Beyond the Wrench

Women Supporting Women in Auto

Tiffany Scherado, Owner of Lifetime Transmissions and Facilitator of Amazing Women in Automotive (AWiA), joins us to share how AWiA is building a powerful community for women in the industry. Tiffany talks about what’s new since her last appearance on the podcast, what makes the AWiA retreat so impactful, and how being part of the

2026-04-08T07:06:34-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

How Gear Her Up Is Opening Doors for Women in Auto

Jason Kerstetter, Co-Founder of the Gear Her Up Foundation, joins us to share how he’s creating opportunities for young women in automotive. Inspired by his daughter learning to work on her own car, Jason explains how the 12-week program teaches hands-on skills and helps break down barriers in the industry. Watch the Full Episode 

2026-04-01T06:59:24-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

5 Steps to Train and Retain New Technicians

Donald Favors, Auto Tech Instructor at Lowell High School, joins us to talk about the five steps he developed for technician retention in his “Pathway to Retention” program. In the episode, he walks through each step in detail—from connecting with local schools to providing technicians with financial education—and shares his journey from working in the

2026-03-25T07:15:39-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Motivating Students & Helping Them Succeed

Gerrot Jacobson, Automotive Instructor at Hawkeye Community College, joins us to talk about how he challenges and motivates students in the classroom every day—giving them a safe place to fail so they can learn, grow, and keep moving forward! He also shares his path into the automotive industry and why it’s so important for shops

2026-03-18T07:21:50-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Simulating a Flat Rate Pay Plan in the Classroom

David Kocher, Automotive Instructor at Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, joins us to explain how he introduced a simulated flat rate pay plan to help students understand how flat rate works early in their careers. David walks us through his background, the ins and outs of the incentive-based system he’s developing for his class, and

2026-03-11T07:26:31-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Second Generation Shop Ownership

Brad Templin, COO at Scott's U-Save Tires & Auto Repair, discusses his journey into second generation shop ownership and what the transition looked like taking over his family’s business. He shares why he chose not to take the easy path back into the industry, the importance of proper succession planning, and why owners must continue

2026-03-04T07:27:20-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Mentorship is the Beginning of Leadership

Dwayne Myers, CEO of Dynamic Automotive, discusses why mentorship is the foundation of leadership and how his team focuses on growing their own technicians through a structured apprenticeship program. From investing in local schools to intentionally developing and nurturing talent, he explains why this approach is key to addressing the technician shortage. Watch the Full

2026-02-27T09:55:49-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Training & Developing Young Technicians

Cindy Barlow, Director of Industry Relations at WyoTech, joins us to talk about how, as an industry, we’ve neglected training young and entry-level technicians. In this episode, she discusses how shops can better support and develop young talent, why early exposure helps students decide if the industry is the right fit, and how fundamentals, soft

2026-02-27T09:56:09-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Building Better Collision Technicians in the Classroom

Jessica Weaver, Auto Body Collision Technology Instructor at Dakota County Technical College, shares how adapting to different learning styles, using visuals, and hands-on play can make a real impact in the collision repair classroom. She explains what it means to truly meet students where they’re at, how she keeps up with rapidly changing vehicle technology

2026-02-27T09:56:42-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Bonus Episode: Inside Alliant Power’s Capital Reman Acquisition

Jeff DeCarlis, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Alliant Power, joins us live from HDAW in Texas to share a major announcement: Alliant Power has acquired Capital Reman. In this episode, Jeff walks through the strategy behind the move, how the team is being integrated, and how the new distribution model delivers a “total

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