From Medallions to Motors: A Family Legacy That Fuels Our Passion

Jan '25 (edited) • 🤖Shop Owner's AI Toolbox🤖

I always get excited when we come across a tactic that helps our ads grab attention faster and get more technicians to apply.

This is one of those tactics.

Last Friday, I was on a call with long-time client and Technician Find community member

@Bruce Weiss

where he was kind enough to share his fascinating story about how he got into the automotive industry.

Bruce's great-grandfather immigrated to the United States from Poland with a dream.

He started by buying medallions to operate taxi cabs in NYC.

Through hard work and determination, he amassed a small fleet.

But he soon realized that to keep his business running smoothly, he needed to service these vehicles himself.

So, he started a repair shop in the Bronx, NY.

As a kid, Bruce would visit this shop that was by then run by his grandfather and great uncle and fell in love with the place.

The sights, sounds, and smells of the garage ignited a passion within him.

He knew he wanted to follow in his family's footsteps and own a shop like the one that his grandfather and great uncle were now running.

Bruce attended vo-tech school and honed his skills working for various dealers and independent shops, eventually working his way up the ladder as a manager in the automotive aftermarket.

But his ultimate dream was to have his own shop, just like his great-grandfather, grandfather and great uncle.

Finally, the day came when Bruce took the leap and bought his own shop, Gerry's Service in 1989.

It was a moment of pride, carrying forward a legacy that started with a few taxi medallions and a vision.

And to this day he runs it with a core belief that was passed down through three generations...

That there is always enough honest work that comes through the shop so we don't have to do anything shady.

I'd like to say that we've discovered the secret weapon in recruiting and retaining top technicians but the concept is as timeless as the art of good storytelling.

And it's simple: it's your origin story.

We've been running tests, and the results are clear: "Personal Note From the Owner" sections in ads are performing incredibly well.

When you share your personal journey, you do more than market your shop—you build genuine connections with technicians.

Why does this work?

Because skilled technicians aren't just looking for a job.

They're looking for a place where they belong, a business with real meaning and history.

Your personal story transforms you from just another business owner to a relatable human being with a genuine passion for the craft.

This tactic is so powerful that I've even developed a custom ChatGPT "Personal Note From the Owner" generator to help you craft your own compelling narrative.

It walks you through a few quick questions to extract the most powerful elements of your story.

And then it will write it for you.

Want to learn more?

Check out this custom GPT and other tools in the Shop Owner's AI Toolkit, available in the Technician Find Community.

The tools are free, but they're in a private beta test—so DM me, and I'll get you access.

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