Technician Find Founder Chris Lawson Featured in 'Beyond the Bays' by Hunt Demarest, CPA/ABV

Chapter 5 Guest Spotlight Reveals Front-End Hiring Framework Designed to Help Auto Repair Shop Owners Fill Bays Faster with A/B Technicians

OCEANSIDE, Calif., Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Technician Find founder and automotive hiring expert Christopher T. Lawson has been featured as a Guest Spotlight in Beyond the Bays: A Financial Playbook for Auto Repair Shop Owners, the new book by Hunt Demarest, CPA/ABV, host of the Business By The Numbers podcast and partner at Paar, Melis & Associates.

The feature, appearing in Chapter 5 of the book, is based on Demarest's podcast Episode 36: "How to Find Your Next Technician with Chris Lawson." The Guest Spotlight shares a hiring framework designed to help independent auto repair shop owners attract and hire A/B-level technicians more quickly—addressing one of the most pressing operational challenges facing the industry today.

Why Hiring Is a Financial Problem, Not Just an HR Problem

Ford CEO Jim Farley told investors in November 2025 that the company has 5,000 open technician positions—"a bay with a lift and tools and no one to work in it"—with average service wait times now stretching to two weeks. Across the broader industry, the TechForce Foundation projects 971,000 new technicians will be needed by 2028, while half of entry-level technicians leave the trade within their first two years (Auto Care Association 2025 Factbook). For independent shop owners, the math is unforgiving: empty bays don't generate revenue, and the wave of aging vehicles—now averaging 12.8 years according to S&P Global Mobility—requiring more frequent service isn't slowing down.

"A shop's financials can't outperform its staffing," said Lawson. "The book gives owners the financial playbook, and my chapter spotlight gives them the hiring framework that fills bays."

Demarest's decision to include Lawson's framework reflects the growing industry recognition that financial performance and talent acquisition are inseparable concerns for growth-minded shop owners.

The Front-End Hiring Approach

The Guest Spotlight in Chapter 5 outlines Lawson's emphasis on intentional pre-hiring work—defining the ideal candidate profile before ever writing a job ad.

"If you don't spend time on the front end, really thinking about what your ideal scene is, and who the ideal fit is, you can't write a decent ad or attract the right person because you're not going to say the things that you need to say in order to attract that person," Lawson explains in the spotlight. (Chapter 5, p. 45)

This approach contrasts with the reactive, post-and-pray hiring tactics that leave many shop owners cycling through unqualified applicants while their bays sit empty.

About the Book

Beyond the Bays: A Financial Playbook for Auto Repair Shop Owners translates complex accounting and business concepts into practical, actionable guidance for independent shop owners. Based on the most popular episodes from Demarest's Business By The Numbers podcast—which recently reached its 200th episode—the book covers financial fundamentals from cash flow management to operational profitability.

The book is available now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Bays-FINANCIAL-PLAYBOOK-REPAIR/dp/B0G3BB1767

About Technician Find

Since 2018, Technician Find has helped more than 200 independent auto repair shops hire quality technicians through strategic recruiting services built on real conversations with shop owners and technicians. Founded by Christopher T. Lawson, Technician Find specializes in helping growth-minded shop owners get and stay fully staffed with top talent through positioning-first hiring strategies. Chris Lawson is available for speaking engagements and interviews on technician hiring strategies.

Shop owners can learn more about Technician Find's approach and see client results at: https://www.technicianfind.com/Results

About Hunt Demarest and Paar, Melis & Associates

Hunt Demarest is a CPA accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) and partner at Paar, Melis & Associates, a nationally recognized accounting and advisory firm dedicated exclusively to serving auto repair shop owners. He hosts the Business By The Numbers podcast, part of the Automotive Repair Podcast Network, which delivers practical, data-driven insights on profitability, financial performance, and operational efficiency.

Shop owners can learn more about Paar, Melis & Associates at: https://paarmelis.com/

Media Contact:
Chris Lawson
Technician Find
Email: [email protected]
Phone:(310) 668-1781
Website: TechnicianFind.com

SOURCE Technician Find