video showing a Tesla that was improperly repaired vs...
2022-05-0221 minBody Bangin'Ep #33: Make Stinkin' Good Money in Your Shop with Greg LobsigerGreg Lobsiger is a body shop owner out in Indiana at Loren's Body Shop where he does about $300k/mo which is about 3.5 cars/day or 65 cars/month. He says "It's not about creating dollars. I want to take money home. I work very hard. I want my technicians to make very good money. Without question, I want to take care of those people. I better make stinkin' good money and that is what it comes down to." But how do you know if you are profitable in your shop?Greg gives us some great takeaways and...
2022-04-1942 minBody Bangin'Ep #32: Finances & Employee Value Props with Rachel JamesRachel James started in the industry over 20 years ago and went from the dealer side to a technician and now is crunching numbers for body shop owners and their employees on a daily basis at her practice with Northwestern Mutual! Although most of us don't like talking numbers she helps shops and their employees budget, helps us to know what numbers we should be looking at, we talk a little about retirement and what I found most intriguing is something she can help you provide to key people called "Key Person Planning" where a specific, valuable employee can have...
2022-04-0431 minBody Bangin'Ep #31: Winning Shop Talk with Dominic MartinoThere are SO many hot topics in our industry right now so I grabbed my good buddy, Dominic Martino, who is owner of Gold Coast Auto Body with his brother, Mario. We are talking about all of the things they are doing that has helped them be bigger and stronger than EVER as a non-DRP shop! Dominic's team is incredible and is doing a few things you may think of for your shop.We are talking...rate increase, culture, Covid-19 changes and so much more.Connect with Dominic - Email: dmartino@goldcoastautobody.comLi...
2022-03-2138 minBody Bangin'Ep #30: Becoming a Lean, Mean, Auto Body Repair Machine! with Michael GiarrizzoAs we are all packed with work and having all kinds of issues I thought Michael Giarrizzo would be the best person to come on and talk about the lean processes he is known for running 65 stores for Sterling and training them to be lean and efficient. How is he handling these bottlenecks in production, parts issues and more? He shares with us his insight!Michael is the president and CEO of DCR Systems where they have 7 locations in 5 states that are dealer based and the stores all range in sales from $100K-$200K/mo, $200K-$350K/m...
2022-03-0838 minBody Bangin'Ep #29: Getting "In the Zone" All the Time! with Performance Coach - Chris KingDon't you wish you could get done in 1 day what would have taken you 1 week? I do! And, we can!Today we have Chris King, a performance coach with Status Flow sharing with us some key components for pique performance. At the end of the day - Chris shares with us that all responsibility for our life - is our own - and we can change it to become the Lamborghini that's living inside of us!Here's a great way Chris explains this: Your reality is the end result of a system. Any...
2021-12-2839 minBody Bangin'Ep #28: Talking Parts & People!!! with Dave LuehrTwo of the biggest pain points in the collision industry are PARTS and PEOPLE and today we are discussing both with the ever-popular Dave Luehr!Dave shares insights into how we can deal with the parts shortages plaguing us. He talks about how you can schedule properly by following the formula in the video (Elite Scheduling Secrets) and using tools such as ADAS CoPilot with Frank Terlep. (Link to the episode I did with Frank is below)We also talk about how to deal with the lack of qualified people/workers in our industry...
2021-12-1339 minBody Bangin'Ep #27: Labor Shortage Solutions! with Andrew Batenhorst and Steve Olson (Flashback)This labor shortage has gotten worse and everyone is dealing with it. On today's episode we flash back to earlier in 2021 where we talk about the "War on Talent" on Episode #19 with Andrew Batenhorst. He discusses how it's affecting him and his shop and gives some tips to those employees thinking about making a move. We also talked with Steve Olson in Episode #4. Steve's flash back is a small piece of his excellent episode where he talked about the importance of investing in your people.For EVERYONE watching or listening to this I recommend getting involved in...
2021-11-3030 minBody Bangin'Ep #26: Keep the Lawsuits Away & Make Your Website ADA Compliant with accessiBeAs a business owner I understand the importance of staying ahead of any legal issues as best as possible. You do NOT want to get "caught with your pants down"! When I found out that body shops were being targeted because their websites were not ADA compliant I jumped into action. I found "accessiBe" which is a program that works in the backend of your website to make it ADA compliant. That is a very simplified explanation of what it does but you get the gist. I suggest all my clients sign up for this to...
2021-11-1530 minBody Bangin'Ep #25: A Student's Perspective with Kenneth Stuart & Abe SellsBody shops are looking for techs and painters and we have some great ones being developed in our local trade schools. We've talked with instructors about how to get involved with schools and "woo" these students to their shops but now's the time to talk directly with a student. In this episode with talk with high school student, Kenneth Stuart, to hear what his take on our industry is and how his experience has been in his trade school and with a local shop he did a co-op with. We also talk with his instructor, Abe Sells, who...
2021-11-0133 minBody Bangin'Ep #24: Would Measuring Vehicles be a Game Changer in Your Shop? with John ShoemakerAs a current body shop consultant that's been in our industry for many years, John Shoemaker sees a major issue in the collision industry that you may not think is that big of an "issue" yet needs to be addressed. John sees shops run in to huge problems not measuring vehicles and talks about how measuring can help not only with the technical side of the repair but also getting from the insurance company proper compensation for necessary repairs based off of true data.Connect with John Shoemaker:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-shoemaker-amam-a0800020/...
2021-10-1836 minBody Bangin'Ep #23 - Is Now the Time to Sell Your Shop or Grow Your Footprint? with Laura GayLaura Gay, a former small MSO shop owner and now a certified Mergers & Acquisitions Professional (M&AP), spoke with us in Episode #12 and since then the auto body shop landscape has changed even more so I wanted to have her back on for a much needed update! Today Laura talks about the Biden Tax Plan that will affect sellers in 2022, what consolidators are now doing and things to think about whether selling or buying.To talk with Laura directly you can email, text or call her.Email: laura@consolidationcoach.comPhone: 301.399.8675Website: ConsolidationCoach.com
2021-10-0437 minBody Bangin'Ep. #22: The Appraisal Clause...What is it? When to use it?Charles Wilhite has been in our industry for over 40 years. He went from the shop side, to the insurance side, to teaching I-CAR and now is an independent appraiser. He talks with us today about what the appraisal clause is and when shops should counsel their customers to invoke it...For questions on the appraisal clause you can reach out directly to Charles.Email: chaswilhite@gmail.comWebsite: https://www.gamutservices.comConnect with Charles Wilhite on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleswilhite/_____________________________ Connect with Micki on Li...
2021-07-2624 minBody Bangin'Ep #21: Is it a Good Thing or a Bad Thing? Flashback Favorite!John Stuef is one of my favorite people in our industry and he had so many great topics and takeaways on his full podcast in Episode #2 of the Body Bangin' Podcast.Today's episode is a flashback on one of the highlights of that episode that is SO relatable! About John:John Stuef has been in the automotive industry for over 30 years and has a TON of knowledge and experience to share with collision centers. He's now an auto body shop consultant and is an author of the book "From Doing to Leading" which he wrote...
2021-07-1209 minBody Bangin'Ep #20: The Hidden Turbine That's Driving Success in Our Schools - with Brandon Eckenrode of CREFWe are all quick to complain about the lack of talent in our industry but where does most of that new talent come from? SCHOOLS! Why are we forgetting about these schools and instructors who are educating and training the up-and-comers to an industry that desperately needs them? Most of these schools and programs are severely underfunded and can't afford to provide the tools, supplies, safety equipment, etc they so desperately need.Then along comes CREF - the Collision Repair Education Foundation - a foundation where 90 cents of every dollar goes towards industry needs. CREF has...
2021-07-0532 minBody Bangin'Ep #19: Fighting to Win the War on Talent with Andrew BatenhorstAndrew Batenhorst talks with us today about this massive war on talent we are fighting.We discuss why it's gotten so bad, the "shady" practices many shop owners are using, how we can fight and win, and, also, what employees should be looking out for when these offers are rolling in!Andrew is the collision center manager at Pacific BMW in Glendale, California and has a heart to expose this major issue we are all going through.Connect with Andrew Batenhorst on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-b-1119a4186/_____________________________ C...
2021-06-2828 minBody Bangin'Ep #18: Get Out of Your Own Way to Create Success in Your Shop with Claudia MorgilloClaudia Morgillo owns 6 Fix Autos and 3 Novus Glass Locations in Southern Ontario and is also an Internationally Certified Leadership Coach & Trainer. She has taken her skills as a coach and trainer and applied them to her teams to create incredible success in our industry.Listens as she shares with us the biggest hurdle in growing your teams, your shop and yourself - YOU! - and how you can work on yourself so you can take your team to new levels.Connect with Claudia Morgillo: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudia-morgillo-pcc-cpc-eli-mp-56570a21/Facebook: https://ww...
2021-06-2125 minBody Bangin'Episode #17: Uncovering a Major Issue for Newbies to the Collision Industry with Jorge NavarreteJorge Navarrete is sharing a major issue he's seeing from his students with us today! Jorge is a highly respected instructor for our industry that has a huge following in his classes & his program as a whole yet he's seeing these precious youngsters either:A) finish with schooling and then go into another field or B) get into shops and within 2 years leave the industry for good.WHY IS THAT??? We need these up and coming students so desperately and Jorge tells us what his students have shared with him as to why they are le...
2021-06-1418 minBody Bangin'Episode #16: 11 Signs Your Marketing Company is Scamming You with John LehmanThe last thing you want to do is to be working your tail off but getting scammed by someone you thought you trusted. In this episode John Lehman of the Micki Woods Marketing Team and I talk about 11 signs to watch out for when using a marketing company!For questions or help with your marketing email us now: admin@mickiwoods.com_____________________________ Connect with Micki on LinkedIn Now! :) https://www.linkedin.com/in/micki-woods-36374121/ For more info on Micki's Marketing Services to help you grow your shop's revenue click here...
2021-06-0715 min