Marketing Clarity for 2026

If you don’t have a plan yet, you’re not behind. You’re still on time.

Simple Systems, A Clear Message. Your First 90 Days Planned.

Most shop owners step into a new year hoping to get ahead, but the truth is this: marketing often becomes the thing you squeeze in between customers, cars, and a hundred unexpected fires. You are not behind. You are running a real shop with real people counting on you, and this session gives you space to breathe, reset, and see the bigger picture with clarity instead of pressure.

In this workshop, Melissa “Birdie” Patterson will help you bring all your marketing threads together so your shop shows up with the same trust, warmth, and professionalism you offer in person. You will learn a simple way to steady your message, set a rhythm you can actually keep, and build the first 90 days of your 2026 marketing plan. You will leave with a Q1 mini map, three content pillars, a weekly posting rhythm, a seasonal focus, and one return on effort action that builds trust fast. This is not about working harder. It is about showing up with purpose, confidence, and a plan that helps your community see and trust the shop you have worked so hard to build.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UmgORtaERrGSo3xERdjqvA

January 13th, 2026 at 11 AM PST - 12 MST - 1 CST - 2 EST on Zoom. Join the live session or catch the replay.

Networking Unlocked

Part of your marketing for your business should be networking.

Yes, networking, getting out in the community and meeting people. The most successful shop owners do so. But one should have a plan. In this workshop you will learn the key things that a successful networker uses to be memorable and increase business.

Your presenter, Jeffrey Nott, is considered by his peers as one of the top networkers and connectors around. Jeffrey will be sharing his tips and tricks so you too can become

a star networker yourself!

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UmgORtaERrGSo3xERdjqvA

February 10th, 2026, at 11 AM PST - 12 MST - 1 CST - 2 EST on Zoom. Join the live session or catch the replay.

Talent Tactics

Interviewing and Hiring for Today’s Workforce

with Sara Fraser of Auto Ignite Management

In today's dynamic job market, standing out in your hiring efforts is crucial for success. This course equips you with the skills to excel in recruitment by understanding modern workforce expectations, crafting compelling job ads, and mastering strategic interviewing techniques. Learn to effectively attract and retain top talent, ensuring your organization thrives in a competitive landscape.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UmgORtaERrGSo3xERdjqvA

March 10th, 2026, at 11 AM PST - 12 MST - 1 CST - 2 EST on Zoom. Join the live session or catch the replay.

Shift Happens: Transforming Sales, Leadership & Communication

Shop life doesn’t come with a script.

Every day, you’re improvising with customers, teammates, and curveballs that weren’t on the schedule. In this high-energy, story-driven webinar, Melissa “Birdie” Patterson brings her live workshop Shift Happens to the screen - showing you how the lessons of improv can make you a stronger communicator, leader, and problem-solver right where you are.

You’ll see how small shifts in listening, tone, and curiosity can turn pressure moments into connection points. Through real shop stories, quick demonstrations, and laughter you can feel even through a screen, Birdie helps you find your voice under stress and your calm in the chaos.

This isn’t theory or entertainment - it’s real, practical training for real-world conversations. You’ll leave with tools to build trust faster, handle conflict with confidence, and lead your team with more humor and heart - because shift happens, but leadership is how you drive through it.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UmgORtaERrGSo3xERdjqvA

April 14th, 2026, at 11 AM PST - 12 MST - 1 CST - 2 EST on Zoom. Join the live session or catch the replay.

The Human Engine:

Why People Power the Performance of Your Shop

If you haven’t figured out how to lead your team differently or improve communication inside your shop, you’re not behind. You’re right on time.

You’ve learned people by working with them in real conditions. What you haven’t been given is a clear framework for why certain moments feel more challenging than others. This seminar offers that clarity without criticism.

Together, we’ll look at your shop through the lens of practical psychology so you can understand what’s happening under the surface: how emotions spread, how stress shapes communication, and why certain behaviors repeat. You’ll see the patterns, the pressure points, and the human systems that drive performance.

By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of what your team needs, a more confident approach to communication, and simple tools you can use right away to strengthen culture and reduce stress. This hour isn’t about working harder. It’s about leading with clarity and building a workplace where people and performance can thrive.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UmgORtaERrGSo3xERdjqvA

May 12th, 2026, at 11 AM PST - 12 MST - 1 CST - 2 EST on Zoom. Join the live session or catch the replay.

What I learned about success in raising an Olympic Athlete.

Getting to be a successful athlete is much like running a business.

It is not only discipline and hard work, but one must have other things in place to be successful. In

this workshop you will learn the tools athletes use to compete at the highest level and how to apply them to your business. You can win gold if you follow the program.

Jeffrey will be sharing his experiences of working with his daughter who competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UmgORtaERrGSo3xERdjqvA

June 9th, 2026, at 11 AM PST - 12 MST - 1 CST - 2 EST on Zoom. Join the live session or catch the replay.

The Mid-Year Tune-Up

Finding Your Spark When Your Gears Feels Stuck

By mid-year, even the best shops can hit neutral. The goals that felt exciting in January start to fade, the team’s energy dips, and everyone’s just trying to make it through the week. It’s not burnout - it’s a slump.

In this energizing one-hour webinar, Melissa “Birdie” Patterson brings her signature mix of humor, heart, and shop-tested strategy to help you shift gears and reignite your drive. You’ll learn how to reconnect your team to their purpose, reset your focus, and bring some fun back into the daily grind.

This isn’t just a pep talk - it’s a tune-up for your leadership, mindset, and message. You’ll leave with practical tools to refresh your energy, re-engage your crew, and finish the year with clarity and confidence - because sometimes, momentum just needs a little spark.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UmgORtaERrGSo3xERdjqvA

July 14th, 2026, at 11 AM PST - 12 MST - 1 CST - 2 EST on Zoom. Join the live session or catch the replay.

More Than Numbers

The emotional risks lurking in every business decision.

Discover 3 ways to strengthen your culture and boost profit with alignment that lasts.

Designed for automotive business owner who desire to lead a shop people want to work for and customers want to come back to.

Natalie Paris

Founder of Three Rivers Bookkeeping

She combines deep financial expertise with a strategic mindset to help small business owners—especially in the aftermarket auto world - achieve growth and peace of mind. Natalie is more than just a bookkeeper, she is a partner in your success, building clear financial roadmaps that align business goals with the lifestyle you set out to create.

Christine West

People Strategist and Founder of The Business MD

She’s a powerhouse in emotional intelligence, human behavior, and communication. She helps business owners break free from unconscious dynamics that create limitations, communicate with clarity to get buy-in with their words, and set unshakable boundaries - so they can build a thriving businesses without guilt, inner conflict, or emotional exhaustion. Her approach is bold, insightful, and results-driven, turning inner roadblocks into opportunities for growth.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UmgORtaERrGSo3xERdjqvA

August 11th, 2026, at 11 AM PST - 12 MST - 1 CST - 2 EST on Zoom. Join the live session or catch the replay.

Reclaiming Our Potential:

How Curiosity Unlocks Growth, Leadership, and Connection

In today’s fast-paced world, we’re surrounded by information—but starved for curiosity. In business, leadership, and even personal relationships, we’ve become quicker to defend our point of view than to explore someone else’s. This subtle shift impacts more than communication—it's quietly hijacking our potential.

In this engaging 60-minute webinar, Rodger Bland explores how curiosity acts as the driving force behind personal development, emotional intelligence, and workplace culture. You’ll discover why curiosity naturally declines in adulthood, how certainty limits growth, and how simple curiosity-based questions can transform communication, problem-solving, and leadership.

Participants will learn practical, easy-to-use tools for reconnecting with their natural curiosity, improving conversations, deepening connection with teams, and expanding their own personal potential. Whether you’re a leader, aspiring manager, or simply someone committed to growth, this session will challenge assumptions, spark insight, and open new possibilities.

Come ready to rethink how you think—and to rediscover the potential waiting on the other side of curiosity.

Rodger Bland is a speaker, educator, and long-time leader in the automotive transmission industry, serving as a featured presenter for ATRA, TCRA, and training events across North America. Known for his warm, relatable teaching style, Rodger combines workplace experience, emotional intelligence research, and practical tools to help professionals grow personally and professionally.

His signature presentations—including Are We Having Fun Yet?, Reclaiming Our Potential, and What's Working?—blend personal development with real-world leadership insights tailored for the automotive aftermarket.

Rodger is also a contributor to GEARS Magazine and a key voice in ATRA’s management and leadership training initiatives, including their VTS program. His mission is simple: help people communicate better, lead with greater emotional awareness, and unlock their potential by reconnecting with one powerful, often forgotten skill—curiosity.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UmgORtaERrGSo3xERdjqvA

September 8th, 2026, at 11 AM PST - 12 MST - 1 CST - 2 EST on Zoom. Join the live session or catch the replay.

Legacy in Motion

Legacy isn’t something you leave behind - it’s something you build every day.

As the year winds down, this is the moment to pause, zoom out, and make sure the business you’re building today leads to the future you actually want.

In this focused one-hour webinar, Melissa “Birdie” Patterson helps shop owners move from running day to day to leading with direction. You’ll look back at what worked, face what didn’t, and define the vision that will carry your shop into 2027 and beyond.

This isn’t a retirement talk or a spreadsheet session - it’s a practical conversation about purpose, priorities, and next steps. You’ll leave with clarity, a short list of action items, and the confidence to lead your business on purpose - not autopilot.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UmgORtaERrGSo3xERdjqvA

October 13th, 2026, at 11 AM PST - 12 MST - 1 CST - 2 EST on Zoom. Join the live session or catch the replay.

Motivation through discipline. 

There is a better way to get your employees to work with an adherence to company rules and policies on their own! The art of employee discipline without pain and struggle is in asking questions. Why not take the pressure of you, the owner and place it where it belongs: on the offending employee. This technique will revolutionize your employee management.

Included in this presentation will be tips on finding and hiring better employees so you have fewer issues of discipline.



https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UmgORtaERrGSo3xERdjqvA

November 10th, 2026, at 11 AM PST - 12 MST - 1 CST - 2 EST on Zoom. Join the live session or catch the replay.

The Art of Staging the Next Visit with DVI With Craig O'Neill

Discover how to maximize the potential of Digital Vehicle Inspections (DVIs) beyond immediate sales.

This course challenges auto-repair shops to rethink their approach: if images and videos in DVIs can drive informed buying decisions, why not use them to help clients make informed scheduling decisions?

In this session, you'll explore how to position DVIs as the most practical and impactful tool to secure future appointments and minimize slow periods. Learn about the top three retention mistakes many shops make and gain actionable strategies to correct them.

Leave this course with fresh ideas to strengthen customer relationships and improve your shop’s long-term success.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UmgORtaERrGSo3xERdjqvA

December 8th, 2026, at 11 AM PST - 12 MST - 1 CST - 2 EST on Zoom. Join the live session or catch the replay.