Mike Tatich and his wife Serena started TMT Complete Auto Service Center in March of 1984 in Bremen, IN. Bremen is a small town of 4,600 people with 2 stoplights. The shop has undergone many evolutions since its tiny beginning as a tire store and body shop. Mike has become a John Maxwell Leadership Certified business coach. He has a story of letting go, a perfectionist control freak, a helicopter dad, and he needs to get busier doing other stuff. Find Mike’s other episodes HERE.

Key Talking Points:

Get any great advice that you still follow today?

• Being consistent
• Success leaves clues, failure also leaves clues 

Ever had a mentor?

• Several mentors over the years, one of the first mentors were friends
• grandfather- told Mike to look at the man in the mirror and realize you’re your own problem and also your own solution to move forward.

What drives you?

•  Thrill of putting things together- building businesses 

What is the latest book you read? Big take-a-way?

• “Generosity Factor” “Keys to the Kingdom” “COVID Cows”  

Do you still have the fire you had when you first started? 

•  Yes, but in different way- passion for growing what he currently has and passion for teaching others

How do you re-energize?

• Built new home, rides motorcycle and takes vacation trips

Any secrets to ‘time suck’? 

• Map out day the night before, use calendars 

A big secret to building a strong relationship with Customers? 

• Customer service experience- how you make customers feel 

Share a car count idea?

• Maximize each opportunity

Name something you tried that didn’t work?

• Expand retail space in shop, bought radio shack franchise to cross merchandise- failed and needed to focus on automotive repair only

Would your organization crumble if you stepped aside? 

• No! Started a succession plan before 50 years old, continue to develop team

Top three most important needs to open a shop? 

• People, people, people! Developing staff and team culture

The most recent update to your processes/system

• Accounting side of business 

Are you paperless? When did you go?

• 95% paperless, DVI system several years ago, tech notes are electronic

How is consolidation in the industry going to impact you?

• Consolidation will be great for people that want to grow business and move forward

Ever made a major pivot in your business? If yes, what?

• Getting out of day to day operations within last 5 years, Pivoting from owner operator to owner investor

If you could send a message to yourself 10 years ago, what would you tell the younger YOU?

• Read more, network with more people/shop owners, sharing when things don’t go right

If you could pick up a new skill in an instant what would it be? 

• Getting better at people skills and growing team, have a vision  

When in your life have you been so passionately focused on an activity that you lost track of time and what you were doing? 

• Building service advisor training

Favorite vacation spot

• Hawaii for 25th anniversary

Resources:

• Thanks to Mike Tatich for his contribution to the aftermarket’s premier podcast.
• Link to the ‘BOOKS‘ page highlighting all books discussed in the podcast library HERE. Leaders are readers.
• Find every podcast episode HERE.
• Every episode segmented by Series HERE.
• Key Word Search HERE.

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