Shop Fix Academy Podcast

“Don’t work with family” is Willie Robertson’s humorous warning, but Duck Commander grew because the Robertsons learned when to lead, when to let go, and where each person fit. In this episode, Guy Roberts and Michael “The Berg” Rosenberger sit down with the Duck Commander CEO and Duck Dynasty star to break down the family business decisions that helped turn Phil Robertson’s vision into a multigenerational company. Willie explains why a son or daughter should never be treated as the automatic successor, how matching people to roles they actually want protects the business, and why real empowerment requires the current owner to step aside. He also reflects on the $1 million offer Phil received, why money is not every employee’s strongest motivator, and why growth cannot come at the expense of the families behind the business. Learn how clear roles, honest communication, and real authority give a family business its best chance to grow and give the next generation something worth carrying forward.Your shop can only grow as far as your leadership does, so explore Shop Fix Academy and become the leader your business needs next.https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=ctaYour service advisors play a major role in your shop’s growth, so invest in their development with Sales Fix.https://shopfixacademy.com/sales-fix?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-sales-fix&utm_content=ctaGive your technicians room to keep growing by building their skills and investing in their development through Tech Fix.https://shopfixacademy.com/tech-fix?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-tech-fix&utm_content=cta

Every failing business has a failing owner. In this episode featuring Bar Rescue's Jon Taffer, Guy Roberts and Michael "The Berg" Rosenberger challenge shop owners to stop blaming their employees, competitors, location, or circumstances. Learn why excuses are the common denominator of failure and how real progress begins when an owner accepts personal responsibility. Jon Taffer breaks down what he notices first inside a business, including cleanliness, organization, systems, and the pride demonstrated by the team. But rescuing an auto shop takes more than fixing its operations: owners must build trust and create a strong emotional connection with both customers and employees. From the first phone call to the final vehicle pickup, every customer interaction is an opportunity to strengthen or damage the relationship.Build stronger systems and raise the standards inside your shop with Free Training from Shop Fix Academyhttps://shopfixacademy.com/free-training?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=freetrainingaccount&utm_content=ctaReady to replace excuses with action? Join Shop Fix LITE for the coaching and accountability to keep moving forward.https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=ctaIf your business needs more than another quick fix, book a Membership Call to find the right level of support for your shop.https://calendly.com/d/cnn9-zv8-hdm/shop-fix-membership-interview?month=2026-09&utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-pro&utm_content=cta

People don’t quit companies, they quit bosses. And in this episode of the Shop Fix Academy Podcast, Guy and Berg break down just how much your manager can make, or break, your auto repair shop. After more than 30 years in the automotive industry, one pattern has become impossible to ignore: when car count is steady, ARO is steady, and a shop still can’t move the needle, the problem is often sitting in the manager’s seat. The good news? Management can be fixed. Today, we are digging into 25+ battle-tested lessons for shop owners on how to build, support, and hold a great manager accountable. From where your manager should physically sit in the shop, to daily meeting cadence, how to correct employees, how to find meaningful coaching moments throughout the day, and why your manager needs to understand the P&L, we cover the entire owner-manager relationship. This is THE operating playbook for building a manager who can actually run your shop.Build stronger leaders, create greater accountability, and take back control of your shop with free webinar replays and guides from Shop Fix Academy.https://shopfixacademy.com/replays-and-guides?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=replays-and-guides&utm_content=ctaThe right room can change what you believe is possible for your shop. Check out Shop Fix Academy’s upcoming events and get in the room with owners and teams committed to getting better.https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sfa-events-2026&utm_content=ctaKnowing what needs to change is one thing. Having the coaching, systems, and accountability to change it is another. Join Shop Fix LITE and start taking back control of your shop.https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=cta

90 hours a week, elite technician credentials, and a growing shop... but Eric Walker was still failing as an owner. Why? He couldn't grow long term while carrying the whole auto shop on his back. The cars were being fixed, but nobody’s work was ever good enough. So the “super tech” kept stepping in, taking over, and teaching his team to depend on him. In this episode, Guy Roberts and Michael "The Berg" Rosenberger dig into the shift from technician identity to actual ownership. Learn the moment Eric realized his standards were holding his people back, why letting a technician struggle can actually reduce the owner’s struggle, and why the guy with the quickest answer can become the biggest bottleneck in the building. Your job is no longer to be the hero who fixes every car themselves. Your job is to build people who can solve problems without you. Eric spent more than a decade carrying the load. Today, his auto shop has a 13 person team rowing in the same direction even when he isn’t there.Stop searching for better technicians and start developing the ones you have with Tech Fix.https://shopfixacademy.com/tech-fix?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-tech-fix&utm_content=ctaGet the structure and support to stop carrying your entire shop yourself with Shop Fix LITE.https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=ctaLearn how top shop owners build teams that perform without everything falling back on you with our free Replays & Guides.https://shopfixacademy.com/replays-and-guides?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=shopfix-resources&utm_content=cta

For ten years, Wayne Watson's shop hit the same wall — $1.5M to $1.7M in revenue, eight bays, no way through. He'd been in business since 1993, tried everything, and still couldn't crack $2 million. Then something shifted. Today he runs 18 bays, did $4M last year, and his team is already gunning for $6M. He explains how he spent years managing the wrong numbers: parts percentage, GP benchmarks, shop supplies, before discovering where the real breakthrough was hiding and the reframe that reordered how he sees his entire business: that the difference between broke and profitable usually comes down to three or four cars a day.Get the structure, coaching, and accountability to take control of your numbers and build a more profitable shop with Shop Fix LITE. https://shopfixacademy.com/shop-fix-lite?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=join-lite&utm_content=ctaLearn alongside operators who have overcome the same financial, leadership, and operational challenges you’re facing at a Shop Fix Academy Event.https://shopfixacademy.com/upcoming-events?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=sfa-events-2026&utm_content=cta Stop tracking numbers without knowing what to do next, watch From Guesswork to Growth and learn the metrics that actually drive profit.https://shopfixacademy.com/guessworktogrowth?utm_source=sfa-podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=fromguessworktogrowth&utm_content=cta