When employees are happy and engaged, they provide excellent service, and that service brings customers back. Cassandra Bergum, general manager and owner of Hi-Line Service & Hydraulics, has built exactly that kind of culture. In episode 45 of Maximum Octane, she and her daughter, Autumn, join Kim Hickey to talk about leading by example and putting relationships first.
Cassandra spent nearly a decade managing an oilfield trucking company and drew on mechanical experience from her time in the Army National Guard when she took over Hi-Line. She shares how she built her culture, why she added an Auto Value parts store to the business, the shop’s Friday noon tradition, and what she has learned about telling people “no.”
What You Will Learn
- About Autumn’s experiences working at the family business
- The chain effect of creating an engaging culture
- What led Cassandra to start managing Hi-Line Service & Hydraulics
- How adding an Auto Value store to Cassandra’s business upgraded her business
- How unproductive habits get in our way and what can we do about them
Questions Asked in This Episode
- Your internal customers are happy and engaged. And so they provide excellent service, and it comes full circle. Can you talk to us a little bit about your culture?
- How did you come upon being the owner of this business?
- Autumn, you have survived nicely hearing the word “no” occasionally. Can you talk about that just for a moment? Because there are so many people out there that are scared to death to tell their children “no.”
Working in the Family Business
Autumn opens by sharing her experience working at the family business. Growing up around the shop gave her a front-row view of how her mother leads and how relationships with employees and customers shape the business.
Children who work in a family business gain a unique education. They learn about customer service, responsibility, and how a business really operates. They also see the sacrifices and rewards of ownership up close. For some, that experience sparks a desire to continue the business. For others, it builds skills they carry into different careers. Either way, the exposure is valuable.
The Chain Effect of an Engaging Culture
Kim notes that Cassandra’s employees are happy and engaged, and that their service comes full circle. Around the 6 minute mark, Cassandra explains the chain effect of an engaging culture. When people enjoy where they work, they treat each other better. When they treat each other better, they treat customers better. When customers are treated well, they return and refer others. The business grows, and the cycle continues.
This is the internal customer philosophy at the core of Maximum Octane. ATI’s Create a Challenged and Engaged Workforce and The Role of the Manager in Employee Engagement look at how leaders create that cycle.
This chain effect is sometimes described in business research as the “service-profit chain,” a model suggesting that employee satisfaction drives customer satisfaction, which in turn drives loyalty and profitability. While real businesses are more complicated than any model, the basic idea matches what many shop owners observe: happy teams create happy customers.
How Cassandra Came to Lead Hi-Line
Around the 12 minute mark, Cassandra explains how she came to manage and eventually own Hi-Line Service & Hydraulics. Her background in managing a trucking operation and her mechanical training in the National Guard gave her a strong foundation for running a service business.
Leaders who come from other industries or roles often bring valuable perspectives. Experience managing a trucking operation, for example, involves logistics, scheduling, safety, and customer relationships, all of which apply to running a service shop. Cassandra’s path shows how varied experience can prepare someone to lead in unexpected ways.
Adding an Auto Value Store
Cassandra shares her thinking behind adding an Auto Value parts store to her business and how it improved efficiency and customer service. Having parts on-site can reduce wait times and give customers another reason to visit. She also shares her surprise at how the grand opening turned out.
Adding a complementary business is a big decision. Owners considering it should look at customer demand, margins, space, staffing, and how it fits the core business. ATI’s The Must-Have Revenue Stream for Shops and Why You Should Be in the Tire Business explore other ways shops add revenue.
Adding a parts store or other complementary service requires careful analysis. Owners should consider startup costs, inventory requirements, staffing, margins, and how the new business will interact with the existing one. When done well, the combination can improve convenience for customers, increase revenue per visit, and reduce wait times for parts.
Traditions That Build Relationships
The Bergums talk about their Friday noon tradition at the shop. Simple, consistent traditions give teams a chance to connect outside of daily tasks. They signal that the business values people, not just production.
Traditions create a sense of belonging. Whether it is a weekly lunch, a monthly recognition event, or an annual celebration, shared rituals give people something to look forward to and strengthen bonds between team members. They also show that the business values people as more than workers.
The Value of Hearing “No”
Kim asks Autumn about growing up hearing the word “no” from time to time, noting that many parents are afraid to say it. The conversation highlights how boundaries build resilience. The same principle applies in leadership. Saying no to unreasonable requests, poor behavior, or distractions helps a team understand what matters.
Boundaries are a form of care. Parents who set limits help children learn self-discipline and resilience. Leaders who set limits help employees understand expectations and stay focused on what matters. Saying no, when done respectfully and with explanation, builds trust rather than resentment.
In a shop, saying no often means turning down work that does not fit, declining a customer request that would compromise safety, or refusing to let one person’s behavior undermine the team. Explaining the reason, and offering an alternative when possible, keeps the relationship intact.
Leaving Unproductive Habits Behind
Around the 28 minute mark, Cassandra and Autumn discuss how unproductive habits get in the way and what to do about them. Recognizing a habit is the first step. Replacing it with something better is the second.
Identifying unproductive habits often requires honest reflection or feedback from others. Asking trusted employees or family members what habits they think hold you back can reveal blind spots. Choosing one habit to change at a time, and replacing it with a better alternative, makes change more manageable.
Family Business Strengths
Family businesses have unique strengths, including long-term thinking, deep community ties, and a personal commitment to quality. Customers often appreciate dealing with owners who care about their reputation because their family name is on the line. Employees often value the sense of belonging that comes from working in a family-run environment.
Those strengths are most powerful when combined with professional management practices, such as clear roles, structured communication, and plans for succession. The Bergums’ story shows how a family business can combine warmth and professionalism to create an environment where employees thrive and customers return.
Measuring Whether Your Culture Is Working
Culture can feel hard to measure, but there are practical signs that show whether it is getting stronger or weaker. Employee turnover is one of the clearest. When people stay, and especially when good people stay, the culture is usually doing its job. Referrals are another signal. Employees who recommend friends for open positions are telling you they are proud of where they work. Absenteeism, late arrivals, and the tone of team meetings also reveal how people feel.
Customer signals follow closely behind. Online reviews that mention employees by name, repeat visits, and referrals from existing customers often reflect a team that enjoys its work. Owners can also ask directly through short, anonymous team surveys a couple of times a year, asking what people value about working there and what would make it better. Reviewing these signals regularly, and sharing what was learned and what will change, shows the team that culture is a priority rather than a slogan.
Building Your Own Culture Chain
- Ask your team what they enjoy most and least about working at your shop.
- Start one simple weekly tradition that brings the team together.
- Look for ways a complementary service could improve customer convenience.
- Recognize behaviors that reflect the culture you want to build.
For more on families in business, listen to Kelli and Lee Weatherby in Mixing Business and Family the Right Way and the Garlocks in 90% of Third-Gen Businesses Fail. Here’s How You Won’t.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you build a positive culture in an auto repair shop?
Start with clear values and lead by example, because employees watch what the owner does more than what the owner says. Hire people who share those values. Recognize good work often and specifically. Communicate openly about goals, challenges, and changes. Create simple traditions that bring the team together. Address negative behavior quickly and fairly. Invest in training so people can grow. A positive culture is built through many small, consistent actions over time rather than a single program or event.
What is the link between employee happiness and customer satisfaction?
Engaged employees tend to treat customers better. They are more patient, more attentive to detail, and more willing to go a little further to solve a problem. Customers notice that experience and are more likely to return, leave positive reviews, and refer others. That growth gives the business more resources to invest in its people, which continues the cycle. Business researchers describe this connection as the service-profit chain, and many shop owners see it play out in their own businesses.
Should an auto repair shop add a parts store or other side business?
It can work well when it serves the same customers and fits the core business, but it requires careful analysis. Consider startup and inventory costs, space, staffing, margins, local competition, and how the new operation will affect the shop’s workflow. Talk with your accountant and, if relevant, potential supplier partners. A complementary business can increase revenue and convenience, but it also adds complexity. Owners should make sure the core shop runs smoothly before taking on a second operation.
How can a shop owner include family members in the business successfully?
Treat family members as professionals with defined roles, clear expectations, and fair pay. Apply the same standards to them as to other employees, which protects morale across the team. Keep business discussions and family time separate when possible. Plan for the future openly, including whether the next generation wants to be involved. Outside advisors, such as a coach or accountant, can help with difficult decisions. Family businesses do best when they combine personal care with professional management.
What are good team-building traditions for a small business?
Simple, consistent traditions usually work best. Ideas include a weekly team lunch, a monthly birthday celebration, recognizing work anniversaries, a short Friday wrap-up to share wins, or a seasonal event that includes families. Community service projects can also bring a team together. The key is consistency and genuine participation from leadership. Traditions that feel forced or are frequently canceled can backfire, while ones that people look forward to strengthen relationships and a sense of belonging.
Resources and Links From This Episode
Connect With the Guests
- Cassandra: LinkedIn
