Staffing: Doing What You Want vs. What You Need to Do in Your Workshop

Staffing: Doing What You Want vs. What You Need to Do in Your Workshop

How to Balance Your Passion with Running a Successful Business

Every workshop owner started in this industry because they love working with cars. There’s a thrill in diagnosing a problem, getting under the hood, and fixing an issue that others couldn’t. But as your business grows, so do the demands beyond the workshop floor, managing staff, handling finances, and making strategic decisions.

The biggest challenge? Balancing the work you love with the work your business actually needs. Many owners get stuck doing the tasks they enjoy, while crucial business functions fall by the wayside.

In this post, we’ll break down how to shift your mindset from technician to business leader, delegate effectively, and focus on what truly moves your business forward.

The Technician vs. The Business Owner Mindset

A common pitfall: Many workshop owners stay too hands-on with repairs because it’s what they love. But running a business successfully requires stepping back and seeing the bigger picture.

What You Want to Do: Spend time in the workshop, working on cars, handling complex diagnostics, and mentoring younger techs. 

 What You Need to Do: Manage workflow, optimise pricing, build customer relationships, and ensure profitability.

The reality is, if you’re always fixing cars, you’re just an employee in your own business. If you want your workshop to grow, you need to make time for strategy and leadership.

The True Cost of Doing Everything Yourself

Many owners think, “If I do it myself, I know it’s done right.” But doing everything alone comes at a cost:

Lost Revenue: If you're under a car all day, who’s making sure your shop is running profitably? 

Burnout: Endless days of wrenching and admin work drain your energy and passion. 

Stagnation: Your business doesn’t grow if you don’t focus on scaling and strategy.

Ask Yourself:
✅ If you had just 2 more hours per day, what would you do differently?
✅ Are you avoiding business tasks because they feel overwhelming or unfamiliar?

How to Delegate and Free Yourself Up

You don’t have to do it all. Delegation is not losing control, it’s gaining freedom.

Hire Skilled Technicians – Trust your team to handle jobs without micromanagement.
Leverage Virtual Service Advisors (VSAs) – They handle customer communication, invoicing, and parts orders so you can focus on growth.
Use Automation Tools – Booking reminders, follow-ups, and supplier comparisons can all be automated.

What This Looks Like in Action:
A workshop owner who delegated job scheduling and customer follow-ups saw a 15% increase in job completion rates and had time to focus on business growth.

Making the Shift to Business Owner Mode

Stepping away from the tools doesn’t mean losing your passion, it means building a business that works for you not that you work IN

Structure Your Time: Block out at least 2 hours per week for reviewing margins, marketing, and strategy.

Set Business Goals: How much do you want to grow in the next 6 months? What needs to change to get there?

Measure Performance: Track KPIs like ARO (Average Repair Order), technician efficiency, and customer retention to stay on top of growth.

Action Item: Your Next Steps

Let me give you a challenge for the upcoming week

Identify one task you’re doing that could be delegated (e.g., invoicing, follow-ups).
Find a team member or automation tool to take over that task.
Track your efficiency and stress levels over the next two weeks.

Need help figuring out where to start? Book a free consultation with Workwise Auto Solutions, we’ll help you streamline your operations and free up your time.

We make sure you get a solution that fits your workshop in a way that simply works.