Many of us are fascinated by the idea of time travel. Books, movies and television often make it a central theme, whether it’s going back to fix a mistake or jumping ahead to see how things turn out. The stories stick with us because they tap into a simple question we all carry around: What would I change if I knew then what I know now?
For shop owners, that question hits a little closer to home. Not because we want to erase the past, but because we know exactly which moments we’d ike to revisit, armed with experience instead of optimism.
As an experienced shop owner, my time machine wouldn’t be shiny or futuristic. It would probably be held together with duct tape, coffee stains and a few bad decisions. And I wouldn’t use it to change the big, obvious stuff: no lottery numbers…no perfect hires… no magic bullet. I’d use it to revisit a handful of moments that didn’t feel dramatic at the time but quietly shaped everything that came after.
You know the ones. The moments where you tell yourself, “It’ll work out,” while ignoring the knot in your stomach.
Most shop owners don’t need a time machine to fix mistakes. What we really want is to shorten how long we stay stuck in them. Because the mistake usually isn’t the decision itself. It’s how long we defend it.
If I could go back and talk to my younger self, here are a few conversations I’d have. Not to beat myself up – just to save some time.
‘CHARGE WHAT THE SHOP IS ACTUALLY WORTH!’
Early on, I thought keeping prices low made me competitive. I believed customers were fragile and loyalty was something you earned by being cheaper than the guy down the street.
What I didn’t understand yet was that underpricing doesn’t make customers loyal. It makes owners tired.
I worked harder, longer and carried more stress than I needed to because I kept telling myself I’d raise prices “once things settled down.” They never do. Shops don’t magically calm themselves.
If I had a time machine, I’d lean in and say this: charging properly isn’t about greed. It’s about respect. Respect for the work, the team and the customer.
Good customers don’t leave because you charge fairly; they leave because they don’t understand the value or don’t trust the recommendation. That’s not a pricing issue. That’s a leadership and communication issue.
‘SLOW DOWN HIRING, EVEN WHEN THE PRESSURE IS ON’
There’s at least one hire every shop owner wishes they could undo. The resume looked good. The interview went fine. And the bays were full, so you talked yourself into it.
did that more than once
What I learned later is this: rushing a hire doesn’t remove pressure, it just moves it. Now it lives in your culture, your comeback rate, your front counter and your sleep.
If I could go back, I wouldn’t stop hiring when things got tight, I’d stop settling. I’d stop using what I call the “fog a mirror test.” If they could show up and breathe, they were in. That approach doesn’t honor your team or your culture.
Hiring to your values takes longer. It takes discipline. But it protects the shop you’re trying to build. Your team deserves to work alongside people who share the same standards, not just the same time clock.
‘PAY ATTENTION TO THE NUMBERS BEFORE THEY START YELLING’
For a long time, I looked at numbers like a report card. Something to review after the fact, usually when stress was already high. By the time I really dug in, the damage was already done
It took experience to realize numbers aren’t there to judge you. They’re there to warn you. Quietly. Early. If you’re willing to look.
Weekly awareness beats annual panic every time.
If I had a time machine, I’d tell myself this: small misses caught early are easy to fix. Big surprises usually mean you weren’t paying attention soon enough.
‘BUILD SYSTEMS BEFORE YOU ARE FORCED TO’
Early on, everything ran through me. I knew where everything was. I fixed everything. I decided everything.
At the time, I wore that like a badge of honor
Eventually, it became a bottleneck.
If I could go back, I’d start building simple systems earlier. Not fancy ones. Just clear ones. How inspections are done. How
phones are answered. How people are trained. What “good” actually looks ike
Systems don’t replace people. They protect them. They reduce friction.
They create consistency.
Most owners wait to build systems until they’re exhausted. By then, it feels overwhelming. Doing it earlier would have felt empowering.
‘ASK FOR HELP LONG BEFORE YOU START DROWNING!’
This one matters most.
I resisted bringing a coach on for a long time. Longer than I should have. I told myself I could figure it out. That struggle was part of the deal. That working harder would eventually fix it.
Then one day, payroll was due. I had about $1,000 in the bank. I wasn’t underwater – not quite. I still had one nostril above water, but that’s when I finally asked for help.
Not because I wanted to. Because had to.
Looking back, I don’t beat myself up for that moment. But, I do wonder how different it might have been if I’d engaged a coach earlier. Not in crisis mode. Not with my back against the wall. But proactively.
Maybe the outcome would’ve been different. Maybe not. But I know this: t wouldn’t have been worse
I waited about 15 years – that’s 15 years I’d like a conversation with.
WHAT I’D REALLY TELL MYSELF ABOUT HONOR
If I had that time machine, I’d also talk to myself about honor. Because a lot of the stress I felt came from not honoring the right things.
I’d remind myself to honor the customer by letting them know everything their car needs. Not just what fits the visit. Not just what feels comfortable. Lay it all out clearly and professionally, then let them decide what works best for them. That’s not pressure. That’s respect.
I’d remind myself to honor the team by hiring people who align with the values and culture I want, not just filling a hole. Skills can be taught. Attitude and alignment are much harder to fix. Your best people feel it when standards slip.
And, I’d remind myself to honor my family and myself by running the shop like a business, not a charity. Providing the best possible service means ensuring your rates are at the op of your market, not the bottom. You work hard. You’re committed to your team and your customers. That deserves a firm financial foundation.
Profit isn’t something to apologize for. It’s what allows you to weather whatever storms come your way.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Here’s the thing. You don’t actually need a time machine.
Every shop owner reading this is already someone else’s future version. You’ve survived things that would scare your younger self. You’ve learned lessons others are just starting to face.
The goal isn’t to avoid mistakes. It’s to recognize them sooner. To act faster. To stop defending decisions that no longer serve you.
Experience is a tough teacher. But, it doesn’t have to be the only one.
Sure, a time machine might be nice to have. But here’s the reality: who you are today is the direct result of the choices you’ve made and the outcomes that followed, good and bad. None of it happened by accident.
I like to think of it this way: every person you’ve met and every decision you’ve made is a rock or a boulder sitting in a stream. Some were small and barely nudged the current. Others were massive and changed the direction of the water entirely. Either way, they shaped the path that brought you right here.
So, don’t waste time wishing those ocks weren’t there. Embrace who you’ve become because of them.
Learn from the lessons they served up, even the uncomfortable ones. Then, do the most important thing a shop owner can do: be intentional about the next bend in the stream. You can’t change where the water’s been, but you can absolutely influence where it flows from here.
If this article struck a chord, take a few minutes to slow down before moving on to the next task. Email Vic for your “free” Time Travel worksheet.
Ready to grow? Join a Shop Owner Coach 20 Group and surround your-self with peers who help you reach new heights. Connect directly with Vic Tarasik, founder of Shop Owner Coach, helping independent shop owners achieve their dreams through proven business practices.
Vic owned and operated a suc-cessful shop in The Woodlands, TX, for over three decades. To book your complimentary coaching session or learn more about 20 Groups, or our coaching programs. Email Vic@ ShopOwnerCoach.com or visit ShopOwnerCoach.com