For some shop owners, finding the right second in command is the easy part. The hard part is giving that person the freedom to do the job. Andrew and Rachel White, owners of A&R Complete Auto Care, learned that firsthand when they stepped back from daily operations and moved their offices home.
In episode 83 of Maximum Octane, Kim Hickey talks with Andrew, Rachel, and their general manager, Will Ogles. They cover the owners’ transition to CEO, Will’s experience filling two people’s roles, the three principles that shape their culture, learning to delegate, plans to open another store, and the competitive barbecue team that grew out of their shop culture.
What You Will Learn
- The barbecue circuit is serious business
- How hard is it for Will to fill two people’s roles as the second in command
- The three guiding principles that mold A&R Complete Auto Care’s culture
- How hard it was for Andrew and Rachel to learn how to delegate
- Andrew, Rachel, and Will talk about their desire to replicate their model and open a new store
Barbecue Is Serious Business
The conversation opens with A&R Q, the competitive barbecue team Andrew and Rachel formed in 2015. What started as cookouts for the team became a serious hobby, with a second-place finish in a county fair pork cook-off. It is a fun example of how shared traditions can strengthen a shop’s culture.
Shared hobbies and traditions can strengthen team relationships. When employees and owners spend time together outside the usual work context, they get to know each other as people. That connection can improve communication and teamwork in the shop. A barbecue team, a softball league, or a regular cookout can all serve this purpose.
Filling Two Roles as Second in Command
Around the 11 minute mark, Will describes how hard it was to fill the roles that two owners once handled. When Andrew and Rachel stepped back, Will took on a large share of their responsibilities. He explains how he created space for himself and grew into the job.
ATI’s What You Should Look for in a Second in Command and How to Hire and Train a Second in Command for Your Auto Repair Shop are useful for owners preparing for the same transition.
When owners step back, the second in command often takes on responsibilities that were previously split between multiple people. That transition requires clear communication about expectations, adequate support, and patience as the leader adjusts. Owners can help by remaining available for guidance during the transition and gradually reducing involvement as confidence grows.
Three Guiding Principles
The team shares the three guiding principles that mold A&R’s culture. Listen to the episode to hear them. Clear principles give everyone a shared reference point for decisions, which becomes especially important when the owners are not on site every day.
Guiding principles help a team make consistent decisions without constant direction. They work best when they are simple, memorable, and reinforced through recognition and storytelling. When employees can explain the principles and give examples of them in action, they have truly become part of the culture.
Principles only shape culture when they are used. Some shops reinforce theirs by opening team meetings with a story about someone who lived out one of the principles that week, or by referring to them when explaining a decision. Others use them in hiring, asking candidates questions designed to reveal whether they share those values. When principles appear in recognition, hiring, and everyday decisions, employees stop seeing them as words on a wall and start using them as a guide when no one is watching.
Learning to Delegate
Around the 17 minute mark, Andrew and Rachel discuss how hard it was to learn to delegate. Moving their offices home meant they were no longer physically present to answer every question. They had to trust Will and the team, accept that things might be done differently, and focus on the bigger picture.
Connor Tracy tells a similar story in The Delegation Wake-Up Call, and Pam Tures describes the freedom a strong second in command gave her in The Benefits of Building a Solid Team.
Delegation becomes easier with practice. Starting with lower-risk tasks, providing clear expectations, and checking in regularly builds confidence on both sides. Over time, owners can delegate more significant responsibilities as trust grows.
One common obstacle is that owners delegate a task but keep the authority. They hand off scheduling or purchasing, then second-guess every decision, which teaches the team to keep asking for approval. Effective delegation includes agreeing on the outcome, the limits of the person’s authority, and how progress will be reported. Within those limits, the owner lets the person decide, even when the result looks different from how the owner would have done it. Over time, that trust is what makes stepping back possible.
Attracting and Training the Right People
The group also discusses how to attract and train the right people and why it seems so hard to find technicians. A strong culture and a reliable leadership structure make a shop more attractive to good candidates.
A strong culture attracts candidates who share its values. Shops known for treating employees well and having fun together often find it easier to recruit. Training those new hires thoroughly ensures they can contribute and grow within the culture.
Replicating the Model
Andrew, Rachel, and Will close by talking about their desire to replicate their model and open a new store. A shop that runs well without the owners is the foundation for growth. Systems, culture, and leadership that work in one location can be carried into another.
Replication requires documented processes, trained leaders, and a culture that can travel. Owners considering expansion should evaluate whether their current shop could operate successfully without their daily involvement. If it can, the model may be ready to replicate.
Working From Home as a Shop Owner
Andrew and Rachel’s decision to move their offices home reflects a significant shift in how they lead. Working remotely requires trust, communication tools, and access to key data. Owners in this situation often rely on regular meetings, shop management software dashboards, and clear reporting to stay informed without being physically present.
This arrangement can provide more flexibility and time for strategic work. It also signals to the team that leadership trusts them to run daily operations. For owners considering a similar shift, starting with a few days a week away from the shop can help test the arrangement and build confidence.
Signs Your Shop Is Ready for the Owner to Step Back
Stepping out of daily operations works best when certain foundations are already in place. Owners can look for these signs:
- A second in command who understands the numbers and makes decisions confidently.
- Written processes for the work that matters most, from scheduling to quality control.
- Key performance indicators the owner can review without being on site.
- A team that brings solutions, not just problems, to its leaders.
- Guiding principles that the team can explain and apply.
If several of these are missing, the shop is not failing. It simply means those pieces should be built before the owner moves further away from the counter and the bays.
Questions for Owners Stepping Back
- What would your second in command need to run the shop without you for a month?
- Which decisions are you still holding onto, and why?
- What principles guide decisions in your shop when you are not there?
- Could your current model be replicated in a second location?
Greg Marks shares his experience developing a second in command in How to Befriend Internal Customers and Keep Things Business Oriented.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a second in command do at an auto repair shop?
A second in command, often a general manager or service manager, runs daily operations so the owner can focus on strategy and growth. Responsibilities typically include managing the team, overseeing workflow and quality, handling customer escalations, monitoring key numbers, and making day-to-day decisions. The exact role varies by shop, so it should be defined in writing with clear authority and expectations before the owner begins stepping back.
How do shop owners learn to delegate?
Start with lower-risk tasks and define the desired outcome, the person’s authority, and how they will report progress. Resist the urge to redo the work or override decisions within the agreed limits. Check in regularly at first, then less often as trust grows. Delegation is a skill that improves with practice, and owners who stick with it free up time for the work only they can do.
Can an auto repair shop owner work from home?
Yes, if the shop has the right foundation. That usually means a capable second in command, documented processes, shop management software that provides real-time data, and a regular schedule of meetings and reports. Many owners begin by spending a few days a week away from the shop to test the arrangement. Working remotely lets owners focus on strategy, finances, and growth while the team handles daily operations.
When is an auto repair shop ready to open a second location?
A good sign is that the first shop runs profitably and consistently without the owner’s daily involvement. That requires trained leaders, documented systems, reliable financial reporting, and a culture that can be taught to new employees. Owners should also have a leader ready to run the new location and enough financial stability to handle a slower start. If the first shop depends on the owner, expansion usually stretches everyone too thin.
Resources and Links From This Episode
Connect With the Guests
Related Maximum Octane Episodes
- How To Befriend Internal Customers And Keep Things Business Oriented with Greg Marks
- The Benefits of Building A Solid Team and BEEing POTsitive About Our Passion with Pam Tures
- The Delegation Wake-Up Call: How Connor Tracy Went from White-Knuckling 80-Hour Weeks to Building an Engaged, Self-Running Team
