John Baranski started as an automotive technician in the middle of the 2008 recession, when shops were closing and layoffs were constant. Instead of quitting, he learned everything no one else wanted to do. Water leaks. Convertible tops. Hybrids. That grit carried him from fixing cars to fixing boats… and eventually, into leadership.

Today, John is a shop foreman in the marine industry, managing a team that repairs some of the most advanced wake and performance boats in the world.

In this episode, we talk about:

👉 How to survive shop closures and layoffs

👉 Turning hard jobs into career opportunities

👉 Building accountability and trust on the shop floor

👉 The difference between working hard and leading hard

👉 What it takes to move from wrenching to leadership

If you’re a mechanic, technician, or service professional who wants to level up, this conversation will hit home.

🎧 Listen to more episodes of The Wrench Turners Podcast

👉 https://www.youtube.com/@WrenchTurners

📌 Like, comment, and subscribe to support the channel

Subscribe for episodes on:

Service advisor training

Technician productivity

Repair order accuracy

Dealership leadership and culture

Fixed Ops coaching and management

Automotive Content Creation

Event Media and Publication

Event Filmography

Listen to The Wrench Turners Podcast

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ScwRP0DFMtDsp83JxPhPK?si=26aeb4be65da45eb

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjoshuataylor/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjtaylor/

FixedOPS Marketing — Service marketing tools for dealerships

https://www.fixedopsmarketing.com

https://www.youtube.com/@fixedopsmarketing

https://www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketing

Chapters:

00:00 – Opening Prayer

01:00 – Who is John Baranski?

03:00 – Discovering a Passion

05:00 – Getting Recruited

07:00 – Surviving the 2008 Crash

09:00 – Learning Work Ethic

12:00 – Accountability, Trust

15:00 – The Power of Great Leadership

18:00 – Finding Culture and Coaching

20:00 – Moving to Florida:

23:00 – Becoming a Master Tech

26:00 – Reaching the Top

29:00 – The Hardest Jobs in the Dealership

31:00 – Transition from Cars to Boats

34:00 – Entering the Marine Industry

36:00 – Learning Boats from Scratch

38:00 – Mentorship, Mindset, and Learning

42:00 – Universal Skills All Mechanics Share

44:00 – Advice for Technicians

47:00 – “Do the Jobs Nobody Wants to Do”

49:00 – The Wildest Customer Stories

51:00 – The Coolest Thing That Ever Happened at Work

52:00 – Final Thoughts and Closing Quote

Technician recruiting is broken, and Sheila Pogue has seen it from both sides.In this episode of The Wrench Turners Podcast, Sheila shares how she went from a parts counter rookie to leading teams across service, warranty, marketing, and now talent acquisition in RV, Marine, Power Sports, and Automotive.She’s placed techs, she’s hired techs, she’s BEEN the tech’s backup when things went sideways. Now, she’s sounding the alarm: if your dealership can’t recruit techs, it’s not a shortage, it’s a systems problem.In this episode:✅ Why most techs don’t even have a resume✅ What top technicians actually want (and what they don’t)✅ How LinkedIn is “word of mouth on wide open throttle” for hiring✅ What shops should be doing right now✅ Why RV, Marine might just be the next big hiring poolWhether you're a GM, Fixed Ops Director, or recruiter trying to fill your bays, or a tech thinking about your next move, this episode will change the way you think about hiring and getting hired.📌 Like, comment, and subscribe to support smarter recruiting and better technician careers.🔧 Follow Sheila Pogue on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sheilapogue713/🔔 Subscribe to the Wrench Turners Podcast for more in-depth conversations with industry innovators.#morethancarsSubscribe for episodes on:Service advisor trainingTechnician productivityRepair order accuracyDealership leadership and cultureFixed Ops coaching and managementAutomotive Content CreationEvent Media and PublicationEvent FilmographyListen to The Wrench Turners PodcastSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ScwRP0DFMtDsp83JxPhPK?si=26aeb4be65da45ebInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjoshuataylor/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjtaylor/FixedOPS Marketing — Service marketing tools for dealershipshttps://www.fixedopsmarketing.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@fixedopsmarketinghttps://www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketing

Mindy Williams is the definition of a powerhouse. A five-time Subaru Stars winner, Sparkplug Award champion, and the top service advisor at CMA’s Myers team, Mindy knows what it takes to rise from part-time receptionist to full-blown service manager.

In this episode of the Wrench Turners Podcast, Mindy shares her journey into automotive, what it means to lead a team while raising two kids, and the exact customer service mindset that’s built her a loyal customer base.

She talks real talk about selling with heart, parenting while managing a busy shop, and how care—not—commission, is what keeps customers coming back.

🔧 What You’ll Learn:

– Why selling the appointment matters more than selling the repair

– How to build unforgettable customer experiences

– What every manager should learn from CliftonStrengths

– How parenting teaches you to be a better leader and vice versa

– Why trust and laughter are the real metrics of success

💬 Mindy also drops this 🔥 question for the next guest:

"How do you handle negative feedback?"

🔔 Subscribe to the Wrench Turners Podcast for more in-depth conversations with industry innovators.

#morethancars

If this helped, comment with your next video idea or tag someone who needs to press record. Better yet, go make something. I would love to see it.

Subscribe for episodes on:

Service advisor training

Technician productivity

Repair order accuracy

Dealership leadership and culture

Fixed Ops coaching and management

Automotive Content Creation

Event Media and Publication

Event Filmography

Listen to The Wrench Turners Podcast

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ScwRP0DFMtDsp83JxPhPK?si=26aeb4be65da45eb

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjoshuataylor/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrjtaylor/

FixedOPS Marketing — Service marketing tools for dealerships

https://www.fixedopsmarketing.com

https://www.youtube.com/@fixedopsmarketing

https://www.linkedin.com/company/fixed-ops-marketing

ASOTU - More than Cars - Where Innovative Ideas In Auto Are Born

https://www.asotu.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@asotu/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu

Toma - "We care about our customers."

https://www.toma.com

https://www.linkedin.com/company/tomavoice/

Chapters

00:00 Intro to Mindy Williams

01:39 Falling into automotive by accident

03:47 What appointment setting teaches you

05:46 Handling objections like a pro

07:39 Why Mindy loves selling

10:00 Relationship-based selling

12:30 Using a calendar to build loyalty

14:34 Customer care beyond the bay

17:33 What parenting taught her about leadership

19:30 What makes CMA different

21:50 How to make your team feel appreciated

23:13 How to find joy in your job

25:41 Advice to technicians: speak up

27:46 Mindy’s take on work-life balance