Beyond The Bay

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Get ready for real conversations, fresh insights, and practical strategies to help you run and grow your shop with confidence. From tackling everyday challenges to scaling with data-driven decisions, this podcast brings you stories and solutions straight from the people who’ve been there. Here’s a snippet of what’s ahead: Handling tough customers Making the shift from intuition to data Managing growth without losing quality Real-world tips from experienced shop owners This is more than a podcast—it’s your go-to resource for building a stronger, smarter business.

You Cannot Scale Your Business Until You Stop Thinking Like a Tech & Start Leading with Tom Sessoms

In this episode of Beyond The Bay Podcast, Peter Cooper [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-cooper-468367133/] sits down with Tom Sessoms [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomsessoms], the President of Ardamas Fleet Services [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ardamas-fleet-services/], a thriving fleet maintenance and repair business based in Panama City, Florida. Tom is also a Customer Advisory Board Member of Kayo [https://www.linkedin.com/company/kayoauto/]. He shares his journey from his early career in diagnostics as Senior Workshop Consultant with Bosch [https://www.linkedin.com/company/bosch/] to building his own successful fleet service company. They discuss the challenges of scaling a small operation, growing from mobile services to a fully-equipped shop, and the importance of maintaining high standards even as a business expands. Tom opens up about the mistakes he’s made along the way, including the struggle of managing growth and the challenge of hiring and retaining the right talent. He offers valuable insights into how fleet owners can set themselves apart from the competition by focusing on the quality of their services, building strong relationships with their customers, and constantly evolving their business strategies. Key Takeaways: 1. Breaking the Owner Bottleneck: Owners often become their own biggest obstacle; empowering employees creates stronger teams. 2. Scaling with Clear Goals: This episode explores expansion planning and sustainable scaling instead of rushed growth. 3. Hiring with Intention: Tom shares recruitment lessons, including multi-step interviews and manager-led hiring. 4. Building a Customer-First Culture: Tom explains how prioritizing customer experience over price drives long-term success. 5. Transitioning from Technician to Owner: Tom discusses the shift from hands-on technician to business owner. Episode Breakdown with Timestamps: [00:00] - Teaser [01:15] - Fleet Service Business Overview & Capabilities [02:46] - Starting Mobile & Transitioning Into a Shop [03:53] - Early Growth & Key Business Mistakes [05:22] - Hiring Challenges & Letting Go of Employees [06:46] - Recruiting Talent & Building a Strong Team [06:55] - Attracting Technicians & Employer Value Proposition [09:21] - Leveraging Location & Competitive Hiring Advantages [10:37] - Controlled Growth Strategy & Service Standards [12:50] - Mobile Service Advantage & Equipment Investment [14:14] - Speed vs. Price & Fleet Customer Expectations [17:24] - Knowing Your Value & Charging for Quality Service [19:34] - Process Efficiency & Fast Turnaround Systems [22:19] - Using KPIs to Manage Performance & Growth [26:18] - Gamifying Performance & Team Accountability [29:02] - Career Background & Path Into Business Ownership [31:45] - Technician vs. Business Owner Mindset Shift [34:33] - Growth Plateaus & Evolving as a Business Leader [35:24] - Scaling Through Niche Services & Cross-Selling. Follow the Guest and his Companies: 👉 Tom’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomsessoms [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomsessoms] 👉 Ardamas Fleet Services: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ardamas-fleet-services/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ardamas-fleet-services/] 👉 Kayo: https://www.linkedin.com/company/kayoauto/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/kayoauto/] 👉 Bosch: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bosch/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/bosch/] Follow Host Peter Cooper on: 👉 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-cooper-ascend-consulting-468367133/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-cooper-ascend-consulting-468367133/] 👉 Website: https://ascendconsulting.help/ [https://ascendconsulting.help/] 👉 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570030967745 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570030967745] 👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ascendconsulting.help/ [https://www.instagram.com/ascendconsulting.help/] 👉 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shopconsulting [https://www.tiktok.com/@shopconsulting] 👉 X: https://x.com/PeterCooper9084 [https://x.com/PeterCooper9084] Listen to Beyond the Bay Podcast: 👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1IH2SSXjGRDqzP3p0Ie5C3 [https://open.spotify.com/show/1IH2SSXjGRDqzP3p0Ie5C3] 👉 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-bay/id1834168994 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-bay/id1834168994] 👉 YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@petercooperAC [https://www.youtube.com/@petercooperAC]

21. Apr. 2026 - 36 min