This episode is sponsored by Castrol and The Race Group. To learn more about Castrol Service, please visit: https://www.castrol.com/en_gb/united-kingdom/home.html

Fife Autotech’s Chay joins us to share how he went from a dealership technician to building one of the most successful specialist garages in Scotland – hitting £1M turnover in just 3 years.

In this episode, Chay breaks down the reality of starting from scratch, the mindset behind his decisions, and what it really takes to scale a garage quickly — from risk and sacrifice to hiring the right team and obsessing over numbers.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

02:12 – How did he get into the trade?

22:35 – Sponsored Segment

23:49 – Apprenticeship, job loss, and regaining momentum

43:04 – Diagnostic journey, SimplyDiag, and early business plans

01:04:05 – Starting Fife Autotech and rapid growth

01:21:30 – Building a strong team and scaling the business

01:27:05 – Finding balance and reflections on the journey

01:31:10 – What’s next for Fife Autotech?

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/ontheramp

#ontheramp #automotivebusiness #independentgarage #automotiveindustry

This episode is sponsored by Castrol and The Race Group. To learn more about Castrol Service, please visit: https://www.castrol.com/en_gb/united-kingdom/home.html

Finance can be one of the hardest things for independent garages to get right — and one of the least talked about.

In this episode, we sit down with Lee Schofield, founder of One Funding, for an honest look at the real challenges and opportunities around funding a garage business.

From asset finance to working capital, buying another business to managing risk, this conversation covers the key questions every garage owner should be thinking about. Whether you’re growing fast or just planning ahead, Lee shares practical advice based on years of experience in the industry.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

02:24 – Guest background: About Lee and One Funding

03:51 – What are the biggest financial challenges for independent garages?

08:43 – Understanding asset finance

23:02 – Ensuring you have sufficient working capital30:18 – Sponsored segment

31:32 – Managing cash flow and exploring business loans

48:47 – How can you finance the purchase of another business?

53:29 – What should you look for in a finance provider?Subscribe for more expert insight, honest conversation, and real stories from inside the independent garage sector.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/ontheramp

#ontheramp #automotivebusiness #garagefinance #independentgarage #automotiveindustry

This episode is sponsored by Castrol and The Race Group. To learn more about Castrol Service, please visit: https://www.castrol.com/en_gb/united-kingdom/home.html

From five-star hotels to fault-finding on the road, this episode dives into the journey of Cathal, better known as The Car Nerd. He didn’t take a traditional path into the trade. After starting in hospitality, Cathal moved into car sales, then built a van business from the ground up. But it was diagnostics — not sales — that truly sparked his interest.

We talk about the early days working out of a small yard, how he taught himself remapping, and why he focused on professionalism from the start. From mobile tuning to opening his own workshop, Cathal now runs a growing diagnostics and performance business in Northern Ireland, backed by a Top Gear Tuning franchise and a commitment to doing things the right way.

Whether you’re in the trade or just curious about what it takes to build a business like this, Cathal’s story is full of insight, hard-earned lessons, and practical advice.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction

02:25 – How did Cathal get started?

27:50 – What drives him to keep pushing forward?

50:17 – A deep dive into diagnostics

01:04:22 – What’s next for The Car Nerd?

Subscribe for more expert insight, honest conversation, and real stories from inside the independent garage sector.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://beacons.ai/ontheramp

#ontheramp #automotiveexcellence #automotivebusiness #automotiveindustry