‘Burn the Boats’: A Call for Commitment and Courage in the Collision Industry

In 1519, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés made a decision that changed history. After landing in Mexico with his crew, he gave an unthinkable order: burn the boats. With no means of retreat, Cortés left his men with one option — move forward and conquer or perish. This past Sunday, our pastor in Auburn, Alabama, used this story as a powerful metaphor for spiritual commitment. As I sat there listening, I couldn’t help but think about how deeply relevant it is to those of us in the auto collision industry.

There comes a moment in every shop owner’s journey when hard decisions have to be made — when we must choose between doing what’s comfortable or doing what’s right. Whether it’s putting policies in place, abiding by OEM procedures or not, charging correctly for the labor and procedures we perform, or walking away from long-standing DRP relationships that no longer serve the shop or the customer, the call to “burn the boats” becomes very real.

Let’s be honest: change is hard. Especially when we’ve built relationships, processes, and expectations over years — sometimes decades. But here’s the truth: you cannot serve two masters. You cannot be fully committed to your customers and your craft while tethered to systems that ask you to cut corners or accept less than you’re worth. It only serves to minimize your value and the value of our industry!

Policies That Protect Your Business

Too many shops still operate without clear, written policies. We let customers dictate timelines, insurance companies dictate procedures, and vendors overpromise and underdeliver. Putting policies in place feels like a risk — what if we lose customers? What if the insurance company stops referring us work?

But what if you gain something even better? What if you gain consistency, professionalism, clarity, and respect? Policies don’t push people away — they set expectations. They let others know you are serious about how you do business, and they allow you to hold your ground when challenged. Burning the boat of ambiguity and embracing structure is not weakness; it’s leadership.

Charging What’s Right, Not What’s Easy

There’s also the uncomfortable matter of pricing. We know what it costs to do a repair properly. We know how much time, tooling, training, and talent go into a safe and complete repair. And yet, many shops are still undercharging, still absorbing costs, still afraid to ask for what the work is truly worth.

You cannot run a business on favors. You cannot survive on hope. And you cannot keep subsidizing billion-dollar insurers with your labor. The decision to charge correctly isn’t just about money — it’s about dignity. It’s about valuing your team. It’s about keeping your shop strong enough to be there for your community next year, and the year after that.

Burn the boat of fear and stand firm in the knowledge that you deserve to be compensated for the work you perform. If you’re afraid of losing volume, ask yourself: is volume at a loss really a win?

Leaving the DRP When It No Longer Works

Perhaps the hardest decision of all is letting go of a DRP. For some shops, DRP work has been the lifeblood of the business. The thought of cutting ties feels like suicide. But if the relationship has become one-sided — if it compromises repair quality, your integrity, or your profitability—then staying in it is a slow death.

No one is saying this choice is easy. But if you want to run a shop where you make the decisions, where your technicians are proud of the repairs they perform, where you aren’t pressured to ignore OEM procedures or pressured to use remanufactured, used or aftermarket parts that serve as unsafe repairs, then something has to give.

It may feel like stepping off a cliff — but more often than not, shops that make the leap find solid ground faster than they ever imagined. They discover that customers still come. That word-of-mouth grows. That reputation matters more than volume. That there is power in independence.

Back Doors and Perseverance

I often meet good folks in this industry who leave themselves a “back door” — an “escape route” if things get too hard. They hesitate to enforce policies. They underprice “just in case.” They hold on to relationships that don’t serve them, for fear of what might happen if they let go.

But the truth is, as long as the back door stays open, full commitment is impossible. Perseverance requires pressure. It thrives under commitment. It’s only when there’s no going back that you discover how strong and capable you really are.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to commit, this is it. If you've been standing with one foot in and one foot out, it's time to make a decision.

Commitment Changes Everything

Cortés knew that his men wouldn’t give their all if they thought there was an escape plan. That’s human nature. We leave ourselves an exit — just in case. But success, in this industry and in life, requires full commitment. It requires us to shut the back door, silence the doubts, and decide that we are all in.

Maybe it’s time we each asked ourselves: What boats are we keeping tied to the dock?

Maybe it’s the boat of fear. Maybe it’s comfort. Maybe it’s habit. But whatever it is, it’s keeping us from becoming who we were meant to be — not just as business owners, but as leaders, craftsmen, and community members.

Change won’t happen overnight. And no one is saying you have to do it all at once. But make the decision. Light the match. Burn the boat!

The way forward may be hard, but perseverance will prevail.