The Part-Time Performer (And The Full-Time Lesson) [218]

Thanks to our Partner, Pico TechnologyWatch Full Video EpisodeThis episode uses professional wrestling’s “part-time performer” phenomenon—stars who leave, come back, and instantly get the spotlight—to explore something that happens in auto repair, too:When a specialist has a reputation that brings cars through the door, the right move is to lean into it—not resent it.Key Talking Points & Takeaways1) The Seth Rollins Quote Sets the Tone“If you’re not learning, then you’re stagnant… and the business isn’t progressing.”Matt frames growth as a requirement—not a nice-to-have—for both the individual specialist and the shop.2) Wrestling 101: “Protecting the Business” vs. “Understanding the Draw”Matt revisits early WrestleMania and the idea of kayfabe (protecting the illusion) to explain a bigger concept:The “outsider celebrity” (like Mr. T back then) wasn’t about pride—it was about bringing eyes and money.Selling offense (“selling” = making it look like it hurts) is part of making the other person look legitimate.3) The Modern Version: The Part-Time Star ProblemMatt runs through the familiar cycle:A star goes to Hollywood or appears occasionally (Rock, Cena, Undertaker, Lesnar, Goldberg).They return and get major wins/titles.The full-time grinders feel slighted—until they see the business reason:Those names are draws. Draws bring revenue.4) The Auto Repair Translation: The Specialist Who Brings Work InHere’s the pivot:In shops, you sometimes have that person:the alignment specialistthe drivability/diagnostics specialistthe transmission/differential rebuilderthe ADAS/calibration personthe accessory/TPMS/trailer/camper personCustomers don’t just ask for the shop… they ask for that specialist by name.Matt’s point: Don’t let ego or envy sabotage something that helps everyone.5) “Lean Into It” (Instead of Getting Weird About It)Matt argues you should:Promote that specialist more, not less.Treat their reputation as an asset to the entire shop.Recognize what it actually

Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech Training and Pico TechnologyWatch Full Video EpisodeEpisode summaryMatt Fanslow pulls a lesson from an unexpected place: a Parkway Drive studio story involving Killswitch Engage’s Adam D. The band tried to force a new sound—clean vocals mixed with screams—and it just wasn’t working. The fix? Stop trying to be a different band and lean into what already fits.Matt ties that directly into shop life: not every shop needs to work on every vehicle type or take every job, and not every person needs to be great at every kind of work. Whether it’s building around strong mechanical specialists, strong technical specialists, or choosing a narrower service lane, specializing on purpose can be the difference between surviving and thriving.What you’ll hear in this episodeWhy the “do everything” mindset can quietly punish shops (and people)A real example of pivoting back to core strengths (and winning bigger because of it)The difference between mechanical specialists and technical specialists—and why both are hard to findWhy “I can buy the tools” doesn’t automatically equal “we can do the work well”Checking ego at the door: success doesn’t require being everything to everyoneA nod to “reverse benchmarking”: build your identity around what others don’t do wellKey takeaways (shop + career)Specialization isn’t weakness. It can be the most rational way to deliver consistent quality.Tools and information don’t replace capability. They support it—if the people and processes are there.Staffing reality matters. If you don’t have the right mechanical specialist or technical specialist, forcing the work in-house can be painful.You can evolve later. Being “not that shop” today doesn’t mean “never”—it can mean “not yet.”Identity beats imitation. Trying to match someone else’s “genre” can pull you away from what you’re actually great at.Bands / people / references mentionedParkway Drive (story + recommendation)Killswitch Engage (Matt’s favorite band)Adam D (KSE) and his influence in the studio momentHoward Jones / Jesse Leach (KSE vocalist history)Slipknot (clean vs scream evolution reference)Tour mentions: Summer of Loud (as described), plus bands like The Devil Wears Prada, I Prevail, Beartooth (as mentioned)Sports analogy: Tampa Bay Buccaneers run-heavy approach (and leaning into...

Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech Training and Pico TechnologyWatch Full Video EpisodeMatt digs into listener-submitted questions—starting with a deceptively simple one that “freaks him out”: what’s the most misunderstood concept in auto repair? From there, the episode becomes a guided tour through the gray area between knowing what’s true and knowing what’s useful.He revisits a frequent offender in the misinformation world: catalytic converter diagnostics, particularly the old “switch rate” concept, and why it’s fundamentally flawed, even when it appears convincing on a scan tool. From there, Matt zooms out into bigger “how-the-universe-works” territory—magnetism, electric fields, and why some of the most fascinating truths about energy flow will probably never help you fix a car (but are still worth thinking about).The back half of the episode shifts into personal updates (family health), a few fun holiday questions (favorite Christmas movies), an unexpectedly intense movie rant (Thor’s Endgame arc), and a grounded-but-honest take on the future of EVs and hybrids.Topics CoveredThe hardest balance in teaching and learning: accuracy vs. applicabilityWhy most misinformation in training/resources is usually unintentionalCatalytic converter misconceptions:Why “post-cat O2 switch rate” is a bad diagnostic foundationWhy scan tool graphs can mislead you even when they “look right”What really matters before condemning a converter (fuel control, exhaust leaks, sensor accuracy, updates, airflow modeling inputs)Why OEM catalyst monitoring relies on oxygen storage capacity (OSC)—and why it’s not the same as true conversion efficiencyA brief detour into physics for the curious:Magnetism as an effect tied to moving charge (and why special relativity can explain part of it)The “energy comes from the field” idea—and why it’s fascinating even if it doesn’t help bay workEGR follow-up: throttling losses, flame speed, and thermal efficiencyPersonal Q&A: updates on Matt’s dad’s recovery and implanted defibrillator; Danielle’s long recovery arcHoliday lightning round: favorite Christmas moviesMovie plot that frustrates Matt most: Thor from Ragnarok → Endgame (and why “Fat Thor” was mishandled)EV future: energy density limits, why hybrids may remain the practical middle ground, and where hydrogen might fitKey Takeaways“What looks true” on a scan tool isn’t always what the monitor is actually judging.Catalyst diagnostics are more systems-based...

Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech Training and Pico TechnologyWatch Full Video EpisodeIn this episode, Matt shares a post he wrote after seeing yet another wave of “Who’s the most affordable?” questions in a local community group. He breaks down the hidden cost of chasing the lowest price, explains the local multiplier effect, and uses behavioral economics and game theory to show why short-term savings can create long-term pain—especially in auto repair. Matt also makes the case for educating employees on how small businesses really work, why ethical profit matters, and how small choices can preserve local options for your future self.Key themesWhy “most affordable” has become the default question in local recommendation threadsThe idea that every purchase has two prices: the invoice amount and the impact on the local systemLocal businesses as a “local multiplier”: wages, suppliers, sponsorships, taxes, and reinvestment staying nearbyThe trap of short-term savings: hyperbolic discounting, loss leaders, and loss aversionAuto repair reality check: low prices can shift costs into warranty travel, time loss, and future headachesGame theory framing: a repeated prisoner’s dilemma—individual “defections” (price-chasing) add up to fewer local optionsThe skilled-trade value problem: cars depreciate while homes/buildings appreciate, shaping perceived worth of the work“Profits aren’t evil”: ethical profit as doing what you said you’d do, for what you said you’d do it forThe case for educating employees on business economics so they understand pricing, margins, and sustainabilityPractical compassion: offering to cover card swipe fees and understanding why local goods can cost moreMemorable lines“Every purchase has two prices: the number on the invoice, and the impact on the system you live inside.”“The long-term consequences are invisible… until they’re painful and hard to reverse.”“Time—by far our most valuable asset.”“Residents and local businesses behave a lot like a repeated prisoner’s dilemma.”“Profits aren’t evil. I believe in ethical profit.”Audience takeawayIf you always optimize for the cheapest option, you may “win” today but collectively lose tomorrow: fewer trusted local providers, fewer skilled jobs, and less community resilience—especially in specialized services like auto repair.Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech TrainingNAPA Autotech’s team of ASE Master Certified Instructors are conducting over 1,200 classes

Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech Training and Pico TechnologyWatch Full Video EpisodeIn this episode, Matt shares a personal Thanksgiving story that turned into a real medical emergency. A long-time family friend suddenly becomes unresponsive at the dinner table, and Matt walks through the moment he had to decide whether to act, despite not being “formally” current on CPR.He talks candidly about what it felt like to drag her to the floor, check for breathing, make the call to start chest compressions, hear ribs crack—and then watch her come back. From there, he connects the experience to life in an automotive shop: CPR and first-aid readiness, AEDs, fire extinguishers, panic, freezing, and why “somebody will know what to do” is not a plan.It’s a conversation about preparedness, stress, and how our greatest weapon really is the thought we choose when everything suddenly goes sideways.Episode HighlightsOpening with the quote: “Our greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”Matt fighting a cold and joking about his “Nat King Cole” voice.Thanksgiving at his parents’ house: Family and close friends gathered, including a 75-year-old family friend (“Jane”) who’s been part of the family’s holidays for years.Jane says she’s really dizzy; Matt gets up to escort her to the living room.Her chin suddenly drops to her chest, she becomes unresponsive, cold, and clammy.The decision point:Matt checks for airway, tries to feel for a pulse, listens for breathing—only hears gurgling.Admits he doesn’t fully trust his own ability to feel a pulse with his heart pounding.The mental calculus: If you can’t be sure, what else is there to do but chest compressions?Starting chest compressions:Dragging her to the floor and focusing completely on her while the rest of the room “disappears.”Locking his elbows, using the beat of “Stayin’ Alive” as a guide.First compression: feeling and hearing the sternum/ribs crack—and taking that as feedback that he’s at the right depth.Before the second compression, her eyes fly open and she lets out a sound.The immediate emotional whiplash:First feeling isn’t relief, but anger and self-doubt: “Did I just overreact?” “Did I crack her ribs for nothing?” “Was this some dramatic hero move I didn’t need to make?”Reorienting to the reality that she was unresponsive and now is awake, talking, and oriented.EMS arrives:Very low blood pressure at the house (around 70/40).Hooked up to a 4-lead, showing atrial fibrillation with PVCs.Matt nerds out on...

Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech Training and Pico TechnologyWatch Full Video EpisodeIn this episode, Matt uses The Matrix—especially the line “there is no spoon”—as a metaphor for the invisible cages we build in our own minds. He connects the film to social constructs, substance use disorder, self-limiting beliefs, and the hard, messy reality of change.Matt unpacks what it really means to “take the red pill”: leaving the comfort of your personal matrix, enduring an initial season of discomfort or even suffering, and slowly rebuilding your ability to cope, grow, and demand better—from yourself, your relationships, and your career.Key Topics Covered“There is no spoon” and social constructsThe Matrix as a metaphor for our personal belief systems, not just a sci-fi simulation.How ideas like “I can’t,” “they won’t let me,” and “this is just how it is” form our own private matrix.Money as a clear example of a social construct: it only works because we all agree it has value.Substance use disorder & the red/blue pill choiceReframing the Matrix pods and simulation as a stand-in for addiction and coping mechanisms.Drugs (or other coping tools) as a “cure” that works incredibly well… until the bill comes due.The “red pill” as the decision to leave a destructive coping mechanism and face reality.Why life often gets worse at first when someone chooses recovery—gray, flat, painful—before it gets better.Atrophy, discomfort, and rebuilding capacityNeo’s physical atrophy as a metaphor for emotional and coping atrophy after long-term use.Many people aren’t using to “get high” anymore—they’re using just to feel normal.Relearning how to feel feelings at full intensity without a chemical buffer.Self-imposed limits and hidden capacityThe Matrix training scenes: bending the rules as a metaphor for challenging self-imposed limits.The “70% wall” idea from Navy SEAL training—quitting when there’s still gas left in the tank.How often we defeat ourselves before we even truly try.The Kung Fu (David Carradine) lessonFlashback scene with the “acid pool” that turns out to be water.Believing in the danger so completely that you fail before you start.How often we do the same thing with exams, careers, and life decisions.Technicians, tests, and career ceilings“I’ll never pass A6” / “I’ll never get that cert” as a self-fulfilling prophecy.Questioning whether your limits are real, or chosen.Practical self-inquiry: What can I do to change this belief? What actions can I take?Relationships, work, and what we tolerateStaying in unhealthy relationships (romantic, friends, employers, clients) because “this is the best I can do.”Starting with your own role: being a better spouse, friend, or employee and expecting better treatment in return.The trap where employers say, “If they acted like good employees, I’d treat them well,” and employees say, “If they treated me well, I’d act like a good employee”—and nothing changes.Dutch Silverstein’s perspectiveIt’s important to treat people the way you want to be treated.But for sure: never treat someone the way you don’t want to be treated.Taking the red pill in real lifeThe “red pill” as a choice, not a daily supplement.Expecting the initial result of that choice to feel worse before it feels...

Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech Training and Pico TechnologyWatch Full Video EpisodeIn this episode, Matt takes a relationship quote and flips it into a perspective shift for shop owners, managers, and specialists: instead of obsessing over “finding the right” customers, employees, or employers, focus on becoming the right shop and the right person—over and over again. He explores how this mindset applies to attracting younger clients, building a place top technical and mechanical specialists want to work, and evolving with changes like EVs, culture, and work–life balance.Key Talking PointsThe quote that kicked it off: “Love isn’t about fate and magic bracelets and destiny. It’s about finding someone you can stand to be around for 10 minutes at a time,” and the idea that it’s less about finding the one and more about becoming the right one again and again.Translating relationship advice into shop life:Stop fixating on “finding the right clients,” “the right shop,” “the right boss,” or “the right employee.”Shift the focus to becoming the right shop, manager, owner, or employee.Becoming the right shop for your current and future clients:Many shops are currently tailored to an older clientele (boomers) and have great rapport with them.Younger clients often care deeply about your why—your purpose, values, and what you stand for.Start projecting an image and message that resonates with the clients you’ll need in the future, not just the ones you serve today.Becoming the right employer:Think about the types of technical specialists and mechanical specialists you’d love to attract.What are they after now, and what will they value most in the near future (purpose, time off, culture, tools, training, environment)?Make tangible changes in the shop that align with those values and make sure those changes are visible.Creative ways to “show, not tell” as an employer:Hosting training classes in your shop so other shops’ staff and owners can see your facility.Letting others experience climate control, lighting, equipment, computers at every bay, etc.Letting your current team’s honest feedback become a powerful, organic recruiting message.Culture vs. pure production:As shops hit their production targets more consistently, culture starts to matter more.High-output but toxic people can drag down the overall environment.Sometimes the right fit is someone who might produce a little less but makes the team function better and reduces animosity.What it means to be the right employee:Contributing to ethical profit and strong production.Being a good teammate who doesn’t undermine the system.Helping with what the shop needs: clients, employees, reputation, and growth.Being able to demonstrate your value beyond hours billed—teamwork, leadership, culture.Evolving with technology and the market (EV example):Understanding your shop’s stance on EVs and being able to discuss it intelligently.Looking at the local EV car park, investment needs, safety, and training.Positioning the shop to succeed ethically and profitably as the car parc changes.Seeing the shop as an ecosystem:Front of house, back of house, management, and employees as symbiotic systems.Shared goals: profit, stability, and long-term perpetuation of

Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech Training and Pico TechnologyWatch Full Video EpisodeIn this episode of Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z, Matt Fanslow uses a famous Michael Jordan quote, a heartbreaking Minnesota Vikings loss, and a rant from Jeff Compton of The Jaded Mechanic Podcast to dig into a big question:When did we get so impatient with young people—and what is it costing our industry?Matt reflects on how we treat new, entry-level mechanical and technical specialists in our shops, how “common sense” isn’t actually common, and why our own backgrounds make it easy to forget what it’s like to start from zero. He draws parallels between sports, restaurants, and auto repair, and makes the case that if we want to “grow our own,” we must build patience and structure into our businesses.Along the way, he talks about failure as a prerequisite for greatness—using Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Muhammad Ali, and even win–loss records and batting averages to remind us that the “greats” failed a lot before anyone called them great.Highlights & Topics CoveredMichael Jordan’s failure quote and what it really says about successA recent Vikings–Bears game:JJ McCarthy’s rough day, clutch fourth-quarter drive, andHow special teams and defense actually lost the gameThe internet meltdown: instant calls to replace a young quarterback who’s essentially still a rookieA short video rant from Jeff Compton (The Jaded Mechanic Podcast) about having patience with young peopleThe core question: When did we get so impatient—and were we always this way?Generational shifts in handling criticism, shame, and feedbackWhy “common sense” isn’t common:How background, upbringing, and exposure shape what feels obviousGrowing up around farms, equipment, and shops vs. growing up with screensHomemakers, latchkey kids, and how changing family structures change what kids bring into the workplaceThe reality of today’s entry-level hire:No mechanical backgroundDoesn’t know a hex from a Torx… yetThe shop’s responsibility if you want to “grow your own”:Structuring the business to shoulder an apprentice who isn’t producing much at firstDefining basic expectations (showing up, being on time, not repeating the same mistake endlessly)Skill decay and repetition:Lab scopes, training classes, and how fast proficiency fades without regular useHow we criticize: sharp scalpel vs. rusty spoon; cutting people apart vs. building them upRemembering that apprentices didn’t choose their childhood or start point—but are choosing this careerThe sports angle on failure and greatness:Michael Jordan getting cut from his high school teamPat Riley’s quote about last shot vs. “save my life” shot (MJ vs. Larry Bird)Muhammad Ali’s losses, UFC careers, and the obsession with “perfect records”Baseball batting averages: greatness at 30% successA teaser for a future episode: how this profession can play a role in the “war on young men”Key TakeawaysFailure is part of greatness. The people we call “the greatest” in sports failed repeatedly. Expecting perfection from a first-year tech is delusional.Common sense is built, not born. What feels obvious to you probably came from years of exposure, mistakes, and stories you grew up around. Your apprentice didn’t get that same download.If you want to grow your own, structure for it. Shops that bring in entry-level mechanical/technical...

Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech Training and Pico TechnologyWatch Full Video EpisodeWe unpack what “boundaries” actually are—and aren’t—in shops and life. Margaret draws clear lines between rules vs. boundaries, protective vs. containing boundaries, and gives scripts you can use with customers, colleagues, and leadership. Matt adds his trademark honesty (and jokes) about self-regulation, “saying it like it is,” and swapping “but” for “and.”Sponsor shoutoutsNAPA AutoTech Training — Apprentice pathways, Tech Update, Service Advisor, and EV Ready week-long hands-on training. Details: napaautotech.comPico Technology (PicoScope) — Turn a PC into a powerful diagnostic scope. Guided tests, EV kit, faster fault-finding. Details: picoauto.comKey ideas & takeawaysRules vs. Boundaries: Rule: “You’re not allowed to yell at me.” (trying to control others)Boundary: “If you yell at me, I will leave the room.” (what I will do)Two Types of Boundaries:Protective: Guard yourself from others’ behavior (leave the room, pause the call).Containing: Guard others from your behavior (take a break before you escalate).Simple Shop ScriptsAdvisor to escalated customer: “I’m happy to help and if the yelling continues, I’ll have to ask you to leave. I’m happy to help when we’re calm.”Advisor protecting self: “If voices rise, I’m going to step to the break room for five minutes and then return to help.”Employee to manager (after-hours texts): “I’ll handle this when I’m back at work.” (Boundary = your response, not their texting.)Use “and,” not “but.”“I hear you overslept and I need you here on time.”Removes the “disqualifier” feel of but, holds two truths at once, reduces power struggles.Broken-record technique for heatRepeat your boundary + offer: “I’m happy to help, and if the yelling continues, I’ll need you to leave.”Professionalism ≠ light switchContainment and communication are skills that need coaching, not just warnings. Managers can (and should) teach, not only discipline.Reasonable ExpectationsSome things are rules of employment (e.g., start times). People can be upset and the expectation still stands.Curiosity FirstLead with, “Are you open to feedback?” “Tell me what would work better.” You can hear it without agreeing to change your decision.Culture Over ChaosWe don’t need reality-TV drama in a professional shop. Boundaries + coaching = fewer blowups, better results.Practical Playbook - Train mechanical specialists and technical specialists to:Spot their escalation early (breathing break, lap around the building).State boundaries in first-person (“I will…”) not second-person commandments.Swap but → and in feedback and estimates.Train advisors on three phrases:“I want to help, and we’ll...

Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech Training and Pico TechnologyWatch Full Video EpisodeMatt Fanslow opens with “Resistance is futile” and tackles a common belief: “Resistance always makes current go down.” He walks through why that’s mostly—but not always—true, and shows how electric motors (especially starters) can draw more current when unwanted resistance slows them down by reducing counter-EMF. Along the way he ties Ohm’s Law to real diagnostics, shares a Rust Belt cable-smoker story, and closes with a heartfelt reminder about seeking help for the “stuff” we all carry.Key TopicsThe “always/never” trap in electrical claimsOhm’s Law in real life: fixed voltage vs. changing conditionsWhy motors misbehave: counter-EMF as dynamic “resistance”Starter example: inrush current, RPM drop → current riseHigh-resistance cables that increase current (and make heat)Where the energy goes: heat in brushes/cables vs. mechanical workInstantaneous truth of Ohm’s Law: accurate at a moment in time, not across changing dynamicsPractical tell-tales: slow crank + rising amps + hot/smoking cablesMental health note: removing stigma and getting professional helpPractical TakeawaysMotors are dynamic loads. If RPM drops (binding, poor supply, worn pump), counter-EMF falls and current can increase even as “resistance in the circuit” rises.Heat = the clue. Elevated current with slow rotation often means energy’s being dumped as heat (cables glowing, insulation softening, brushes cooking).Measure what matters. Combine voltage drop, current measurement, and temperature/thermal observation under load to find where the power is going.Interpret Ohm’s Law correctly. It holds at an instant; across changing conditions, re-evaluate with the values at that moment.Case Study HighlightChevy Suburban (late ’80s/early ’90s): Slow crank, ~400 A draw when ~150 A expected; braided negative cable glows red under a 10–20 s crank. Root cause: high-resistance path + reduced counter-EMF → higher current and wasted power as heat.Tools & Concepts MentionedCurrent probe / ammeterVoltage drop testingStarter relative compression patternsCounter-EMF (a.k.a. back-EMF)Old-school VAT-style analyzer (Snap-on digital variant)Quotes / Moments“It’s rare we can say always or never.”“Ohm’s Law isn’t broken—it’s instantaneous.”“If it isn’t turning it into work, it’s turning it into heat.”Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech TrainingNAPA Autotech’s team of ASE Master Certified Instructors are conducting over 1,200 classes covering 28 automotive topics. To see a selection, go to napaautotech.com for more details.Thanks to our Partner, Pico TechnologyAre you chasing elusive automotive problems? Pico Technology empowers you to see what's really happening. Their PicoScope oscilloscopes transform your diagnostic capabilities. Pinpoint faults in sensors, wiring, and components with unmatched accuracy....