What would you do with your time if your shop could run without you? For Pam Tures, co-owner of Lee Hill Auto Service, the answer turned out to be art. After building a supportive team and a dependable second in command, she found the freedom to pursue her passion for fused glass and pottery, and one of her sculptures was accepted by the Smithsonian.
In episode 33 of Maximum Octane, Pam talks with Kim Hickey about her business, Bee-Potsitive Creations, how her Smithsonian piece came to be, the moment she accepted that she was an artist, and why building an independent team is so liberating.
What You Will Learn
- Pam shares a bit about her journey and her relationship with art
- About how the art piece soon to be exhibited at the Smithsonian Museum was born
- How Pam embraced the idea that she was a business owner and an artist
- Pam talks about how refreshing it is to come back to the business after spending quality time with our passion
Questions Asked in This Episode
- Could you talk about your business, Bee-Potsitive Creations?
- You didn’t consider yourself an artist, right? You had a journey with all of that. Can you speak to that a little bit?
From Shop Owner to Artist
Kim asks Pam about Bee-Potsitive Creations, and Pam shares her journey into pottery and glass sculpture. Her story shows that owning an auto repair business does not have to consume every part of a person’s identity. With the right team in place, owners can make room for the things that bring them joy.
Creative hobbies provide something that running a business often cannot: a space where the owner can focus completely on making something without the pressure of customers, payroll, or deadlines. Psychologists describe this state as “flow,” a sense of complete absorption in an activity. Experiencing flow regularly can reduce stress and improve well-being, which benefits both personal life and leadership.
The Smithsonian Piece
Around the 9 minute mark, Pam describes how the piece accepted by the Smithsonian was born. It reflects her perception of COVID, an experience that affected everyone. She also shares the moment she received the email announcing that her artwork had been accepted, a moment of recognition that validated her work as an artist.
Art that captures a shared experience like the pandemic can resonate deeply with others. Pam’s piece reflects how many people processed a difficult period through creative expression. Recognition from a respected institution validated not only her skill but also the value of the perspective she brought to the work.
The story also shows how much can grow from a pursuit that starts as a hobby. Many owners set aside interests from earlier in life because the business took every available hour. Picking one back up, even for a few hours a week, can lead somewhere unexpected. The point is not that every hobby leads to national recognition, but that personal pursuits deserve time and attention, and they rarely get it unless the business is built to run without the owner’s constant presence.
Believing Your Work Has Value
Kim notes that Pam did not always consider herself an artist. Pam talks about the turning point when she realized, and convinced herself, that her art was worthy and valuable to others. Many people struggle with this kind of self-doubt, whether about art, leadership, or their ability to run a business.
The same self-doubt shows up in pricing. Owners who do not believe their work is valuable tend to undercharge. ATI’s Confidence Schmonfidence addresses this mindset.
This struggle is common among people who are skilled at something they love. Because the work comes naturally, they assume it is not special. Shop owners often feel the same way about their expertise. A diagnosis that takes an experienced technician minutes may seem simple to them but is incredibly valuable to the customer. Recognizing the value of your own skills is essential for pricing fairly and building confidence.
Being a Business Owner and an Artist
Around the 18 minute mark, Pam describes how she embraced the idea that she could be both a business owner and an artist. Those identities do not compete. Each one feeds the other. Creative work builds patience, problem solving, and attention to detail, which all help in business.
Having an identity outside the business can also protect owners from burnout. When the business is someone’s entire identity, every setback feels personal. Owners with other passions have a broader sense of who they are, which helps them handle business challenges with more perspective and resilience.
The Freedom of a Reliable Team
Pam’s story is a powerful example of what happens when an owner develops a good second in command and a solid staff. That freedom did not happen by accident. It came from hiring well, training people, and instilling an independent mindset so the team could make decisions without her.
ATI offers guidance on this in How to Hire and Train a Second in Command for Your Auto Repair Shop and What You Should Look for in a Second in Command. Andrew and Rachel White and Will Ogles also discuss the role in What Makes a Perfect Auto Repair 2nd in Command.
Building that kind of team takes deliberate effort over time. It involves hiring people who share the shop’s values, training them thoroughly, gradually giving them more responsibility, and trusting them to make decisions. It also involves accepting that others may do things differently. The reward is a business that can operate well whether or not the owner is present.
One practical way to start is with a short list of decisions the owner currently makes every day. Pick one, such as approving a goodwill adjustment under a set amount or deciding when to order a part, and hand it to a capable team member with clear guidelines. Review how it went after a few weeks, adjust the guidelines if needed, and then hand off the next decision. Each transfer builds trust on both sides and moves the owner one step closer to genuine time away.
Coming Back Refreshed
Pam closes by describing how refreshing it is to return to the business after spending quality time with her passion. Time away does not make her less committed. It makes her more focused and energized when she is at the shop. That is a lesson many owners resist until they experience it themselves.
Time away from the business often brings new ideas. Distance allows the mind to process problems in the background, and many people find solutions to business challenges while doing something completely unrelated. Owners who schedule regular time away, whether for a hobby, travel, or family, often return with clearer thinking and renewed energy.
What Every Owner Can Learn From Pam’s Story
Pam’s story is about more than art. It is about what becomes possible when an owner builds a business that does not depend on them for every decision. That freedom can be used for anything: family, travel, community service, a second business, or a creative passion. The common thread is that the owner invested in people and systems first.
For many owners, the idea of stepping away feels impossible because they have never built a team capable of running the shop without them. Pam’s experience shows that it can be done, and that the rewards go far beyond the business itself. Her story connects closely with the advice from other Maximum Octane guests about developing a second in command, delegating effectively, and treating employees as leaders.
How to Prepare Your Shop for Time Away
Before stepping away for a few days or longer, owners can reduce risk with some simple preparation. Write down the decisions your second in command can make on their own and the few situations where they should contact you. Make sure someone else knows how to handle payroll, key vendor accounts, and building access. Let important customers and partners know who to contact while you are out.
Start with a short trial, such as a long weekend, and debrief afterward. Ask what questions came up, what went well, and what needs a clearer process. Each trial builds the team’s confidence and reveals gaps you can fix before a longer absence.
Questions to Ask Yourself
- If the shop ran smoothly without you for a week, what would you do with the time?
- Who on your team could become your second in command?
- What decisions could your team make today without asking you?
- What passion have you set aside that you want to bring back?
For another owner who found freedom by designing the business he wanted, listen to Frank Leutz in Learning to Design Our Business.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can a shop owner make time for hobbies or personal passions?
It starts with building a business that does not depend on you for every decision. Develop a second in command, document key processes, and gradually delegate responsibilities to trusted employees. Then schedule personal time on your calendar the same way you schedule business commitments and protect it. Starting with a few hours a week is fine. As your team proves it can handle more, you can step away for longer periods.
What does a second in command do in an auto repair shop?
A second in command handles daily operations and decisions when the owner is not present. Depending on the shop, that might include managing workflow, supporting service advisors, handling customer issues, overseeing technicians, and reporting key numbers to the owner. The role allows the owner to focus on strategy and growth, or to step away entirely for periods of time, knowing the shop is in capable hands.
How do I know if my team is ready to run the shop without me?
Watch how often employees come to you for decisions they could make themselves, and how the shop performs on days you are out. If work stalls or quality drops, more training and clearer guidelines are needed. If the team handles routine problems confidently and escalates only the right issues, it is likely ready for a longer test. Short trial absences followed by a debrief are a safe way to find out.
Can having a hobby make me a better business owner?
For many people, yes. Hobbies offer a break from business pressure, reduce stress, and give the mind space to work on problems in the background. Creative pursuits can build patience, attention to detail, and problem-solving skills that carry over into leadership. Having an identity outside the shop also helps owners keep perspective when business setbacks happen, which supports better decisions and greater resilience.
