Austin Hatchell has worked his way through the industry the hard way—turning wrenches, working the counter, and even stepping into car sales long enough to realize the “sell it at all costs” mindset wasn’t for him.
Now he’s the General Manager at Lake Arbor Automotive & Truck in Westminster, Colorado, leading a team through the kind of transition most shops struggle with: stepping into leadership, earning trust, and improving operations without burning people out or lowering standards.
In this episode, Austin breaks down:
What it takes to lead a shop when you’re not the owner
Why silos form between advisors and techs—and how to tear them down without drama
The operational shift from “advisor + two techs” to centralized dispatching
How to keep work flowing based on capability and availability, not turf and bottlenecks
If your shop feels busy but not efficient—or you’re trying to scale without losing the culture that got you here—Austin’s story will give you real, practical clarity.
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