OVERLAND PARK, Kansas - March 23, 2026 - Shop Marketing Pros (SMP), a leading auto repair shop marketing company built by former shop owners for shop owners, capped off a landmark appearance at the 2026 VISION Hi-Tech Training & Expo as a Platinum Sponsor. The highlight of SMP's presence was an address delivered by CEO Brian Walker during the Power Summit Lunch, where he introduced the company's theme for 2026: "Be a PRO."
The annual VISION Hi-Tech Training & Expo drew more than 3,500 automotive professionals to Kansas City, making it one of the industry's most attended events of the year. For Shop Marketing Pros, it was more than a sponsorship. It was a call to arms.
From the Couch to the Arena
Brian Walker opened by explaining that Shop Marketing Pros, which operates on EOS, sets a theme each year to guide the company's direction. Last year's theme was "aggressive." This year, the theme is simpler and more personal: Be a PRO.
He framed it with a picture most people in the room could relate to. Sitting on the couch watching professional athletes and thinking it looks doable is easy. But as Walker put it, "the difference between someone on the couch and someone on the field, it isn't small, it's massive."
The pro has logged thousands of hours that nobody ever sees. Early mornings, late nights, film study, practice, and more reps than most people would ever commit to. "They don't just show up on game day and win," Walker said. "They prepare at a level that the average person would never understand."
That contrast set the stage for the harder conversation Walker brought to the room.
The "Be a PRO" Philosophy
Most shop owners, Walker acknowledged, are absolutely pros when it comes to fixing cars. They can diagnose problems that most people can't even describe. But as he told the crowd, "being a pro at turning wrenches doesn't automatically make us a pro at things like leadership and financials, marketing, sales, marriage, parenting, optimizing our health."
He drew on Theodore Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena" to ground the message. The man whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, not the critic sitting in the stands. The shop owners in that room are the ones in the arena every day. But Walker was clear: "Being in the arena isn't the same thing as performing like a pro."
He laid out what a pro looks like in practice. A pro studies leadership. A pro knows their numbers. A pro invests in training, builds systems, and owns their mistakes. And critically, "a pro doesn't compartmentalize excellence."
"You don't get to be a pro in the shop and an amateur at home,” he said. “You don't get to be disciplined in business and careless with your health. You don't get to demand excellence from your team and accept mediocrity from yourself."
"Halfway is exhausting, and excellence is energizing."
Platinum Presence, Real Impact
Beyond the lunch introduction, Shop Marketing Pros showed up at VISION 2026 in a big way. Booth #106 was a hub of conversation throughout the event, with shop owners stopping in to talk marketing strategy, ask real questions, and share where their businesses were stuck.
Two educational sessions drew strong attendance and engagement. The first tackled AI in Search, walking attendees through what the shift in how people search online means for auto repair shops that rely on Google to bring in new clients. The second covered Google Local Services Ads, a tool that is still widely misunderstood and underused in the industry, and gave shop owners a clear picture of how to get verified, get calls, and get results.
Shop owners came in with questions. They left with a plan.
A Challenge That Doesn't End When the Expo Does
Walker closed his address by acknowledging what the room had already done. Investing the time and money to be at VISION says something. But the real test comes after the bags are packed and everyone heads home.
The challenge he left with the audience was straightforward: "When you leave here, don't just fix cars at a pro level,” he said. “Be a pro as you lead others. Be a pro at your financials. Be a pro at communicating. Be a pro in your family life. Be a pro with your health. Whatever you do, be a pro."
Because, as Walker reminded the room, "this industry needs more pros."
For shop owners who couldn't make it to VISION 2026, or for those who attended and are ready to take the next step, Shop Marketing Pros has free resources and educational content available at shopmarketingpros.com/learning-center.
Ready to Be a PRO in Your Marketing?
The "Be a PRO" challenge doesn't stop at leadership and financials. It applies to your marketing too. If your shop is ready to stop doing things halfway and start investing in auto repair shop marketing that works, Shop Marketing Pros is ready to talk.
Book a free discovery call at shopmarketingpros.com and find out what professional marketing for auto repair shops looks like when it's built around your goals, your market, and your growth.
About Shop Marketing Pros
Shop Marketing Pros is an auto repair shop marketing company founded by Brian and Kim Walker, both former shop owners who understand the real challenges of running a repair business. SMP specializes in marketing for auto repair shops, offering services including website development, SEO, Google Ads, Local Services Ads, social media, and more. Everything SMP does is built on one belief: the best auto repair marketing agency is one that treats your business like their own.
Learn more at shopmarketingpros.com.
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Hammond, LA, United States
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