Playmakers to Watch — Mike Klauss, Greg Dauiro, and Rocki Top Stars

Next-Gen Auto Recyclers & Team Players Who Are Making an Impact on the Industry. Interviews by Caryn Smith

By Caryn Smith

Traveling
 Sales Man

Mike Klauss Developed 
His Playbook for Auto Recycling 
While on the Road to Success

One to watch is Mike Klauss, General Manager at Cocoa Auto Salvage, in Cocoa, FL. New to the facility, Mike has already made an impact on the organization. “Mike has worked at multiple independent auto recyclers and was with Fenix for several years,” says Shan Lathem, owner. “He is super smart, progressive, and has vision. He is also a genuinely great person. I love his experience on both sides of the industry.”

Klauss began his career in 2005 in Louisville, Kentucky, and progressed through various roles in auto recycling, from parts pulling to sales manager and area director for a consolidator. At Cocoa Auto Salvage, he has leveraged his background to create efficiency and build upon the already successful business.

“I started in 2005 fresh out of high school,” says Klauss. “I have a little bit of backstory. When I graduated from high school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, my dad said, ‘Hey, I’m moving to Florida. What are you going to do?’ I wasn’t invited to Florida, so I had to figure out life pretty quickly. I was fortunate to have an uncle in Louisville, Kentucky, who invited me to live there and attend college.”

Klauss finished one semester and realized college was not for him. Fortunately, his aunt’s husband owned an auto recycling facility in Louisville, and he joined the family business.

“I thought it was very cool, but I had no automotive background, other than I liked cars. They started me pulling parts, and I was the worst parts puller you’ve ever met; I needed help on everything. Thankfully, they didn’t fire me.” From that point, he did a little bit of everything – eBay, inventory, gopher work, delivery driver, etc.

He even did the daily bank run, where he met his wife. “I was not a very smart guy, so I was like, I’m going to ask out the cute bank teller. She said, ‘No.’ But since I saw her every day, I was able to wear her down and convinced her eventually to let me take her out.”

After a few years, he was moved into a sales position when one of the sales team members fell ill. “My training consisted of, ‘Pick up the phone and sell things.’ Back then, we negotiated parts pricing on the fly. Eventually, I became their top sales rep.”

The Road Leads to Florida

In 2013, Mike and his wife were married, and they had the idea to start fresh. “Through a sales contact in Jacksonville, Florida, I was connected to the management at Go Auto Recycling and hired as a sales rep. Mind you, I’d never been to Jacksonville, and never met anyone in the company in person. We sold our Louisville house, loaded up a U-Haul truck and moved, all sight unseen, to become their newest salesperson. Within three months, I was the sales manager,” he said.This move would be the first of many adventures and promotions for Klauss and his wife.

In 2015, the facility became one of the Fenix Parts founding yards, offering a new set of experiences. Fenix was founded in January 2015 by combining eight founding companies to create a network that offers sales, fulfillment, and distribution in key regional areas of the U.S., more than 30 locations.

“It was a cool transition to experience an acquisition, which included working for a publicly traded company,” Klauss said. “As Fenix acquired facilities in the southeast, I became their sales manager, ultimately managing 75 sales reps reporting to me directly across seven sites. It was busy and involved lots of travel.”

In 2017, Stellex Capital Management acquired Fenix. “The then-COO Paul Delaney, a great guy whom I looked up to, asked me to be the area director in our new Midwest region. With my sales background, he was confident I would be able to understand the operations side.” Once in that role, Fenix acquired the Columbus and Cleveland locations and expanded in Cincinnati, as well as in North and South Detroit.

“I was on the road over 100 days a year,” he notes. “In 2022, I spent 160 nights in hotels. While it was a lot to manage, I learned a ton and got to meet so many good people, which was really cool. Eventually, I was brought back to the Southeast in early 2023 and moved to Hurst, TX in August of 2024.” At that time, Fenix consolidated the salesforce at the Hurst, Texas headquarters. “I handled the onboarding and training of all the new sales reps. Then, they would continue to train with development managers.”

Over time, Klauss realized it was time to return to his roots in facility operations.

Appreciating the top-notch operation at Cocoa Auto Salvage, he approached owner Shan Lathem about a position. “I’ve known Shan for many years, and the timing was perfect for both of us. Everything happens for a reason.” He was hired at the General Manager March of 2025.”

Talking Consolidation and Independents

While consolidation has its supporters and critics, Klauss has seen both sides of the fence, which provides a unique perspective.

“Consolidation brought an elevated level of professionalism to the industry, whether from customer interactions, technology, and more. Remember, we were in a significant time warp still using fax machines until 2014, when every other industry had moved on,” he notes, adding that savvy independent auto recyclers share credit for fast-forwarding time. “Being backed by private equity or being traded publicly, investors won’t support outdated systems and technology. Around the same time, fast-growing independent salvage yards seized opportunities to modernize and moved beyond the methods of prior generations. They are viewed as leaders today in our associations and buyer’s groups.”

“It is exciting,” he continued, “because when I first came to the industry, it didn’t necessarily seem like a job that had a career path to the next level. It is exciting to be in the forefront! For instance, we have yards using AI for phone calls already. I’m glad to see the industry is moving in that kind of direction.”

“Consolidation negatives are evident when contrasting the industry’s legacy ‘family business’ model. Sometimes corporate business can feel sterile or systematic. Family businesses seem to foster deep-rooted employee and customer appreciation. In fact, I still have friends who were customers from my time in Louisville, which is crazy because I haven’t sold parts there in 12 years.”

Settling in Cocoa Beach

Off the grind of rigorous travel, which was fun while it lasted, Klauss is putting his varied experience to work at Cocoa Auto Salvage. “I look for ways to be efficient, and I don’t mean by reducing your head count; in my opinion, that’s not the right way to do it. Nick Fiore, my former boss at Fenix, is one of my mentors. One of my favorite things he said was, ‘Your employees are the only working asset you have that appreciates over time. Your equipment depreciates. Everything wears out. Your employees should get better with time. Reinvest in your employees.’”

“Efficiency by reducing steps and work, and improving systems are my goals,” says Klauss. “When I first started, Page, our fulfillment manager, would repeatedly walk across the 200-foot warehouse to get a box and walk all the way back. I asked her about it and learned that this is where we kept supplies. We moved them closer. Efficiency can be achieved in the simplest form to change ‘the way we’ve always done it.’”

Leaning in on his corporate experience, Klauss added layers of accountability in management. “Everyone reported to the GM, which is 31 people,” he said, seeing that as unsustainable and a recipe for burnout. He created two department head positions and established a hierarchical team structure. He also increased efficiency by simplifying processes to make jobs easier for employees. “As an example, we used Pinnacle to set up automatic delivery routes, eliminating the daily task for dispatchers, who manually entered deliveries into the appropriate routes.”

Employee management is crucial in today’s tough workforce economy. Klauss has had success with Indeed and employee referrals. “The best are employee referrals, if your employees enjoy where they work,” he says. “It is a job; they don’t have to love it. I love what I do, but I wouldn’t do it for free. So, as long as there are more good days than bad, odds are that you’ll be able to get employee referrals.”

The key is in the approach. “Just show appreciation, respect and understanding,” he notes. “Figure out what really matters to your employees. Gen Z really appreciates autonomy and time, so great. You know what motivates them. How do you make that work so that they are happy as a long-term contributing employee.”

“Treat people how you want to be treated. Recognize that people have off days or even stages in their work life. Instead of condemnation, try compassion, and ask, ‘I can see that something is up, what’s going on today?’ And then listen, be sympathetic, or offer simple advice. ‘Tomorrow’s a new day!’”

On Sales

With his strong sales background, Klauss offered some best practices for auto recyclers. Salespeople can have diverse personalities, which are necessary to match different customer types. Yet, to be a great salesperson, certain common attributes and habits are essential for effectiveness. According to Klauss, here are the basics:

• Honesty is priority #1. While lying about mileage is a real deal breaker, it can be as simple as when something goes sideways in a sale, call the customer immediately to tell them. “Everybody makes mistakes. We’re dealing with vehicles from accidents. You have to pick up the phone and address the issue head-on. You can’t fear confrontation.”

• Follow up is key. It is crucial to contact the customer the day after a part delivery to ensure they’re satisfied. That’s standard customer service in other industries – whether it’s a survey, text, or whatever. “In our industry, we’re terrified that there might be a problem. If there is, good. Fix it. It is a way for you to show your competitive advantage. It is all about transparency.”

• Be driven and motivated. With that said, there will be days where things just aren’t going to go your way. “Ted Lasso said, ‘Be a goldfish.’ Forget about it and move on to the next thing. There’s no one perfect salesperson.”

• Sell the warranty. To boost sales, the warranty is the go-to value add. Always start with the full warranty on the ticket every time, and if the customer objects, work your way down the list of options. “Don’t automatically erase the warranty. It is better to sell one at half-price than not get any warranty sale.”

• Charge for freight. In today’s economy, this is a must, and where profit can leak away bit by bit. “We have freight on all our orders.”

• Creatively expand the sale. A customer who calls for one part should always be offered connecting parts or options. “I’ve always taught my staff to try to visualize an accident, and by doing that, you should be able to expand the sale. What about the other parts around the requested part? Do they need a door? A mirror? A fender?”

• Take the initiative with new customers. Klauss shares an example of an encounter that yielded a big sale and a cool friendship. “A walk-in customer wanted a transmission and asked us to deliver the part to the repair shop. I called the shop to approve the part delivery. The shop wasn’t in our system and the repairer hadn’t heard of us. I said, ‘Well, I’d love to earn your business,’ and we chatted. After delivering the part, I called again to schedule the core pickup and then followed up again. Weeks later, I noticed a guy at my gym wearing a shirt with his company name on it. I asked, ‘Are you Scott by chance?’ and introduced myself. Ultimately, we became work out buddies – we still talk – and I sold him an $10,500 engine – all from a call to drop off a part.”

Where Are We Headed?

The industry continues to evolve, and technology is rapidly advancing. “In my opinion, AI will eventually absorb some of our current roles. People are focusing on its use with sales, with which I agree. At some facilities, it may replace salespeople. At others, it will complement them, with increased efficiency,” Klauss said.

“On a recent plane trip, I sat next to a defense contractor ingrained in the AI world. He told me that AI will be indistinguishable from a human in 24 months, and this was six months ago! We will be able to talk to AI agents, similar to you and I talking, and have no idea that it is automated intelligence on the other side. Who knows what the future holds.”

“If you are smart and strategic,” he said, “you can actually use it just to increase the productivity of your current headcount, and you won’t have to lose anybody. AI can provide better quality information in less time, all teed up on your screen before the sales call, to leverage opportunities to make even more money. It also offers more time to solidify further that personal customer relationship, rather than get tied up in the minutia of just selling the parts.”

“The collision MSOs (Multiple-Shop Operators) have been trying to automate through various platforms to eliminate technicians. It’s not working well,” he says. Furthermore, he notes that a recycled vehicle part is complex, as it comes from damaged vehicles, and has damage codes to describe the part. “The customer needs more information about the damage to make sure they understand what that means to the repair. There are too many variances to automate that process.”

“Honestly, we still need to better educate repairers and insurers about the ARA Damage Codes,” he said. “In Jacksonville, as Fenix’s southeast sales director, our local Progressive director called me to inform me that we were failing to meet quality expectations and were removing us as a supplier. I asked him to share examples.”

“All his examples had ARA Damage Codes, but he did not know what they meant. I shared that if he didn’t know, then his staff didn’t either. He invited me to a meeting at their headquarters to do a presentation with his team of ten adjusters. None of them had even seen an ARA Damage Code. It was interesting!”

While innovative automotive recyclers may use AI and technology, it cannot replace the importance of industry-built relationships. “I don’t believe AI can replicate or build the kind of relationship for which our industry is known. It can add a warranty and efficiently list all the benefits, so there are perks to it. Yet, the deeper human connections that we rely on will remain important, such as discussions about kids, sports teams, weekend plans, or tough times. A good sales rep doesn’t have to worry.”

Data Driver

Greg Daurio Makes His Mark on the Family Business – 
And the Industry Benefits

One to Watch is 
Greg Daurio, the Third-Generation Owner and Vice President of Daurio Auto and Truck in Pueblo, Colorado. The business was started in 1957 by John Daurio on Pueblo’s east side. After relocating 3 times, the yard settled into its current location on 8th Street in 1971. Today, they are an ARA Certified Automotive Recycler that encompasses 30 acres in four lots, with entire buildings devoted to specific parts.

John worked around the business until his passing on June 20, 2022, yet by then his son’s ARA past president Nick Daurio and Mike Daurio had taken the reins. Greg was recently made co-owner and primarily runs the business as vice president. He has been profoundly shaped by the influence of his grandfather, father, and uncle, but is making his own way in the industry.
Automotive Recycling magazine spoke with the emerging industry leader, who is well-known and respected among his peers.

Automotive Recycling: How did you finally come to work in the family business?
Greg Daurio: In my junior year of college, I committed to coming on board full-time. Mostly, it was an opportunity to continue the legacy that my grandfather, dad, and uncle built. I liked the idea of working within a family business, with its long-tenured employees, and continuing the company’s growth.
I began working, like most do, after school at the yard from middle school through high school. In my senior year, the school changed the hours, and it wasn’t conducive to working here with that late arrival, so I went to work for a local car dealer for about a year. Once I entered college, I came back to work at Daurio while attending classes.
Ultimately, I earned my bachelor’s degree from 
Colorado State University-Pueblo in 2013, with dual majors in management and marketing. I graduated on a Saturday and started work full-time on Monday morning.

AR: What was your role early on?

Daurio: While in college, I worked in inventory and out in the yard. I transitioned from inventory to sales and spent time on the sales counter. Once I graduated from college, I stepped right into the sales manager position. When I started full-time, my dad didn’t want to be my boss, so he put me under my uncle.

AR: As general manager, you have managed the 
Daurio team. Why do you think it is so difficult to find qualified new hires?

Daurio: I don’t think it’s just our industry. Every 
business owner that I talk to has the same challenges. 
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a restaurant or a landscape company, good people are just very hard to find.

I think people just don’t want to work. It’s very unfortunate when you’re actively trying to recruit.

Then, occasionally, you may come across that person who fills the role, and they’re an excellent worker. When we find a good employee, we try to do everything possible to retain them. We love to promote from within to bring people up through different roles and cross-train them. Some of our best employees come from recommendations of current employees.
College graduates now have numerous career options available to them. Additionally, we have lost focus on encouraging people to attend trade schools. I hope that shifts.

AR: What kinds of industry changes have you seen since you started?

Daurio: From 2013 to now, 12 years working full-time, the biggest shift is in the technology and the data side of things. Technology platforms now help us analyze our data to review sales strategies, understand what’s not working, and identify the reasons why. Vehicle technology is advancing significantly, and parts are becoming increasingly complex. I’ve said it for many years now: if there was a way to dial into some of these components and dig deeper into the vehicle, it would be very profitable.

The OEMs have planned obsolescence, where we see vehicles within three to five years of the current model year with components that essentially render the car useless because they are no longer being manufactured. Also, the feasibility of the average consumer purchasing a product from an auto recycler and installing it on their own vehicle is also becoming obsolete. Even something as simple as a door switch or a headlight must now be programmed, as well as the increasing use of VIN specific parts being used by the OEM’s. Those are a few of the most significant shifts I have seen in our industry.

The cost of certain components has increased due to advancements in their technology. Years ago, when buying a vehicle, consumers rarely considered the cost of replacing headlights, taillights, and mirrors.

These components in some cases are extremely expensive now. They feature electronic sensor technology, such as radar sensors and blind spot alerts, which drastically increases the repair cost.

As an industry, we will have to adapt and advocate for the reusable or recyclable aspects of these increasingly complex electronic parts, protecting our ability to sell them. The potential exists to exclude us from the loop and revert to an OEM-only purchase. Vehicle technology is only going to be enhanced as AI continues to evolve.

This leads to the increasingly complex issue of automotive recyclers’ ability to keep pace with the fast-moving and changing regulatory rules.

AR: What else about technology does the industry need to consider?

Daurio: One crucial issue is the information and data that a vehicle acquires about the vehicle owner as soon 
as they connect devices to the vehicle. This personal 
information is stored within components that we want to sell. We need due diligence and processes to protect a consumer’s personal information. In the resale process, we will need to ensure private information isn’t transferred with components that are sold. That’s big, it’s going to be a big challenge for us. And where does that liability lie? It is a bigger conversation that is coming down the pipeline.

Our industry is bound to shift away from some components we currently sell, and transition to higher-value modules. But we must be able to scrub the data properly and have the ability to inventory them properly if we want to provide the consumer with components, they cannot get anywhere else.

AR: Speaking of technology, tell us about your new software program, DismantlePro, that promises to streamline salvage yard operations.

Daurio: We initiated development of DismantlePro about five years ago to track our facility’s environmental compliance data for audits. Its initial primary purpose is to record commodities and fluids – what comes in, what goes out. 
It has slowly grown in capabilities, improving over time. We call it the “ultimate tool for managing your salvage yard, giving you full control over the dismantling process.”

It transitioned into a processing tool, where users can customize each dismantling process in the system regardless of how a yard operates, to provide the framework to define the dismantlers’ responsibility to each vehicle. They account for environmental factors, such as drained fluids and pulled commodities. DismantlePro runs on a computer or tablet in real-time, using the framework to track their actions as the vehicle is being disassembled. This eliminated the need for multiple Excel spreadsheets, notebooks, and binders full of all these mandatory records. We’re getting a lot of good feedback from the platform’s users.

Coming to Daurios as a third-generation recycler, my father and my uncle are very supportive of change. That’s a difficult word in this industry, I feel strongly that we need to grow, adapt and embrace what’s ahead to thrive and grow with the changes.

AR: How does a recycler access and use the software?

Daurio: It is a web-based platform, accessible through a username and password, which can be connected anywhere with a cellphone or WiFi service. It’s not tied to any specific YMS. With my vision for the product, our developer Rafe, a full-time employee, has coded and built the program from the ground up. We are proud of the results.

We just released a new enhancement to track all the maintenance for a facility’s equipment. That is currently in the beta testing phase as we continue to upgrade the platform.

During our surprise regulatory visits, the most significant factor they wanted to know was what came in with the vehicles and where it went when it left the facility. Having that all in one spot is efficient and seamless. During the EPA audit, it was easy to retrieve all the requested records, including those prepared by our consultant, VET Environmental.

AR: How did you end up marketing the product to other auto recyclers?

Daurio: At first, it was word of mouth by going to the trade shows, that’s really how it’s been growing. It’s been neat to contribute to the industry and build a tool that multiple facilities are now utilizing, and watching it grow. Currently, we have 10 yards that are licensed through an annual fee.
As we incorporate more enhancements into it, we will likely provide users with the option to utilize the entire system or specific modules. The vehicle maintenance module in beta testing is very powerful. It holds the team accountable to inspections; for example, the forklift operator must inspect the loader before operating it. It makes them slow down a minute and take the time to review the checklist.

Team ‘Next-Gen’ in Action

Rocki Top is Stacked with Energy That Hits all Levels of Talent.

Rocki Top Auto Recyclers is a small, family-owned business located in Glen Flora, WI. They have been providing quality salvaged parts since 1984 and currently have second-generation owners (and siblings) Jake Nawrocki and Katy Joles at the helm. They have dedicated themselves to professional standards, industry association involvement and Jake writes a column in the Automotive Recycling ToolBox™ Edition.
Automotive Recycling learned what their team has to say about their work in the industry.

Nate Nawrocki

Nate Nawrocki is the son of Jake Nawrocki, co-owner at Rocki Top. Currently, his focus is on sales. He has extensive exposure to and knowledge about the industry, having grown up around the shop and worked for another yard for a while. Nate is currently our jack-of-all-trades – taking care of sales calls, shipping freight, and inventorying – wherever he’s needed on a given day. He’s also begun participating in Leadership Team meetings and recently presented several ideas on how to meet some of the long-term goals that we’ve set for Rocki Top.

“I was ‘led’ to join the family business, at first without much of a choice. Being homeschooled my entire life and living within a half-mile of the shop, going there after school was a daily occurrence from 10th grade onward. Understandably, for a teenager, I wasn’t always the most enthused about going to work every day. And even though I am only 23 now, I am very thankful for the many lessons I learned while working here in high school. From an early age, I would follow Dad around to learn about a multitude of tasks, responsibilities, and projects. I learned how to drive a skid steer, take apart an engine, weld, and palletize a transmission by the age of 12. Dad has always been and still is my biggest role model.

When asked why it is hard to find eager young people to employ, he said, “The business has changed a lot in some ways in the last 10 years. Our yard has been using the Powerlink inventory system for a long time, and it is definitely a powerful tool. However, I feel its power has been a drawback that has made it difficult for people we have tried to recruit into the business. This is one of the reasons we hire a lot of people right out of high school (or some still in high school).”

“Recently, we had someone older shadow the salespeople in the office. It was very apparent to me that, for one, it was eye-opening for him to understand that the term ‘junkyard’ is not accurate. Then, he was also having a difficult time understanding some of the complex processes included in making a sale, shipping, and inventory. I find that younger people don’t typically have ‘their own way’ to do things and are more willing to learn new systems and programs.”

Another reason auto recyclers and other industries struggle to hire new people, he notes, is that people need to feel needed, not just filling a job slot. “That’s one of the best things about Rocki Top Auto. The leadership team does a superb job of keeping track of the little things (birthdays, anniversaries, and sales goals) and making sure the employees feel appreciated and respected for their work.”

Nate worked at a popular Midwest gas station chain during college, and says, “While it didn’t pay well, the managers legitimately cared about the employees’ lives and they made sure we were happy at our jobs. This is one of the things that Annie Kauffman, our HR person at Rocki Top has incorporated into the company. We celebrate birthdays, have company parties, and benefits like vacation time. I got a little off-topic, but that is one thing I’ve appreciated so much in the last few years. Employees need to feel appreciated. Employees are people. And people need to feel heard.”

Over the last few years, Nate notes some improvements that have significantly increased business and outreach within the company. “We have increased the quantity of parts that are removed and pictured in the dismantling process.

“We use the EZ Quality program to simplify and expedite the work order process. 
We can ship to other yards more easily with Team PRP.

“For the sales team, we are reminded (almost daily) of the importance of the use of technology to keep in touch with salespeople at other yards, customers, and shops that we hope will become customers.

As for the future, Nate says, “The future of the business is very intriguing and exciting. We have many ideas and aspirations for using AI and similar technologies to enhance price adjustments, inventory management, and shipping. Rocki Top Auto is a company that works hard to get people ‘Good Parts Fast.’ I am excited to be included and involved in the growth of the business and the industry as a whole.”

Josh Eby

Josh Eby is Rocki Top’s Sales Lead. He’s been with the company for five years and consistently beats his own sales records. Josh frequently comes up with new ideas for increasing sales and making the sales process smoother both for Rocki Top and their customers. He even says he’s often thinking about processes and ideas outside of work to try to make the company better and more successful. He has also created an extensive network of other salespeople and customers to cultivate repeat business. In addition to sales, he helps supervise and plan our delivery route. He and the delivery team collaborate on adding new customers along the route and maximizing efficiency on the roads.

Prior to Rocki Top, he worked in manufacturing for 13 years. “I have always had an interest in auto parts since I have been around automotive parts my whole life – learning from my dad since he’s a mechanic,” he said. “In 2018 Katy Joles, Rocki Top co-owner, reached out to ask me if I wanted to join the team. At that time, I turned down the position. In December 2019, the manufacturing company underwent a staff reduction. Eventually, I reached back out to Katy to see if Rocki Top was still hiring. From there, the rest is history. I started work in June of 2020 in parts sales.”

Josh’s secret to success in increasing sales is simple: “Taking time and being real with your customers is important. Providing quality parts at the correct prices and always presenting a clean part to the customer are the keys to making them a repeat customer.”

“What I feel I bring to the team is determination,” he says, “as well as being positive and cheerful, and having a good attitude. I’m always looking for ways to improve and explore new ideas for moving forward into the future. I’m always willing to learn more about auto parts. This helps understanding interchanges.”

To ensure customers are happy with their purchase, Josh says, “We use EZ-QC, a program that has quality checks built into our processes to ensure all our parts are 100% inspected and cleaned before delivery or for our walk-in customers. I do a lot of forwarding photos to our customers for approval, so they are never surprised at the parts they receive from us.”

Tate Shirk

ate Shirk’s Rocki Top’s Parts Puller (and sometimes dismantler). He’s also begun participating in Leadership Team meetings. Tate has quickly become the facility’s expert on yard layout and planning and is extremely efficient at pulling parts and dismantling. He has solid ideas and opinions about productivity in the yard and the shop. He’s also been an occasional creator of fantastic content for our social media channels.

Before employment at Rocki Top, Tate says, “I didn’t have a ‘real’ job prior to working here. I’ve learned everything I know about working as an employee here. I came to work at Rocki Top because of my dad. 
He started working here long 
before I did. So naturally, I followed in his footsteps. I started part-time at age 15.”

Tate has made his own mark at Rocki Top. “I am currently a parts puller/order picker. I enjoy the challenge and problem-solving involved in finding the most efficient way to pull parts. Also, the flow of orders differs from part to part, so there’s rarely 
a dull moment.”

His daily challenges are typical of his role, “I daily face the weather, unexpected equipment issues, or the occasional ‘where did I set my tool? Working in the yard the past year has been a learning process, to say the least, and has tested me in several ways, but I am thankful for that process and how it has helped shape how I navigate everyday tasks with things not only with work, but outside of work as well.”

“Overall, I absolutely love my job,” he says, “and I have been very blessed to work for great bosses and with a great team. They treat me very well, and for that I am grateful.”

Bailey Joles

Bailey Joles is the daughter of Katy Joles, co-owner of Rocki Top. She is still in high school, but when she’s not studying, she works part-time at Rocki Top. She has begun to take on a larger role in their shipping department. When our Shipping Lead is not here, Bailey handles the shipping department. She’s quick to learn something new and takes on other tasks to help alleviate some of the load for different employees. She also assists with various safety and stormwater compliance tasks, as well as marketing/newsletters.

As a high school student, she is quickly learning the inner workings of automotive recycling, “There are so many different parts, and jobs to it,” she says, “When they all come together to make everything run smoothly, it’s pretty impressive.”

She enjoys her role in the shipping department most, yet says, “I get to do lots of odds and ends around the shop and office as well, (computer work, cleaning, etc.) and I like variety, so doing lots of different things is fun.”

Helping the shipping department run well is a team effort. “Having everyone on the same page, communicating well, and everyone doing their job as best as they can and doing whatever needs to get done,” she says. “I appreciate when people see a job that needs to be done, or has been neglected, and just do it, or finish it, even if it’s not labeled as ‘their job.’ So, I try the best I can to do that myself.”

While she enjoys working at Rocki Top, she is unsure if this is her future career. “I don’t particularly see myself having a future career in automotive recycling, however, I’m sure the skills I have learned from working here will benefit me in whatever other career I may have.”

For now, she appreciates the opportunity to work in 
the family business and to grow up in a rural farming community. “My memories are being able to grow up here among family and friends, and enjoying all of the outdoor places here on my own. No one would think it could be so beautiful.”

Sales Training from Mike Klauss

 

Sales-related work has been and continues to be a big part of my career. 
Here are six tools I have used to train my teams to get the most from a sale.

1

Regularly scheduled one-on-ones to meet with salespeople on an individual basis to cover items specific to them. Having a scheduled time for your sales representative to meet each week, bi-weekly, or monthly allows them to be prepared for the meeting, making it more productive. It also helps to ensure the meeting starts on time. An employee’s tenure and performance typically dictate meeting cadence. You will want to meet with newer or under performing sales reps more often than your more experienced sales reps. I enjoy covering sales KPIs, CODs, RMAs, opportunities, and listening to calls, among other tasks.

2

Regularly scheduled sales team meetings keep the sales team engaged and updated on how we are performing as a company. 
I currently hold bi-weekly meetings, but you may want to hold weekly meetings depending on how your team is performing. You have to allow this to be a safe space to discuss not only successes, but also struggles. Don’t be afraid to have difficult conversations or say, “I don’t know, but will find out.” You want participation from your team during these meetings or they will be a waste of time. We also cover staff changes, policy updates, contest updates, etc.

3

All sales reps need consistent support, but new sales reps need it ten times as much. I haven’t had success hiring someone brand new to the industry and putting them on a remote team, regardless of their resume. There is no replacement for time in the office. Put new sales reps in the office near your most experienced sales reps. They will mirror their good (and, unfortunately, bad) behaviors, allowing them to catch on faster.

4

Sales contests are a great way to keep your team engaged and incorporate fun into their day. Good salespeople are competitive by nature, so feeding this with friendly competition aligned with a KPI you want to focus on is a good way to get results. Ask your team what prizes they want to find out what will really drive them. In my experience, it isn’t always money. Recognition, PTO, trophies, etc., have all worked for motivating the teams. Even leaving an hour early on Friday has gotten me results better than I could have hoped for.

Pertaining to All Staff:

5

Employee referrals are the best source for staffing. Referral bonuses incentivize your staff to recommend friends and family they think will be a good fit for the team. Because they are friends or family, they will also typically help support your new hire because they want them to be successful. Another tip is to tie the referral bonus to a milestone, like once the new hire sells $100K, they get an additional bonus. This creates buy-in from the referring employee.

6

Make your staff feel important. We salespeople are more emotional than the average Joe. The number one complaint I got from salespeople leaving another recycler to come work for me was that they “felt like just a number” at their previous employer. Call your salespeople without an agenda to check in and see how they are doing. Ask how their weekend was and what they got into will help you make a more personal connection with your employees, which can aid in retention. If they have a significant life event (such as a baby being born, buying a new house, or an ill family member), ask them about it. If you have a bad memory, set a calendar reminder to follow up with them.