The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.

Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/

Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

If you would like to join their private facebook group go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind

Episode Title: It’s Easy to Contract When You Should Be Expanding

Host: Coach Chris Cotton

Network: Aftermarket Radio Network

What if the real communication problem isn’t what you said… but what the other person heard?

In this full-length episode of The Weekly Blitz, Coach Chris Cotton devotes an entire show to one of the most overlooked leadership skills: making sure communication actually lands. Using a personal story about taco salad from his youth, Chris breaks down why assumptions derail teams, how leaders unintentionally create confusion, and what it really takes to ensure understanding—at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

If you’ve ever said, “That’s not what I meant,” this episode is for you.

Episode Summary:

In “The Taco Salad Lesson: Communication That Actually Lands,” Coach Chris Cotton explores why communication breaks down even when intentions are good. Through a relatable childhood story and real-world leadership examples, this episode dives deep into the difference between hearing and listening, the danger of assumptions, and how leaders can verify understanding before problems show up.

You’ll learn:

Why intent does not equal impact

The difference between hearing and listening

How assumptions quietly wreck teams

Simple ways to confirm understanding

Why clarity is a form of respect

🤝 Episode Sponsor

This episode is brought to you by Shop Marketing Pros.

Shop Marketing Pros helps auto repair shop owners build consistent, long-term growth strategies that actually work—especially during slower or unpredictable seasons like January. If you’re looking for marketing that supports your business instead of stressing you out, visit ShopMarketingPros.com.

🎧 About The Weekly Blitz

The Weekly Blitz is a short-form, tactical mindset podcast for auto repair shop owners who want clarity, confidence, and consistent execution in their business. Hosted by Coach Chris Cotton, each episode delivers real-world insight you can apply immediately in your shop.

To listen to more episodes, make sure and go over to iTunes and or Spotify.

Don't forget to rate and review us!

Connect with Chris:

AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching

www.autoshopcoaching.com

www.aftermarketradionetwork.com

940-400-1008

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoaching

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3ClX0ae

Email Chris: chris@autofixsos.com

The Automotive Repair Podcast...

The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.

Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/

Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

If you would like to join their private facebook group go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind

Episode Title: It’s Easy to Contract When You Should Be Expanding

Host: Coach Chris Cotton

Network: Aftermarket Radio Network

When business feels uncomfortable, most shop owners don’t pause — they panic.

They pull back marketing.

They delay hiring.

They cancel training.

In this episode of The Weekly Blitz, Coach Chris Cotton tackles one of the most dangerous instincts in business: contracting when expansion is required.

This conversation is about leadership under pressure — and why fear-based decisions quietly kill long-term growth. Coach Chris breaks down why contraction feels responsible, why it’s often the wrong move, and how the best-performing shops expand strategically when others retreat.

This is not about reckless growth.

It’s about intentional expansion — expanding systems, leadership, visibility, and execution when it matters most.

If you’ve been feeling squeezed, uncertain, or tempted to “wait and see,” this episode will challenge that thinking — and give you a better path forward.

⏱️ EPISODE TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – 02:45

🔥 Opening Hook: Why contraction feels safe — and why it’s dangerous

02:45 – 08:30

🧠 Why shop owners contract under pressure (fear vs leadership)

08:30 – 14:45

📈 What expansion really means (hint: it’s not always a new building)

14:45 – 16:15

🎯 Mid-Roll Sponsor: Shop Marketing Pros

16:15 – 22:30

🏗️ Expand or slowly shrink: the real cost of waiting

22:30 – 25:00

🚀 Final close + Aftermarket Radio Network mention

💡 KEY TAKEAWAYS

Contraction is emotional. Expansion is strategic.

Pausing marketing is usually the most expensive decision you can make.

Expansion doesn’t mean reckless growth — it means intentional investment.

Slow shops don’t need less visibility — they need better execution.

Leadership shows up before confidence does.

🔊 QUOTABLE LINES

“Contraction is easy. Expansion is leadership.”

“Markets don’t reward fear — they reward presence.”

“If your shop is slow, question execution before demand.”

“There is no neutral — you’re either expanding capability or shrinking your future.”

“Confidence doesn’t come before action. It comes after.”

🤝 Episode Sponsor

This episode is brought to you by Shop Marketing Pros.

Shop Marketing Pros helps auto repair shop owners build consistent, long-term growth strategies that actually work—especially during slower or unpredictable seasons like January. If you’re looking for marketing that supports your business instead of stressing you out, visit ShopMarketingPros.com.

🎧 About The Weekly Blitz

The Weekly Blitz is a short-form, tactical mindset podcast for auto repair shop owners who want clarity, confidence, and consistent execution in their business. Hosted by Coach Chris Cotton, each episode delivers real-world insight you can apply...

The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.

Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/

Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

If you would like to join their private facebook group go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind

Episode Summary

By the second week of January, most shop owners are already questioning their plans, their numbers, and sometimes themselves. In this episode of The Weekly Blitz, Coach Chris Cotton breaks down why that feeling is not failure—it’s feedback.

This episode is all about making your first smart course correction of the year without panic, emotional decisions, or abandoning a plan that still deserves time to work. If January hasn’t gone exactly how you expected, this episode will help you reset, refocus, and move forward with clarity and confidence.

🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Why January rarely starts the way we picture it—and why that’s normal

The difference between failure and feedback in the early weeks of the year

A simple 3-question framework to make intelligent course corrections

What shop owners should not change yet in week two of January

One tactical move that can create immediate momentum without discounting

How discipline—not hype—sets winning shops apart early in the year

🛠️ Key Takeaways

January doesn’t reward optimism—it rewards process

A slow start does not mean a bad year

Most early-January mistakes are emotional, not strategic

Small, fast corrections beat big reactive changes

Momentum is built by staying in the game, not starting over

📋 Action Step for This Week

Before making any big changes, sit down and answer these three questions:

What did I assume that turned out to be wrong?

What’s working better than I expected?

What am I overreacting to?

Then choose one tactical improvement to focus on this week—starting with follow-up on declined or unsold work.

🤝 Episode Sponsor

This episode is brought to you by Shop Marketing Pros.

Shop Marketing Pros helps auto repair shop owners build consistent, long-term growth strategies that actually work—especially during slower or unpredictable seasons like January. If you’re looking for marketing that supports your business instead of stressing you out, visit ShopMarketingPros.com.

🎧 About The Weekly Blitz

The Weekly Blitz is a short-form, tactical mindset podcast for auto repair shop owners who want clarity, confidence, and consistent execution in their business. Hosted by Coach Chris Cotton, each episode delivers real-world insight you can apply immediately in your shop.

To listen to more episodes, make sure and go over to iTunes and or Spotify.

Don't forget to rate and review us!

Connect with Chris:

AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching

www.autoshopcoaching.com

www.aftermarketradionetwork.com

940-400-1008

Facebook:

The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.

Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/

Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

If you would like to join their private facebook group go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind

✅ SHOW NOTES — “If You Build It, They Will Come (But Only If You Build the RIGHT Thing)”

The Weekly Blitz with Coach Chris Cotton

Presented by Shop Marketing Pros

Episode Summary

This episode dives into the Field of Dreams mindset and how the legendary line “If you build it, they will come” applies to auto repair shops — but with a modern twist. Coach Chris Cotton breaks down why so many shop owners build the wrong things, delay the right things, or avoid the hard things, and how that mindset stalls growth, profit, and momentum.

You’ll walk away with real, tactical actions to build the processes, team, customer experience, and culture that actually attract customers — not just hope they show up.

Big Ideas from Today’s Episode

1. Vision requires courage, not permission.

Ray Kinsella didn’t wait for the neighborhood to approve his baseball field — and neither should you wait to build the systems your shop needs.

2. “Build it” means building the right foundation: Clear processes

A signature customer experience

A team that buys into the mission

A brand customers trust instantly

3. Your shop’s experience IS your marketing.

If people walk out feeling great, they will talk. If they don’t feel anything… they won’t remember you.

4. Fear delays momentum — and delayed momentum kills profit.

If you already know what needs to be built, the cost of waiting is higher than the cost of

starting.

5. The Field of Dreams Action List:

Build a system people can feel

Build consistent standards

Build a reputation you earn, not buy

Build the future version of your shop, not the fearful version

Coach’s Tactical Homework

Before the next episode, write down:

What are you building right now?

What do your customers actually need you to build?

What’s the ONE thing you’ve avoided building because it scares you?

If you disappeared tomorrow, what would people miss about your business?

Your answers tell you whether you’re building a baseball field… or just mowing grass.

Sponsor — Shop Marketing Pros

For auto repair shops ready to attract better customers and build a brand worthy of attention, connect with Shop Marketing Pros. They’re the trusted experts who bring clarity, strategy, and real results. 👉 Visit them to level up your marketing game.

Explore more industry-leading podcasts at:

📲 AutomotiveRepairPodcastNetwork.com

Download the mobile app for Apple & Android for fast, easy access to every show.

To listen to more episodes, make sure and go over to iTunes and or Spotify.

Don't forget to rate and review us!

Connect with Chris:

AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching

www.autoshopcoaching.com

www.aftermarketradionetwork.com...

The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.

Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/

Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

If you would like to join their private facebook group go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind

To listen to more episodes, make sure and go over to iTunes and or Spotify.

Don't forget to rate and review us!

Finish Strong Series: “Planning, Not Wishing — The Simple 3-Page Plan for Q1”

Presented by Shop Marketing Pros — your marketing engine for 2025 and beyond.

Episode Summary

In the final part of the Finish Strong Series, Coach Chris Cotton delivers the ultimate shop-owner reset: a simple, no-fluff, highly actionable 3 Page Plan to launch Q1 with focus, clarity, and momentum.

No corporate complexity.

No overstuffed binders.

No 27-goal “strategy lists.”

Just a tight, practical plan built around what ACTUALLY moves the needle in the first 90 days of the year.

If you want 2025 to be different — truly different — it starts with this.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✔️ Why Most Shop Plans Fail

The traps: too big, too confusing, too vague, not shared with the team.

✔️ Page 1 — The Reality Check

Chris walks through the exact questions and assessments needed to understand:

What worked

What failed

What must be fixed first

The ONE thing that will drive the biggest Q1 win

✔️ Page 2 — The Goals That Matter

A focused, data-driven list of goals every shop should set for Q1, including:

ARO

Car count

Tech productivity

Labor GP%

Parts margin %

Customer experience targets

The 3 behaviors that directly improve all of them

✔️ Page 3 — The Action Calendar

This is where the magic happens:

Who is responsible

What happens weekly

What gets tracked

How accountability works

How meetings tie it all together

How to create a 90-day cadence that keeps the team aligned

✔️ How to Turn This Into a Team Tool, Not an Owner Document

Because a plan that lives in your head doesn’t change your shop — only a plan your team understands and owns can do that.

Why This Episode Matters

Most shop owners “hope” January will be better.

Hope isn’t a plan.

A clear, simple, actionable plan is the difference between repeating another year… and creating a breakthrough one. This episode hands you the structure to do exactly that.

Sponsored By: Shop Marketing Pros

Special thanks to Shop Marketing Pros for supporting this episode. If you want stronger branding, better online visibility, and more cars in your bays, go to ShopMarketingPros.com — they’re the real deal.

Connect with Chris:

AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching

www.autoshopcoaching.com

www.aftermarketradionetwork.com

940-400-1008

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoaching

YouTube:

The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.

Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/

Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

If you would like to join their private facebook group go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind

Finish Strong Series: “Your Cashflow North Star”

Presented by Shop Marketing Pros — trusted marketing partners for top-performing auto repair shops.

Episode Summary

In Part 3 of the Finish Strong Series, Coach Chris Cotton tackles the topic that stresses shop owners more than anything else: cashflow.

This episode introduces the concept of the Cashflow North Star — the exact number that tells you whether your shop is safe, stressed, or in danger. Chris delivers a tactical, step-by-step breakdown of how to calculate it, how to use it, and how it transforms your clarity and decision-making as a business owner.

If you’ve ever felt uncertain about money, unsure about what’s “safe,” or anxious about the ups and downs of car count… this episode is your cure.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✔️ Why You’re Not Broke — You’re Unclear

The emotional truth behind why even profitable owners struggle with money fear.

✔️ What a Cashflow North Star Actually Is

A simple but powerful financial safety system that every shop owner MUST have.

✔️ The 3 Zones Every Shop Operates In

Green Zone — Healthy

Yellow Zone — Tight

Red Zone — Danger

And exactly what to do in each.

✔️ How to Calculate Your North Star (Step-by-Step)

Chris breaks down the full process: fixed expenses, weekly burn rate, danger thresholds, safety buffers, and the real “stop spending” line.

✔️ The December Cashflow Mistakes That Kill Shops

Lessons on:

Equipment purchases

Early tax payments

Holiday bonuses

Subscription creep

Neglected receivables

Missing parts credits

Poor forecasting

✔️ How to Forecast Cashflow for 90 Days

A simple 30/60/90 approach that eliminates fear and replaces it with leadership-level clarity.

Why This Episode Matters

A shop without a cashflow plan is a shop that’s always one slow week away from panic. When you know your Cashflow North Star, you stop guessing… and start leading. This episode gives you that power.

Sponsored By: Shop Marketing Pros

A big thank you to Shop Marketing Pros for sponsoring this episode. They’re the experts in storytelling, branding, and digital marketing for auto repair shops.

Learn more at ShopMarketingPros.com — where great shops get great marketing.

To listen to more episodes, make sure and go over to iTunes and or Spotify.

Don't forget to rate and review us!

Connect with Chris:

AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching

www.autoshopcoaching.com

www.aftermarketradionetwork.com

940-400-1008

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutoFixAutoShopCoaching

YouTube:

The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.

Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/

Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

If you would like to join their private facebook group go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind

Finish Strong Series: “People Season — Keep the Team Focused, Motivated & Appreciated”

Presented by Shop Marketing Pros — the most trusted marketing agency in the automotive repair industry.

Episode Summary

In Part 2 of the Finish Strong Series, Coach Chris Cotton dives deep into the most important part of your shop’s success in December: your people. This episode unpacks the emotional reality of the holiday season, how burnout impacts productivity and customer experience, and the tactical steps leaders can take to lift their team, energize the shop, and create a culture that drives performance through the end of the year (and into the next).

This is the leadership blueprint shop owners need — practical, human, and built around real-world behavior.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✔️ Why December Is “People Season”

Understand the emotional and psychological load your team carries this time of year — and why your leadership matters more now than ever.

✔️ The Real Causes of Burnout (It’s Not the Work)

Hear why burnout comes more from feeling unseen than from being busy, and how to counter it with clarity and connection.

✔️ The 5 Tactical Motivators That Actually Work

Things like:

• Personalized recognition
• Shorter Fridays or flex schedules
• Team-based appreciation routines
• Specific shoutouts that matter
• Leading with empathy and accountability

✔️ Daily Huddles: The December Lifeline

How 10 minutes of morning structure can transform your team’s focus, speed, and communication.

✔️ Creating a December Theme That Pulls Everyone Forward

How to set the tone with simple shop-wide focus points like “Zero Comebacks Month” or “Run Through the Line.”

✔️ The Family Touch That Builds Loyalty

Why acknowledging the people behind your employees has an outsized impact on morale and performance.

Why This Episode Matters

December is when your team needs leadership, clarity, and appreciation — not more pressure. This episode gives you the tactical tools and mindset to build culture, create momentum, and finish the year with a team that feels committed, energized, and ready for 2025.

Sponsored By: Shop Marketing Pros

A big thank you to Shop Marketing Pros for sponsoring this episode. They’re the experts in storytelling, branding, and digital marketing for auto repair shops.

Learn more at ShopMarketingPros.com — where great shops get great marketing.

To listen to more episodes, make sure and go over to iTunes and or Spotify.

Don't forget to rate and review us!

Connect with Chris:

AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching

www.autoshopcoaching.com

www.aftermarketradionetwork.com

940-400-1008

Facebook:

The Weekly Blitz is brought to you by our friends over at Shop Marketing Pros. If you want to take your shop to the next level, you need great marketing. Shop Marketing Pros does top-tier marketing for top-tier shops.

Click here to learn more about Top Tier Marketing by Shop Marketing Pros and schedule a demo: https://shopmarketingpros.com/chris/

Check out their podcast here: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

If you would like to join their private facebook group go here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/autorepairmarketingmastermind

🎧 The Weekly Blitz — Episode 1 Notes

Finish Strong Series: “The Final Push — Maximize December Without Feeling Desperate”

Presented by Shop Marketing Pros — the automotive repair industry’s leading marketing experts.

Episode Summary

In Part 1 of the Finish Strong Series, Coach Chris Cotton breaks down how to turn December from a “slow month” into a strategic opportunity. Instead of coasting into the holiday season, Chris shows shop owners how to lean in, create momentum, and drive revenue without discounting, panicking, or looking desperate.

This episode gives you the exact tactical playbook for ending the year powerfully and stepping into January with confidence, clarity, and cashflow.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✔️ The Myth of ‘Slow December’

Why December isn’t slow — it’s chaotic — and how that chaos actually creates more opportunity for intentional shops.

✔️ Stop Projecting Your Stress Onto Customers

Most shop owners talk themselves out of money. Chris explains how to stop assuming what customers will or won’t spend this month.

✔️ How to Build DVIs That Actually Sell Work

The December DVI blueprint: picture-heavy, story-driven, urgency-focused, and built around safety and travel needs.

✔️ Same-Day Follow-Up: The December Secret Weapon

Why customers are more likely to say “yes” within 6–12 hours, and how to use this window strategically.

✔️ Zero-Desperation Marketing

Why you shouldn’t discount in December — and what to send your customers instead.

✔️ Scheduling Tactics for the Final Push

How to run December like a “say yes and figure it out” month: micro-jobs, flexible bays, promise windows, and elevated communication.

✔️ How to Finish the Year — and Start the Next — With Momentum

December is a psychological month for both owners and customers. Chris breaks down how to shape that momentum and avoid the common traps that derail shops.

Why This Episode Matters

Most auto repair shops lose December — not because the work isn’t there, but because their mindset is off. This episode teaches you how to shift your perspective, operate with confidence, and capture the opportunities other shops miss.

Your year isn’t over.

Your customers still need you.

And your shop still has money on the table.

Sponsored By: Shop Marketing Pros

A special thanks to Shop Marketing Pros for making this episode possible. If you're ready to grow your car count, build trust in your community, and create marketing that actually works, visit ShopMarketingPros.com.

They help great shops get seen, known, and understood.

Connect With Coach Chris Cotton

📧 Email Chris: chris autofixsos.com

To listen to more episodes, make sure and go over to iTunes and or Spotify.

Don't forget to rate and review us!

Connect with Chris:

AutoFix-Auto Shop Coaching