In 2018, FenderBender columnist Kevin Rains' business experienced significant growth: He joined CARSTAR, acquired shops (bringing the family total to five) and entered deals to acquire even more.

Despite that growth, the year did not end in the manner that Rains anticipated. Several deals fell through, the P&L wasn't pretty and he was left licking his wounds. That wake-up call spurred him to take a look inward and also go back to the basics, focusing on single-store organic growth.

In this month's FenderBender Interview, Rains discusses the three steps he's taken to improve that organic growth, as well as how to strike the right balance between showing vulnerability and motivating the team after a hard year.