Beyond the Wrench

AI is Rewriting the Rules for Diesel Repair

Trent Broberg, CEO of Fullbay, joins the show to talk about where AI is taking the repair industry. In this episode, Trent breaks down Fullbay's shift from an app to a platform, how AI is changing predictive maintenance and parts identification, and key insights from Fullbay's State of Heavy-Duty Repair Report you won't want to

2026-07-08T06:57:50-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Cool Shop Culture Is No Accident

Gabe Christian, Owner of Import Performance Auto Repair in Bend, Oregon and seven-time winner of best shop in the city, returns to break down what shop culture actually looks like from the inside. He and Jay get into the daily habits, team dynamics, and small details that make technicians want to show up and stay.

2026-07-01T06:21:55-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Still on the Floor. Still Building the Industry.

Anthony Calhoun is an ASE Master Technician with 25+ years in the industry, CEO of A.W.C. Consulting LLC, and author of “Why Techs Leave and How to Keep Them.” In this episode, Anthony walks through what each role has taught him about where the industry is falling short. He covers the mindset that helped him

2026-06-24T07:03:13-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

The CARE Movement—Right People, Rare Experiences

Joe Hamilton, President & CEO of Vortex Optics, helped build one of the outdoor industry's most recognized and fiercely loyal brands by treating service as a competitive weapon, not an afterthought. In this episode, Joe unpacks the CARE Movement (Create A Rare Experience), why hiring people who already share your values is the foundation of

2026-06-17T07:20:10-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Honest Conversations Move the Industry Forward

Chris Craig—Fixed Ops Curriculum Developer at RockED and content creator with 135,000 followers across platforms—has built his following by saying the things most people are afraid to post. In this episode, he breaks down why showing both sides of every industry argument is slowly shifting the culture, from the ASE certification debate to the 30/30/30

2026-06-10T07:08:46-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Mentorship, Career Moves, & Trusting Your Gut as a Technician

Josh Arnold, Recon Lead Technician at Austin Subaru, is back on the podcast for another honest conversation about life in the trade. He opens up about mentoring apprentices from scratch, what it really took to turn around a struggling recon department, and how public speaking and MPI video have pushed him to grow in ways

2026-06-03T06:35:47-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

SkillsUSA’s Real Impact on the Next Generation

Christian Spell, a recent high school graduate and SkillsUSA National Officer, joins Jay to share how a serious injury redirected his path—straight into automotive class and SkillsUSA. He opens up about competing, leading, and developing the professional skills most techs never learn in a shop. Watch the Full Episode  Show Notes About the Episode

2026-05-27T06:41:14-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Building Technicians From the Ground Up

Todd Ainsworth, Shop Owner at Swedish Automotive, Inc. and President-Elect of the Northwest Auto Care Alliance (NWACA), joins us to talk about developing the next generation of technicians and why most shops are leaving that opportunity on the table. During the episode, Todd covers his journey from technician to shop owner, gives a closer look

2026-05-20T06:47:29-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

BMW’s STEP Program: Nurturing the Next Generation of Technicians

Antonio Maldonado and Jake Martin are recruiters for the Service Technician Education Program (STEP) at BMW North America—and they go way beyond just recruiting. In this episode they break down how STEP works for automotive and collision students, what hands-on training from day one actually looks like, and how BMW is nurturing the next generation

2026-05-13T07:12:46-06:00Beyond the Wrench|

Build a Shop That Runs Without You

Dan Paulson, Author of “Escape the Owner’s Trap,” joins us to tackle one of the biggest challenges shop owners face—being stuck in the middle of everything. We break down how to build accountability without micromanaging, fix communication gaps, and create processes your team will actually use. If your shop depends on you to function, this

2026-04-29T06:25:09-06:00Beyond the Wrench|
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