Ep 56 - Eric Merchant Stuffed a Technician in a Trunk

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Confessions of a Shop Owner

Mike Allen

64 episodes

4 days ago

Confessions of a Shop Owner is hosted by Mike Allen, a third-generation shop owner, perpetual pot-stirrer, and brutally honest opinion sharer. In this weekly podcast, Mike shares his missteps so you don’t have to repeat them. Along the way, he chats with other industry personalities who’ve messed up, too, pulling back the curtain on the realities of running an independent auto repair shop. But this podcast isn’t just about Mike’s journey. It’s about confronting the divisive and questionable tactics many shop owners and managers use. Mike is here to stir the pot and address the painful truths while offering a way forward. Together, we’ll tackle the frustrations, shake things up, and help create a better future for the auto repair industry.

All content for Confessions of a Shop Owner is the property of Mike Allen and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Entrepreneurship

Business,

Management

Ep 56 - Eric Merchant Stuffed a Technician in a Trunk

Confessions of a Shop Owner

53 minutes

2 weeks ago

Ep 56 - Eric Merchant Stuffed a Technician in a Trunk

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Eric Merchant is the owner of Merchant Automotive in Leeland, Michigan. Eric, Mike, and Bryan today talk about racing things with wheels, how Eric got into shop ownership, and why training is important. The three also bring up how things often go sideways when shop owner get together. Like stuffing technicians into trunks...

Timestamps:
00:00 Recording at ASTA 2025

03:30 "Accidental Reel Overflow"

09:06 "Lucas Overfills RSVP List"

11:26 GM Diesel Pickup Specialists

13:11 "Pro Service: Tight-Knit Comfort"

19:07 "Struggles Exiting the Car"

20:40 "Burt Two-Speed Transmission Overview"

24:54 Driving vs. Running a Shop

27:29 "Fired: Exit from Dealerships"

30:28 "Lawnmower Racing Adrenaline Rush"

35:30 Midnight Tail Light Fix

37:26 Golf Cart Speed Challenges

41:38 "F350 King Ranch Giveaway Idea"

43:51 Diesel Training Lacks Specificity

48:08 "Encouraging Relevant Class Interaction"