We interrupt this broadcast for an emergency message.
When I was a kid, those words would flash across the television followed by a high-pitched tone and a voice informing us that this was a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. It was designed to break through noise and distraction and grab the attention of the viewers. Not something we wanted to see in the middle of a “Scooby-Doo” episode!
But I hope that’s what this article does.
As you know, I’ve been writing a series on what it takes to build and run a $3 million a year shop. That work matters—the strategies, systems, and leadership required to hit that benchmark are important—but today I’m setting that series aside to talk about something deeper. Something urgent, something we’ve seen steal more lives and destroy more potential than poor hiring or bad marketing or even economic recession: drug and alcohol addiction.
Next year will mark 25 years since I became a shop owner. During that time, I’ve had the privilege of working with hundreds of people. Some of them are still with me while others have gone on to do great things. And a few have made decisions that cost them everything—literally. I’ve seen firsthand what drugs and alcohol can do to the great men and women in our industry. I’ve watched bright futures collapse under the weight of substances that seemed small at first, but grew into monsters that could not be controlled.
My first job in a repair shop was eye-opening; every afternoon around 2:30, the two owners and the shop owner next door would head to the back office to smoke pot. One of the owners started drinking beer around lunchtime and switched to hard liquor by late afternoon. This wasn’t occasional—it was daily.
One of those owners had once run a successful bar but lost it all to cocaine. Our lead technician had owned his own shop before his cocaine addiction tore it apart. The other partner had been in pharmaceutical sales before drug addiction cost him his career. These weren’t bad men (one of them was not a great guy to me), they were good men who lost a battle and paid for it dearly. They would rationalize that smoking pot and drinking weren’t as bad as cocaine, and they could do their jobs without a problem. When I returned to California to visit my parents and drove by the shop, I wasn’t surprised that it was long gone.
Years later, I faced a battle in my own family. Ten years ago, we had to fire my son from our company after he was caught using drugs on his lunch break. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Not because the choice was unclear, but because of the pain it caused. I loved him dearly and losing him earlier this year in a car accident has brought every memory to the surface; his story could have gone so differently. I know there are so many other sons and daughters and employees and friends whose stories are still being written.
I’ve have seen four previous employees die directly due to substance abuse. We’ve had to let others go when addiction bled into the workplace. Every one of those situations was heartbreaking because these were people with gifts and purpose. They were people who had something to offer, but the addiction became louder than the work they performed. It became louder than the potential, it became louder than the relationships trying to reach them.
We need to stop pretending it’s not happening.
We talk about systems and processes, leadership development, and profit margins, but we rarely talk about what to do when someone on our team shows up under the influence. When we suspect something’s off, but don’t want to rock the boat, or when someone we care about is on a slow downward spiral and we feel helpless to stop it. We faced this just recently and are looking to face it again soon.
The awful thing about addiction is it doesn’t care who you are, it doesn’t care how much money you make or what position you hold. It comes in quietly and works behind the scenes until everything falls apart.
I once read a study about Vietnam veterans and addiction that has stuck with me ever since. During the war, many American soldiers developed serious heroin addictions. It was a common and accepted part of the stress and trauma they were experiencing. Here’s what shocked researchers—when those soldiers returned home more than 90 percent of them simply stopped cold turkey. No rehab, no program, they just stopped.
Why?
Because the ones who got clean had something to come home to. They had a family, they had community, they had a place and a purpose and people who gave them a reason to stay grounded. The soldiers who didn’t have that support system continued in their addiction. That research changed how experts think about recovery. It’s not just about removing the substance. It’s about restoring the person to a place where they are known, valued, and needed.
That’s where we come in.
As shop owners and managers, we can’t be counselors or therapists, but we can be leaders. We can build workplaces that see the whole person not just the productivity. We can create environments where it is safe to ask for help. Where someone who wants to get clean has a chance to do so without shame.
It starts with awareness. If someone on your team begins showing signs of substance abuse, such as erratic behavior, sudden absences, or sharp changes in appearance or attitude, you don’t have to guess what to do. Document what you observe. Pull them into a private conversation and begin with concern, not accusation.
Tell them what you’ve noticed and let them know you care. Be clear about expectations and that safety is non-negotiable. Drugs and alcohol have no place in a shop where people’s lives depend on the quality of our work.
But also make sure they know there is help.
Many insurance plans offer access to counseling and treatment services. Some of our benefit packages have Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that provide confidential support for addiction, mental health, and family issues. If you don’t have something formal in place you can still put together a list of local resources recovery centers or church-based programs. The most important thing is to be ready with something other than silence.
I know the conversation gets tricky here, because not everyone is at the point where they know they need or want help. Not everyone is ready and sometimes the only right decision is to part ways. Other times, someone just needs to know that there is a door open and someone on the other side who cares enough to speak the truth.
You cannot fix it for them, but you can give them a chance. While we’re talking about caring for others let me speak for a moment to the owners reading this who are struggling yourselves. Maybe it’s not heroin or meth or alcohol. But maybe you’re using food, sex, work, or even success to mask the pain. Maybe you’ve been running on empty for too long. You have to put your own oxygen mask on first as I was recently reminded by a caring coworker. You cannot lead with strength if you’re quietly drowning. You cannot lift others out if you are stuck at the bottom, too. Take care of your soul, take care of your mind, and take care of your body. This business is demanding, and the leadership mantle is heavy. You are no less human than the team you are trying to support.
This isn’t about being perfect, it’s about being honest and it’s about being a safe place for your people and a strong place for your business. It’s about recognizing that the lives in your shop matter more than the cars in your bays. So yes, we will return to talking about how to build and run a $3 million shop. We’ll get back to the strategy and structure and scaling, but none of that matters if we lose our people along the way.
Let’s lead well and love well, and let’s not wait for the next emergency to finally say what needs to be said. As always, please share your thoughts with me at [email protected].
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