Explore every episode of the podcast Just One Thing

Long days at the auto repair shop can feel never-ending—but the years fly by before you know it. In this episode of Just One Thing, Rick White tackles the time trap that keeps shop owners stuck in reactive mode. He shares a simple, powerful strategy to take control of your days, regain focus, and finally make meaningful progress in your business. If you're tired of motion without movement, this one’s for you.

Daily chaos in your auto repair shop is inevitable—but it doesn’t have to derail you. In this episode, Rick White shares why having a clear, compelling dream for your shop’s future is the key to staying focused, resilient, and motivated. Learn how one powerful sentence can transform how you handle setbacks, reframe frustration, and drive long-term success.

🎧 Listen in and rediscover why you started your shop in the first place.

Hey, Rick White here from 180BIZ, and welcome to episode 200 of the Just ONE Thing podcast. Can you believe it? Two hundred episodes — wow. First, thank you for being here, whether you're a long-time listener or this is your very first episode. I appreciate you.

Today’s episode is gonna hit a little different — we’re talking about verbs. Yep, you heard me right — verbs. And if you're thinking, “Rick, what does grammar have to do with running an auto repair shop?” — hang tight, because this one’s powerful.

Here’s the deal: most of us get stuck defining ourselves with labels. “I am this,” “I’m not that.” But I want to flip the script today. You’re not a noun — you’re a verb. You’re not just a “shop owner,” you serve, you help, you lead, you solve problems. And when you start showing up like that — with action — everything starts to change. Your team, your customers, your business… they all respond differently when you're driven by what you do, not just by what you call yourself.

So let’s dive in and talk about how verbs can transform your mindset, your leadership, and your shop’s profitability. This one’s short, but it’s powerful. Let’s go.

In this episode, we explore the art of handling client comebacks with a focus on empathy and understanding. Learn how to expect the best, avoid automatic blame, and prioritize your clients to turn challenging situations into opportunities for exceptional service and customer satisfaction. Join us as we delve into the secrets of successful client comebacks.

In this episode, learn the power of responding to reviews in auto repair shops. Neglecting reviews is like walking away from a party without acknowledging a grateful customer. Discover how personalized responses build connections and future business while ignoring reviews can cost you 94% of potential customers.

Well, I want to keep talking about the reviews. One of the reasons you're not getting a review is because you are not asking for it. There's a thing called the illusion of transparency. That means you unconsciously expect other people to know and understand what it is you need. Listen along as I give you a different perspective on why you should be asking for reviews.

Let’s talk about something you just can't afford to ignore anymore. Reviews were something you've wanted to have or a nice to have. Or they were something you really didn’t want to know about.  You didn’t want to know what they were thinking about and don't want to deal with it. The ‘ol head and the sand thing, doesn’t work. Reviews are something you can't ignore anymore. I’ll share with you just a few of the statistics that I have found.

In this episode, I’ll talk to you about reviews. We all want client reviews, don't we? But why are your reviews so anemic? Most of the time reviews are an afterthought. So, let’s talk about some of the reasons why you don't get the reviews that you could and should be getting right now. Listen along for 4 reasons why you aren’t getting those reviews!

I've been talking about focus lately. I hear shop owners, clients, and non-clients alike, tell me, “Rick, I have a problem with focus. I just can't do it.” You are blaming yourself for your focus deficit. But it's not your fault. I don't want you to blame yourself for this anymore. It's being stolen. That's right. Your focus is being stolen. Let me explain.

Today I want to talk to you about your MUSTS. There are some things that you MUST take care of to create and keep your focus. In this Podcast Episode, I’m going to give you two ways that can help out! So press play and listen along.

What I want to talk about is the mistake that a lot of people are making. Over the last week or so, I've been talking about focus. Since then, a lot of shop owners tell me that they think about their business all the time. I have to respond by saying that thinking about your business is not the same as focusing. This is the mistake. Why? When you're thinking about the business, you're doing usually one or two things. Do you find yourself thinking about your business all the time? Then this is an episode you’ll want to press play on.

Once you understand where it is you wanna go, you have to believe in it. If you don't believe in where you're going, you won’t give it your focus. You won’t pay attention to it because you don't believe it's there. Listen along to hear a little pep talk on how believing will help you.

My topic for today is FOCUS. And why is that important? Believe it or not, every part of your success starts with FOCUS. Here in lies the problem. Goldfish have a longer attention span than we do. It's the truth. They've studied it. A goldfish has an attention span of nine seconds. Our human attention span is under seven seconds. Everything revolves around what you pay attention to. Are you paying attention? Press play to listen along.

In this episode of Just ONE Thing, Rick White of 180BIZ shares how to turn everyday encounters into powerful coaching moments. By asking three simple yet impactful questions, you can help others focus on opportunities, clarify outcomes, and take ownership of their success.

Joined by John Firm from Texas Two Step Training, Rick models how these questions can create clarity and momentum in real time. Whether you're leading a team or just looking to have more meaningful conversations, this episode is packed with practical insight you can use today.

In this episode, I’ll talk about accidents in your shop happening right now. Let’s talk about how your Net Profit is merely an accident. Look at your P&I.  You have Sales minus Cost equals Gross Profit.  Then subtract your Expenses which leaves you with your Net Profit.  My problem is that net profit is a left over. It's a scrap. Whatever you get is merely by accident. I'm sick and tired of net profit being table scraps. I'm tired of hoping it’s a positive number. I’m tired of shop owners who are disappointed that they didn’t get what they wanted. That’s why I’m talking about Net Profit.

Please listen to what I have to say today. It will challenge you. Why do we have a problem with our mindset? Let me explain. There's this thing called the Curse of Knowledge that kind of kicks us in our butt in a few different ways. Be sure to press play and listen along so you can avoid these kicks in the butts!

Your Effective Labor Rate is one of your silent profit killers. Many shop owners think their labor rate is what they post, but it's not. It's what you collect that matters. But how do you get on top of this? You need CLARITY. You must know what it is and what it should be so that you can begin to get better. To hear two issues that may be keeping you back and how to correct them you will need to press play!

In this episode, I’ll talk about the dangers of going after 25% off on labor. There are some potholes to be aware of. Press play to listen along!

One is the loneliest number, right? It seems like everyone is obsessed with ARO or Average Repair Order. While it's an indicator, it's not very accurate. What do I mean by that? You can have a couple of really big jobs that will artificially inflate your average repair order number, and give you the false sense of things getting better. There are so many more important numbers. Keep listening as I go over the 5 key numbers that you should be looking at DAILY.

In this episode, I’ll finish working with your spouse.  Remember, this works for your partner and even other team members. So, today is about modifying. What do I mean by that? Modifying is when you shoot for a goal and you don't hit it. You must step back and not do what most people do, which is get angry, frustrated, and lash out at each other. It’s amazing how many of us treat ourselves and our business partners worse than we would someone we don’t know very well. I don't understand that. Listen for how-tos to modify situations.

I’ve recently been talking about working with your spouse or significant other. Today what I want to talk about is probably one of the most important things you will need to do to be successful not only in business but in life in general. This is one you won’t want to miss!

I work with a lot of clients who are a husband-and-wife team. One of the things I work hard at is getting them to work better as a couple.  Previously, we talked about goals. We talked about how important it was to have goals that you both believe in. And what's amazing about that is when a husband and a wife, or a significant other, or a partnership have the same goal, it brings them closer. There are some other foundational building blocks they need to work successfully together. Let's talk about what these other blocks are.

I’ve been talking about working with spouses, lately. That can be a real challenge, can't it? In this episode, I will talk about what you can do to make a difference. The key is to have an outcome. The key to succeeding as a couple is to identify an outcome that gets you excited to get out of bed in the morning. Something where you both feel amazing because you both are working toward something each of you wants.  It's amazing when that happens. Now if you don’t work with your spouse this can pertain to your business partner or team so go ahead and press play now!

In this episode, I want to talk about working with your spouse. I think this is an important subject to to talk about because about 70% of the coaching that I do is with couples. I’ll talk from the male perspective because that's what I'm familiar with. It can be frustrating but it can be one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have! So press play and listen along.

Welcome to Just One Thing with Rick White from 180BIZ, the podcast where we tackle the small shifts that make a big impact on your auto repair business.

Today, we’re diving into a tough but crucial question: Are you becoming obsolete? The moment you think you know it all, you stop growing—and that’s a dangerous place to be in an industry that’s constantly evolving. In this episode, we’ll challenge old habits, explore how staying stuck in the past could be costing you, and discuss real-world strategies to keep your shop relevant and profitable.

Let’s tune in!

You know, we've been talking about labor rate. In this episode, I’ll talk more about the frustrating part of setting your labor rate.  And that is when you put a profit model in place and you don't hit it. The reason is that you're not using the right labor rate. Listen as the info I share may be why you aren’t hitting your profit models.

I’m going to talk about four numbers, today, that you need to know to set your labor rate properly. Yes, it sounds simple but this is a podcast episode you are going to want to listen to as I cover each one!

In this episode, I will talk about one of the things that are keeping you from charging the appropriate labor rate that you could and should be charging to take care of your team, and take care of everything. It’s all about differentiation. You need to be able to answer this one question as a prospective client. “Why would I drive by three of your competitors to do business with you?” Listen along as I give you tips to make you the go to shop.

Today’s episode is about what's driving you when it comes to your labor rate. When I ask the shop owner, “Hey, here's a part, it costs this much. What are you gonna sell it for?” They have a calculation. They have a mathematical equation that they use to determine the selling price of that part. But when I ask that same shop owner, “How do you figure out your labor rate?” I typically hear, one of two things. Think about how YOU would answer this question and then press play to listen along!

In this episode, I will talk about pay plans. I’ve heard for years about this age-old battle about flat rate, hourly, and salary wages while wondering which is best. So let's take the mystery out of it once and for all.

We've been talking about pay plans and increases and when to do them. I can't tell you the number of shop owners that I talked to that have problems with what they're paying people. And it's not that they're paying them too much. The battle is this. Maybe you feel like you should be giving a raise. Maybe you're saying, “It's been a few years and I really haven't done much.” Or maybe they're asking for more money. The problem is that you're not happy with the results you're getting from your staff. You feel like you're paying more than what you're getting back. Listen along as I give you tips to help communicate with your team and get everyone in the same boat.

Today I’ll talk about why your employees or your team members leaving. The mistake you are making is you think they are leaving to get more money somewhere else. Well, money is a concern. You want to make sure you are in the top echelon as far as compensation goes. Make sure you know what's going on around regarding compensation and benefits. Listen to this podcast as I give you reasons why they could be leaving, which may help you keep them.

Today I’ll talk about raises. You are in a situation where you're reacting. I don't think you're consciously aware of the turmoil going on in the industry. And one of the things we need to talk about is the reaction. It's coming from a place of fear. It's coming from wondering if you can afford it. You may ask yourself, “should I give them a raise? How much should I give them?” It creates worry and doubt and a lack of faith in yourself and what you're doing. This is an episode you don’t want to miss as I give you tips on how to work through the fear of raises.

We've been talking about feeling fulfilled and you know how to find that. But now I want to talk to you about putting that fulfillment on steroids. I’ll explain to you how to do it. Be sure to listen to this Podcast as I give you tips for yourself and how to include your team.

Today I’ll talk about feeling fulfilled. This is a really big deal because there are a lot of people that are going to work every day or going through life every day not feeling fulfilled. They feel empty. They feel hollow. They feel like something's missing. It's that feeling of fulfillment. Let's talk about the four areas in that you can find fulfillment so be sure to listen to this Podcast!

In this episode, Rick White from 180BIZ shares a powerful strategy to help auto repair shop owners stop reacting and start responding with intention. Running a shop comes with daily challenges—demanding customers, stressed-out employees, and unexpected problems. But how you handle these moments can make or break your success.

Rick introduces the STOP technique, a simple yet transformative method rooted in dialectical behavior therapy, to help you Pause, Breathe, Observe, and Proceed with Intention. Learn how to turn frustrating situations into opportunities for better leadership, stronger communication, and a more positive shop culture. Discover how to use emotions as signals, not reactions, so you can make clear-headed decisions, reduce stress, and create a workplace where your team thrives.

Don't let emotions run your shop—take control and lead with confidence. Tune in now!

Today’s topic is about being happy. Isn't that really all we want out of life? To feel happiness? I will tell you something that I think is a real misnomer. There are two real points I want to make in this episode. This isn't a podcast you want to miss, I mean who doesn't want to be happy?

In this episode, I want to talk about getting stuck. I don't know about you, but there have been times when I feel like I'm stuck, like I'm spinning my wheels and just not going anywhere. While thinking about it I realized that there are four things that cause you to feel stuck. So what I'd like to do is go through each one of those four things. So press play and listen along.

In this episode, I’ll talk to you about the secret to communicating. The secret is to listen. You step back and listen before you start going off from your perspective. The secret to creating an amazing team is to listen. It's to ask questions. It's all about making sure you completely understand the situation, not just from your perspective. There are other perspectives to what's going on. Everyone can use a little help in communicating, so press play and keep listening.

When it comes to communicating, sometimes we get hurt or someone else gets hurt. I want to talk about that today. How many times have you been hurt by what someone has said? Let’s talk about what usually causes that. Press play as I will give you 3 things that will help you to communicate more effectively and avoid hurting someone or getting hurt.

I talked about communication in the previous episode. And one of the things I want to talk about in communication is friction. I want you to know about the friction that's going on in every communication. Where does that come from? Press play as we dig deeper to answer that question and I give you some tips on how to avoid it.

Today’s episode is about communicating. One of the major stressors in your life is your inability to communicate properly. Most of the time you're running around the shop like a chicken with your head cut off and going crazy. You don’t realize it but you’re barking. You're giving snippets. You're not giving complete thoughts. Your communication has holes in it. Your instructions aren't complete. That's because you're communicating emotionally. Listen along to hear me explain why you are doing this and tips on how to change it!

In this episode, I want to talk to you about planning. Every year, Brenda and I take one entire week to plan for the following year. We just finished our planning week this past week. We went down to the smokey mountains and had a great time. We did spend the entire week planning for sales, staffing, responsibilities, guidelines, benchmarks, etc. We made sure it was all in there. But if you ask Brenda, she’d say it was never enough. What do you do to plan? I think you will want to listen to this one as we go over some confusion about what a plan looks like.

People either tend to have a positive outlook or a negative outlook. And I want to talk about that a little bit. When you are a business owner, you can't allow a negative outlook to take over you. Don't misunderstand me, though. Positivity, to me, does not mean everything's all good and great, sunshine and rainbows. There will always be issues. Positivity doesn't mean pretending there are no problems. Life has problems. Positivity just means a belief. I have a belief that I can overcome them. I have a belief that I can overcome any situation that comes my way. Press play as I give you a few ways to set yourself up for that positive attitude.

Life is a gift. We hear that all the time and sometimes to the point of nausea. But here's what I want you just to think through for a second. Life is a gift. Each and every day is a gift. We listen to this, and we hear it, but I don't think it penetrates. How fast did your kids grow up or are growing up? I'm watching my grandkids now and I'm absolutely mind-blown at how fast they're growing. Each day when I wake up and open my eyes and that's a gift for me. Why? Because I recognize there are more days behind me than in front of me. I know, I know you've heard this before but this is one episode you will want to listen to.

Recently I talked about indecision. The key takeaways with indecision were (1) Stop trying to make the right decision and just go for the best decision. (2) Decisions aren't fatal, they’re feedback. (3) Don't make the same decision twice. Now I want to talk about decisions. Many times, decisions are made in an emotional state. And when that happens, it becomes a reaction. When your decision is a reaction, it always hurts. Listen along for great decision making tips!

Auto repair shop owners—are you losing your best techs and advisors? In this episode of Just ONE Thing, Rick White breaks down the four key reasons employees leave: poor management, bad work environment, no growth, and low pay.

More importantly, he shares two game-changing strategies to help you keep your team engaged and committed. Plus, he challenges shop owners to rethink their approach to pay and growth opportunities.

Tune in, take action, and build a stronger auto repair shop!

The way I see decisions is you’re going down a path and then get to a point where you can go left or you can go right. It’s a decision point. Indecision is when you're stuck at the fork in the road and you're not moving. Where does indecision come from? Have you ever dealt with indecision? This is one you should keep listening to!

We use the word hate a lot. I hate peas. I hate ice cream. I hate this. I hate that. Hate usually comes from unhappiness. We are unhappy a lot, but we don't talk about it. It's okay to be dissatisfied. It's not okay to be unhappy. When you're unhappy about something, you continue to focus on what you're unhappy about and it gets bigger and it gets worse. Listen along as I talk about how unhappiness can affect all aspects of your life.

What I will talk about today is Can Do. There's a can do attitude and that's great to have. It means you will get it done. But what I'm talking about is that you can do anything, but you can't do everything. Brian Tracy, a couple of years ago, said that the average person's to-do list is 140% of their lifetime. Think that through for a second. It means that we must be good at understanding what we want to happen. Now press play to listen along.