Artwork for podcast Speak Up! Effective Communication
Becoming Awake to A Worthy Cause [E095]
Episode 9518th May 2026 • Speak Up! Effective Communication • Craig O'Neill
00:00:00 00:20:20

Share Episode

Shownotes

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Service Advisor Training

Watch Full Video Episode

In this episode, I begin a two-part story about how I have been led to begin working toward a local pilot of OnRamp, a faith-based ministry that gifts reliable vehicles and ongoing support to hard-working people who need transportation to take their next step toward self-sufficiency.

The how of this story matters as much as the what.

A truancy letter, three bullet points, a network built over 20 years, and a vehicle giveaway in a Dallas at Golden Rule Auto Care all flowed together at the similar moments.

The word of the day:

Confluence.

A flowing together of two or more streams.

The point where separate things meet and move as one.

I hope you enjoy this story, as the story is really the point of the episode, and your takeaways will have to be from anything you feel about the experiences that I'm sharing.

There are so many other parts to this story coming together, I could write a book on it, but I think you’ll enjoy this two part series, and the personal lessons I share as a result of my experiences.

Sincerely,

Craig O'Neill

Thank You To Our Partners AutoFlow, AutoLeap, Shop Dog Marketing, InBound, and Service Advisor Training

Your partner in technology, Autoflow consolidates your client interactions - before, during, and after the visit to a single thread. An end-to-end CRM for auto repair shops. https://autoflow.com/

Want to see your auto repair shop thrive? Let Shop Dog Marketing be your guide. Our customer-first approach, combined with AI-driven creative content, ensures top rankings. https://shopdogmarketing.com/

Cover your communication needs and revolutionize your auto repair business with AI-driven call analytics from InBound. https://callinbound.com/

Want a more profitable shop? Start with your service advisor. They are the face of your business, the voice on the phone, and the key to every approved repair. Download 'Words That Work - The Service Advisor's Complete Phone Scripts Playbook at https://serviceadvisortraining.com/

Contact Information

The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/

Remarkable Results Radio Podcast with Carm Capriotto: Advancing the Aftermarket by Facilitating Wisdom Through Story Telling and Open Discussion. https://remarkableresults.biz/

Diagnosing the Aftermarket A to Z with Matt Fanslow: From Diagnostics to Metallica and Mental Health, Matt Fanslow is Lifting the Hood on Life. https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/

Business by the Numbers with Hunt Demarest: Understand the Numbers of Your Business with CPA Hunt Demarest. https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/

The Auto Repair Marketing Podcast with Kim and Brian Walker: Marketing Experts Brian & Kim Walker Work with Shop Owners to Take it to the Next Level. https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/

The Weekly Blitz with Chris Cotton: Weekly Inspiration with Business Coach Chris Cotton from AutoFix - Auto Shop Coaching. https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/

Chapters

Video

More from YouTube

More Episodes
95. Becoming Awake to A Worthy Cause [E095]
00:20:20
94. Talk It Out: Using AI Voice Dictation to Work Faster and Think Clearer [E094]
00:33:05
93. The Collapse of Felt Obligation [E093]
00:30:06
92. "I Would Have Written a Shorter Presentation If I Had the Time!" [E092]
00:30:19
91. Half a Mile and Fifteen Minutes: A Lesson on Being Present with Customers [E091]
00:18:53
90. Meet Up! Running Meetings With Purpose [E090]
00:28:52
89. 10 Tips for Public Speaking: Tip #10 Gain Experience [E089]
00:29:34
88. 10 Tips for Public Speaking: Tip #9 Structure Your Message [E088]
00:22:01
87. 10 Tips for Public Speaking: Tip #8 Mistakes Happen, Keep Going [E087]
00:19:15
86. 10 Tips For Public Speaking: Tip #7 Realize People Want You to Succeed [E086]
00:22:08
85. 10 Tips For Public Speaking: Tip #6 Visualization is Overrated [E085]
00:19:26
84. 10 Tips For Public Speaking: Tip #5 Relax, Nerves Are Normal [E084]
00:24:33
83. 10 Tips For Public Speaking: Tip #4 Own the Room [E083]
00:26:46
82. 10 Tips For Public Speaking: Tip #3 Know Your Audience [E082]
00:25:58
81. 10 Tips For Public Speaking: Tip #2 Practice Practice Practice [E081]
00:28:04
80. 10 Tips For Public Speaking: Tip #1 You Are the Medium [E080]
00:22:22
79. Four Questions That Stop the Elevator Ride [E079]
00:26:25
78. Social Media Detox with Tracy Capriotto [E078]
00:42:45
77. Values Based Client Education [E077]
00:19:47
76. Should We Encourage New Customers to Wait? [E076]
00:29:25
75. Communicating Quality Control [E075]
00:29:52
74. Retire These Phrases - Build More Trust [E074]
00:24:08
73. When Competitors Speak Down, You Speak UP! [E073]
00:28:42
72. What to Do When a Customer Pushes You Past Your Limit [E072]
00:21:12
71. Declined Repair Protocols Every Shop Should Follow [E071]
00:17:14
70. I Heard My Grandmother's Laugh [E070]
00:24:05
69. SEMA vs. AAPEX: Spectacle is Killing Meaningful Connection [E069]
00:27:54
68. Things My Grandpa Said: "Some Joe Paluka." [E068]
00:26:10
67. When That Podcast Invite is a SCAM! [E067]
00:28:00
66. Acres of Diamonds with Mike Edge [E066]
00:57:08
65. How To Get Out Of A Ticket! [E065]
00:26:32
64. How I Met Chris Cloutier, and Why You Should Go to AAPEX! [E64]
00:31:30
63. Pessimism Aversion [E063]
00:36:59
62. Welcoming Fresh Perspective with Quinn Butler [E062]
00:50:28
61. My Mistake - Sorry! [E061]
00:28:59
60. Serving Single Mom's Through Auto Repair with SparkHope Automotive [E060]
00:45:27
59. Developing Diagnostic Skills with Matt Fanslow and Shaun O'Neill [E059]
00:55:24
58. Engaging Our Clients in Need With Helen Fradette [E058]
00:55:41
57. The Reservationist Role in Retention [E057]
00:51:01
56. Behind the Mic with Tracy Capriotto [E056]
00:55:32
55. By Design: Shutting Down a Stream - Starting New Ones [E55]
00:28:18
54. Believe Your Customers: The Pontiac Parable [E054]
00:22:15
53. Adaptive Communication with Rhonda Lea [E053]
00:46:59
52. A Simple formula for Artful Story Telling [E052]
00:18:43
51. How we Talk About Money (Discussing Payment Options) [E051]
00:22:39
50. Millennial Stats [E050]
00:51:25
49. Unplug, Immerse, and Reboot: Part 2 [E049]
00:24:26
48. Unplug, Immerse, and Reboot: Part 1 [048]
00:23:25
47. The Case for Employee Emails [E047]
00:26:37
46. Pros and Cons of Greeting Clients at the Vehicle [E046]
00:35:15
45. Did You Hear what JD Power's Press Release says about Communication? Reviewing the 2025 ASI [E045]
00:34:49
44. On Memorial Day with Brandon Crusha USMC (RET) [E44]
00:15:47
43. Earn Your CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) With Jimmy Lea [E043]
00:47:16
42. Being a Barnabas! with Evangela Brumfield [E042]
00:42:44
41. Just Call Your Clients! With Hunt Demarest [E041]
00:38:53
40. "Desmarting" or Device Discipline with Jeremy Glassco [E040]
00:49:34
39. Device Discipline: The War Against Notifications [E039]
00:31:18
38. Proving Everyone Wrong - Drew Van Der Weide Speaks Up! [E038]
00:35:05
37. Family Dynamics in the Auto Industry with Maryann Croce [037]
00:48:12
36. Vision Hi-Tech Training & Expo Speech Workshop Takeaways with Chris Cloutier [E036]
00:45:52
35. The Edge of a Generation - with Darren McLea [E035]
00:50:34
34. Pilot Talk - Communicating with my CFI [E034]
00:45:18
33. Show Up and Show Out - Speech Contest Recap [E033]
00:55:25
32. This Sucks! - And It Works! [E032]
00:26:30
31. A.P.A.C. Effective Communication and Problem Solving- Do It! [E031]
01:00:41
30. Balancing Technology to Better Our People with David Boyd [E030]
00:38:18
29. Aiming for Supermedium [E029]
00:21:22
28. The Steps Before a Low Score [E028]
00:20:27
27. Networking at Conference with Confidence [E027]
00:32:30
26. Ask the Host! Evan asks - Craig Answers [E026]
00:58:51
25. K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple [E025]
00:24:49
24. Unmatched Intentionality - The Lost Art of Letter Writing [E024]
00:21:40
23. Communicating On Growth with Darrin Mallett [E023]
00:39:44
22. The Repair Shop Role Focused on Communication - The Reservationist [E022]
00:47:33
21. Imposter Syndrome [E021]
00:35:07
20. Litany Against The Fear of Public Speaking [E020]
00:33:37
19. Reframing [E019]
00:20:06
18. The Stories That Shape Us: With Kent Bullard [E018]
00:42:20
17. Orienting Towards Improved Client Relating Capability [E017]
00:26:51
16. Artificial Intelligence: We Have Some Concern! With Dan Vance [E016]
00:48:54
15. Speaking of Halloween - Fun with Story Telling [E015]
00:34:28
14. What Your Opt-Outs are Really Telling You [E014]
00:25:26
13. Tough Talk: Tips for Calmly Tackling Controversial Topics with Evan Wisner [E013]
00:39:34
12. Effective Communication in Your Weekly Huddle with Josh Parnell [E012]
00:48:13
11. Eliminating Filler Words [E011]
00:17:41
10. Shut Up! [E010]
00:23:39
9. Communicating in Crisis - Part Deux [E009]
00:20:56
8. The Cemetery Incident: Reflecting on Crisis Communication and Compassion [E008]
00:33:41
7. The Price of Assumptions: Cecil Bullard's Eye-Opening Lesson on Family [E007]
00:59:24
6. Communicating With Questions: Jeremy and the Jungle [E006]
00:49:48
5. Discussing D-Day + 80 Years [E005]
00:38:52
4. Friction is a part of Feedback with Chris Cloutier [E004]
00:36:33
2. Diagnosing Communication Problems A to Z [E002]
00:29:34
3. Where Are We Communicating From? [E003]
00:24:22
1. The Communications Journey Starts with Listening [E001]
00:19:32