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Episode 21- Frank and Aniz talk Tools 2026 and what led Frank to making the trip!
52 Plays1 month ago
Brand new podcast hosted by a Shop owner and a Shop owner/Technician . Frank speaks on the fact that this is something he has always wanted to do. Training doesn't cost IT PAYS! Looking forward to recording an episode with Frank and getting a recap of his and Margarita's experience post Tools 2026!
Visit our Facebook page at The Shop N Tread Talk Podcast!
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Transcript
Introduction & Podcast Platforms
00:00:00
Aniz Lavji
Welcome everyone to another episode of the Shop and Tread Talk podcast. My name is Anis and today we've got Frank. Frank's in the hot seat today. Frank, how you doing, man?
00:00:10
Frank Wiebe
I'm doing good. I am in the hot seat. I'm in my comfortable chair. I'm ready to go.
00:00:15
Aniz Lavji
yo everyone's Everyone's waiting for the grandfather clocks to go off in the background, so we've got to have it at least three times here, Frank.
00:00:15
Frank Wiebe
going have a good conversation today.
00:00:23
Frank Wiebe
No, not today. I'm downstairs and in a different spot. I do have a couple of clocks here, but none of them chime or make noise. so
00:00:30
Aniz Lavji
That's all right.
00:00:30
Frank Wiebe
no no ah No noisy clocks today.
00:00:33
Aniz Lavji
have the
00:00:33
Frank Wiebe
i got a cat I got a cat sitting up here on a perch watching me.
00:00:37
Aniz Lavji
Supervisor.
00:00:37
Frank Wiebe
So I guess if I get out of hand, she's going attack me.
00:00:38
Aniz Lavji
You got supervisor.
00:00:40
Frank Wiebe
Yep.
00:00:41
Aniz Lavji
Um, just wanted to quick mention, uh, looking for us online. You can search the shop and try to talk podcast on Facebook. Definitely give us a like follow on there.
00:00:52
Aniz Lavji
this will be on Spotify, Apple podcast and on YouTube. So definitely a love for you guys to follow us. Um, Frank, this episode.
00:01:01
Frank Wiebe
and and check out and And check out our TikTok
00:01:02
Aniz Lavji
Oh, good.
Expanding to TikTok
00:01:05
Frank Wiebe
accounts.
00:01:05
Frank Wiebe
I do put a little clip it on our TikTok as well.
00:01:07
Aniz Lavji
Yes. Yeah.
00:01:08
Frank Wiebe
Give you a little clip, just a little little taste of what's going on. And then you can go watch the rest of the episode on YouTube or other podcasts.
00:01:17
Aniz Lavji
The actual TikTok, now that you mentioned it, Frank, the actual TikTok, I'm hoping to get that registered maybe this week and then we'll we'll start uploading on there.
00:01:30
Aniz Lavji
And then ah frank will Frank's really good at uploading videos and stuff, so he he'll probably be doing a lot of that stuff.
00:01:34
Frank Wiebe
Yep.
00:01:36
Aniz Lavji
But that is upcoming. Just... Fortunately and unfortunately, we haven't had the time. Frank just had to come above water there, swimming out of all the millions that he's rolling in there.
00:01:50
Aniz Lavji
He's been so busy.
00:01:50
Frank Wiebe
No. no right now Not right now. It's pretty tough right now.
Financial Strains & Hiring Challenges
00:01:55
Frank Wiebe
Just hiring on a couple of new employees and and getting getting started with that, that's tough.
00:02:02
Frank Wiebe
man it it It burns a hole in your pocket a lot faster than you think before it starts to ah compensate and pay for itself. so we're kind of in that We're kind of in that empty pocket, hole in the pocket, let's see how deep this pocket is kind of situation.
00:02:11
Aniz Lavji
Oh yeah.
00:02:18
Frank Wiebe
and I'd give it another month or so. I think we'll be, we'll be digged back out.
00:02:21
Aniz Lavji
Yeah. I mean, in in all seriousness, yeah millions of aside, just joking around, but in all in all seriousness, I mean, it's, it's not easy hiring on another person.
00:02:27
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:02:30
Aniz Lavji
It's it's a risk at the end of the day, but I think it's going to pay off.
Tools 2026 Event Excitement
00:02:35
Aniz Lavji
This, ah this episode I'm naming it. it. Frank and I talk Tools 2026, which is coming up this weekend. if This episode is actually going released tomorrow.
00:02:49
Aniz Lavji
It's kind of special, so i want to make sure if anyone hears it and doesn't know about Tools, it's in Pennsylvania. Frank and Marguerite are making the trip. They're making their trip. I think you're leaving Wednesday morning, 5 a.m., m I think.
00:03:01
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, something like that. It depends. I kind of thought we'd leave 5 or 6 a.m. just to kind of beat the traffic rush, get across a border and then just take it easy.
00:03:07
Aniz Lavji
Mm-hmm.
00:03:11
Frank Wiebe
And yeah, I don't know. ah It's not that long.
00:03:15
Aniz Lavji
I'm super jealous that you're going, I'll tell you that much, because I've been wanting to go and I know my buddy Jeff, Jada Mechanic, he's going.
00:03:18
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:03:23
Aniz Lavji
And I've almost tried to like mute out all the tool stuff, but I can't. I mean, everyone's talking about it. I mean, it's great. It's great for the industry and there's going to a ton of people there and this will be your first one, Frank.
00:03:35
Frank Wiebe
yeah he's
00:03:38
Aniz Lavji
So that's going amazing.
00:03:39
Frank Wiebe
it It is, and I have no idea what to expect. i I've seen some videos and I've heard some things, and I see what Jeff's been posting about it And I've been talking with Jeff, and he's kind of been telling me what's going to happen and what's going on. and and But still, I don't know what to expect. i just I'm excited to go.
00:03:58
Frank Wiebe
I know there's a trade show there. I know there's a there's a lot of training
00:04:00
Aniz Lavji
Of
00:04:02
Frank Wiebe
um and And then there's a lot of socializing. So we'll see. the reason One of the reasons we're going on on Wednesday already, a so I can get away from the shop, but B, so that Wednesday night is the they have a ladies dinner, lady in the industry dinner.
00:04:13
Aniz Lavji
course.
00:04:19
Frank Wiebe
And ah so Coralie actually messaged me and invited Margarita to come to that. So I'm like, Hey dude, that's great.
00:04:24
Aniz Lavji
Beauty.
00:04:25
Frank Wiebe
So Margarita is going to go in and meet a bunch of great women in the industry. And when I mentioned that, when I mentioned that to Jeff, he's like, dude, you're going to, you're going to be so s stoked.
00:04:31
Aniz Lavji
Amazing.
00:04:35
Frank Wiebe
She's going to be so s stoked. She's going to fit right in there. He said, I'm going to, I'm going to introduce
Value of Networking at Events
00:04:40
Frank Wiebe
her to so many women over there that she's going to, she's just going to feel right.
00:04:42
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:04:43
Frank Wiebe
Welcome. So I'm excited about that because she was really worried, right? She was like, I don't know. This is not for me. This is not my thing.
00:04:49
Aniz Lavji
No, it's for her, I'm telling you.
00:04:49
Frank Wiebe
But yeah, well, she.
00:04:51
Aniz Lavji
She's going to have blast. Tanika's going be there as well. It's going to be a great time.
00:04:54
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, so i'm i'm I'm looking forward to meeting Tanika, looking forward to meeting Coralie and Margarita's actually taking one of Coralie's classes for service advisor training and stuff like that. So I think overall it's going to be a very beneficial thing.
00:05:11
Frank Wiebe
I'm not sure what classes I'm taking. I forget because I registered so long ago. But I do know I got an email, i don't know, a couple of weeks ago and it said, look, you're registered to this one class, but not in a part two.
00:05:23
Frank Wiebe
So really, you should take this class as well. And I'm like, hey, do whatever.
00:05:26
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:05:27
Frank Wiebe
I'm good with that. So they changed my itinerary a bit and and we'll see we'll see what it is.
00:05:28
Aniz Lavji
Yeah. I'm,
00:05:33
Frank Wiebe
I think it'll be great no matter what it is.
00:05:35
Aniz Lavji
What I'm hoping, like like I told you many times, Frank, like the experience I had when I went to ASTA the first time last year, and like that was like a game changer for me. And I pretty much went in with the same kind of feeling you did because I knew nobody, right?
00:05:49
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:05:53
Aniz Lavji
I basically, i had talked online with Jeff a couple times here and there, and I've seen people ah in the groups by their face and seen messages, but never really...
00:06:05
Aniz Lavji
you know never really met anyone. So I went in there, you know, again, I went alone by myself, random Canadian going to North Carolina.
00:06:13
Frank Wiebe
yeah
00:06:14
Aniz Lavji
And the only other Canadian that I knew that was going to be there was Jeff. And, you know, Jeff, um if you ever listened to this, you know, you're, you're a superstar. And I was ah pretty intimidated to meet you ah because, ah you know, you're, you're one of the guys that's, ah that's helped me, you know, in general kind of get to where I am and,
00:06:34
Aniz Lavji
listening to your podcast. Hopefully I'm ah pumping up your chest ah as much as I can right now. But, you know, like I went there and i i met f fra i met sorry I met Jeff and met a whole bunch of other people like Lucas and Mike Allen, which really cool.
00:06:41
Frank Wiebe
I did.
00:06:49
Aniz Lavji
he was He was really nice to meet over there. And it it gives you a different feeling that it's not just just just as an event that you're going to go there, you're going take – six classes and then you're going to leave. I mean it's not just that. it's It's all the afterwards. When you get out of the class, you see familiar faces that you may have had a class in before.
00:07:11
Aniz Lavji
And now you're seeing them afterwards and you talk to them and you get ideas, you get to share stuff with them. And this is all, this is in invaluable information and friendships and connections you can make.
00:07:23
Frank Wiebe
and just And just meeting people in person like that, like i've i've I've noticed a lot, like um even even through this podcast, we've like there's a lot of people since I started on my journey of of wanting to network more with different people and and different of ah people in the industry.
00:07:39
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:07:43
Frank Wiebe
i A lot of people, you know, you get a friend request on Facebook from such and such and it's like whatever and it's like whatever.
00:07:49
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:07:50
Frank Wiebe
But some of the people that we have, that I have um met, we've had some of these people on the podcast and and just talking with them and being kind of face-to-face like this with them.
00:07:57
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:08:02
Frank Wiebe
It's like, oh crap, now I actually know this person. Like not that long ago, we had BJ on and like...
00:08:04
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:08:07
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:08:09
Frank Wiebe
and ah
00:08:10
Aniz Lavji
I still messaged him here and there.
00:08:11
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, and and I've never met him in person, but just meeting him on here, now I know, I feel like we're friends now. I feel like i feel like now we've got a connection and it's just so different.
00:08:19
Aniz Lavji
For sure.
00:08:21
Frank Wiebe
So I think that once I've been there and at Tools and and I meet some of these people that I have as Facebook friends now, and now all sudden it's going like, you know, now this is a real person.
00:08:32
Frank Wiebe
Now we can actually...
00:08:33
Aniz Lavji
Yeah, you can associate it with, yeah, 100%.
00:08:35
Frank Wiebe
exactly exactly and it just just completely changes the dynamic of how your relationship is with that person or how you even interact with them like um what did we have we had uh wikter on the other day and other than knowing him just from his uh antics on on tick tock
00:08:41
Aniz Lavji
um saying
00:08:47
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:08:53
Frank Wiebe
him and i text almost daily now and it's like like we've become friends through this and it's like this is so cool that a you know he's a superstar and he's gonna be like a movie star soon because of of the videos that he's making and i'm like i texted
00:08:59
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:09:09
Aniz Lavji
Oh, he's the
Forming Real Connections
00:09:10
Frank Wiebe
him i texted him today i said listen just just remember me when you become famous that i was here through all the hard times so hopefully he does but
00:09:10
Aniz Lavji
kind yep.
00:09:20
Frank Wiebe
It just it just makes it makes the relationship so much more real.
00:09:26
Aniz Lavji
hundred percent
00:09:26
Frank Wiebe
And and that's that's what I'm really hoping for when I go to tools so that, you know, even if I learn nothing from the training, which I know I will, and that the relationships that I make, they're just going to become so real and that I'll actually have like, hey, connections in this industry further and beyond than just Facebook friends, you know?
00:09:43
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:09:46
Aniz Lavji
And it's that in... you know, you get to bounce ideas off these people. And if there's some hardships and some things that are bothering you about certain parts of your business, you can talk to other, I mean, I'm not going to say industry experts because I mean, you know, depending on who you're talking to,
00:10:04
Frank Wiebe
Well, we're all experts in our own way, right?
00:10:06
Aniz Lavji
In your own way.
00:10:07
Frank Wiebe
In a different way, yup.
00:10:07
Aniz Lavji
and And there may be something that is giving you a hard time and you talk to a random person about it and they're like, well, you know what? When we had that issue, this is how we overcame it.
00:10:18
Aniz Lavji
And then it might just click in your mind like, holy crap, like that's that's it. That's a perfect idea.
00:10:24
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, exactly.
00:10:24
Aniz Lavji
And I had a lot of those – you know, ta-da moments when I was in North Carolina and a lot of the stuff that I came back with. And by the way, Frank, I'm warning you now, everyone will tell you when you get back from tools, implement a few things.
00:10:40
Aniz Lavji
Don't just turn the whole shop upside down and try to be like, Oh, by the way, we're changing these 36 things today.
00:10:42
Frank Wiebe
yeah
00:10:47
Aniz Lavji
Right. today
00:10:48
Frank Wiebe
Oh, dude. We've done so many changes in our in our shop lately already that it's like, um I don't know what else I could change, but I know there's going to be something and I'm excited for it because I'm i'm i'm very I'm hard to change. It's hard for me to do change. It's hard for me to do something different than the way that I've always done something, but I know it's necessary and I know it's important.
00:11:13
Frank Wiebe
So when i need to, I do. And when it works,
Industry Challenges & Perseverance
00:11:20
Frank Wiebe
great. Right. But if it doesn't work, Hey, you know what?
00:11:21
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:11:23
Frank Wiebe
Then we revert to where we were and let me continue on.
00:11:24
Aniz Lavji
You don't know what you don't know, Frank. That's what it is, right?
00:11:26
Frank Wiebe
Well, that's just it. Right. What's this? sit
00:11:29
Aniz Lavji
No, I think, um I think the, like, as you know, as far as we've been talking and chatting for, this is what episode 21 now.
00:11:30
Frank Wiebe
And,
00:11:40
Aniz Lavji
And again, we've only met what one time in, in in person, but, From that time until now, Frank, like I think you've grown quite a bit, not only as a a business owner and a tech, but you know as a friend.
00:11:54
Aniz Lavji
like I've seen you go through quite a bit during the winter when you guys were literally rammed. and I remember talking to you late in the evening where you're like, well, we just finished up.
00:12:04
Aniz Lavji
I'm like, holy crap, buddy, it's late. Yeah.
00:12:06
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, like like we work until eight, nine o'clock at night, but then of course we were doing the renovation and all that too. So it was just like, it was overwhelming.
00:12:13
Aniz Lavji
But you overcame a lot, man. You guys overcame a lot. And look where you are now. Your showroom's done. And you know you're rocking and rolling.
00:12:19
Frank Wiebe
Oh man, i got it i gotta to do the I gotta do the video tour yet. i have I have one more piece to put on. I have the, on the front counter, I have the top board to put on, which I'm gonna do after we get back from tools.
00:12:31
Frank Wiebe
And once that's on, then I'm gonna do that video tour that everyone's doing.
00:12:34
Aniz Lavji
You can only do the video tour if you get those glasses like Zeb has. okay That's the only way to do video tour.
00:12:39
Frank Wiebe
I can't freaking afford those things. No way. I'm okay holding my phone and doing this. Man, it looks so sharp.
00:12:46
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:12:47
Frank Wiebe
We were in there this weekend doing the last touch-ups of the, like painting the doors and the edges of the trim. is Holy crap, it looks so good. Like it's just people walk in and they're like, wow, this is so nice.
00:12:59
Frank Wiebe
We had a customer today. And he's the first one that complimented. He said, wow, there's so much more room here for the for the customers.
00:13:06
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:13:07
Frank Wiebe
And I'm like, that was my goal. it was to have room for the customers. Like it was so crammed before. And not that we want to have waiters sitting there, but you know what happens and they do.
00:13:18
Frank Wiebe
And so when they
Shop Renovations & Customer Experience
00:13:20
Frank Wiebe
do, it's more comfortable for them. Right. So, and then, you know, we've got, we've got TVs up on the wall.
00:13:22
Aniz Lavji
Definitely.
00:13:25
Frank Wiebe
Now we've got, uh, atmosphere TV playing on this one side. If you guys have never checked into atmosphere TV, it's pretty wicked. Like I I've seen it once we were at, um, wild wings and I was just watching it and they have like, uh,
00:13:44
Frank Wiebe
superhuman stuff and and cute kitten stuff. and like just Just entertaining information like that. So I reached out to them.
00:13:50
Aniz Lavji
So you want to continue the cute kitten thing when you're at work.
00:13:52
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, exactly.
00:13:53
Aniz Lavji
Don't you have enough cute kittens at home?
00:13:55
Frank Wiebe
We have a lot. We have cats at home. We have kittens at the shop. We have whatever. Oh, it's too much. But anyways, we I reached out to them and apparently it's a free program to get. And all you have to do is you have to play it like 40 hours a month.
00:14:10
Frank Wiebe
and And then it just... plays these random videos and it's and it's entertaining so it's just something for them to when they're sitting there waiting for their car that they're not bored or annoying my service manager so it works out really good
00:14:25
Aniz Lavji
look Luckily for us, we got Walmart and Sobeys shoppers right across the street. so And Tim Hortons.
00:14:32
Frank Wiebe
good. The only thing we have is is a trailer manufacturer next door and the other side is a gun range so unless you got a gun you want to go shooting the a
00:14:40
Aniz Lavji
You have gun race there?
00:14:42
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, right next door. All day long, you hear pop, pop, pop, pop. Oh, it's so freaking annoying.
00:14:47
Aniz Lavji
Have you ever gone?
00:14:49
Frank Wiebe
Oh, shit, no. That's not my thing.
00:14:51
Aniz Lavji
Yeah, same here.
00:14:52
Frank Wiebe
That's not true.
00:14:53
Aniz Lavji
I've thought about going, but I don't know.
00:14:55
Frank Wiebe
my my My brother-in-law took me one time many years ago, like probably 20 years ago. And i I shot a couple of shots, and I'm like, wow.
00:15:09
Frank Wiebe
This was the biggest waste of time. Like, like I... Boom. Whatever. Now what? now Now what? There's no excitement. There's no nothing further. as you You shot a bullet.
00:15:20
Frank Wiebe
Boom. Big deal.
00:15:20
Aniz Lavji
I can literally hear all the ah all the listeners from the U.S.
00:15:21
Frank Wiebe
and
00:15:24
Aniz Lavji
listening to this right now, and they're like, what the hell is Frank talking about?
00:15:26
Frank Wiebe
Oh, yeah.
00:15:28
Aniz Lavji
I got like 15 guns in at home and go hunting every day.
00:15:31
Frank Wiebe
ah Last time. ah I suppose if you're wanting to improve your marksmanship or whatever, but I have no need for that. Last time I was visiting my cousin in Ohio, hes he's like, oh, let's go shoot in the backyard and try and hit the target, man.
00:15:49
Frank Wiebe
Nope, I got too frustrated. I couldn't hit the target after 10 rounds. I'm like, I'm done. I'm going to go find something else to do. ah what
00:15:56
Aniz Lavji
It's okay. You can always play Call of Duty or something.
00:15:56
Frank Wiebe
Let's play with – no, I don't play. I
Humorous Daily Life Anecdote
00:16:00
Frank Wiebe
don't game. I'm not a gamer. No, I leave that for the people.
00:16:03
Aniz Lavji
I used to be. I just don't have time anymore.
00:16:05
Frank Wiebe
No. So, yeah yeah, it doesn't interest me.
00:16:07
Aniz Lavji
There's...
00:16:08
Frank Wiebe
So, like, the gun range next door doesn't interest me at all. And every time I hear shots fired, I'm just thinking, that's $1, $2. two dollars Or when the big guns go, that's $10.
00:16:19
Frank Wiebe
Oh, it's another $10. And I'm thinking...
00:16:21
Aniz Lavji
you can ah You can use that to your advantage, Frank, if when you're handing them the bill and if they' they're not too happy. they Look, you need to let off some steam. see go and Go next door to the gun range.
00:16:30
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, I should have a membership just so that I could send people over there to shoot guns.
00:16:32
Aniz Lavji
Here's 20 left. Yeah.
00:16:38
Frank Wiebe
Yeah. No, but it's it's pretty good because we have ah we have the police college pretty close to us as well.
00:16:39
Aniz Lavji
Okay.
00:16:45
Frank Wiebe
so the So the cadets go there and that's where they do a lot of their training.
00:16:49
Aniz Lavji
Nice.
00:16:49
Frank Wiebe
um So when when it's the police the police college days and there's like rows of cop cars sitting up there, And then when you do your road test up and down, you want to make sure that you're actually wearing your seatbelt and be legal and stuff like that because we were right past them.
00:17:01
Aniz Lavji
It helps, yeah.
00:17:03
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:17:03
Aniz Lavji
That helps.
00:17:04
Frank Wiebe
Plus they have guns out and they're actually using them those days.
00:17:07
Aniz Lavji
Oh, man. Like Wild Wild West.
00:17:09
Frank Wiebe
The one day, let me tell you this story real quick. The one day I was test driving a vehicle and I had the window open, must've been summertime and I'm driving and all sudden hear bang.
00:17:21
Frank Wiebe
And I just about shat myself because I'm like, what the hell was that? I thought the tire blew up in the car. and But it didn't feel weird. And I'm like, okay, i kept driving.
00:17:31
Frank Wiebe
And after a bit, I realized that somebody must have shot maybe like a f freaking 50 cal or something like that. right and the And the long range is right at the road. So it was like so far away.
00:17:43
Aniz Lavji
Jeez.
00:17:43
Frank Wiebe
Holy crap. This scared the shit out of me. And I'm like, it... From that, I always roll the window up so when I go faster so I don't hear that. I don't fit my tire blue. out Anyways.
00:17:54
Aniz Lavji
Man, that would be that'll be bad if that was near my place. If I'm going to test out with customers and trying to sell a car or something, driving by there, you keep hearing bang, bang, bang.
00:18:00
Frank Wiebe
so
00:18:03
Aniz Lavji
You're like, what what's with this car? i thought it was safety. I'm like, no, no, no, it is this is. That's just all the guns firing off next door.
00:18:10
Frank Wiebe
No, I thought about it when when I first started TikTok. I was going to do like all the all the shooting is always going on. And I thought about getting those little stickers that people always putting on their cars that look like bullet holes and then sticking them on the side of my building and then just do like a video and be like, man, these guys really got crazy today.
00:18:22
Aniz Lavji
Oh
00:18:29
Frank Wiebe
And then, you know, make it look like there's a roll bullet holes in my building.
00:18:31
Aniz Lavji
yeah.
00:18:34
Aniz Lavji
Oh man.
00:18:35
Frank Wiebe
I never did that. Maybe I should one day because it'd be kind of funny, but.
Continual Training & Development
00:18:40
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:18:40
Aniz Lavji
Did, um did you ever think you'd be going to a ah big convention like tools?
00:18:46
Frank Wiebe
You know what? I have always wanted to.
00:18:48
Aniz Lavji
Like why why did it take so long, Frank?
00:18:52
Frank Wiebe
Because, ah well, for one, when I was just an employee, I never had the money to do it. And my employer that I had at the time did not believe in any sort of training or upgrading or anything like that.
00:19:04
Frank Wiebe
Like to him, that was not necessary. what We're able to do what we need to do. There's no sense in going to these events, right? So like even even the um training that APC, CarQuest, Napa that they all offer, even those ones I had to beg for and be like, look, at least send me that this stuff here.
00:19:20
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:19:24
Aniz Lavji
Really.
00:19:25
Frank Wiebe
Oh, yeah. um The only thing he would ever send us to or go to would be like a trade show because... you know there he could get a deal on stuff and he could get free shit in a swag bag like that's that's it but i've always wanted to go to something like this now of course there's never been any i mean years ago i guess there was some in toronto but there hasn't there hasn't been any in canada in so many years
00:19:45
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:19:49
Aniz Lavji
there There is one, i think it's AARO or something like that, but I mean, it's it's not the same.
00:19:52
Frank Wiebe
yeah i've i have a Now, I have a friend that's a member of that and he said it was in. Okay, he's a member of AARO and he didn't even know about the trade show or about the event.
00:20:06
Frank Wiebe
When I told him about it, he's like, oh, maybe I'll check it out.
00:20:09
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:20:09
Frank Wiebe
And I never heard back of what it was or whatever, but lates it's so on like unknown that it's like it can't be that great. But as far as going into the US, well, for the longest time, i my passport was expired and I just had no reason to renew it because I never went across a border.
00:20:28
Aniz Lavji
yeah yeah
00:20:29
Frank Wiebe
But then again, like I said, I never had the funds to do it when I was an employee. But now, excuse me, now that I'm shop owner, I like I always knew the importance of it, but now I actually want to do it. But the first five years have been really stretching and building the business to see where we're at And now it's just like, finally we're, no, it's not easy to leave because every time that we left, it's close the shop, it's close the shop, it's close the shop.
00:20:51
Aniz Lavji
It's also not easy to leave either, right?
00:20:58
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:20:59
Frank Wiebe
So we're finally in a position now where we can, the shop can stay open
00:21:00
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:21:05
Frank Wiebe
um
00:21:05
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:21:06
Frank Wiebe
We're going to be gone Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from the shop and then, I mean, till Sunday, but that way the shop is still going to operate. So, so there's still going to be, i mean, it'll be a skeleton crew, but at least some of the work that needs to be done is going to get done.
00:21:21
Frank Wiebe
And if somebody has an emergency, it can still, it can still go through and work.
00:21:22
Aniz Lavji
Yep. Yep.
00:21:25
Frank Wiebe
So that's, that's probably the biggest reason why we've never gone in the past. um But now that this is here, depending on how this goes, I mean,
00:21:36
Frank Wiebe
We're not going to be able to make ASTA this year because we're literally, we've got a cottage weekend with the family two weekends before that. Then we're going to Alberta for a wedding, for a family wedding. And then like the very next weekend is ASTA. And I'm like, Marguerite, they looked at me the other day and she's like, are you thinking you're going to want to go at ASTA? And I'm like, I would love to, but I really don't think that I'm going to be able to make that work because that's just going to be like,
00:22:02
Frank Wiebe
three weeks off for me from work and I'm like there's no way we can do that.
00:22:06
Aniz Lavji
All right, that's all the way in September. we don't We don't have to worry about that right now.
00:22:10
Frank Wiebe
ah Dude, I'm planning, I'm already planning August, September.
00:22:10
Aniz Lavji
You can figure that out later. yeah.
00:22:14
Frank Wiebe
No, like August and September are booked, are fully booked for like almost every single weekend. So um we're our my son and his girlfriend bought us a weekend away for last Christmas. They gave us a coupon for a weekend away.
00:22:32
Frank Wiebe
And we were so busy in the spring that we weren't going to do it. So we were trying to do it maybe in July, but now it's like, we're going to October. That's where we're booking into that's, that's how far I'm like, Holy crap. It's just, I can't believe that it's just, everything is just so busy. So anyway, um yeah.
00:22:54
Frank Wiebe
ASTA is not going to happen this year. i would love it to, but i guess I do.
00:22:58
Aniz Lavji
I want to have that conversation with you after tools and see, because I'm telling you once once you get the bug, it is it is something.
00:22:59
Frank Wiebe
I think,
00:23:02
Frank Wiebe
ah Well,
00:23:08
Frank Wiebe
you don't have to convince me. You don't have to convince me because I would i would go. um so we'll see. But um I don't think that that's going
Women in the Automotive Industry
00:23:20
Frank Wiebe
to happen. But I like the idea. like i love it. And then, like I say, depending on how tools goes,
00:23:25
Frank Wiebe
Um, we're going to see how many events that we want to attend next year and how many of our, how many, whether we go or whether we send our employees or what we do. Right. So that's, that's something i want to do because I do want to send my employees to this kind of training as well, because I know it's necessary, but I mean, you have to, you have to work with their schedules and you have to work with their,
00:23:41
Aniz Lavji
I think it's really important.
00:23:50
Frank Wiebe
abilities as well. right Because if you send them to something some kind of training that's way over their head, well, then you're just wasting your money.
00:23:52
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:23:55
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:23:56
Frank Wiebe
right so like our Our apprentice is actually going to Barry to take um training with, a oh shit.
00:24:06
Aniz Lavji
was electrical, wasn't it, you were
00:24:07
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, it's electrical training with Mark mark LeMay.
00:24:11
Aniz Lavji
saying? Okay.
00:24:11
Frank Wiebe
yeah um so he's doing that and He's doing an electrical basic introduction. right But if I send him to a master class, he'd be lost, right? Like, what the heck?
00:24:20
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:24:20
Frank Wiebe
So I'm sending him, I'm going to start him off and then do this. So, um yeah, well, I think that's a great foot in the door for him to get to get some training done. And it just happens that it's the same weekend that we're going to Pennsylvania.
00:24:33
Frank Wiebe
So that's why we're going to end up with a skeleton crew at the shop. But, you know, it's I think it's good.
00:24:37
Aniz Lavji
Well, I can't remember who it is and i where I heard it. And if if anyone listening, if it's their quote, you knowll I'll tag them on it. But you know training doesn't cost, it pays.
00:24:49
Aniz Lavji
And it's so true. yeah People, again...
00:24:51
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:24:53
Aniz Lavji
when like I understand what you were saying. like When you were working for someone, it's not easy to go. because i mean Yeah, it's it's a lot of money, but now that you have the shop and you know it's it's a little bit easier to make that financial contribution, um i think it's really going to be great for both of you, and especially for Margarita because...
00:25:14
Aniz Lavji
Just like you know you were saying that she's nervous about going in and meeting all these other people. i think once she goes to the the women's dinner, I think that's going to be a game changer for her.
00:25:25
Frank Wiebe
ah She's worried about getting peopled out too soon, right? Like, you know, what... Some people only do social...
00:25:32
Aniz Lavji
so just we Just wait until she meets Buckaroo Bob.
00:25:36
Frank Wiebe
i
00:25:37
Aniz Lavji
i can't remember if he's going or not, but if he's going... ah
00:25:41
Frank Wiebe
ah No, no, he wasn't going to be there. Remember when we were when we did that podcast with Coralie, then he said he wasn't going to be, but...
00:25:44
Aniz Lavji
Ah, that's okay.
00:25:47
Aniz Lavji
With Coralie. Yeah, yeah. Okay, okay.
00:25:51
Frank Wiebe
um Who is it that that rick Rick White is going to be there?
00:25:53
Aniz Lavji
I think rick Rick White is going, I'm pretty sure. sure but By the way, if you you haven't met, you haven't he's really cool.
00:25:57
Frank Wiebe
Yeah,
00:26:00
Aniz Lavji
You'll you'll love him He's a great guy.
00:26:01
Frank Wiebe
i I haven't met either one of them, but but i think I think Buckaroo Bob would be a little much for her because she was – she already said Victor was a very exuberant guy when we did the podcast with him, although she was laughing she was laughing in the background the whole time.
00:26:14
Aniz Lavji
i gotta mean I got to meet Victor in person one of these days.
00:26:18
Frank Wiebe
But she said he was –
00:26:20
Aniz Lavji
Victor, if you're listening, you know open invitation to come to come to Ontario. Go grab some wings and beer, man.
00:26:28
Frank Wiebe
Well, you see, and the thing is, he only lives, i think, two hours away from where my cousin lives.
00:26:34
Aniz Lavji
Oh, yeah.
00:26:34
Frank Wiebe
So the next time I go down to see my cousin, I'm going to make that trek and I'm going to go and have a beer with Victor because I think it'd be pretty slick.
00:26:43
Aniz Lavji
And by the way, Victor, we need to get you on the Jaden Mechanic podcast, okay?
00:26:43
Frank Wiebe
And, uh,
00:26:49
Aniz Lavji
i'll get I'll get Jeff to reach out to you. You got to go on his podcast as well, man. He'd love to have you.
00:26:55
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, I like it.
00:26:55
Aniz Lavji
it
00:26:55
Frank Wiebe
jeff Jeff was a little jealous that we got him before he did. so mr
00:26:59
Aniz Lavji
ah Honestly, i was i was talking to Jeff and he's like, oh man, you got Victor on there. I'm like, yeah, the Frank hooked it up. So those, uh, it was really cool, but, uh, definitely Victor.
00:27:10
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:27:11
Aniz Lavji
If you're, if you're able to get in touch with a Jada mechanic, Jeff's an awesome guy. and I'm sure he'd love to have you on his, uh, I I'll be speaking for Jeff. Jeff would love to have you on the, uh, the podcast. And I think you guys would be a really good conversation.
00:27:28
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, I think so, yeah.
00:27:28
Aniz Lavji
Right. But you know, it's things like this, like Frank, uh,
00:27:30
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:27:33
Aniz Lavji
like, you know, I know Jeff and then, you know, Tanika and Coralie and all these people that you're going to meet there. I mean, that's, that's something, like you said, you're going to put a face to the name on the, on the keyboard, right. And you're texting and sending voice notes, something like that is, it's really different when you get to actually meet them in person.
00:27:53
Aniz Lavji
These people are, are something else really. And actually i think I think Benji, I don't know if you've but you've met Benji. he So he's from ah he's from North Carolina as well.
00:28:07
Aniz Lavji
He is a super, super cool guy. so i think I think you'll really enjoy talking to him. if if If you're going to meet Tanika, ask her ask going to introduce you to Benji.
00:28:18
Aniz Lavji
He's a super cool guy. And I think Mike Allen is going.
00:28:21
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:28:23
Aniz Lavji
i I'm not sure.
00:28:24
Frank Wiebe
Matt, I'm going to be bringing a freaking notepad because I'm going to be writing down names and numbers.
00:28:24
Aniz Lavji
I'll right
00:28:30
Frank Wiebe
ah You know what? Maybe I'll just take pictures and take pictures of people with name and number because like love meeting people.
00:28:37
Aniz Lavji
Just add them on Facebook. but Hey, what what's your name again? Okay.
00:28:41
Frank Wiebe
Well, and that's what I've been doing. and And even people that I've been meeting on TikTok and stuff like that, or people that I've been reaching out to to to become like a guest on our show and stuff like that.
00:28:52
Frank Wiebe
and And I always try to... i always try to connect with them. Like we're connected on TikTok. I connect with them on Facebook. And like, if you're, if you're willing, here's my cell number.
00:28:59
Aniz Lavji
Sure, yeah.
00:29:03
Frank Wiebe
So I reached out to a couple of people today.
00:29:03
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:29:05
Frank Wiebe
Actually, I called one and, and I'm like, I'm just like, Hey, out of the blue. Hey, this is Frank from Ontario. How you doing? And I'm like, it's just so cool. Cause then it's just like you, you're the same kind of people and you can have a decent, kind of decent conversation and something like that.
00:29:16
Aniz Lavji
Exactly.
00:29:20
Frank Wiebe
So yeah, it's pretty good.
00:29:21
Aniz Lavji
Well, I've been talking to, to Melody back and forth here no a little bit.
00:29:22
Frank Wiebe
I'm, I'm,
00:29:25
Frank Wiebe
Yep.
00:29:27
Aniz Lavji
And then um I had connected with another female mechanic in my area. So I actually, i think I got those two connected so they can, they can chat.
00:29:37
Aniz Lavji
Cause mean, unfortunately there's not a whole lot of female Texan in Ontario.
00:29:42
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:29:42
Aniz Lavji
And like the more that I can, connect together that maybe they've never even met or knew about each other, which is awesome.
00:29:47
Frank Wiebe
Mm-hmm.
00:29:47
Aniz Lavji
And, you know, it's always good to have those connections.
00:29:51
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, i can't I can't imagine being a female in this industry, like being one of 100. Like i know when Margarita was working in the shop and then our snap-on rep would come in.
00:30:04
Frank Wiebe
So it's a husband and wife that do it together and he stays on the truck and she does the shop visits.
00:30:07
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:30:10
Frank Wiebe
And so they come in and then her and Margarita are chatting. and ah They made a mention the other are i guess it was last fall, they were talking about how when Mother's Day had come around last year, there had been no mention in the Snap-on catalog about Mother's Day.
00:30:23
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:30:29
Aniz Lavji
Really?
00:30:29
Frank Wiebe
No specials, no sales, nothing.
00:30:32
Aniz Lavji
for Yeah, that's...
00:30:33
Frank Wiebe
Yeah. And as she said, like, there has been in the past, but last year, nothing.
00:30:34
Aniz Lavji
and
00:30:40
Frank Wiebe
Come Father's Day, holy shit, like, it was, like, three pages long on Father's Day this and Father's Day that.
00:30:45
Aniz Lavji
And that just shows the, unfortunately, the industry is not not where it needs to be.
00:30:49
Frank Wiebe
Exactly.
00:30:51
Aniz Lavji
i mean, it's not just men that are in this industry.
00:30:52
Frank Wiebe
People.
00:30:55
Aniz Lavji
We got to respect the other side. for and Unfortunately, it's it's not there.
00:30:57
Frank Wiebe
Exactly. Exactly.
00:30:59
Aniz Lavji
Mm-hmm.
00:30:59
Frank Wiebe
Well, and so and so the the rep had actually reached out to Snap on him been like, what the hell? like i've got She says, I've got two women on my route that would love to have some something for Mother's Day. And they're like, there was nothing there. And she did say that there is stuff in this next flyer that's coming out this year.
00:31:23
Aniz Lavji
There better be.
00:31:23
Frank Wiebe
So there, yep.
00:31:24
Aniz Lavji
I mean, yeah, there there really should be.
00:31:27
Frank Wiebe
Yep.
00:31:27
Aniz Lavji
i mean, so many other businesses, were you know, not being anything tool related, but you see so many different businesses that have Mother's Day specials or Mother's Day this.
00:31:27
Frank Wiebe
And of course,
00:31:38
Aniz Lavji
But I mean, just because this is a quote unquote, and for whoever's not watching, I'm using air quotes, a man's i You know, industry, it's not.
00:31:49
Aniz Lavji
it's It's not just a man's industry. There's a lot of great women tech that are out there that are outshining a whole lot of men. Hopefully I don't get slaughtered for saying that, but hey, it is what it is.
00:31:59
Frank Wiebe
Well, and I've said, I've,
00:32:03
Aniz Lavji
But there's some great women techs out there.
00:32:04
Frank Wiebe
Well, I've said i've said it on here in the past that I think that having a woman in the industry, so okay, generally women aren't as strong as men. Doesn't mean that they can't do the job, but mentally, holy shit, like they can't, they could...
00:32:19
Frank Wiebe
remember how this came apart like if they're mechanically inclined nothing's gonna stop them like I was I was just uh chatting with Melody today and she had this freaking diesel truck that she spent hours and hours trying to figure out why there was a
00:32:30
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:32:39
Frank Wiebe
air I don't know, air quality code or something weird like that. I don't understand diesel stuff. But she she pursued it and she and she kept going and she kept at it and she figured it out and she fixed it. Me, I would have been like, i would have been lost. Like I've tested for two, three hours now.
00:32:58
Frank Wiebe
I forget and I got to start over again, right?
00:33:01
Aniz Lavji
We
00:33:01
Frank Wiebe
But when when I think that when you when you have that ability, to yeah, yeah,
00:33:06
Aniz Lavji
we have a knack for it. I mean, you know you you got it, you got it, right?
00:33:10
Frank Wiebe
Well, and even if you don't have a knack for it, you could very easily learn it because you have the thought process. Like that's what I think women have the ability over men is they have a different, they they process things differently.
00:33:25
Aniz Lavji
Look at it differently than we would, for sure.
00:33:25
Frank Wiebe
And when all, exactly.
00:33:27
Frank Wiebe
And then all of a sudden they're like, like, okay, well, I remember from 10 years ago, I did this and it was such and such. A man is like, I remember it from five minutes ago. And that's all I remember. Yeah.
00:33:39
Frank Wiebe
e
00:33:39
Aniz Lavji
i don't I can't even think five minutes ago. No, but I think...
00:33:44
Frank Wiebe
So I think women in the industry is a fantastic idea. So the men that the men that don't think so, shame on you because you're an idiot.
00:33:52
Aniz Lavji
I think the... It's coming around. like Like we're saying, there's the women's women's dinner that's coming up at Tools.
00:34:00
Frank Wiebe
Mm-hmm.
00:34:01
Aniz Lavji
They also do, I believe it was at Vision, there was something there as well. And at ASTA, I'm pretty sure there's something there.
00:34:12
Frank Wiebe
Okay.
00:34:13
Aniz Lavji
I just can't put my finger on it, but i I vaguely remember there being something that was going on ASTA.
00:34:19
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, it's just, I got the itinerary here.
00:34:20
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:34:22
Frank Wiebe
I'm just looking at it because, yeah, Wednesday night is the, a mate they call it the amazing woman in automotive social. So that number one is key right there. um
00:34:36
Frank Wiebe
I think that's the only, yeah yeah, that's the only thing that I see there.
00:34:39
Aniz Lavji
I think they're having a contest for best suit jackets.
00:34:42
Frank Wiebe
Some kind of suit jacket thing?
00:34:44
Aniz Lavji
So I was going to ask you are you, are you busting out any interest in suit jackets or what?
00:34:49
Frank Wiebe
Hey, firstly, I don't own any suit jackets, but I only just been...
00:34:53
Aniz Lavji
You have some time. You can get something on Amazon delivered before Wednesday.
00:34:58
Frank Wiebe
Actually, that's not a bad idea. We'll we'll see. it had i Had I known about it sooner, had this... um I'd go to some thrift store. I'm sure I could find something.
00:35:08
Aniz Lavji
but Why don't you get one custom made with Margarita's face all over the suit jacket?
00:35:13
Frank Wiebe
it's' just
00:35:13
Aniz Lavji
How awesome would that be?
00:35:16
Frank Wiebe
You know what? I think... you know it That would be amazing. But I think what would actually win is if I had Jeff's face plastered all over. I think that would win.
00:35:30
Aniz Lavji
i think if you can make it happen, you have a printing press. I think if you did the Jada mechanic's face all over your jacket, yeah they they will just, they close down the contest and be like, Frankie won, forget it.
00:35:39
Frank Wiebe
There's no... Yep, yep, yep. Here, hands down. maybe Maybe by next year I'll have that. Oh yeah, that'd be fun.
00:35:51
Frank Wiebe
No, i didn't I didn't know about it until, ah I don't know, i think ah two days ago I started seeing posts about it.
00:35:51
Aniz Lavji
Well.
00:35:58
Frank Wiebe
I'm like, oh, this is kind of interesting.
00:36:00
Aniz Lavji
Yeah.
00:36:01
Frank Wiebe
I guess it's something that's been going on for a while because they're trying to win the title back to North Carolina or something I thought I'd seen, but anyways.
00:36:11
Aniz Lavji
Well, at ASTA, there was a there was a whole bunch of guys that had these crazy jackets on.
00:36:11
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:36:17
Aniz Lavji
But, you know, i I'm really excited for you man. I think this is going to be – I'm super jealous. i'm I may have to mute our conversations until you get back.
00:36:28
Aniz Lavji
But, um no, I think this is going to be great.
00:36:30
Frank Wiebe
i'll almost i'll send you updates as i need no it's gonna be fun i'm looking forward to it like i said i have no idea what to expect so for me this is like i've been to trade shows before so i understand what a trade show looks like but as far as a large training event like this i just don't even know so
00:36:50
Aniz Lavji
If you see any interesting tools at Tools at the show, then definitely reach out. I may i may ask you to pick something. out Or if you're stopping but at Harbor Freight, would definitely...
00:37:01
Frank Wiebe
Apparently there's a Harbor Freight 10 minutes away from the from the show.
00:37:05
Aniz Lavji
Yep.
00:37:06
Frank Wiebe
so
00:37:06
Aniz Lavji
jeff Jeff was saying that he's probably gonna be stopping over there. because
00:37:10
Frank Wiebe
okay
00:37:11
Aniz Lavji
The tools cost and everything.
00:37:11
Frank Wiebe
Oh, I wouldn't.
00:37:12
Aniz Lavji
I mean, it's it's way, way better than like the princess and stuff. You go over here. It's it's a different league.
00:37:19
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, i was just ah chatting with Victor earlier and he was saying there's a special wrench that he was using um on those, what did he say, Hyundai's there, you have to take the rear control arm off to do calipers or something like that.
00:37:32
Aniz Lavji
Oh my God. Yeah, you do.
00:37:34
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, and he and he said
00:37:34
Aniz Lavji
Oh, those are and that add a lot of labor.
00:37:37
Frank Wiebe
yeah and he said there's this one wrench that ah that Icon makes now that fits right in there so you don't have to take control arm off. I'm like, all right, I'll be stopping in there.
00:37:44
Aniz Lavji
Really? Yeah. Grab me one as well.
00:37:50
Frank Wiebe
Yeah, so we'll see. We'll see what it is, but I'm pretty sure I'll be stopping in and see what see what they've got new for me this year.
00:37:59
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:38:04
Frank Wiebe
Oh, I think you muted yourself. I was like, this guy's looking funny at me.
00:38:06
Aniz Lavji
i Yep, I did. i ended up hitting... I hit the microphone and I muted it there. but But yeah, I think Harbour Free would be great.
00:38:17
Aniz Lavji
Get some tools, pay some duties while you're crossing the border and hand hand some money back into the pockets of the Canadian government, no problem.
00:38:21
Frank Wiebe
whatever it is what it is.
00:38:26
Frank Wiebe
As long as I don't have to pay tariff, I don't mind paying duty.
00:38:30
Aniz Lavji
Oh man, it is duty. You got it right there.
00:38:32
Frank Wiebe
Yeah.
00:38:33
Aniz Lavji
But i Frank... and Man, I can't wait for you to go, buddy. And obviously we'll be talking quite a bit before that. But enjoy your trip. This is going to get released tomorrow. So whoever's listening, if you're on the fence about going to Tools, please sign up.
00:38:54
Aniz Lavji
Go meet Frank. Go meet the Jada mechanic. They're all going to be there.
00:38:58
Frank Wiebe
Yep.
00:38:58
Aniz Lavji
It's going to be an awesome time.
00:39:01
Frank Wiebe
Yep.
00:39:01
Aniz Lavji
Don't be like me and miss it. And um yeah, signing off, ah Frank. Thank you. And ah have a good night, buddy. All right.
00:39:09
Frank Wiebe
Hey, have a good night. Take care.