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A solo episode this week. Gene Fetty is fresh off a 10-day vacation (Cocoa Beach plus a six-day Bahamas cruise) and unpacking two things at once: what unplugging actually taught him, and a brutal Southwest Airlines travel day that crystallized a frustration he's been sitting on for a while — the growing sense that, in a lot of places, nobody cares anymore. He brings it back home to what “caring” actually has to look like inside a business, and the episode closes with the launch of a brand new recurring segment: Tool of the Week. Taking a Real Vacation 10 days off — longer than their usual 7-day trip — split between Cocoa Beach and a 6-day Bahamas cruise MeLissa has been pushing Gene to slow down for years; this trip finally proved her point The first couple of days were less about relaxing and more about unwinding from “go mode” after working eight straight days beforehand Cruise life forced a real disconnect: bad internet, no calls, just waves and quiet — even Gene's “forever knots” loosened up Trusting Shannon to hold down the front desk and Louie and Mack to keep the shop running made it possible to actually unplug A reminder that boredom used to be thinking time — Gene's now building small unplugged moments into his mornings on purpose Father's Day & Getting Back to a Normal Schedule Happy belated Father's Day to all the dads listening Cut out early Friday, took Saturday and Sunday off — Louie and Mack stepped up so Gene didn't have to be in the shop The challenge to listeners: slow down, travel more, and build in the kind of regular breaks Gene admires in friends like Kevin Byrd The Southwest Airlines Saga A lamb roast with MeLissa's family on Saturday meant a hard flight home from the cruise on Friday Bounced between gates, denied a same-day flight change despite Southwest's own weather-rebooking policy, then held at the gate for late passengers after being told there was no time to wait for Gene's family Bags were denied boarding on an earlier flight “for not making it” — then turned up having flown on that exact flight anyway Landed hours late, with the gate agent's own colleague at baggage claim confirming: “Happens all the time.” “They Just Don't Care” Jason's (MeLissa's cousin) line that stuck with Gene: once you accept that people just don't care, it's almost easier to take Ties directly back to the insurance adjuster story from a few episodes back — a pattern of people protected from consequences who've stopped trying Gene's pushback: that attitude is exactly what Dent Repair Now refuses to allow into the shop What Caring Actually Looks Like The Great Service Guarantee: if a customer isn't 100% satisfied with the entire experience — repair, treatment, everything — they don't pay Every customer touchpoint matters: water, coffee, Wi-Fi, a clear explanation of cost and options The $200 rule: any team member can solve a customer problem on the spot, no approval needed, as long as it costs less than $200 Gene's challenge to other shop owners: what's actually in place at your business to make sure customers are taken care of? NEW SEGMENT: Tool of the Week Starting this episode, every show will spotlight a tool (or two) worth checking out. Week one is a two-for-one from Dent Reaper and Anson PDR. Compact Hub Mini Kratos Set — $259 from Dent Reaper. A smaller version of the popular Kratos Fat Tip door tool, built for tight European-style doors. Three mini Kratos tips (16" x 5/16", 12" x 1/4", 8" x 7/32") on compact hubbed rods. Gene's been running them on sharp, tight creases and says they push clean with no bend. https://dentreaper.com/products/compact-hub-mini-kratos-set?_pos=2&_sid=bfa6cde94&_ss=r Tequila Compact Handle Indexing — $199 from Anson PDR. The micro/compact hub handle built to pair with the Kratos Mini set. Gene's recommendation: grab the extension too — the added leverage saves your shoulders. https://ansonpdr.com/products/compact-handle-indexing Note: the Compact Handle only fits Anson's Compact HUB system — it will not fit micro hubs from other brands Coming Up PDR Expo 2026 — September 25–26 at The Rio, Las Vegas https://pdrexpo.com A Pittsburgh soft skills seminar, tentatively being planned for October A new beginner-focused show, the PDR Lifestyle Podcast, launching as a separate series soon 1-on-1 and 20 Group coaching available with Gene — covering repairs, business, marketing, growth, or staying small on purpose
