By Hunt Demarest and Special Guest Chris Lawson

I’ve heard it a hundred times from shop owners: “I just can’t afford to recruit right now.” And I get it. On the surface, recruiting feels like an expense you can delay—something you’ll get to when things pick back up. But after sitting down with Chris Lawson, I’m more convinced than ever that thinking is backwards. The real question isn’t whether you can afford to recruit. It’s whether you can afford not to. Chris said something that really stuck with me: “Every shop owner knows what they pay for rent, and almost none of them know what they pay for empty bays.” That’s the blind spot. When we look at the numbers across our clients, the average bay is generating around $29,500 a month. At about 50% gross profit, that’s roughly $15,000 a month in profit you’re losing when that bay sits empty. That’s real money—out of your pocket—and yet we hesitate to spend a fraction of that on recruiting.

Recruiting Has Completely Changed

Part of the problem is that many shop owners are still thinking about hiring the way it worked 10 or 15 years ago: post a job, wait for applicants, pick the best one. That worked when technicians were actively looking. Today, the best techs are already employed. They’re busy. They’re not scrolling job boards hoping something better pops up. Which means if you want them, you have to go find them—and give them a compelling reason to move. As Chris explained, “If you want to find them, you’re not going to find them on a job board necessarily… you have to get in front of them where they hang out.” This isn’t just recruiting anymore—it’s targeted marketing.

The Power Dynamic Has Shifted

Another big shift is who’s really in control of the process. Technicians are interviewing you just as much as you’re interviewing them. The best candidates are doing their homework. They’re reading reviews, talking to other techs, checking out your shop, and asking around in private forums. In many cases, they’re weighing multiple opportunities before they even walk through your door. I heard an example of a technician who narrowed her search down to six shops and chose based on reputation, culture, and growth opportunities—not just pay. That’s the level of competition shops are up against today.

It’s a Numbers Game—But Also a Process

Let’s talk about the math for a minute. On average, only about one in four applicants is actually qualified. That means if you’re only getting a few applications, your odds of finding the right fit are slim. You need volume—but volume alone isn’t enough. You also need a system. You have to filter candidates, follow up quickly, build rapport, and keep the process moving. This is where many shops struggle—not because they don’t care, but because they’re out of practice. Some haven’t hired in years, and it shows when they finally need to.

Where Most Shops Lose Great Hires

The biggest mistake I see happens after the offer is made. A shop finds a great candidate, makes the offer, and the candidate accepts. Then the shop relaxes. They assume the deal is done. But it’s not. That technician is still being recruited. Their current employer is trying to keep them. Friends and family are weighing in. And if you go quiet during that two-week window, you’re giving everyone else a chance to change their mind. As Chris put it, if communication drops off, you need to go all in and re-engage immediately. Until they show up on day one, you don’t have them.

Final Thought

If there’s one takeaway from this conversation, it’s this: recruiting isn’t something you turn on when you need it. It’s something you stay committed to all the time. Even if you’re fully staffed today, that doesn’t mean you will be tomorrow. The shops that are winning right now are building a bench, staying visible, and keeping relationships warm. Because empty bays aren’t just inconvenient—they’re expensive.