What would happen if you or one of your company’s key leaders suddenly couldn’t come back?

In this episode of Maximum Octane, hosts Kim Hickey and Jason Patel sit down with Tony Mercury, Vice President of Operations at Auto Shop Solutions, to talk about the moment his company had to face the unthinkable. When their CEO was suddenly out due to a serious illness, the team had to respond quickly and confront the gaps in their leadership transition strategy.

Tony shares the real story of what that moment looked like, what lessons they learned, and why every shop owner needs to stop putting off succession planning. You’ll hear about the emotional toll, the systems that helped them adapt, and how to start building a resilient team that can continue to operate, even if you can't be there.

This episode is a roadmap for shop owners who want to protect their people, preserve their culture, and safeguard the business they’ve worked so hard to build.

Episode Takeaways

1:10 What happened when Margaret got sick and why it shook the company

3:50 Why most shop owners avoid succession planning until it’s too late

6:20 How lack of structure turns a crisis into chaos

8:40 Why a “checklist for death” is not the same as a real plan

11:30 Three types of plans every business should have

15:10 How to start building systems that support leadership transition

18:00 Why your plan needs more than titles and SOPs

20:40 The risk of leaning too hard on one person, especially if it’s you

23:50 What you can do right now to prepare your shop for the unexpected

Meet Tony Mercury:

Tony Mercury is Vice President of Operations at Auto Shop Solutions and a seasoned leader in the auto repair industry. In this episode, he opens up about navigating a real leadership crisis and the insights that came from it. Tony shares why building systems, developing your people, and having clear succession plans is not just smart, it’s necessary.

Connect with Tony Mercury:

• LinkedIn
• Autoshop Solutions
• Follow Autoshop Solutions on Instagram
• Connect with Autoshop Solutions on LinkedIn

Let's connect:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Email: info@maximumoctane.com

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