From Fixing Cars to Fueling Leaders: Eric Svedberg's Journey in Entrepreneurship

In episode 42 of The Adaptive Mindset, Brett Gallant interviews Eric Svedberg, an entrepreneur and coach, about his journey from being the youngest Amoco dealer in the U.S. to leading European Autoworks. He shares insights on leadership, marketing, and recruitment, as well as practical strategies for overcoming today’s business challenges.

Tune in for valuable lessons on building people and businesses effectively.

TIMESTAMPS

[00:02:45] Mindset shifts in entrepreneurship.

[00:04:17] The value of coaching.

[00:09:11] Overcoming limiting beliefs.

[00:15:24] The importance of pivoting.

[00:19:40] Coaching and personal growth.

[00:24:03] Marketing struggles for leaders.

[00:30:38] Morning routines for success.

[00:36:00] Amateur to pro mindset shift.

[00:40:59] Healthy lifestyle for entrepreneurs.

QUOTES

• "I'm getting rid of the old version of me and going all in on this new opportunity, this new future. There's no going back." -Brett Gallant
• "A lot of entrepreneurs, when they first start, and I know I'm guilty of this, you're not humble. You think you know it all." -Eric Svedberg
• “Sometimes it's not having the answer. Sometimes it's asking the right question.” -Eric Svedberg

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Brett Gallant

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brett_gallant/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brett.gallant.9

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-gallant-97805726/

Eric Svedberg

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-svedberg-866162b4/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eric.svedberg/ 

WEBSITE

Adaptive Office Solutions: https://www.adaptiveoffice.ca/

European Autoworks: https://www.europeanautowerks.com/ 

Transcript

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Welcome to the Adaptive Mindset. I'm Brett Gallant, cybersecurity thought leader and founder of Adaptive Office Solutions. Here, we don't just talk tech, we unlock the strategies, stories, and mindset shifts you need to stay secure, lead boldly, and thrive in a digital world. Let's get started. Welcome back to the Adaptive Mindset. Today, I'm joined by Eric Svedberg, a dynamic entrepreneur and coach. Eric is the CEO of European Auto Works, our premier automotive service company in Virginia Beach. And he's the founder of Fuel Coaching, where he helps leaders accelerate their performance through clarity, leadership, and accountability. From scaling an automotive business with a reputation for excellence to guiding other entrepreneurs on their journey, Eric has lived both sides of leadership, the operator in the trenches and the coach helping others rise. In this episode, we're diving into his journey, the lessons he's learned about building people and businesses, and how he fuels leaders to reach their potential. You're going to walk away with practical strategies you can apply in your own business, and maybe a spark of inspiration to push further. Welcome to the show, Eric. Thanks for having me, Brett. Excited to be here. Awesome. Eric, for listeners who may not know you, can you give us a quick backstory? How You know, when I was in high school, I went to work for a gas station because I needed some money to, you know, go out on dates. So a friend of mine got me hooked up, you know, doing some terrible work, cleaning bathrooms, filling gas at the full service pumps and cleaning bays and all that. But I was always mechanically inclined. That came from my dad, who's also a mechanical engineer for submarines. Fast forward, you know, college, all that good stuff. The shop I worked at came for sale when I was 22. And so I ended up buying it and I became the youngest Amaco dealer in the United States of America. So that was a very interesting time in my life at that age, So the foundation was laid in by necessity when you worked, when you first started, so you can get out and date. That is a good way of putting it, yes. So what mindset shifts have you had over the years, when you think about all these different evolutions of your journey and your Well, many, that's for sure. I mean, we're talking 34 years. So I think a lot of entrepreneurs when they first start, and I know I'm guilty of this, you're not humble. You think you know it all, you think you are going to grow this business, you're going to figure it all out on your own and You know, eventually along that path, you decide, hey, there might be some people that know some things that I don't know. So that's number one, being able to learn from others. You know, when I was 22 and started the, you know, that first business, took over that business, that was the school of hard knocks because it seems like every customer I talked to was looking for my dad because they did not assume I owned that place. And soon my family, my father was involved. And that certainly wasn't the case. So you learn how to deal with customers and their perception of you. You learn that skill set, customer service skill sets. When I got my first coach, that's where it all turned around. And that was in my 40s when I got my first business coach. And I think back, what would have happened if I had had a business coach in my 20s? How much further would I have been? So, you know, people have positive and negative outlooks on coaching. You know, I think if you have the right coach, it's positive. And sometimes it might take going through two, three, four, till you find the right person that inspires you and helps you grow. Yeah. Yeah, I can relate to what you're talking about, especially with the power of coaching. It's been very transformative for me as well. But yeah, equally, I've heard people that have struggled, but sometimes you have to, I think like in anything in life, you have to pivot and transition until you find the right fit. So sometimes that happens with our employees. What, when you talk, when we talk about coaching, what like what mindset has shifted for you the most since from being coach now to being a I guess the biggest mind shift is making sure I am bringing a lot of value and helping people grow. I was coaching other businesses all the time, whether it be on forums or one-on-one. I was doing that out of the goodness of my heart for 20 plus years because I was just trying to get back to my industry. It wasn't until later that I said, I have a lot of value to bring that I can help people grow in their business. And it's really fun where when they're in the trenches, like any business owner, And they bring whatever type of issue, problem, subject up. And as a coach where you've been listening to them call after call, and you just see it from a different perspective. And so you help guide them and you help, you know, say, hey, have you thought of it from this angle? And it's just a light bulb moment. And to see that transformation and to see them take that knowledge and then utilize in their business and then come back on the next call and they tell you what changed, what's better, what was fixed. Oh yeah, yeah. I've actually, in my own way, I've had a tremendous coach for the last number of years. I'm also in another group coaching program and I'm a fitness coach and I'm a cyber security coach. But I also had a moment where I just helped somebody a few times after the lady said, I told her how how rewarding coaching has been for me. And immediately she said, could you be my coach? And I never thought of that. Never thought that was a possibility. And I actually just gave her a few sessions to help her. And it Isn't it funny how those things come up? I was in Canada, I live in the US, but I was in Canada a couple of weeks ago. And someone asked me if I would be their coach. I didn't go up there looking for that. We were just having conversations. It's not even an industry I was an expert in, but it was a service-based industry. And just through us talking, he brought that up. And I was probably like you. I probably was telling the person all the reasons they shouldn't have me as a coach. And they still were so persistent. I'm like, you know what, let's do it. Let's see what three months of this looks like and see if I can't help you. That's incredible. So you're actively working with this I am. And so I think the And there's a big thing too about mindset. Sometimes we hold back, think I could never sell into Canada or in my case, I had this limiting belief at first that with the line of business that I do, it was first just my city and then expand it to two hours and expand it to land at Canada, then to Canada, because we have clients all over Canada now. And then I met somebody in a group coaching program and they asked for an assessment and they live in the United States and I overcome my Yeah. Cause I was telling myself something that wasn't true. We get stuck in our own head. Yeah. Well, you didn't think it could never work and there's all kinds of reasons why it can't be possible. But then like I, like for myself, I've been a person that's overcomplicated things. And Keep it simple. I use that statement so much with my clients. Entrepreneurs love to overcomplicate things. Entrepreneurs love to sit down every day sometimes and figure out, you know, let me just come up with new stuff to do and new stuff, new spreadsheets and new things for my employees to do. And I try and see, you know, now that I've learned, I look Yeah, we're all trying to build a better mousetrap, but let's just use the mousetrap we have because it's been proven to be successful. We just got to execute and do what we promised to do. And I think that's the power of coaching. What you do is help people stay accountable also to their commitments and help them get through those spots where we get in the weeds of overcomplicating things. Yes. And for most entrepreneurs, I talk about being humble. So I'm humble and I do well with entrepreneurs that are humble and can listen. When they want Yeah, absolutely. you founded automotive, like you founded your business. And how did that come about? Like, how did the opportunity like come? Like what really drove you to do that? Like, was there any key turning points where you had to step into leadership Well, you know, it all falls back on, I feel like I was raised right. I have two amazing parents. Then secondly, I was always a go-getter. I bought my first house when I was 18, so I was always financially wise. When I was going through college and this opportunity was coming up to buy the Amaco station, I really didn't know for sure if that's what I wanted to do. I decided that there would be two paths. And partly because I didn't know if Amoco would accept me. So therefore, it's not a franchise, it's a dealership network, not a franchise network, but they still have to accept you. So I said, okay, I like backup plans. So I decided was I've always been into boating, love boating, still do today. And the backup plan was for me to go work in the charter industry in the Mediterranean. So I'd already set that up, had friends out there, they could have gotten me on a yacht. And I, you know, I knew that eventually I'd maybe work my way up to captain or something like that. So that was the backup plan, if Amoco didn't accept me, but I did the you know, 1000 pages of paperwork they asked for and met with the big wigs, you know, in a hotel and they interviewed me and they accepted me. And so I went that path and not the charter business path, which is sometimes I think back, I wonder what my life would be like if I had gone the other path. But, you know, I don't live with regrets and this life has been Yeah. Yeah. It's funny. And sometimes things just appear and happen for a reason and we have to embrace those opportunities when they show up. That is true. Yeah. So is there any big takeaways you've learned along the way, like from leadership perspective for Yeah, too many to list, but I'll start with some. You talked about pivoting earlier, and that's a big one. So I started off as an Amaco dealer. I also was a shell dealer. I also had a towing company. So I was really into the service-based businesses. Fast forward, BP bought Amaco. And so they were changing all the stations and they did not want what I had, which was, you know, automotive service. So we had gas pumps. We also fixed cars. They did not want to be in that space. They liked food shops and pumpers. So the lease was coming up. I was able to get the land lease, um, got rid of Amaco, got rid of BP. And then I had changed the name and that was automotive specialist. So therefore we are strictly automotive repair. So, you know, I had a 20-year lease, so a five-year lease with three five-year options. And coming up on that last option, I said, you know, I really should do something before I just let this last option come. And that's when I started looking for another opportunity where I could own the building and the shop and the business, whether it be automotive specialists and I moved it or something else. That's when I came across European Auto Works many years ago. And that owner had built a successful business and he was ready to retire. So I was able to find someone that could go into my old shop, set him up. I didn't make any money on that, just set him up for success. And then I pivoted, you know, to European Auto Works. And the funniest part was with automotive specialists, we did not work on European cars. So we went from Asian domestic to strictly European, like overnight. but it's been very successful. We've grown to, this year we'll probably be right at 3.7 million at one location. So pivoting was the key, not getting stuck. So to go from Amaco, to go to automotive specialists, to go to European Auto Works, I had to pivot each time. So that's the key takeaway for business owners. Be flexible, be able to pivot. The market changes, your circumstances change. So. Yeah. And I don't know if this is directly related to that, but you're hitting on a point that I was speaking in another podcast. I was talking about how much, how much the book Think and Grow Rich has inspired me. And this gentleman basically did a moment where he, like if you're familiar with the book, Burn the Ships, he said, I'm getting rid of the old version of me and going all in on this new opportunity, this new future. There's no going back. In your own sort of way, you burned the ships. There's that story that's in the book. You pivoted, went to the new opportunity, and said, this is the future for me. I'm going all in. I believe in it. I'm doing it. And you've reaped what you've sown. So many times, people hold back from doing that. And I think tying it back to your coaching, and even when you've been coached, Why do people sometimes hold back on seeing those opportunities and going after them when it's right there? There's that fear, I Yeah, it also can be those limited beliefs that they don't think They're worthy, they don't think they can do it. Also fear of failure. This is it for the fan heart, for sure. If something happens, you have to face your family, you have to face your friends and you have to face yourself. But I think entrepreneurs are pretty tough cookies and they can pivot, especially with a coach, they can pivot because Yeah, well, the broader view or using a coach as a sparring partner to look at other possibilities that you haven't even recognized or seen before with the right questions. So, yeah. Sometimes it's not having the answer. Sometimes it's asking the Yeah, yeah. And that's asking the right question. Is this the truth? Is this the truth based on what I know? Is there another perspective of this? Let's pivot back to fuel coaching for a moment and dive into that for a moment. What really inspired you to do that? I know you said that you were helping people for basically free online, but what really drove you to So, you know, getting in his program, seeing what he was doing, seeing how he helped people, how you could tell that what he was doing was truly from his heart. That really was inspiring. And I took that and ran with it and said, you know, if he can coach and give back to entrepreneurs, I can do the same. I have a lot of knowledge, I know how to run you know, service based industries, I know what to look for, you know, all all businesses have marketing, sales, production and delivery. I feel like I can help everyone master those four things for service based industries. And that's what we stick to. And that was the game changer was getting in Dan's program and saying, you know what, I'm going to do the same thing. And It's been very fruitful and very It's interesting you say that. I'm also in his coaching program with you. And he often says, even outside of the coaching program, why not you? So you heard that, you took it and you ran with it. Why not you? Why Yeah. And your listeners can use that with Yeah. Well, let's talk about that, for example. How can some of our listeners do that? Maybe wherever they're stuck, ask I think first they have to find what they're passionate about. So, you know, they might be in something they actually don't even enjoy doing. So I would never suggest someone to just expand upon that. I have them, you know, take a step back and, you know, just grab a journal and a pen and paper and, and write down what Brings you joy. What brings, what are you passionate about? And okay. Um, what can you do with that? How can you help people with that? How can you monetize that? Um, what's the North star if you want to call it that. Yeah. And then once you figure that out, then ask yourself, okay, why not me? And I Yeah, that's really helpful. Actually, I've been playing with the idea of starting my own program as well to help entrepreneurs reclaim Yeah, I'm actually writing a book And I'm excited about that. And it's kind of the same where I'm trying to help entrepreneurs. So not only am I helping with coaching, but I'm hoping my book helps them as well. So I can reach more people than That book is meant to get out there to help people. Uh, my goal is definitely in the year 2026, I have the outline, um, 99%, uh, speaking of coaching, I have a book coach because I had not written a book before. So if I have not written a book before, I'm going to find someone to help me, you know, say, Hey, this is the process. And I'm here to, you know, look over your shoulder and, and make sure you're, you're following the right path. And so we bounced the outline back and forth and he asks hard questions. I am in. It's so funny in the outline, I'm inversion. I believe 4.6. So we're from one to 1.5 to 2.0 to 2.1 to 2.6. Now change y'all up, change it to 3.0. So I'm at version 4.6. I think maybe version 4.7 will You're so close. I'm so close. Yeah. I can see the excitement. Like it's, it's, it's right there. It's just that final iteration until you get it dialed It's a lot of work. I never knew, since I hadn't written a book before, but people have said, yeah, you start to write a book, it takes you a couple of years. When I first heard that, I'm sure there are things we don't even think about. Now that you're in it, you have a better understanding and appreciation of it. Yes, for sure. So now that you've been a coach, What are I coach, they need more leads, they need more customers. And many of them are not doing nearly enough in marketing. They don't have a marketing budget. They don't take a percentage of sales for their industry and dedicate that money towards marketing. Number two is people. So in the service-based industries, whether it's mine, automotive repair, or electricians and plumbers, We're dealing with a 40-year issue with people not going into those industries. We're dealing with people in high school that were told forever, if you don't go to college, you'll never have a good job, so on and so forth. When the reality is not everyone is meant for college. There's many people that like working with their hands. They're not good test takers, but they can figure stuff out and they can learn a trade. These trades people can earn six figures, no problem. The employee side has been an issue, where specifically telemote repair, I'm sure it's the same for others, where I used to be able to go a week and then hire a technician. Sometimes it's six to nine months to Yeah, as being someone in my industry, I'm seeing that as well. Peers in my industry, employees, team, and just really the other thing I'm seeing is just the leader trying to do it all and not really buying back their time. So like not stepping into the visionary leader For me, I used to say, my company used to run me, now I run it. That's the way, that's the win. Being a coach now, what are some of your biggest coaching wins or success stories that get you excited, that you're proud of, that you're able Well, obviously when they have revenue goals and targets, then we hit those. But many times it's something in So I had a client who was working, his wife was in the business with him. And his wife, you know, when I asked the right questions, really, his wife didn't want to be in the business. She semi felt forced to be in the business because it's quote unquote, family run business. So we worked to get her out of the business. And so therefore, he hired someone else for that spot. And his wife was able to go and do something she loved. And because of that simple win, he talks over and over again about how awesome his marriage is. And to me, I mean, look, I'm a business coach, but that's something that you can take every day and be celebrate, like to have that, to be able to give that and be a part of that So mindset and habits, what's the one mistake that taught you the most over the years from running your business now coaching to what's really Ah, that's a good one. Probably slightly different from running the business and the coaching. From running the business, as you get caught up with the nuts and bolts of how that business runs. And sometimes you forget to see your business or the business from the customer's point of view. And what you feel is normal, and what you feel is just this is the way it is, and this is how we do things. might not work for customers or things change. And so to be able to put yourself in the mind of a customer, to walk through the front doors if you are a customer, changing that perspective, many times makes the I believe being able to slow down and listen and digest and not try and always just give an answer, but to think about what they said, what the issue is, follow up with a few more questions, you might already have the answer. So, I mean, that's the, okay, let me just give you the answer for the question you just asked me. but that's not the same as when they come up with the It's more powerful, isn't it? Much more powerful. Yeah. I know I haven't asked this question before, but I think this will be helpful, especially for a busy man whose coaching has run a successful business. There must be daily routines that keep you sharp, that you follow, that have defined you and that help you. Could you share with our audience what I wake up at 4.10 every morning and I'm out of the house by 4.25 every morning to go to the gym. And then I'm usually home by- I'm with you. Yeah. I'm usually home by 5.40 or so. That's when I grab coffee. I always grab my journal. And my cell phone and I grabbed the cell phone because I just really want the calendar on the cell phone so even though my calendars in my cell phone I write I write down in my journal. why I'm doing that day, even though, you know, it's electronic, I get it, but me writing it, Yeah. Correct. It sticks like in. And you remember like, OK, I have a podcast to do at noon. I have, you know, a coaching call at three and it gets your mind in the right place in that journal. Also, I write down one area that I want to focus on that day. Then I also write down some to-do's that I need to get done that day. Um, after that's usually breakfast, uh, after that I start working and either. I only go to the shop one day a week. Um, I really don't have to do that, but I enjoy going there. So one day a week I go to the shop, um, and I do my normal routine there. I make a routine. And then when I'm not at the shop, I go into my office and I'm either going to be on a coaching call or I'm going to work on the book. where I'm going to work on visionary stuff, because I feel like I'm the visionary for the business, whether it be fuel coaching or whether it be European Yeah, and I think what my coach has said, like all of that, that's incredible. I think sometimes entrepreneurs, we forget to put our own oxygen mask on. First. Yeah, yeah. So you're doing that when you're allowing yourself to be the visionary leader, because you're bringing the big ideas, and then your routine in the morning, of setting the day off with a great way of getting to the gym, getting the blood flowing. I have Released 120 pounds since October of 2023. Nice. Yeah. You know, like some wins or you, you know, because obviously you have a goal. So therefore, you know, I like incremental wins. So if you get to a certain point, you get to, you know, have something and of Yeah, it was, it's funny. I've been at same, same level for a while. And I set a new goal, a new goal with stakes and a win. So I'm on the road to 200 right now. I'm at two 27.8 today. And by December 31st, Yeah. And so the goal, I'm going to reward myself with a vacation and my family. If I don't hit it, I don't get to go on the vacation. Love it. Yeah. And the other part, which is funny, I said, if I don't hit it, I have to wear a Toronto Maple Leafs onesie and go in the hockey rink and have a little sign that says I didn't hit my goal and have them announce it. But what's funny, when I told that to some of the people that know me, they said, that's not really a punishment for you, I guess you, uh, we'll do that one and maybe another punishment, but I have a feeling you're going to hit the goal if you've done. Yeah. I mean, you're on a path. Um, so if you've done that already, he, you know, this is, this is something that you're going to be able to succeed with. Well, I know like, and so like along the way, your journey, you've been inspiring people and people connect with you and people have been connecting with me because of this journey. And so I want to honor what I've already done and go to the next level. Love that. Yeah. So that's, that's where I, you know, where I would call it a decision day. And I think maybe this is a good focal point for a second. I think every time in life, entrepreneurs, they get to that decision day. that maybe they've decided, I'm going to take my company in a new direction, or I'm going to do something, you know, commit to coaching. Perhaps you could share in your own way, what you've seen from people you've coached and even your decision day of what you decided to do. There's those pivotal Yeah. I mean, just to refer back to the book and why I'm writing it, it's about taking a business, and even though I talk about service-based businesses, it can be people in your space too, and going from amateur to pro. So that is something that is definitely a mindset. And sometimes it's something that has to be taught. So in the book, I'm talking, you know, it's kind of a fable where I'm following someone, um, and that, or writing the story about someone, and he's going from, you know, A to B to C and, uh, That's what I see for service-based industries of when you can go from amateur to pro, when you can make your business more professional, you gain better customers, you gain better employees, and you gain better profits. So that's it in a nutshell. And sometimes that's the mind shift is amateur I heard that said in another way, you're familiar with John Maxwell? Yes. He says it so many times, I've heard him say it. He said, I could do this presentation and not put the time in it, but I made the decision to go pro and give it all, work for it. Yes. Yeah. So going pro. Yeah. So Eric, what's the best way for people to reach out to you and find you and learn more about fuel coaching and, and communicate Well, if they go to Instagram, they can do Eric dot Spiedberg. Um, S V E D E E R G. I know it's a difficult last name. It's Swedish. Uh, they can find me there. They can find me on Facebook. They can find me on LinkedIn. Um, I have a YouTube channel, um, not much on the YouTube, but Instagram is the easiest or eric speedberg at gmail.com. They can find me there. And then if they, if they reach out to me, um, you know, I can share. You know, I have a document about going from amateur to pro. I can share seven steps that you could, you know, implement within 30 days to move your business from point A to point B, you know, So, so if they DM you on Instagram, seven steps. Yeah. Yeah, please. Yep. Awesome. So Eric, I want to, before we wrap up, I want to do something that I enjoy doing just rapid fire questions for a moment. So tell us first thing that comes to your mind. Okay. What Making money is killing your business. Who's that written by? Oh, who wrote that Oh, there it is. It is, is killing your business. Hold on. Here it is. Yep. See, I'm not just making this up. All right. So this is second Chuck Blakeman. Making Ooh, a, um, a, uh, A Bugatti. Okay. Nice. Okay. Okay. Best piece of coaching advice you've ever given. Given? Given. Yeah. Keep it simple. Okay. And pivoting that best piece of coaching advice you received. It's what's caught, not taught. I know where you heard that from. That's a great one. A Not going to the Mediterranean to work Yeah, yeah, because your life would have turned out differently, wouldn't it? Much. Yeah. Okay, last question. Tough one. It's not tough, but one habit you'd If they're not already, to lead a healthy lifestyle, whether that be working out Yeah. Yeah. And I can agree with that. Just my own journey has made all the difference in my life. Yeah. The game changer. Absolutely. So Eric, this has been a pleasure to have you. I really enjoyed our conversation. I'll have links in the show notes to everyone to find Eric, especially the Instagram. Remember to DM him seven ways. And Eric, any final thoughts before This has been a pleasure, Brett. I hope I brought value to your listeners. Even though I come from the service-based industry, I think any entrepreneur could take this podcast and use something from it, which It does. And I think, well, I know there has been so many, there's been so many great takeaways and everyone listening, the best way you could thank Eric and myself is by thinking one or two people, especially in your life that needs to hear some of these nuggets that Eric has dropped, because we're all put on this earth to help each other. And you can help somebody by sharing the episode. Somebody you know, needs to hear what Eric has talked about, even though they're not in the service-based industry, or they may be. Connect with them. So Eric, from just having you here, talking about from, you went from fixing cars to fueling leaders, and you've certainly fueled a lot of people today, Excellent. Thanks for tuning into the Adaptive Mindset. If you found value in today's episode, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who's ready to thrive in the digital age. Stay secure, stay