Beyond the Wrench
How can automotive and diesel shops run a better business and be more profitable? How can we make the aftermarket and dealerships more attractive to younger generations? Each week, Jay Goninen, Co-Founder & President of WrenchWay, will sit down with shop owners, technicians, instructors, and professionals in the automotive and diesel industries to have them share their stories and insights. We’ll dive deep into what’s going on in shops and dealerships and what we can do to help drive the industry forward.
The Beyond the Wrench Podcast is powered by WrenchWay.
Episodes
258 episodes
Dealership Success Through Intentional Leadership
Bill Demaree, Corporate Director of Fixed Operations at Tom Wood Automotive Group, shares how intentional habits have helped grow their stores. He discusses the importance of hiring and firing based on company values to shape the culture, embra...
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1:00:31
What Attracts Technicians to Auto Collision
Joe Burda, I-CAR Instructor, surveyed over 100 auto collision technicians to understand what motivates them to join the industry. In this episode, he shares insights from the survey, explores common trends among respondents, and discusses how t...
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1:06:50
Celebrating Technician Talent at the Audi Twin Cup
Mollie Hughes, Service Operations Program Lead at Audi, discusses the Audi Twin Cup competition, which highlights the industry's top technicians, service advisors, and brand specialists. Mollie shares insights into the competition's structure a...
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54:22
Improving Habits as a Flat Rate Technician
Josh Arnold, Team Lead at Subaru of Austin, joins us again for his fifth appearance on Beyond the Wrench. Nearly a year has passed since Josh moved to a new shop out of state, and during that time, he’s made several key changes in both his pers...
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58:32
Intentionally Recruiting Today’s Auto Technician
Brad McKinney, Director of Talent Acquisition at Cavender Auto Family, shares a crash course on recruiting technicians in today’s market. With the technician shortage and technicians having the upper hand, your shop needs to stand out. Brad off...
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1:18:56
Building True Leadership in the Shop
Chris Craig, Fixed Operations Content Owner at RockED, shares insights from his new white paper and upcoming book on technician training and leadership. He discusses the difference between an appointed leader and a true leader, understanding yo...
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55:27
Thriving as a Young Technician
Naomi Kraemer, a first-generation technician, shares her journey from overcoming insecurities as a young tech to becoming a Main Line Technician at Subaru of Olathe. She reflects on the challenges of landing her first shop job, the invaluable e...
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1:05:12
Shop Software 101
Joe Toscano, keynote speaker, author, and technology expert of “The Social Dilemma” Netflix documentary, discusses his journey of returning to his automotive roots to become COO of Gateway Auto. He touches on tips for choosing the right shop so...
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41:38
The Walser Way: Part 2
The highly anticipated final part of our live Beyond the Wrench episode with Walser Automotive Group is here! In this episode, we dive deeper...
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45:17
The Walser Way: Part 1
For the first time, we took the Beyond the Wrench Podcast live on social media with our friends at Walser Automotive Group. In this episode, ...
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1:05:41
WrenchWay 2024 Year in Review
WrenchWay Co-Founders, Jay Goninen and Mark Wilson, reflect on 2024, sharing highlights, challenges, and what’s to come in 2025. They discuss proud moments, lessons learned, and future plans—all while focusing on WrenchWay’s mission to promote ...
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1:05:25
Shaping Collision Careers Through Mentorship
Max Sorensen, Senior Vice President of Operations at Caliber discusses the critical role mentorship and structure play in shaping successful auto collision technicians. He shares insights on Caliber’s Technician Apprentice Program (TAP), the ri...
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59:45
Breaking Down Barriers in the Diesel Industry
Jessica McAllister, Lead Technician, shares insights on attracting young technicians to the industry. As a young technician herself, she talks about the challenges of breaking into the diesel and trucking fields, the power of a great mentor, st...
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58:45
Best of 2024: Evolution of Women in the Shop (Replay)
To celebrate the holiday season and the new year, we thought it’d be fun to reshare an exciting episode from earlier this year. In this episode, Bogi Lateiner, a master technician with over 20 years of experience and the host of All Girls Garag...
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1:03:57
Best of 2024: Shop Leadership & Management Advice (Replay)
To kick off the holiday season, we thought it’d be fun to reshare an exciting episode from earlier this year. In this episode throwback, John Spence, one of the top business experts in the world, author, CEO, and speaker, offers key leadership ...
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1:01:48
2025 Voice of Technician Survey Results
Leaders from WrenchWay and ASE dive into the findings of the 2025 Voice of Technician Report. We discuss what technicians want from employers, preferred work schedules, desired pay structures, and more. We also compare the results with last yea...
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1:02:28
Climbing the Ranks in the Shop
Brandon Ludwikowski, Co-Owner of Midwest Performance Cars, joins us to share his journey in automotive and as a flat rate technician. With strong shop leadership, a good shop fit, a positive attitude, and a desire to learn, Brandon's story is a...
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1:05:50
NHRA Driver Helping to Attract Technicians
Energetic NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Driver, Steve Johnson, makes his first appearance on Beyond the Wrench. After starting as an auto technician, Steve founded the BAT-man (Be A Technician) Scholarship to help break down barriers and attract mo...
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1:06:37
Relationship-Driven Culture
Tim Winkeler, President & CEO of VIP Tires & Service, joins us to discuss how they prioritize relationships in building their shop culture. VIP Tires & Service has used staff feedback to drive improvements, learning valuable lessons...
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1:01:44
ASE & WrenchWay Partner to Enhance School Assist
In this recorded webinar, Jay Goninen and Mark Wilson, Co-Founders of WrenchWay, are joined by ASE President & CEO, Dave Johnson, to announce a new partnership with School Assist, the online platform that connects schools with industry. The...
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1:03:04
Career Advice for Aspiring Technicians
As a former technician, Larry Hourcle is now an Academy Instructor at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and a valuable voice for dealerships seeking growth. This episode explores Larry’s career transition, the importance of tec...
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1:13:49
Engaging Young Minds in Diesel
Ray Clark, Director of Training and Development for Truck Country and Stoops Freightliner, shares insights on the industry's need to collaborate with schools. He emphasizes the importance of building relationships with students starting in midd...
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1:00:52
Bridging the Auto & Truck Skills Gap
Brent Kindred, Vice President of The Wisconsin Automobile & Truck Dealers Association (WATDA) Foundation, addresses the status of the technician shortage and stresses the importance of industry involvement with schools to help fill the gap....
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1:02:45
Building Student Connections in Talent Acquisition
Nick Stafford, Talent Acquisition Lead at JX Truck Center, strives to serve each person he meets in their career journey. He emphasizes the importance of building relationships with students during the recruitment process, explains why the trad...
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1:08:02