Transcript
A (0:00)
This is Scott Becker with the Becker Business and the Becker Private Equity podcast. We try to bring you one to two business and market insight episodes today. Plus typically a discussion, an interview with a brilliant business leader. We're thrilled today to get to visit with Andrew Walker and Andrew's going to talk to us about his business and what he's doing. And Andrew, we're just thrilled to have you on. Can you tell us a little bit about what you do in about your business?
B (0:29)
Oh yes, absolutely. Again, like I said, it is a privilege to be here. And so what I do for a living, actually I'm still currently doing is I'm an automotive technician. I'm a master technician or advanced level ASC technician. I currently work at a dealership and I'm actually kind of transitioning into like an instructor kind of role. And so you know, I, I just kind of notice my industry is just auto repair in general is full of huge opportunities, so to speak, and problems that I think that I can help, you know, bring some solutions to the table that are effective not only for technicians, shop owners, but also, you know, car owners as well. Like we want to address everything and give them tools too. So we wanted to initially make this business and I say we because I do have an actually like a kind of co found founder. He joined on a few months after I started it up and I worked with him for 10 years and I think it's a great business relationship and he helps out on the technical back end of things and he's instructing as well, actually a John Deere dealership. So he, he's got a lot of insight knowledge. I would say we both are, you know, experts in our field for sure. And you know, lifelong learning is very important to both of us. And so we, you know, that passion we obviously want to push out into other younger technicians as well. We need technicians in this industry bad.
A (2:00)
And talk about that because it seems like there's just a tremendous shortage of people in trades and notwithstanding everybody doing so many different things, there is such a need for people in trains and technicians and so forth. Talk about that, that shortage that we have in the trades and how that's, you know, how that possibly evolves and how you guys are helping to solve that, quite frankly.
B (2:21)
Well, I will say the, the shot, you know, the shop owners are noticing it. I mean they're probably feeling it more so than anything. They knew it was coming I think for a long time. But you know, the problem is we have guys that have spent 30 years in the industry in a bay. And they're about to retire, and they're, you know, they're gonna get all the boomers and the Xers that are moving out. And not many of these younger guys were pushed into trade jobs, you know, is. Which would be guys like my age. And I'm, you know, like 38 right now, so I'm not too old. But, you know, I got in after the military and the GI Bill, you know, got me into the industry, so to speak. And. But for other guys, you know, I know nobody was really pushing it as a kid for us to go do these jobs. They weren't paying very well. And then you also have a huge rise in technology on the equipment we're servicing as well. And so training. I think if you ask my honest opinion, I think if we. If we fix the way that we bring a technician in or somebody who's interested in the auto repair industry from a young age, 18, and lay out a solid career path for him, instead of leaving him to figure it out on his own, he, you know, he would most likely stay in this industry. He would empower him. I'm trying to kind of raise the. The level of a technician up higher. If you really get your training and your skills done, you can make good money. I. I personally make good money doing what I do, which is why I haven't stopped you.