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