Episode Description

In this week’s episode of Beyond the Wrench, we are joined by Lucas Underwood, President, L&N Performance Auto Repair. Lucas shares with us stories from his experience as a shop owner, common problems found in leadership, and what makes someone a great leader.

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Common Problems in Leadership

  • Independent shop owners aren’t being trained on how to properly run a shop. A lot of them are technicians turned into owners. They never spend time developing themselves and developing leadership skills.
  • The key to being a great leader and business owner is finding people that are better than you and letting them do their job.
  • The number one thing shop owners have to focus on is safely and reliably repairing cars for their clients. If they can do that, the rest will come into place.
  • Shop owners take ownership of everything that happens in the shop. They could put somebody else in charge of something, but at the end of the day, it’s the shop owners’ responsibility.
  • As an industry, we have to give technicians the tools to be successful and to train themselves.

The Role of a Leader

  • To get to the highest level of leadership, managers have to go through some productive discomfort.
  • Leaders will get where they want to go in life by helping other people get to where they want to go.
  • Technicians don’t work towards the owner’s goal. They work towards their goal, and their piece of the puzzle which ensures they accomplish the shop’s goal.
  • Shop owners need to focus on creating a safe, reliable, and dependable environment for their people. No matter what, their technicians should know they’re taken care of.
  • People can tell a lot about a leader based on how they would react if somebody came up to them and said that they wanted to start a competitive business.

Show Notes

Resources:

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About Our Host:

Jay Goninen
Co-Founder & President, WrenchWay
jayg@wrenchway.com | 608.716.2122

About Our Guest:

Lucas Underwood
President,  L&N Performance Auto Repair
lucas@dieselplusnc.com

Sponsor:

Caliber Collisions repairs and warranty give you peace of mind, but their exceptional customer service puts your mind at ease. They are a preferred partner of the nation’s leading vehicle manufacturers. Their technicians receive ongoing comprehensive, industry-recognized training and utilize the latest technology to ensure that we restore your car back to manufacturer standards.

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