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 From outdated PTO structures to tone-deaf job ads, Lisa and Sam pull back the curtain on what technicians are actually looking for, what's working in 2026, and how shop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 paid time off

(10:38) Why shops are their own worst enemy when it comes to hiring timelines

(14:37) The A-tech unicorn problem — and the better hire you're walking past

(15:44) The training model the industry has backwards — and the fix that grows your whole team

(16:39) Always be recruiting — why two weeks notice is not enough runway

(36:34) The 3-day interview rule and why speed is the only hiring strategy that matters

(40:22) Creative comp that wins top techs without blowing up payroll

(43:25) The fringe benefit rules every shop owner needs to know before getting creative

(51:37) Job hopping — tech problem or shop problem? The answer might surprise you

If you're ready to stop losing top techs to shops with smarter benefit packages, start competing with Tesla and Rivian on PTO without blowing up your payroll, and finally understand why the candidate who applied Sunday is already hired somewhere else by Thursday — this episode is essential listening.

VISION Hi-Tech Training & Expo: https://visionkc.com/

Promotive: https://gopromotive.com/

Thanks to our partner, Promotive

Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/

Thanks to our partner, WickedFile

Turn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/

Thanks to our partner, Maverick Shop Owners

You're working on growing a more profitable shop - that's critical. That's exactly what the 24-video Blueprint course by Maverick Shop Owners addresses - customers, sales, profit, people, systems, and freedom. Get free access for our listeners only at https://maverickshopowners.com/blueprint

Thanks to our partner, Overdryve

Overdryve is your AI-powered marketing operating system. It predicts slow weeks before they happen, automatically launches revenue-driving campaigns, tracks ROI down to the dollar, and optimizes performance in real time. Visit https://overdryvemarketing.com/