About this episode

This episode discusses effective hiring strategies for auto shops, focusing on PTO policies, tool allowances, and recruitment practices.

Thanks to our partners Promotive, WickedFile, Maverick Shop Owners, and Overdryve Are your PTO policies scaring off the technicians you actually want? Could a $100-a-week tool allowance or a reimbursed truck payment beat a $10,000 raise — and cost you less? In today's tight labor market, the shops winning top talent aren't always paying the most. They're being the smartest. Recorded live at the Vision Hi-Tech Training & Expo in Kansas City, Hunt Demarest sits down with Lisa Coyle and Sam Freeman from Promotive — the auto industry's leading recruiting firm — to break down the real reasons shops are losing candidates before the first interview ends. From outdated PTO structures to tone-deaf job ads, Lisa and Sam pull back the curtain on what technicians are actually looking for, what's working in 2026, and how shop owners can compete with Rivian, Tesla, and municipalities without blowing up their payroll. Whether you're running two bays or twenty, this episode is a field guide to building a shop people choose — and stay at. What You'll Learn... (03:03) PTO reality check — why one week after year one is a dealbreaker in 2026 (06:58) How flat-rate shops should actually calculate…

Sponsors

Promotive

More episodes of Business By The Numbers

• The Parts Reconciliation Gap Costing Auto Repair Shops Six Figures [E224] · May 28, 2026 · 36 min
• The Big Four: Why Your Overhead Isn't the Problem — Until It Is [E223] · May 21, 2026 · 30 min

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