We’re deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Hiram “Lee” Williams. I had the pleasure of working with Lee as an ATRA Board Member and Northern...
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GEARS Staff
As our country begins the process of re-opening, holding a Grand Re- Opening for your business is worth considering. Think like a start-up business. Maybe...
GEARS Staff
I recently gave a management presentation in Vancouver, Canada. I’ve presented a few of these so far this year and it’s something I really enjoy; mostly...
GEARS Staff
You deserve more revenue. Because you do great work. You help your customers a great deal. They’re very happy. That’s why they’ve been coming to you for...
GEARS Staff
Welcome, once again to Clash of the Classics. This month we’ll head back to 1968 for a fresh look at two of my all-time favorite cars, the Pontiac GTO and...
In recent past issues, I’ve covered the basic uses and misuses of the Digital Multimeter (DMM). This series will introduce you to the value of the digital...
GEARS Staff
In last month’s article, we shared a detailed evaluation of the Ford F-150’s transmission thermal management system. In that article, we collected...
Sometimes people tell me that revenue growth cannot be as easy as I teach it to be.
Here’s the good news: It is precisely as easy as I say. I’ve...
Technology continues to move forward, and nowhere is that more evident than in today’s vehicles. In this issue, we’re focusing on new technologies and how...
It’s been a busy week at your shop… very busy. So busy that you have more customer cars than usual in your lot. This in itself wouldn’t be a problem...
ATRA’s Powertrain Expo is only two months away, and I can’t wait to see my friends and colleagues. Each year, we hold a Member meeting, where we share...
“Should we file our taxes jointly or separately?” This question most frequently comes up after a recent marriage or divorce. Two of my clients, George, and...
“We’re not doing this to make money; we’re doing it to make history.”
– Carroll Shelby
Before we dive into this month’s shop profile article, I...
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
Why Don’t You Ask For Referrals?
I’ve asked thousands of audience members and client staffers that question. Here are the most common...
GEARS Staff
I received a call from a lifelong member in the Jacksonville, FL area. The conversation revolved around the business, or lack thereof. He was making the same...
Up Your Business is an exclusive GEARS Magazine feature in which I share stories, insights, and reflections about business and life challenges.
Many things in...
It’s late Friday afternoon and you’ve already had a long, stressful, rollercoaster of a week. Your shop foreman just walked into your office to tell you...
Guest Author
Road Test, because you can’t confirm your repair without it. A road test is your first, and sometimes only, chance to identify a problem. It may be performed...
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
When you think about it, building a modern automatic transmission is a partnership between you, the rebuilder, and several other people. You rely on your parts...
Over April 15th and 16th , while so many of you were scrambling to get your taxes done before the deadline, I was in Seattle, Washington, for the Torque...
There’s a continuous battle going on within each of us. It’s a battle between our emotions and logic. Sometimes it’s a hot battle, and other times...
Up Your Business is an exclusive GEARS Magazine feature in which I share stories, insights, and reflections about business and life challenges.
Despite its...
You’ve probably heard about cloud services from a wide variety of sources. The phrase “in the cloud” has become a familiar way of saying that something...
GEARS Shopper advertising costs $325.00 for a one time insertion ad, (2 1/4 X 3) 2.25 X 3. Larger ads can be placed elsewhere in the magazine and are charged...
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
The shortage of new technicians entering the auto repair market has become one of the most problematic situations facing our industry. Today’s technicians...
In this issue of Fishing for the Facts, we examine a UA80E with a transmission overheating concern in a 2018 Toyota Camry (3.5L). As it turns out, the vehicle...
Camera technology has changed all of our lives over the last couple of decades. It was not that long ago that a 35mm camera was something that a lot of us...
GEARS Shopper advertising costs $325.00 for a one time insertion ad, (2 1/4 X 3) 2.25 X 3. Larger ads can be placed elsewhere in the magazine and are charged...
GEARS Staff
The 2016 ATRA Powertrain Expo hosted by GEARS and ATRA is over! It was a terrific event, and we all learned a lot about how we think about one another. My...
Vehicle speed systems have been in use for nearly 140 years, with the first application on trains. Keeping schedules working, knowing the speed of travel was...
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
The 25th Annual TCRA Seminar is quickly approaching, and transmission and torque converter rebuilders everywhere are gearing up for this must-attend event...
“No matter what your age, “Growing old takes no effort. It’s really easy to swim downstream.” (From the song, ReZoom The Boom.)
It takes absolutely no...
Leadership is more than directing a team; it’s about empowering them to grow, fostering an environment where they can succeed, and ensuring that the correct...
Two years ago (June 2023), I wrote an article that focused on shop throughput. It centered on the results of a survey ATRA conducted, focusing on key metrics...
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
GEARS Shopper advertising costs $325.00 for a one time insertion ad, (2 1/4 X 3) 2.25 X 3. Larger ads can be placed elsewhere in the magazine and are charged...
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
Employee satisfaction isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have, especially in small to mid-sized businesses like automotive repair shops. A happy...
It was just a flow control valve. Not really a major part. I’d put the car in gear to back out of my garage and it would slip — a delay — not every day...
One of the quickest ways to succeed at anything is to stop doing whatever takes you away from your target or interferes with your focus on the goal. That frees...
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
What’s the last big change you didn’t expect to see, but it came about anyway? Looking back a few years, how about some of these:
Yellow Pages replaced by...
Benjamin Franklin once famously pointed out that nothing in life is certain, except death and taxes. But for shop owners, there may be another certainty to...
In the March issue of GEARS, we covered some ideas for creating your company’s mission statement. Hopefully you’ve given the idea some thought and come up...
You know that hotel chain? The one that ends their ads with, “We’ll leave the light on for you”? I started thinking about that this week while the Torque...
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
Election years can bring a unique set of challenges for those planning their retirement. The political landscape can influence market behavior, tax policies...
GEARS Staff
GEARS Shopper advertising costs $325.00 for a one time insertion ad, (2 1/4 X 3) 2.25 X 3. Larger ads can be placed elsewhere in the magazine and are charged...
The 2016 Torque Converter Rebuilders Association (TCRA) seminar and industry meeting will take place on Friday and Saturday, April 15th and 16th, at the Best...
Do you do a great job managing your people?
You do! It has been my experience that managers having outstanding technical knowledge and skill often mistakenly...
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
Engines and transmissions have typically shared the vehicle’s cooling system. Cooling systems on older vehicles were very simple; they had one mechanical...
“The greatest use of a life is to spend it on something that will outlast it.”– William James
In the transmission world, legacy isn’t just about who...
GEARS Staff
Did you know that as a locally owned transmission repair shop owner, you have a significant competitive advantage when it comes to marketing your shop? And, if...
Imagine a workplace where every team member is equipped with tools to turn vision into reality, where teams are empowered to thrive, and where growth is not...
GEARS Staff
Do you think of yourself as a leader? It’s really helpful when you do, because, believe it or not, some people are watching you and following your...
The most reliable source of good new employee referrals is recommendations from existing employees… that is, if they’re committed to helping the business...
GEARS Staff
On a foggy January morning in Manhattan Beach, a young founder sat across from a retired aerospace engineer at a local café. The engineer, now living off...
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
GEARS Staff
At last month’s ATRA Powertrain Expo, I presented my newest seminar, Only One Thing Matters in the Marketing War. Remember the movie City Slickers? The trail...
GEARS Shopper advertising costs $325.00 for a one time insertion ad, (2 1/4 X 3) 2.25 X 3. Larger ads can be placed elsewhere in the magazine and are charged...
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