We have some of the best industry's leading trainers lined up for ATE!

Our Institute Speaker Line Up:

The Inspiring Leader, Unlock Your Team

Cecil Bullard || Friday || March 27th, 2026 from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM

Behind every great team is an inspiring leader—someone who doesn’t just manage tasks, but ignites performance, trust, and growth. In this game-changing course, Cecil Bullard pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to lead people well. Whether you're a Shop Owner, General Manager, or Advisor, this class is your step-by-step playbook to becoming the kind of leader your team wants to follow.

What You’ll Learn:

• The 6 Stages of Leadership Evolution: Understand the progressive path to powerful leadership—and where you are on it

• The 4 Stages of Building Trust: Cultivate a culture of confidence and cohesion

• 6 Proven Ways to Show You Care: Foster loyalty and connection that transforms teams

• 10 Communication Strategies: Improve clarity, eliminate confusion, and elevate results

• How to Create High-Performing Teams: Align individuals to a shared vision of excellence

• Secrets to Conflict Resolution: Turn tension into opportunity

• How to Eliminate Excuses and Inspire Accountability: Shift your culture from reactive to proactive

• The Magic of Avoiding Blame: Spot unproductive patterns and redirect energy toward growth

• How to Improve Self-Esteem in Your Team: Build people up so they show up fully

Why Shop Owners Should Attend:

This isn’t just about theory—it’s about turning leadership into a competitive advantage.

As a Shop Owner, you’ll walk away with:

• Stronger, More Independent Teams – Reduce micromanagement and free up your time by empowering your staff to take ownership.

• Lower Turnover & Higher Engagement – Build loyalty and satisfaction, so your best people stay and grow with your business.

• Improved Shop Culture – Create an environment where people want to come to work, contribute, and excel.

• Higher Productivity & Profitability – Aligned, inspired teams execute better, serve customers better, and ultimately drive more revenue.

• More Confidence as a Leader – Know how to guide your team with vision, clarity, and confidence—especially in times of challenge.

• Less Stress, More Control – Spend less time putting out fires and more time building the future of your shop.

Who This Course is For:

• Shop Owners seeking to lead with impact and create sustainable growth

• General Managers looking to cultivate stronger teams and accountability

• Service Advisors who want to elevate their leadership influence within the shop

Key Takeaways:

You won’t just leave with new knowledge—you’ll walk away transformed.

You’ll gain:

• A better understanding of yourself and your leadership style

• Actionable tools to improve communication and trust within your team

• Proven strategies to inspire greatness in others

• A renewed vision of what your shop, team, and future can look like

This course isn’t just about being a better leader—it’s about building a better business. Come ready to challenge yourself, grow your influence, and leave with the tools to transform your shop from the inside out.

Reign Supreme in the Digital World

Jimmy Lea || Friday || March 27th, 2026 from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM

Welcome to the 21st where if you don’t exist digitally… you don’t exist. Grab your recession ready checklist for building a fool-proof foundation to establish your marketing superiority online. Step into the digital age and ensure your brand's immortality with "Is Your Digital Footprint Recession Ready?" led by the maestro of marketing, Jimmy Lea from The Institute. In this electrifying session, Jimmy unveils the keys to digital dominance, guiding you through the intricacies of establishing an unassailable online presence.

Embrace the Revolution: Join Jimmy Lea on a journey to not just survive but thrive in the relentless digital landscape. Armed with a recession-ready checklist, you'll uncover the strategies to fortify your digital fortress and elevate your brand's visibility to unprecedented heights.

Takeaways:

1. Master the Art of Digital Dominance: Gain expert insights into optimizing your online identity, ensuring you stand out amidst the digital noise.

2. Fortify Your Online Fortress: Learn how to navigate Google's algorithms, claim your social territories, and construct a resilient online presence impervious to economic downturns.

3. Future-Proof Your Brand: Equip yourself with the tools and techniques to confidently conquer the digital landscape, securing your brand's relevance and resilience for years to come.

Don't let economic uncertainties dim your brand's shine. Secure your spot now and embark on a journey to digital supremacy!

Cool Heads, Clear Shop

Mark Seawell || Friday || March 27th, 2026 from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM

Let’s be real—auto shops are high-stress zones.

Deadlines, miscommunication, customer emotions, parts delays…

Tensions flare. Mistakes happen. People clash.

Cool Heads, Clear Shops is a practical, no-fluff workshop built to help shop leaders and front-line staff navigate real-life conflict—and come out stronger, not scarred.

You’ll learn how to:

• De-escalate tense situations with customers and coworkers

• Handle angry, emotional, or unreasonable customers without losing your cool

• Give tough feedback to teammates without drama

• Create a culture where issues are addressed early—not ignored

• Avoid blame games and focus on solutions

• Lead with empathy and accountability when things go sideways

Whether it’s shop-floor friction or front-desk chaos, this workshop will give you the tools to stay in control, protect your team culture, and keep your shop running smoothly.

What You’ll Walk Away With:

• A conflict resolution script framework for tough conversations

• Step-by-step methods for calming heated customers (and keeping the sale)

• Communication tools to turn problems into progress

• Real shop scenarios and “what to say when…” cheat sheets

• A conflict response playbook for your whole team to use

Marketing For Today

Cecil Bullard || Saturday || March 28th, 2026 from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM

Find out what the best shops are doing today that are filling their bays with all the right customers. Digital Marketing, Website and SEO, Google and Yelp as well as Focused Marketing are all being used today to drive business and bring in the best customers: find out how the most successful marketers in the Automotive Service Industry are using these methods to increase their business and drive profits. If they can do it, you can too. This is the future for the successful shop owner and those that don’t learn new methods will struggle, wither and likely die. Create a Marketing Budget and work on a Personalized Marketing Plan for your business.

Resolving Conflicts like a Pro

Mark Seawell || Saturday || March 28th, 2026 from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM

Embark on a transformative journey with renowned instructor Mark Seawell as he unveils the art of conflict resolution in “Resolving Conflicts like a Pro.” In this immersive workshop, participants will discover the power of turning challenging situations into opportunities for positive growth and strengthened relationships.

Learn to wield the tools of precision communication, leveraging motivational levers to deftly navigate through customer frustrations with grace and ease. Embrace the satisfaction of transforming a customer’s poor experience into one that inspires and builds lasting trust.

Advisors and managers alike will gain invaluable insights into enhancing communication, transforming problems into manageable hills, and guiding customers through memorable experiences that reinforce trust and satisfaction. Stay cool, calm, and collected in the face of calamity as you conquer insurmountable obstacles and conquer challenging customer conundrums.

Key Topics Include:

• Precision Communication: Mastering the art of precise communication to effectively address and resolve conflicts with clarity and empathy.

• Leveraging Motivational Levers: Understanding the psychological factors that motivate customers and using them to navigate through frustrations and objections.

• Transforming Problems into Opportunities: Learning strategies to view challenges as opportunities for growth and relationship-building, rather than obstacles to be avoided.

Join us and discover the secrets to resolving conflicts like a true professional, building stronger relationships, and achieving unparalleled success in your repair facility!

Mastering the Art of Successful Customer Communication

Jimmy Lea || Saturday || March 28th, 2026 from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM

What would you be willing to do in your business to be top-of-mind when your customer needs you? In this training you will learn how to communicate with specific personality types in ways that are super easy to execute.

Knowing your customers motivational mindset gives you the advantage of creating intentional copy & content that targets their particular perspectives and drives them to your shop. Learn the specific scripts for phone calls, emails, text messaging, and post-cards that speak to them on a deeper level.

Customer Expectation and Level Setting

Ryan Daily || Saturday || March 28th, 2026 from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM

Led by expert instructor Ryan Daily, "Customer Expectation and Level Setting!" provides shop owners, managers, and service advisors in the automotive repair industry with invaluable strategies for confidently and effectively communicating and setting expectations with all personality types. Participants will learn the four personality types based on DISC profiles, they will be able to effectively diagnose each type quickly and adjust the way they communicate to better serve the customer.

Key Topics Include:

• DISC Personality Types: Understanding your audience is crucial for successful communication.

• Body Language and Speech: Identifying each of the four personality types will assist in understanding the best way to communicate clear expectations.

• Talking the Same Language: Different personalities receive information differently, It is up to us to make sure we are heard and understood.

• Under Promise and Over Deliver: In the Auto Repair Industry, we often fall short of our promises. Here we learn to cultivate a culture of understanding with our clients and co-workers.

Join us and discover how to overcome objections with finesse and close more sales with confidence in your repair facility!

 emails, text messaging, and post-cards that speak to them on a deeper level.

Mastering Challenging Situations

Cecil Bullard || Sunday || March 29th, 2026 from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM

Led by experienced instructor Cecil Bullard, "Navigating Challenging Situations" provides shop owners, managers, and service advisors in the automotive repair industry with the essential skills and strategies to address and resolve conflicts before they escalate. From handling upset customers to managing disputes with vendors and fostering positive relationships among co-workers, this workshop equips participants with the finesse and confidence needed to navigate challenging situations with ease.

Key Topics Include:

• Wowing Upset Customers: Techniques for de-escalating tense situations, empathizing with customers, and finding mutually beneficial resolutions.

• Navigating Tricky Situations: Developing proactive approaches to identify and address potential conflicts before they escalate.

• Handling Vendor Disputes: Strategies for effectively communicating with vendors, resolving disputes, and maintaining productive business relationships.

• Co-workers Coming Together: Building teamwork and collaboration among co-workers to foster a positive and supportive work environment.

• Advisor Training: Enhancing communication skills and conflict resolution techniques to improve interactions with customers and colleagues.

• Shop Management Training: Equipping managers with the leadership skills necessary to address and resolve conflicts within the repair facility.

Certification:

Upon completion of the workshop, participants will receive a certificate acknowledging their proficiency in conflict resolution and their commitment to fostering a positive work environment in the automotive repair industry.

Join us and discover how to transform challenging situations into opportunities for growth and collaboration in your repair facility!

Crystal Clear Communication

Ryan Daily || Sunday || March 29th, 2026 from 8:00 AM to 11:30 AM

Most shop problems? They don’t come from bad intentions—they come from bad communication.

Missed details. Mixed messages. Confused customers. Frustrated techs.

And what could’ve been a simple fix becomes a full-blown fire.

Crystal Clear Communication is a practical, fast-paced workshop designed to help shop teams communicate clearly, confidently, and effectively—no matter the situation. It’s about saying the right thing the right way, so work flows better and stress stays low.

You’ll learn how to:

• Communicate expectations between advisors, techs, and managers

• Deliver repair info and estimates with clarity and confidence

• Avoid miscommunication that leads to comebacks, delays, or upset customers

• Speak with empathy—and authority—at the same time

• Ask better questions, listen actively, and confirm understanding

• Set communication standards that level up your whole shop culture

What You’ll Walk Away With:

• A communication checklist for high-efficiency service writing

• Messaging templates and “phrases that pay” for tough convos

• A framework for giving (and receiving) feedback without tension

• Common shop miscommunication scenarios—and how to fix them

• A printable “Clear Talk” Guide for daily use