Know Why You’re Hiring a Coach (Before You Hire One)

The most successful coaching relationships start with clarity.

Best Practice: Identify the problem you’re trying to solve

• You’re working too many hours
• Growth has stalled
• Team accountability is inconsistent
• Financials look “okay” but not strong
• You feel stuck or isolated as an owner

Choose a Coach Who Understands the Auto Repair Business

General business coaches can help — but industry-specific knowledge accelerates results.

Best Practice - Look for a coach who understands:

• Flat rate vs. hourly realities;
• Technician shortages;
• Advisor/tech tension;
• Parts margins and labor efficiency;
• The emotional toll of shop ownership;
• Hiring difficulty; and
• Knowing your “numbers”.

Questions to Ask a Coach

• “How many repair shops do you currently coach?”
• “What does success look like for shops like mine?”
• “How do you hold owners accountable?”

Involve the Right People — But Not Everyone

Not all coaching is meant to be shared immediately.

Best Practice - Decide early

• What stays at the ownership level?
• What gets cascaded to leadership?
• What becomes team-facing later?

Tip

Many shops see faster improvement when:

• Owners are coached first;
• Advisors and managers follow later; and
• Technicians benefit indirectly through better leadership

Coaching Is Not About Fixing the Shop — It’s About Fixing the Owner First

A coach doesn’t magically fix systems. They help the leader change how the business is run.

Best Practice: Be open to examining:

• Your decision-making habits;
• How you communicate expectations;
• Where you avoid confrontation; and
• What you personally refuse to let go of.

Reality Check

• If you’re not willing to change, coaching will feel frustrating.
• Growth almost always starts with discomfort.

Coaching Works Best When You Commit Fully (Time, Data and Honesty)

Partial commitment leads to partial results.

Best Practice

• Show up prepared for every session
• Share real numbers, not guesses
• Be honest about what isn’t working
• Execute between sessions

Expectation Setting

• Coaching is not passive
• If you treat it like a class, you’ll get class-level results
• If you treat it like a partnership, results compound