Honest Garage Podcast

David Laird

Welcome to The Honest Garage Podcast — where we talk shop about running a real repair business in the real world. Each week, David Laird sits down with independent shop owners, technicians, and industry experts to unpack what's working (and what's not) in marketing, hiring, leadership, and operations. No buzzwords. No agency jargon. Just honest conversations that help you grow your shop, keep your team steady, and build a business that lasts. Our show is about real shops telling real stories. Where shop owners talk about more than just repairs. They're building people, serving their communities, working on the shop, and not just in it. We are ultimately all shaping the industry that we all love!

  1. From Backyard Wrenches to Three Shops: Brandon Stapley on Multi Location Growth, Hiring for Attitude, and Marketing That Answers the Phone

    19h ago

    From Backyard Wrenches to Three Shops: Brandon Stapley on Multi Location Growth, Hiring for Attitude, and Marketing That Answers the Phone

    Brandon Stapley started where a lot of real shop stories start, turning wrenches in his dad's backyard, then grinding through side work and a rough two bay setup tied to a construction yard in the Arizona heat. When that yard went away, Brandon had to make a decision. Fade out or build something real. Today Brandon runs multiple brands in Arizona, including Stapley's Garage in Mesa and Stapley Car Care in Chandler, plus a quick service concept called Oil Buddy. In this episode, Brandon breaks down what changes when you stop being a technician who owns a shop and become an operator building a team across more than one location. You will hear how his hiring philosophy evolved into hiring for personality and coachability, how he protects culture without letting the wrong people take advantage, and why most marketing problems are really operations problems in disguise. Brandon gets specific about missed call opportunity cost, call recording and scoring systems, and why tracking phones and follow up matters as much as ads if you want consistent growth. If you are trying to scale without losing standards, and you want a real look at what it takes to grow multiple locations while keeping people and processes tight, this episode is worth hearing. Links: Honest Mechanic Marketing (HMM): https://honestmechanicmarketing.com/ Stapley Car Care: https://www.stapleycarcare.com/ Stapley's Garage: https://www.stapleysgarage.com/ Oil Buddy: https://oilbuddy.net/

    34 min
  2. Honesty You Cannot Fake: Brian Parada on Diagnostics, Warranty Level Work, and Winning in the Google Review Era

    May 27

    Honesty You Cannot Fake: Brian Parada on Diagnostics, Warranty Level Work, and Winning in the Google Review Era

    Brian Parada did not grow up thinking he would own an auto repair shop. He came in through business school, lawnmower engines, corporate tire stores, and a long stretch of learning how the industry really works when you are the one responsible for the customer and the outcome. Today Brian leads AutoTek Automotive Service and Repair in Raleigh, North Carolina, and in this conversation he gets real about the parts of shop ownership most people avoid. The diagnostic work that eats time under flat rate pay systems, the training gap that separates great techs from parts changers, and why Brian refuses to put his name and his warranty on work unless it is done the right way. You will also hear why customer happiness is not just a nice idea, it is survival. Brian talks about running a shop in the digital age, handling reviews, responding to complaints, and building a reputation where the word honesty actually shows up in what customers write. He also shares how communication and updated estimates matter when jobs change mid repair, and why transparency protects both the customer and the shop. If you want practical insight on diagnostics, training, quality control, and what it takes to earn trust at scale, this episode is worth hearing. Links: Honest Mechanic Marketing (HMM): https://honestmechanicmarketing.com/ AutoTek Automotive Service and Repair: https://www.autotek.biz/

    34 min
  3. Win the Second Visit: Greg Miller on Full Vehicle Inspections, Service Advisor Trust, and Growing Figs Auto Repair

    May 18

    Win the Second Visit: Greg Miller on Full Vehicle Inspections, Service Advisor Trust, and Growing Figs Auto Repair

    Greg Miller knows something most shops learn the hard way, fixing cars is only half the job. The other half is building a customer experience that earns the next appointment. Greg is the owner of Figs Auto Repair in Charlotte, North Carolina, and in this episode he breaks down the practical habits that turn one time callers into long term regulars. He talks about why they do a full inspection on every vehicle, even oil changes, and how that inspection becomes a trust builder when it is explained clearly, prioritized honestly, and documented well. Not fear based selling, just a better picture of where the car is today and what matters next. You will also hear how Greg thinks about the front counter, including hiring service advisors with and without technical backgrounds, and why communication and consistency matter as much as wrench skills. He closes with a straight answer to a great question, if you had to start from zero in a new town, what would you do in the first 30 days to get cars in the shop, build reputation, and create momentum. His answer covers marketing options like Google ads, Local Services, direct mail, plus the value of coaching and mentorship to shorten the learning curve. If you want a cleaner playbook for retention, inspections, and customer communication that actually works, this episode is worth hearing. Links: Honest Mechanic Marketing (HMM): https://honestmechanicmarketing.com/ Figs Auto Repair: https://figsauto.com/

    34 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Honest Garage Podcast — where we talk shop about running a real repair business in the real world. Each week, David Laird sits down with independent shop owners, technicians, and industry experts to unpack what's working (and what's not) in marketing, hiring, leadership, and operations. No buzzwords. No agency jargon. Just honest conversations that help you grow your shop, keep your team steady, and build a business that lasts. Our show is about real shops telling real stories. Where shop owners talk about more than just repairs. They're building people, serving their communities, working on the shop, and not just in it. We are ultimately all shaping the industry that we all love!