Wrench Turners Podcast

Mr Joshua Taylor
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Automotive

Content for Mechanics to live a happier, healthier, more productive life as a Mechanic. Check YouTube for more content: Wrench Turners Podcast on YouTube. Businesses interested in Sponsoring the show, please reach out to me via Linkedin. Wrench Turners on LinkedIn Remember, Negative Pushes, Positive Pulls, and Always clean your toys before you put them away. j.

  1. 46 mins ago

    The Care Level Becomes the Culture Level - Kelli Verdi on Wrench Turners Podcast

    Kelli Verdi joins The Wrench Turners Podcast for a conversation about faith, family, automotive, customer trust, dealership culture, and why care is never just a soft skill.Kelli’s story starts long before her career in automotive marketing. Her grandfather owned an automotive repair shop in Tampa, and without realizing it at the time, she was learning some of the most important lessons in the industry: how to treat people, how to earn trust, and how much the smallest details matter.That idea became one of the biggest lines from this episode:“Care levels become culture levels.”We talk about how that applies inside dealerships, service departments, websites, customer experiences, technician leadership, and even vendor relationships. From Google Analytics and dealership websites to service scheduling, reviews, AI search, OEM programs, and real conversations with people on the ground, Kelli brings a rare mix of marketing intelligence, automotive experience, and genuine human care.This episode also goes deeper than business. We talk about faith, burnout, leadership, personal loss, and the importance of taking care of yourself before you try to keep pouring into everyone else.In this episode, we cover:Kelli’s early connection to automotive through her grandfather’s repair shopWhy trust is built through tiny detailsHow care levels become culture levelsWhat dealership websites get wrong about customer experienceWhy service departments need better contentHow technicians and service leaders can help build trust before the customer arrivesWhy AI search and website content matter more than everHow Team MXS is approaching automotive website visibilityWhy taking care of yourself matters in this industryThe role faith has played in Kelli’s storyThis is a conversation for technicians, advisors, service managers, fixed ops leaders, vendors, marketers, and anyone who still believes this industry is about people first.Follow Kelli:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelliverdi/Team MXSLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/team-mxs/postsWebsite: https://www.teammxs.comPhone: 1-866-665-4669Subscribe to The Wrench Turners Podcast for real conversations with technicians, shop foremen, service leaders, trainers, and automotive professionals who are working to make this trade healthier, happier, and more productive.Negative pushes.Positive pulls.God Blessj.⚠️ Disclaimer:I’m a licensed mechanic. That doesn’t mean I know what I’m doing, whether it’s fixing things or filming things. Do your own due diligence.Listen to The Wrench Turners Podcast:Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1ScwRP0DFMtDsp83JxPhPK?si=26aeb4be65da45ebInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/mrjoshuataylor/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjtaylor/Chapters0:00 Prayer before the episode1:38 Kelli’s unexpected path into automotive7:38 Care levels become culture levels11:11 How customers feel the little details19:09 Kelli’s first year fully in automotive marketing24:25 CDP, SRP, and VDP explained for service leaders28:11 From analytics and events to Team MXS38:03 Why service leaders need to understand vendors44:12 OEM approvals, AI search, and website visibility1:00:12 Kelli’s advice: take care of yourself

    1h 13m

  2. Jun 25 ·  Bonus

    Service Advisors NEED to ask BETTER Questions | Earned Influence S1E4

    Technicians often say service advisors are one of the biggest problems in the shop. But is the problem really the advisor? Or is the problem that advisors are not being taught how to ask better questions? In the final episode of Season 1 of Earned Influence, Joshua Taylor, Jami Alexander, and Racheal Bright talk about the service lane, the service counter, phone calls, customer communication, and the relationship between technicians and advisors. Some shops have a physical service lane. Some do not. Some advisors see the customer face-to-face. Some build the entire relationship over the phone. But the core issue stays the same: better questions create better communication, and thus better communication builds more trust with the customer. Better information helps technicians diagnose faster, fix more efficiently, and avoid wasted time. This episode looks at the difference between automotive service, independent repair, and material handling, where the advisor’s role can change depending on whether the technician is working in the shop or being sent out into the field. The big takeaway is simple: The lane matters less than the questions. Earned Influence is a Wrench Turners Podcast panel series built around real conversations from women in automotive, fixed ops, service, leadership, and the trades. Featuring: Jami Alexander https://www.linkedin.com/in/jami-a-4075a9271/ Mindy Williams https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-williams-700b791b7/ Racheal Bright https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheal-bright-08281262/ ⚠️ Disclaimer: I’m a licensed mechanic. That doesn’t mean I know what I’m doing, whether it’s fixing things or filming things. Do your own due diligence. Listen to The Wrench Turners Podcast: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ScwRP0DFMtDsp83JxPhPK?si=26aeb4be65da45eb Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjoshuataylor/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjtaylor/

    10 min

  3. Jun 24 ·  Bonus

    One MENTOR changed EVERYTHING | Earned Influence S1E3

    Mentorship can change a career. Sometimes, it can change the reason someone stays in the industry at all. In Season 1, Episode 3 of Earned Influence, Racheal Bright asks a simple question with a much deeper answer: How important has mentorship been in your career, and how are you paying it forward today? Jami Alexander shares a personal story about a mentor who showed up for her during one of the hardest seasons of her life. Not with a speech. Not with a performance review. Not with a KPI. With presence. With care. With the kind of people-first leadership that stays with someone forever. Racheal also opens up about the other side of mentorship. The part where you’re no longer just looking for guidance, but starting to become the person others look to for it. This episode is about the leaders, foremen, managers, advisors, and technicians who may never fully know the impact they’ve had on the people around them. Because one mentor can change everything. Earned Influence is a Wrench Turners Podcast panel series built around real conversations from women in automotive, fixed ops, service, leadership, and the trades. Featuring: Jami Alexander https://www.linkedin.com/in/jami-a-4075a9271/ Racheal Bright https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheal-bright-08281262/ ⚠️ Disclaimer: I’m a licensed mechanic. That doesn’t mean I know what I’m doing, whether it’s fixing things or filming things. Do your own due diligence. Listen to The Wrench Turners Podcast: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ScwRP0DFMtDsp83JxPhPK?si=26aeb4be65da45eb Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjoshuataylor/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjtaylor/

    8 min

  4. Jun 23 ·  Bonus

    Getting senior Techs to take GRAVY work Seriously | Earned Influence S1E2

    Senior technicians are often built for the big stuff. Transmissions. Heavy line. Diagnostics. Complex repairs. The jobs that take skill, patience, and experience. But what happens when the shop needs those same technicians to take on more general service? Oil changes. Inspections. Same-day work. Smaller jobs. Gravy work. In Episode 2 of Earned Influence, Jami Alexander brings a real shop leadership question to the panel: How do you get senior specialized technicians to buy into gravy work when they’re used to heavier, more complex repair? Mindy Williams, Racheal Bright, and Joshua Taylor talk through the real issue. It’s not about forcing techs to do the work. It’s about helping them understand why the work matters. It’s about customer expectations. It’s about shop flow. It’s about using apprentices properly. It’s about showing experienced technicians that smaller work can still create value for the customer, the technician, and the business. And maybe most importantly, it’s about reminding senior technicians that the way they handle the simple work teaches the next generation how to care for customers when they’re gone. Earned Influence is a panel series built around real conversations with women in automotive, fixed ops, service, leadership, and the trades. Featuring: Jami Alexander https://www.linkedin.com/in/jami-a-4075a9271/ Mindy Williams https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-williams-700b791b7/ Racheal Bright https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheal-bright-08281262/ ⚠️ Disclaimer: I’m a licensed mechanic. That doesn’t mean I know what I’m doing, whether it’s fixing things or filming things. Do your own due diligence. Listen to The Wrench Turners Podcast: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ScwRP0DFMtDsp83JxPhPK?si=26aeb4be65da45eb Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjoshuataylor/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjtaylor/

    10 min

  5. Jun 22 ·  Bonus

    Stop Treating Customers Like Transactions | Earned Influence S1E1

    What does a dealership service department need to stop doing right now if it wants to keep more customers? In the first episode of Earned Influence, Joshua Taylor sits down with Jami Alexander, Mindy Williams, and Racheal Bright to talk about customer retention, communication, accountability, and what happens when service teams forget there is a real person behind every repair order. Jami brings nearly 29 years of experience across parts, fleet, big trucks, and repair. Mindy shares her perspective as a dealership service manager who started in the industry at 19. Racheal brings her background from material handling, where proactive communication and strong processes are just as important as they are in automotive. This conversation gets into one of the biggest problems in fixed operations: Too many service departments act like the job is only to fix the vehicle. But the real job is to take care of the person who owns it. Earned Influence is a 4 part panel series from the Wrench Turners Podcast, built around honest conversations, different perspectives, and the kind of leadership that is earned through action. Featuring: Jami Alexander https://www.linkedin.com/in/jami-a-4075a9271/ Mindy Williams https://www.linkedin.com/in/mindy-williams-700b791b7/ Racheal Bright https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheal-bright-08281262/ ⚠️ Disclaimer: I’m a licensed mechanic. That doesn’t mean I know what I’m doing, whether it’s fixing things or filming things. Do your own due diligence. Listen to The Wrench Turners Podcast: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ScwRP0DFMtDsp83JxPhPK?si=26aeb4be65da45eb Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjoshuataylor/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjtaylor/

    13 min

  6. Jun 12

    The Hard Truth About Becoming Shop Foreman - Mike Ramirez + Aaron Marion on Wrench Turners Podcast

    What actually happens when a great technician becomes a shop foreman? In this episode of The Wrench Turners Podcast, I sit down with Mike Ramirez and Aaron Marion, two experienced shop foremen, to talk about the real work of leading technicians on the shop floor. This conversation goes far beyond diagnostics, flat rate, and fixing cars. Mike talks about going from a producing technician to a shop multiplier, helping other techs remove bottlenecks, make more hours, and work better as a team. Aaron shares what it’s like leading inside a high-end Porsche environment, why mentorship still matters years into the trade, and why no technician should ever believe they’ve learned everything. The episode digs into: How mentors build technicians without doing the work for them Why shop foremen need to document their processes How team chemistry changes the entire shop Why reputation matters more than most technicians realize How ego can limit growth in the automotive industry Why personal finances affect technician happiness and performance What real shop leadership looks like when the car, the customer, or the team is struggling This is a conversation for technicians, shop foremen, service managers, fixed operations directors, and anyone who cares about building better leaders inside automotive service departments. Because the best tool in the shop is still a good leader. Negative Pushes Positive Pulls God Bless j. Find Mike: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-ramirez-1782152a/ Find Aaron: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-marion-257b18231/ ⚠️ Disclaimer: I’m a licensed mechanic. That doesn’t mean I know what I’m doing, whether it’s fixing things or filming things. Do your own due diligence. Listen to The Wrench Turners Podcast: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ScwRP0DFMtDsp83JxPhPK?si=26aeb4be65da45eb Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjoshuataylor/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjtaylor/ Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:56 Express bay to shop foreman 05:20 Aaron Marion’s early mentors 08:01 High-end stores and better shops 09:48 Why some shops can’t afford to miss 15:12 How Aaron handles problem cars 18:23 Mike’s Prologue diagnostic nightmare 20:34 Stumbling gracefully 23:17 The middle years of a technician’s career 25:32 What a dream shop feels like 26:23 Learning from everyone in the shop 32:39 Aaron’s advice for apprentices 33:44 Mike on reputation, trust, and leadership 37:15 Why technicians need to manage personal finances 41:44 Why technicians shouldn’t box themselves in 44:50 Closing quote and final thoughts

    46 min

  7. Jun 3

    There is NO Technician Shortage but there IS a Retention Problem

    Is there really a technician shortage or is the industry losing good people because shops are ignoring the real problem? In this episode, Marshall, John Baranski, Brent Osmond, and Richard Mueller break down the uncomfortable truth behind technician recruiting, retention, flat rate pay, shop reputation, apprentice turnover, and why automotive technicians are moving into heavy-duty, mining, material handling, and hourly positions. The conversation gets real about what shops say they need, what technicians actually talk about, and why every dealership’s reputation travels faster than most leaders want to admit. Because technicians know. They know what your shop pays. They know what your benefits cost. They know how your bonus structure actually works. They know which shops develop people and which shops chew them up. This episode is for technicians, shop foremen, service managers, fixed ops directors, dealership leaders, and anyone trying to understand why attracting and keeping good technicians has become one of the biggest challenges in the trade. Topics include technician shortage myths, apprentice retention, flat rate frustration, heavy-duty recruiting, employee experience, shop culture, technician career paths, and why great technicians don’t automatically become great leaders. The strongest line from the episode says it all: “If you think that the technicians around your area don’t know what your techs are getting paid, you’re dead wrong.” Negative Pushes Positive Pulls God Bless j. Follow Brent Osmond: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-osmond-7b8302149/ Dynamic Diesel Solutions https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamic-diesel-solutions-canada/posts/?feedView=all Follow Marshall Sheldon https://www.linkedin.com/in/marshall-sheldon-981349176/ Briggs Industrial Solutions https://www.linkedin.com/company/briggs-industrial-solutions/ Follow Richard Mueller https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-mueller-024155150/ Wolfe Automotive Group https://www.linkedin.com/company/wolfecalgary/ Follow John Baranski https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-baranski-335021270/ Miami Car Cartel https://www.instagram.com/miamicarcartel/ ⚠️ Disclaimer: I’m a licensed mechanic. That doesn’t mean I know what I’m doing, whether it’s fixing things or filming things. Do your own due diligence. Listen to The Wrench Turners Podcast: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ScwRP0DFMtDsp83JxPhPK?si=26aeb4be65da45eb Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjoshuataylor/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjtaylor/ 00:00 Technicians know what everyone is getting paid 00:52 Is there really a technician shortage? 01:45 Trade schools are still producing apprentices 03:47 Shortage or bad working conditions? 07:00 Shops complain about shortage but ignore retention 10:26 The real cost of training a new technician 12:42 What an empty bay actually costs the business 15:32 Shops have reputations whether leaders admit it or not 22:57 Why apprentices leave in the first year 29:52 Flat rate resentment and why techs are leaving automotive 34:24 Automotive techs moving into heavy duty and material handling 40:48 Different types of high performing technicians 43:58 Why good technicians don’t always become good leaders 48:21 What’s coming next: career paths technicians care about

    52 min

  8. May 27

    What Technicians Are Really Dealing With Now - 10 Mill on Wrench Turners Podcast

    So the 10 Mill lads took over.In this episode of 10 Mill Mastery, Marshall Sheldon, Richard Mueller, John Baranski, and the mysterious camera off Josh Arnold sit down for a real technician panel about what’s actually happening inside shops right now.This one goes everywhere.Passwords that change constantly.Scan tools that need updates before you can even work.Videos and photos are becoming part of every repair.Warranty documentation.Hot shops.Young techs are hitting the six-hour wall.Energy drinks, bad lunches, mental fatigue, and the difference between being lazy and learning how to work.Then the conversation turns into something bigger.How do you lead apprentices without crushing them?How do you coach a tech who’s stuck in diagnostic circles?How do you build shop culture without turning “roasting” into damage?How much direction does an owner actually need to give their leaders?And when does a job stop being worth the money?Marshall keeps the conversation moving from the field service side.Richard brings the structured dealership leadership perspective.John brings the boat world, the faith, the chaos, and the big picture questions.Josh Arnold stays hidden like a mystery dude in witness protection, but still drops the kind of quiet Subaru tech wisdom that makes everyone stop and listen.No polished keynote.No corporate script.No Joshua steering the ship.Just four technicians talking through passwords, videos, heat, pressure, leadership, money, values, and the modern weight of fixing things for a living.This is 10 Mill Mastery, without me.Negative PushesPositive PullsGod Blessj.⚠️ Disclaimer:I’m a licensed mechanic. That doesn’t mean I know what I’m doing, whether it’s fixing things or filming things. Do your own due diligence.Listen to The Wrench Turners Podcast:Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1ScwRP0DFMtDsp83JxPhPK?si=26aeb4be65da45ebInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/mrjoshuataylor/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjtaylor/00:00 Opening Prayer00:24 Passwords, Logins, and Technician Tech Overload02:24 Boat Diagnostics and OEM Platforms05:12 GM Techline, Updates, and Bricked Modules10:02 DMS Logins, Video Inspections, and Warranty Photos14:32 VPNs, Hotspots, and Mobile Programming Problems20:14 The Six Hour Wall for Young Technicians25:49 Midday Check Ins and Technician Productivity27:31 Helping Young Techs Learn How to Work32:25 Diagnostic Frustration and Knowing When to Step Away35:08 Shop Roasting, Mistakes, and Mentorship38:15 Watches, Fitness, and Side Conversations41:35 Alberta, Weather, Taxes, and Moving South44:44 Owner Vision, Guardrails, and Shop Direction47:51 Making Money Is Not a Clear Business Plan53:41 Pay, Risk, and Knowing Your Hard Line1:00:46 Jobs, Core Values, and When to Leave1:12:28 Closing Reflection

    1h 16m
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About

Content for Mechanics to live a happier, healthier, more productive life as a Mechanic. Check YouTube for more content: Wrench Turners Podcast on YouTube. Businesses interested in Sponsoring the show, please reach out to me via Linkedin. Wrench Turners on LinkedIn Remember, Negative Pushes, Positive Pulls, and Always clean your toys before you put them away. j.

Information

  • Creator
    Mr Joshua Taylor
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    184
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Mr Joshua Taylor
  • Show Website
    Wrench Turners Podcast

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