Episode 5: Trust As The Operating System: X Games to High-Production - Ted Culbertson - Top Gun

Описание: X Games athlete turned high-production collision shop owner sounds like a movie, but Ted Culbertson actually made that jump.
This episode breaks down how transparency and trust turn into accountability, culture, and a stronger team.

OVERVIEW
In this episode of Operational Intelligence, Tom Zoebelein sits down with Ted Culbertson, owner of Top Gun Auto Body in Helena, Montana, to unpack a simple operating philosophy that produces real outcomes: transparency builds trust, and trust drives performance. They talk through the meeting rhythms and leadership approach that create accountability without the old-school yelling, how Ted attracts and develops younger technicians instead of waiting for experienced techs to appear, and why the post-COVID insurance environment is forcing more shops toward customer-pay conversations that require better customer education.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Why transparency reduces drama and increases accountability

How daily huddles and weekly meetings keep the whole shop aligned

How to grow young technicians who did not grow up in a garage

How to set expectations and measure performance without burning people out

A team-based incentive approach that avoids primadonnas

Why customer education is becoming a competitive advantage as insurer friction increases

RESOURCES AND LINKS
A bunch of you asked about the tools mentioned, so here they are:
Reclaimr (helps explain line items to customers and defend the estimate): https://reclaimr.ai

Hiring questions episode (build better interviews):    • Hero Group AI Labs Episode 8 Interview Que...  

CHAPTERS
00:00 Cold open: trust, transparency, and why this episode matters
01:40 Ted’s entry into collision repair
05:20 Restoration vs collision and why “car people” are harder to find
08:30 Shop overview: Helena, facility design, and production volume
10:50 Attracting and growing a young workforce
14:50 Apprenticeship progression and developing people at their pace
16:40 Culture mechanics: huddles, weekly meetings, and leadership style
20:55 Transparency with numbers and building trust
27:40 Hiring and the Hero Group hiring questions tool
31:45 Action sports and X Games background
43:10 Incentives and team bonus structure
49:40 Post-COVID change: insurer friction and shifting strategies
54:10 Customer-pay conversations and why education matters
55:10 Reclaimr mentioned: estimate defense and customer explainers
58:30 Who to interview next

CALL TO ACTION
What is the one area you have gotten more transparent on that improved your shop the fastest?

HASHTAGS
#CollisionRepair #BodyShop #ShopOwner #OperationalExcellence #AutoBody #Leadership