Ep 69 – Coaching Call #13 | What I Learned From 2025, and Why 2026 WILL Be Different
Published: Jan 27, 2026
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In this episode, Mike Allen and Matt Lofton break down 2025’s financial results from the shop, and talk about what went wrong and what went right. Matt encourages Mike to work towards pre-booking appointments to drive repeat business, and Mike states his goals for boosting net profit in 2026.
Timestamps:
00:00 Matt thinks Mike should only focus on the shop?
01:15 Confessions intro
03:02 Recapping the year: top-line numbers, gross profit, and performance metrics
05:07 Gross profit calculation, labor rates, and tech efficiency
09:35 Ad spend breakdown—what’s working, what’s wasted
11:15 Setting ambitious but achievable 2026 profit targets
13:43 Staffing, productivity by the billable hour, and role expectations
16:03 Navigating seasonal slowdowns and weather curveballs
21:21 Drilling into process—team consistency and customer experience
26:16 Tech inspections, quality DVIs, and closing rate improvements
33:04 The #1 process change to add 10% net profit
34:16 How (and WHY) to start pre-booking appointments for consistent car count
39:00 Pre-booking accountability & reminder hacks that actually work
41:51 Retention challenges with new customers & recapture campaign ideas
45:14 Why “state inspection only” tickets kill profitability
48:48 The key takeaways—retention, consistency, and focusing on fundamentals
