Bryan Call is an Operations Advisor at Schierl Tire & Service, a multi-location tire and automotive service operation with seven stores across Central Wisconsin. With more than 30 years in the industry, Bryan has worked his way up from technical training and shop-level roles into leadership, giving him a ground-level and long-term view of how the business has evolved.

In his current role, Bryan works closely with store managers and teams on hiring, coaching, operations, and retention. His perspective matters because he has lived through multiple industry cycles; shifts in education, technology, compensation, and workforce expectations, making him a credible voice on the realities behind today’s tire industry workforce shortage.

In this episode…

The tire industry workforce shortage isn’t just a hiring problem, it’s a pipeline problem shaped by education pressure, perception, and timing. As technician pay rises and demand for skilled labor grows, fewer young people are entering technical programs, leaving shop owners caught between growing workloads and shrinking talent pools.

This conversation matters right now because the gap is no longer theoretical. Veteran technicians are retiring, technical school enrollment is declining, and many shops are being forced to lower standards just to keep bays full. Bryan Call shares what he’s seen firsthand and why the tire industry workforce shortage is deeply connected to how we talk about trades, career paths, and long-term opportunity.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

[01:01] Bryan Call’s role and leadership responsibilities at Schierl Tire & Service

[01:52] Early work experiences in Wisconsin and the foundations of work ethic

[04:03] Transition from traditional college to technical education and automotive repair

[04:58] Career progression leading to long-term tenure at Schierl Tire & Service

[07:45] Oversight of multi-location operations, hiring, and team development

[08:26] Retention trends across management, technicians, and entry-level positions

[09:20] Declining technical school enrollment and its impact on the labor pipeline

[12:04] Technician retirements accelerating the workforce gap

[14:43] Maintaining hiring standards amid ongoing staffing shortages

[18:14] Role of self-education and digital resources in technician development

[25:55] Leadership mindset focused on accountability and motivating teams

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Schierl Tire & Service Website
• Tread Partners
• Gain Traction Podcast on YouTube
• Gain Traction Podcast Website
• Mike Edge on LinkedIn

Quotable Moments:

• “When I went to Technical College, there was four classes running concurrently, and now some of the colleges have a hard time getting one class.”
• “The skills gap is getting worse.”
• “At least you got technicians earning what teachers and doctors make.”
• “You got old guys like me that are getting out of the industry, retiring.”
• “If you go in with the attitude that, yep, let’s do it, it makes it a whole lot easier.”

Action Steps:

1. Reevaluate how you talk about careers in your shop by actively positioning technical roles as long-term, high-income professions, not fallback options contributing to the tire industry workforce shortage.
2. Build relationships with local technical schools and instructors to create early visibility and access to students before they exit the pipeline.
3. Maintain hiring standards even during staffing pressure by focusing on coaching and development instead of short-term fixes.
4. Encourage self-learning by giving technicians access to online training resources, diagnostic tools, and time to build skills.
5. Prepare for retirements proactively by identifying future leaders and mentoring them well before gaps appear.

Tim Winkeler is the President and CEO of VIP Tires & Service, a multi-location tire and auto repair company operating nearly 80 locations across the Northeast. With decades of experience in automotive retail and operations, Tim has played a key role in scaling the business through disciplined growth, strategic acquisitions, and a strong focus on operational consistency.

Under his leadership, VIP has prioritized long-term customer relationships, clean data, and systems that support both employees and customers at scale. Tim’s perspective is shaped by running a large, complex organization while staying grounded in what actually works inside the store and after the vehicle leaves the bay.

In this episode…

Auto repair shops are under more pressure than ever to retain customers, protect their reputation, and operate efficiently across multiple locations. Yet many owners still treat what happens after the visit as an afterthought. This conversation focuses on why auto repair customer follow up has quietly become one of the most important growth levers in the industry and why ignoring it now comes at a real cost.

Tim Winkeler explains how intentional communication, automation, and clean data change customer behavior without relying on discounts or constant promotions. The discussion highlights a growing gap between shops that deliver great service once and shops that stay connected consistently. For owners trying to improve retention, reduce no-shows, and build long-term trust, auto repair customer follow up is no longer optional.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

[01:03] Who is Tim Winkeler?

[01:21] Discussion of repeat guest appearances and long-term industry relationships

[08:09] Overview of VIP Tires & Service footprint and current store count

[09:49] Decision to transition CRM and customer communication systems

[10:34 ] Immediate impact of CRM change on Google reviews and customer engagement

[14:07] Consolidating reputation management into a single platform

[15:25] Challenges of CRM transitions and the importance of clean customer data

[18:55] Integrating customer data with phone systems

[20:44] Announcement of VIP Tires & Service approaching its 100th anniversary

[22:24] Plans for customer and employee events tied to the centennial celebration

[25:11] Why longevity and consistency matter to customers and employees

[26:53] Emphasis on relationships as the foundation of auto repair service businesses

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Tim Winkeler LinkedIn
• VIP Tires & Service Website
• Tread Partners
• Gain Traction Podcast on YouTube
• Gain Traction Podcast Website
• Mike Edge on LinkedIn

Quotable Moments:

• “I can tell you that the month that we turned over all of our CRM, our five-star Google reviews tripled.”
• “Our mission as a company is to earn a customer for life.”
• “So much of the experience is teed up prior to the visit and also post visit.”
• “Digitally, you have to be connected to your customers.”
• “Our customers are looking for reliability, stability, and consistency.”

Action Steps:

1. Audit your current auto repair customer follow up process to identify where communication stops after the visit.
2. Implement automated appointment reminders to reduce no-shows and improve vehicle count.
3. Clean and consolidate customer data to avoid duplicate records and inconsistent messaging.
4. Centralize reputation management so reviews, feedback, and responses live in one system.
5. Treat auto repair customer follow up as a core operational function, not a marketing add-on.

Jon Kloosterman is the Chief Operating Officer of Westside Auto Group, a six-location auto repair organization based in Michigan. With more than 17 years in the business, Jon has grown alongside the company, stepping into the COO role in early 2020 during one of the most disruptive periods the industry has faced.

Having experienced growth from the ground level through executive leadership, Jon brings a practical, operator-first perspective on scaling auto repair shop teams. His experience navigating multi-location expansion, team development, and cultural alignment makes his insights especially relevant for shop owners and leaders managing growth without burning out their people.

In this episode…

What if the real challenge with scaling auto repair shop teams isn’t growth itself but how leadership shows up once growth starts moving faster? Many shop owners push harder on metrics, processes, and controls, only to find their teams more stressed and less effective.

In this conversation, Jon Kloosterman breaks down why sustainable growth depends less on dashboards and more on people. As shops expand from one location to many, the pressure to standardize everything can quietly erode trust, ownership, and collaboration. Jon explains why scaling auto repair shop teams requires leaders to simplify, step back, and let culture mature especially when the numbers look good but something still feels off.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

[01:08] Jon Kloosterman and his role at Westside Auto Group

[01:20] Growing up and working in the same Michigan community

[03:40] Entering the auto repair industry unexpectedly

[04:59] Stepping into the COO role during the COVID shutdowns

[06:40] Expanding from three to six locations over four years

[09:29] What differentiates Westside Auto Group in competitive markets

[13:14] Recruiting through internal referrals and trusted networks

[14:20] Balancing technical ability with cultural fit

[18:17] Simplifying KPIs to align teams around shared goals

[21:31] Encouraging ownership through internal communication

[24:46] A guiding leadership principle for collaboration

[25:35] Book recommendation that shaped service and culture thinking

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Jon Kloosterman LinkedIn
• Westside Auto Group Website
• Tread Partners
• Gain Traction Podcast on YouTube
• Gain Traction Podcast Website
• Mike Edge on LinkedIn

Quotable Moments:

• “There is no one of us that’s smarter than all of us.”
• “It all comes down to the team.”
• “Process and procedures are going to get you a certain distance.”
• “When you have teams start to gel, that’s when the cool things really start to happen.”
• “We can teach a lot, but culture fit takes time.”

Action Steps:

1. Reevaluate how you approach scaling auto repair shop teams by prioritizing cultural alignment before adding more KPIs or controls.
2. Simplify performance tracking so teams focus on shared goals instead of individual metrics.
3. Use internal peer groups or messaging channels to encourage problem-solving without constant top-down direction.
4. Hire for attitude and team fit first, then invest in training to build technical capability.
5. Give leaders real ownership by involving them directly in financial and operational reviews.