From the Driver's Seat: Consider the Source

We talk about it all the time in FenderBender. You've no doubt heard it from other sources, as well. Be it a 20 Group, a regional association, a conference or something else, there is power in learning from others and discussing shared experiences.

I was chatting recently with FenderBender columnist Greg Lobsiger, who is a long-time member of Mike Anderson's groups and had just attended one of their quarterly meetings. Perhaps not coincidentally, Greg's edition of "Shop Profits" this month covers the importance of seeking out quality, professional advice. Not every source of information out there is going to be well-established within the industry like Greg and his long-time associates. Others may have their own agenda they are trying to implement, or just don't yet have the knowledge to be instructive.

It got me thinking how that's an important message not just for collision repair, not just for business, but for nearly every aspect of our lives these days. We have access to more information than ever, but what percentage of it can be reliably pegged as authoritative? Misinformation and disinformation have bigger platforms, and more of them, than ever. It's incumbent upon all of us to interrogate where we're getting our information from. 

I'm including FenderBender in this. We always strive to bring you the thoughts and advice of top experts from around the world of collision repair, but always consider if their message makes sense for your business. If there's something we might be missing, you can find my email at the bottom of this page.

And speaking of pages, in addition to Greg's column I wanted to highlight Tiffany Menefee's column with some practical advice on how you can help retain your top employees. And Drew Bryant's column offers an interesting angle on how you can better understand those employees better and more seamlessly integrate new processes. Our columnists do an outstanding job offering advice to improve different areas of a business, and I think this month's pieces are particularly strong.

Elsewhere, our main feature story is about expansion and every consideration that goes into it. If expansion isn't in your future, I think you'll enjoy the story of operator Sean Guthrie and how he's helped expand his family's business and set it up for the future. From our crowd to yours, thank you for your continued support of FenderBender.