OTSS Podcast

Kahn Media
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

This is the guiding principal behind most new businesses, the entrepreneurial "eat or be eaten" ethos that drives the builders, the doers and the risk-takers responsible for history's greatest brands and companies. www.otsspodcast.com

  1. Aug 6

    Vince Finaldi, President of Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

    Automotive passion isn’t just a career for Vince Finaldi. It is built into his DNA. His story began nearly a century ago when his grandfather worked for General Motors in 1920s America before returning to Italy to open his own garage. Years later, Vince’s father followed the same path back to the U.S., establishing a shop that repaired and imported legendary Italian marques like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Alfa Romeo. Growing up in this high-octane environment, Vince was hooked early, spending his high school years in the shop covered in grease and learning the trade from the ground up. However, his path to leading one of the world’s most prestigious concours events into the future was anything but linear. After high school, Vince enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, leveraged the GI Bill to earn a law degree and spent two decades as a high-stakes trial attorney. But when the relentless stress of the courtroom took its toll, the call of his family’s legacy proved impossible to resist. Pivoting back to his roots, he founded a world-class Italian-focused restoration shop in Carmel, California, a journey that ultimately led him to become president of the world-renowned Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. On this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, Vince shares the wisdom he has learned over his incredible journey with host Dan Kahn. Click on the icon above to listen to the entire episode, and here are our top five takeaways: * The formative years of your life lay the foundation for the rest of it. * You have to take risks to accomplish anything. * Like great art, great cars should be shared with the world. * Live your life in thirds. * Leaders should always focus on the future. Lay the Foundation Early Vince joined the Marines right out of high school and credits that decision with shaping his future. His experience in the Marines in his formative years molded the person he would become. It also gave him the outlook and leadership skills early in his life that he would carry throughout his career. “I joined (the Corp) when I was 18 years old. I was part of an organization that was run very efficiently, with a very firm and tight organizational structure and chain of command. That is kind of what I have always known from the time I was a kid, and that has carried with me throughout my career,” said Vince. “It is a good foundation to have and a good foundation to set for your staff if you are running any type of business.” Take Risks and Take Chances Many would see Vince’s career arc as the result of a carefully laid-out plan. Surprisingly, that isn’t the case. Rather, Vince got to where he is by taking risks, and he encourages others to do the same. “I didn’t have this plan. I ended up getting here, but I took chances, I took risks. I was presented with something in my life, and it was something I could either see as an opportunity or as a negative,” said Vince. “I always saw challenges in life and events that occurred to me as opportunities, and I always dove into them headfirst. That is how I got to where I am.” Great Cars are Meant to Be Shared There are all kinds of automotive enthusiasts with different views on collecting cars. However, one tenet that Vince strongly believes is that beautiful cars are meant to be shared with the world. Like great art, they shouldn’t be hidden in a private collection, but enjoyed by the public. It is a belief perfectly suited to his role as president of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. “One thing I am very into is using cars and sharing cars with the world. That applies not just to cars, but to art as well. I don’t really see why certain cars are squirreled away, only for a select number of people to see. It is the same thing with art. The best art should be shared with the entire world,” said Vince. “I think that is how cars are, too. Cars should be used, and they should be enjoyed.” Life in Thirds The right mentors can make a big impact on anyone’s life. That is definitely true of Vince, as he met someone early on who had a profound impact by giving him a philosophy to live by. Even though it was decades ago, Vince still uses that guidance today. “I met someone early on in my life who gave me really good guidance and advice. He said that if you are looking for a way to structure your life, you should spend the first third of your life educating yourself,” said Vince. “The second third of your life you spend applying that education, making money, establishing yourself and freeing yourself from the economic chains that can bind you and hold you down. If you can finish that, then the last third of your life you should spend giving back to all the people who helped you get there and give away everything you’ve had the good fortune of earning, so when you’re on your deathbed, you die broke. And that is a life well lived.” Focus on the Future For Vince, the role of a leader is to be focused on the future. If you focus only on the now, you become reactive rather than proactive. And that is a surefire way to doom your business to stagnation or worse. “Any leader of a company that you talk to, if they tell you that they focus on the now and the yesterday, then you can see the results in their company. That is not going to be a company that is doing well,” said Vince. “The leader of a company should be living his life two years, three years or five years ahead. That is your job. Your job is to live in the future. My job is to look at trends and headwinds and figure out how we are going to deal with them.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.otsspodcast.com

    Vince Finaldi, President of Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

  2. Jul 16

    Matt Stevenson, President and CEO of Holley Performance Brands

    Welcome to another episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, where host Dan Kahn sits down with leaders and entrepreneurs from some of the most dynamic brands in America. In this episode, Matt Stevenson shares his journey to president and CEO of Holley Performance Brands and the many lessons he learned along the way. Matt’s deep-seated fascination with cars wasn’t born in a boardroom but handed down directly from his father, igniting a lifelong passion for anything with an engine. That obsession eventually drew him to Flint, Michigan, where he attended GMI, the historic General Motors Institute, now known as Kettering University. But while the campus was dominated by mechanical engineering students buried in blueprints, Matt intentionally took the road less traveled. He was one of the few business and marketing students on campus, determined to understand how to drive the industry forward from a business perspective. That strategic pivot kicked off an incredible corporate journey. Matt got his feet wet at Mack Trucks during college, later rising to lead the Daimler light truck group before making strategic moves to Bridgestone and even running Terminix’s residential pest control business. From there, he transitioned into the hyper-competitive private equity world, successfully executing a massive operational turnaround as the CEO of the legendary Blue Bird school bus company. Now at the helm of Holley and its over 70 brands, Matt brings his unique business-first perspective back to his automotive roots. Click on the icon above to listen to the entire in-depth episode, and here are our top five takeaways: * A customer-centric approach is critical for success. * Fast movers have a competitive advantage. * Events are key to staying close to your customers. * Staying close to your frontline workers is important. * Leaders need to adapt their style to fit the situation. The Customer is Everything One thing that Matt learned very early on in his career is the importance of taking a customer-centric approach. For any business, keeping the customer happy is always important. Happy customers become brand advocates and repeat purchasers, helping drive steady growth. “The customer is everything, especially in our business, where we have multiple sets of customers. There are not just our enthusiast consumers, but also our distribution partners, installers and national retailer partners,” said Matt. “You always have to put yourself into the shoes of what that customer is looking for and how best to serve them.” Move Fast to Make an Impact Over his career, Matt has turned multiple businesses around from loss leaders to profit centers. One way he has accomplished this is by cutting through red tape to make decisions much faster. Then, he empowered his teams to do the same. “Over the years, when I was at certain companies, I saw them become slower and more bureaucratic. Ultimately, everyone likes to make an impact. Those who move fast can have a competitive advantage,” said Matt. “So that is why I look at how I can empower my team and how we are able to cut the bureaucracy out to have a team that works closely together, has clear transparency of what the goals are and then can just get it done.” Events Are Critical Holley’s LS Fest started in 2010 and is now a multi-city event series that draws well over 100,000 people. For Matt, events are critical not just for celebrating customers, but also for staying close to them. And the closer you are to your customers, the better you can serve them. “For us, it (Holley LS Fest) is a way to stay close to the customer, and it is a way for us, in some regards, to give back. We are doing a lot more focus groups there and getting direct product feedback,” said Matt. “Our team just loves it. Being out of the office and talking to our customers, there is no better day.” Support Your Frontlines For big organizations, staying close to workers on the “frontlines” is just as important as staying close to customers. As companies grow, more layers are naturally added between the top and the bottom. But without effective communication channels, leaders can miss out on important feedback from workers closest to products and customers. “If you can have that mindset of how to support the people on your frontlines who are talking with the customers or working in facilities or developing great products. How do you support them in that servant-leadership mindset and take out obstacles?” said Matt. “When I say that good ideas sometimes go to die in middle management, it is not that there are bad people by any means in middle management or those middle layers. It is just that they can get stuck if there are not the right lanes and structure for them to communicate what needs to be done.” Nails and Hammers One of the most important lessons Mat has learned over his long career is that leaders need to constantly adapt. Not every situation requires the same leadership style. And using the wrong leadership style in certain situations is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. “There is a time and place for certain types of leadership. When you are in a firefight, there is one style of leadership. If you are kind of neutral, there is one, and if you are in growth mode, there is another,” said Matt. “Not everything is a nail, and everything can’t be a hammer.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.otsspodcast.com

    Matt Stevenson, President and CEO of Holley Performance Brands

  3. Jul 2

    Gordon McCall, CEO/President of McCall Motorsports and Co-Founder of The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering

    Monterey Car Week stands as the ultimate mecca for automotive enthusiasts worldwide, but few events capture its spirit quite like The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering. One of the co-founders of this iconic event is Monterey native Gordon McCall, whose life was profoundly shaped by the roar of engines at the nearby Laguna Seca raceway. From sneaking into the track as a kid to sweeping floors at a local Ferrari dealership for his first job, his journey from a young enthusiast to now serving as the director of motorsports at The Quail is an amazing one. On this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, host Dan Kahn sits down with Gordon to trace the event’s history back to its inception. Listeners get a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the vision required to build and sustain one of the most prestigious automotive events on the planet. Whether you are a die-hard gearhead or an aspiring entrepreneur, this conversation offers deep insights into turning childhood dreams into an international phenomenon. Click on the icon above to listen to the entire episode, and here are our top five takeaways: * Find your own niche. * A respectful approach is better than an exclusionary one. * Think long-term and avoid a transactional approach to events. * Collaborating is better than competing. * Don’t wait to pursue your dreams. Make Something Different The Pebble Beach Concours is the flagship event that started Monterey Car Week and has long been its cornerstone. When Gordon first envisioned The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, he didn’t want to copy or compete against it. Focusing on carving out its own niche and making The Quail about more than just cars has been one of the keys to its great success. “I saw something entirely different. I always wanted the cars to be important in their own way. But the fact that we don’t have judges is completely out of respect for Pebble and what it represents,” said Gordon. “If you don’t want to worry about opening your hood, if you want your car accepted on the front end, and you want to come and just have a great time and meet some amazing people, come to The Quail.” Respect Everyone Some concours events can be very rigid and stuffy, only accepting certain types of vehicles and looking down on others. While The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering still has very high standards, Gordon wanted to move away from that vibe. For him, it is more about respecting others and sharing their automotive enthusiasm regardless of what they drive or their net worth. “It comes down to respecting everyone. It is not hard to do, it really isn’t. Everyone has a different reason for what it is that they do, but I think there is a real level ground,” said Gordon. “That is what is so neat about events like The Quail. You get everyone together, and the common denominator isn’t net income or worth. That is there of course, but really it is enthusiasm that is the biggest common denominator.” Look Past the Cash Register Flagship events like The Quail can be serious investments for brands. That fact can lead brands to view major events as more transactional, where their presence must generate immediate revenue. However, for Gordon, taking a longer-term outlook on events is a much better approach. “The idea of looking past the cash register ringing that day, that is something I know is a bit of an intangible,” said Gordon. “The conversations that companies have during the day might not ultimately sell a car that day, but the business will come their way because of those conversations. That is a tough thing to wrangle, but it is real.” Constantly Collaborate One of the elements that has kept The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering a success over two decades is constant collaboration. Instead of viewing brands as potential competitors, Gordon has sought ways to collaborate with them. Working together with brands can be a powerful multiplier that also helps to form new relationships. “I am a huge fan of the idea and the concept behind helping to make each other shine, and it is really collaborations that do just that,” said Gordon. “Being a catalyst is definitely something that I find really satisfying. If there are certain people who need to know other people and it is win-win stuff, I love doing that. The Quail is like that. I look at the relationships that come out of The Quail, and it is remarkable.” Jump In For those looking to follow their passion and turn it into a career, Gordon’s advice is simple: don’t wait and pursue your dreams now. Sitting back and waiting doesn’t do anything but burn time. “The water isn’t warmer if you jump in later. Find your passion and don’t hesitate. Jump in. Just jump in and just do it,” said Gordon. “If you got an interest in something, pursue it. Find other people who have done what you want to do and ask them to mentor you along the way. But go for it, don’t sit back.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.otsspodcast.com

    Gordon McCall, CEO/President of McCall Motorsports and Co-Founder of The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering

  4. Jun 18

    Nick Haywood, SVP, Automotive at CI&T

    As the senior vice president of automotive at CI&T, Nick Haywood helps clients navigate the digital landscape and build high-impact solutions for it. From major OEMs to dealership groups and niche players, Nick specializes in driving businesses forward through technology, focusing on data management, e-commerce platforms and apps to elevate the customer experience. Lately, AI has taken center stage in his work. Beyond helping clients integrate AI into their daily workflows, Nick is currently spearheading a major initiative to establish AI use standards for the automotive retail industry, further streamlining the car-buying journey. On this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, Nick joins host Dan Kahn to share his deep expertise on how AI is reshaping the business landscape. It’s an incredibly insightful, must-listen episode for any entrepreneur or brand leader. Click the icon above to listen to the full episode, and here are our top five takeaways: * AI is now acting as a filter for consumers. * The eventual rise of agentic AI will change everything. * AI first movers will see major benefits. * You need to understand your business before throwing AI at it. * AI is actually in its “easy phase” right now. Things Are Messy Right Now One of the big shifts right now is from an attention-based economy to a filter-based one. LLMs are now acting as shopping companions, filtering information for their users. The challenge many brands now face is to alter outdated marketing tactics to be included in those AI-powered recommendations. “AI as a companion to me as a customer is changing fundamentally how dealer groups and OEMS are used to interacting with their customers,” said Nick. “My AI companion now decides what comes into my world. It starts to know me and knows I might value convenience over price. It will then suggest particular options based on that.” And It Will Get Even Messier AI is evolving rapidly, and businesses are struggling to adapt. However, Nick notes that even more changes are just over the horizon. The eventual rise of AI agents capable of making shopping decisions for consumers, rather than acting solely as consultants, will greatly complicate the retail and marketing landscape. “Everything is set up at the moment to market to humans and to service humans. That is all about to change,” said Nick. “So, now, how do I market to a synthetic customer who isn’t affected by emotion and has guardrails built in? We are going to need a lot of new stuff and more experiences built.” The Time to Move on AI is Now Some brands have been hesitant to adopt AI, thinking that it is a fad that might eventually go away. Others are merely stuck in their ways and afraid of change. However, Nick notes that there is a serious advantage to being a first mover, but that window is closing. “If you remember back to when Google Search started becoming a thing, the people who got into it first had all the traffic. Eventually, everyone got there, and it became competitive,” said Nick. “We are exactly in that same window now with AI. The first movers who embrace this tech and see customer behavior changing and jump in with two feet are going to get all the traffic, attention and eyeballs.” Before You Leap In the rush to be first movers, many brands have run headfirst into AI. There are now plenty of companies using AI but not effectively. To make the most of AI, you need a deep understanding of your business, its strengths and weaknesses, and where AI can have the greatest impact. “More importantly, especially on the automotive retail side, you need to understand your business first before you throw AI at it. If you don’t, all you are going to do is do the wrong things faster,” said Nick. “You used to call some customers, but now you can call 1,000 customers in a minute. But is that the right channel to now be contacting your customers on?” We’re at the Easy Phase of AI Believe it or not, even with all the changes, things are relatively simple with AI right now. That is because most of us are currently using AI to enhance productivity and become more efficient. As consumer behavior radically changes in the near future, increased efficiency will become essential to ensure we have the capacity to handle all those shifts. “We are at the easy phase of AI right now because we are using it as an efficiency play to do more of the same stuff,” said Nick. “However, if you go back to those customer behavior changes, every business is going to be radically different in five years. As we get more efficient at doing stuff, we are going to need that efficiency to capitalize on these new opportunities that are emerging in an AI-first world.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.otsspodcast.com

    Nick Haywood, SVP, Automotive at CI&T

  5. Jun 4

    OTSS Podcast - Dan Kahn

    When Dan Kahn isn’t hosting “The Only The Strong Survive” podcast, he serves as CEO of Kahn Media and the outdoor-focused TREAD Agency. Both agencies offer a wide range of innovative marketing services to everything from small startups to mid-size companies to massive OEMs. His “day job” of leading both agencies and over two decades of experience give Dan deep insight into the marketing landscape and the many challenges brands currently face. In this unique solo episode of “Only The Strong Survive,” Dan takes a break from the podcast’s usual format. Instead of interviewing a guest, he takes time to reflect on how modern marketing is rapidly changing and what brands can do to stay ahead. Click on the icon above to listen to the entire insightful episode, and here are our top takeaways: * There is a huge shift in consumer behavior happening right now. * The current marketing landscape is stuck between two different economies. * Building brand authenticity is still one of the best ways to connect with consumers. * Breaking through to consumers without damaging your brand is vital. The Big Shift One massive change Dan explains is happening right now is the shift from an attention economy to a filtering economy. Most of us are familiar with the attention economy, where brands that make the most “noise” tend to win. However, that is now being replaced by an environment in which marketing messages are “filtered” before ever reaching consumers. “We have become completely overwhelmed with content. What that means now is people are relying on third parties to sort and prioritize that content for them,” explained Dan. “That could be an algorithm on a social platform, it could be AI in your Gmail helping you organize spam from emails you are getting directly from your coworkers or it could be even something like an LLM. Those filters are helping people assess what information they want from the stuff they don’t want.” The New Grey Area AI acts as a large-scale filter, providing an ever-increasing number of consumers with product information and recommendations. Its mass adoption has helped to usher in a new filtered economy. However, according to Dan, that shift isn’t fully complete, leaving brands having to operate in a grey area between an older attention economy and a newer filtered one. “It is one of the biggest shifts in consumer behavior that has happened in the last century. We don’t even know when that transition will be completed because we are still certainly living in this transitional phase right now,” said Dan. “The attention economy does still function, and the filtering economy is still coming online. The number of people adopting AI for decision-making is doubling about every six months, and at this point, the most recent study I read said over 1 billion people on Earth have now used AI in the last month.” Future Proofing Your Brand Many companies are struggling with this huge shift in consumer behavior. How does one stand out when there are now multiple filters between a brand and consumers? For Dan, the answer is to lean hard into building an authentic brand as it will always be the best way to connect with your customers. “How do you future proof your business? How do you figure out how to stand out in a world where algorithms and LLMs are making a lot of decisions for you? Well, one of the ways you do it is through authenticity,” said Dan. “To me, branding is not just a logo. Your brand is who you are, what you stand for and your values. It is what it says about a person or a customer when they buy your product. What are they aligning themselves with?” The Challenge Some brands are looking for gimmicky ways to break through the new filters and gain attention. However, the recent Ferrari Luce launch and highly questionable Jaguar rebrand are good examples of how that tactic can fail. The biggest challenge is connecting with consumers in a way that doesn’t damage your brand, which requires longer-term thinking and a deeper understanding. “How do you stay loyal and true to the values that brought you to the customer in the first place while also being visible enough that you can break through that filtered economy and get the algorithms and the LLMs to recommend you? That is the challenge, and it is an interesting one,” said Dan. “You can turn the hard stuff into good stuff if you are willing to understand how this transitory ecosystem we are living in actually works.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.otsspodcast.com

    OTSS Podcast - Dan Kahn

  6. May 21

    Dave Cole, Co-Founder of King of the Hammers & President/CEO of Hammerking Productions

    In the world of motorsports, some races test your outright speed, and then some test the absolute limits of mechanical and human endurance. Falling squarely into the latter category is King of the Hammers (KOH), widely recognized as the toughest one-day off-road race on the planet. What started as a casual challenge among 12 friends in 2007 has evolved into a massive, week-long global phenomenon that draws over 80,000 spectators and hundreds of elite race teams to the rugged terrain of Johnson Valley, California. At the helm leading that dramatic transformation after founding the race in 2007 is Dave Cole. In this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, host Dan Kahn speaks with Dave about what it took to transform KOH and the many lessons he learned along the way. It is an amazing look at entrepreneurship on a grand scale. Click on the icon above to listen to the entire episode, and here are our top five takeaways: * Keeping to the middle can minimize ups and downs. * Build your vision and stick to it. * Overcoming challenges is all about getting people to work with you. * You have to pay attention to the next generations. * Listening is a critical part of leadership. Play the Middle There have obviously been many highs and lows in turning KOH into what it is today. All of them could have easily created an emotional rollercoaster that would have challenged the sanity of any entrepreneur. However, Dave created a unique way to handle the ups and downs and keep pushing forward. “I don’t ever remotely think about the mistakes of yesterday. I just go forward, go forward and go forward,” said Dave. “I also don’t celebrate the wins either because if you go up with the wins, you have to crash hard with the losses. If you find some way not to go too high with the wins, then you won’t crash as hard with the losses, and you will still be in the middle. If you keep to that middle part, you can keep going the next day.” Stop Chasing Everything One of the pivotal moves Dave made early on was to avoid morphing KOH into what a big sponsor wanted. With the natural ebb and flow of sponsors, KOH could become something it shouldn’t be. Instead of chasing big sponsors, Dave focused on building KOH as he envisioned, and then sponsors approached him. “I stopped trying to chase the big single-title sponsors, which seemed to be what everyone would go after. If you do that, you are building your event around what they need, and that could change every three years when their marketing budget changes,” said Dave. “If you build the event to what you need and they find value in what you are doing, you can just keep plugging away.” The Secret to Overcoming Challenges If there is one thing Dave has become a certifiable expert in, it is overcoming challenges. Turning a dry lakebed into a city, running a massive race on BLM land and livestreaming the entire event from the middle of nowhere have all posed major challenges. However, Dave has overcome them all by sticking to one philosophy. “No matter what the challenge is, your challenge is enrolling people to be your supporters rather than your detractors. That is the constant battle. It doesn’t make a difference if you’re making a race or trying to be elected president or whatever,” said Dave. “All you are doing is working with people to get them in one way or another to work with you. As soon as you can achieve that, then everything is easy, no matter what the technical hurdle is.” Building the Next Generation Ultimately, if you want any form of motorsports to be a long-term success, you have to ensure there is another generation coming. To accomplish that is the Ultra4Next Training & Workforce Development Center in Kentucky. It provides youth with technical and skill development in the motorsports industry, along with career pathways. “If we are going to be the most awesome form of motorsports or the best sport period, we have to have the best people. If we want to make new technology, then we have to have the best people,” said Dave. “I want the smartest people to come do what we do. Turns out it is pretty exciting work, and people want to do it, but they just need a path. “ Listening is a Superpower Some people mistakenly think of leadership as nothing more than telling others what to do. While that is a component of it, listening to people is just as important. It is a critical skill that Dave wishes he had learned earlier in his career. “I didn’t listen enough. I am finding out now that the more I listen, the better off I am. I know I hardly did any of it (listening) back then. I think it was a bit of a give-and-take then. You needed a certain mix of not giving a s**t. It is hard to do that and have listening skills,” said Dave. “Now, you can listen to people, and you can hear them tell you exactly what you need to hear. You just have to listen.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.otsspodcast.com

    Dave Cole, Co-Founder of King of the Hammers & President/CEO of Hammerking Productions

  7. May 7

    OTSS Podcast X The Garage Agency

    Brett Caslow followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps, joining the family business of selling automotive paint to jobbers. After learning the ropes, he then landed a job at 3M, where he put his extensive experience to work in sales, sales training and marketing. Even though Caslow worked for a major corporation, he always describes himself as a “light blue collar worker,” sticking close to the auto body shops and owners he interacted with daily. Now, Caslow lends his extensive expertise to The Garage Agency. Kahn Media’s latest offering, The Garage Agency, specializes in helping collision repair facilities keep their bays full with a host of marketing services. Custom websites, local SEO optimization, social media management, AI search visibility enhancement, review boost programs and more are all offered in affordable packages. On this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, Caslow shares his deep insight into the current state of the auto body shop industry and the challenges it faces with host Dan Kahn. The discussion is a unique look into a sector that doesn’t get much fanfare but is almost a $40 billion industry. Click on the icon to listen to the entire episode, and here are our top five takeaways: * The auto body industry is constantly changing. * Shops can struggle with adapting to a modern marketing environment. * Google reviews play a huge role in shop selection. * Most shops overlook important website metrics. * Finding skilled labor will soon be a struggle. The Auto Body Industry is Rapidly Changing One trend Caslow quickly points out is how collision repair facilities are transitioning from a reputation of dirty, disorganized shops to more professional organizations. That change is also coupled with investors now looking at auto body shops as a source of revenue. Both factors have brought rapid change to the industry. “The industry is now understanding that we can’t present ourselves as dirty collision shops. We have to present ourselves as professional corporations like everyone else does,” said Caslow. “Now, people are also investing in shops. They might not come from that space, but are looking for shops to buy and figure out how to make money doing it. There is now a mix of intimate industry knowledge and people buying up shops, so it is a nice combination.” Modernization is a Challenge Adapting to an era where most customers find shops online can be a struggle. Many shop owners are busy people and have little time to stay on top of changing algorithms and best website practices. That is where Caslow sees The Garage Agency making an impact. “Websites in general, and why I am so drawn to this (The Garage Agency), are a huge miss for our industry right now,” said Caslow. “Our job is to help them understand that they can have a beautiful website, but if it is not doing all the right things, it is not going to make a difference. That is some of what The Garage Agency does. We take a strong look at what they are doing from a website standpoint.” Google Reviews are Gold The critical role Google reviews play often gets lost in shops’ struggle to modernize. Those reviews now make a bigger impact than a personal referral in selecting an auto body shop. Caslow sees helping shops get more reviews and manage them as vital for The Garage Agency. “We choose our providers based on Google reviews. It is amazing in our space how many great shops only have 20 reviews just because they are not using the system effectively. They should have 220 five-star reviews,” said Caslow. “Referrals are still great and still a core part of it, but they are not the core part of it anymore. There are bigger things going on in the industry than that.” Metrics Matter Your shop can have a beautiful-looking website, but it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t deliver results. A big part of getting those results from your website is paying attention to the right metrics. If you are too busy or don’t understand the role those metrics play, getting with an agency that does is a wise idea. “The other big miss I would say in almost all websites is that they are not tracking metrics on who is visiting, keyword searches and SEO,” said Caslow. “Understanding the behind-the-scenes of what is happening is important: who is coming to the website, what they are doing when they get there, which links they are clicking and who is setting appointments. All of those are the next big steps for your website that we don’t see often. Most of them are informational and not transactional.” The Skilled Labor Problem As the average age of auto body shop technicians rises, finding skilled labor is a challenge. Thankfully, vocational and trade schools are coming to the rescue. And, with fears of AI taking jobs, interest in them is higher than ever. “In the collision industry, one of our biggest concerns is finding skilled labor in the next 20 years. The current age of most of our technicians is 50-plus,” said Caslow. “Our vocational schools are now doing a great job of trying to recruit kids. It used to be the kids who were trouble in school and maybe didn’t have a future in the education system, you would throw them in the auto body class. That is not the case anymore, as vocational and trades are the new four-year degree in this country.” This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.otsspodcast.com

    OTSS Podcast X The Garage Agency

  8. Apr 23

    Mike Spagnola, CEO of SEMA & PRI

    The automotive aftermarket is a massive economic force, generating $53 billion in annual sales and a total economic impact of $337 billion. At the helm of its most influential organization, the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), is Mike Spagnola, a lifelong enthusiast who transitioned from building companies to leading the entire industry as SEMA’s CEO. Spagnola’s automotive journey began from an obsession with the sounds, sights and smells of muscle cars rumbling past his childhood home. His career was then ignited by a $200 scholarship from industry legend Mickey Thompson, which he won as the top student in his high school auto shop class. Before leading SEMA, Spagnola spent decades in the trenches of the automotive industry, most notably by building Street Scene, a business that became a fixture in the lowered-truck, muscle-car and tuner market. On this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, Spagnola shares with host Dan Kahn the vital role SEMA plays in the automotive aftermarket industry and what he has learned from his many years in the business. Click on the icon above to listen to the entire episode, and here are our five top takeaways: * Advocacy for the industry isn’t flashy, but it is vital. * You have to make your “tent” bigger. * At the SEMA Show, it is about finding a balance between B2B and consumer audiences. * Learning to delegate is a powerful skill. * A shared passion can bond anyone. Advocating For and Protecting the Industry One of SEMA’s most critical functions is its extensive advocacy for the industry in Washington, D.C. The organization has tripled its government relations budget to protect enthusiasts’ rights to modify their vehicles and access to public lands for recreation. While it might not get as much attention as the SEMA Show, doing so is vital for the industry’s future. “We have to stand up for our rights to continue to be able to modify, continue to be able to do off-roading and continue to be able to have racetracks available,” said Spagnola. “In the off-road community, they say, ‘No trails, no sales.’ It is more than just protecting trails; it is really protecting that lifestyle.” Expanding SEMA’s Tent Under Spagnola’s leadership, SEMA is actively expanding its reach into the powersports and the off-road lifestyle markets. By bringing these segments further under the SEMA “tent,” the organization hopes to provide better representation and protection for all forms of motorized recreation. SEMA’s recent purchase of the Off-Road Business Association (ORBA) and the inclusion of side-by-sides at the upcoming SEMA Show are a reflection of its commitment. “Through the purchase of ORBA and some of the other things we are doing, we are really paying attention to the whole off-road community now,” said Spagnola. “We want to make sure they are protected, and we want to see them grow. We are going to be doing a lot of work this year at the SEMA Show and are doing a full powersports area and starting to grow West Hall with trucks, off-road trucks and side-by-sides.” The Evolution of the SEMA Show The SEMA Show is easily the largest gathering of the automotive aftermarket industry in the world. However, there has always been a struggle with whether the show should be strictly business-to-business or more consumer-facing. For Spagnola, it is about balancing the needs of all SEMA members while continuing to evolve the show. “There are still lots of mom-and-pop guys that come to the SEMA Show every year, so we need that business-to-business connection,” said Spagnola. “A lot of people now are just looking for eyeballs and branding. They just want to make sure that the consumer sees them and knows them. If you take a Meguiar’s or even Ford Motor Company, they want to see consumers and show their products to them. So you do need a consumer side, which is what we do now on Fridays and with the outdoor activities.” Don’t Be Afraid to Delegate Reflecting on his career, Spagnola identified delegation as one of his greatest early challenges. Early on, he believed in leading by doing every task himself, but he eventually realized the value of empowering his team. He now focuses on providing support and encouragement rather than trying to be “the guy that’s the best at everything.” “I really had to learn to delegate. I really had to learn to trust. I really had to learn to surround myself with the best people,” said Spagnola. “That even involves your ego sometimes, with saying that you are going to let them do it to the best of their ability and trust them to do it and continue to trust them until there is a reason not to.” We All Share a Passion It is not hyperbole to say that we live in extremely polarized times. However, one thing that unites many people, regardless of who they are or where they live, is a shared passion for cars. No matter where Spagnola travels across the world, he always seems to find and form a bond with other car people. “I’ve said for years I think we could solve world peace if we just talked cars,” said Spagnola. “We find each other, and we share that love and that passion that, I don’t know if I can put the right words together, but you just start to smile and chuckle and find this common ground. People can be so polarized today, yet when you start talking about cars and who they are and what they drive, it’s just fun. It’s just cool”. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.otsspodcast.com

    Mike Spagnola, CEO of SEMA & PRI
See All (71)

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

This is the guiding principal behind most new businesses, the entrepreneurial "eat or be eaten" ethos that drives the builders, the doers and the risk-takers responsible for history's greatest brands and companies. www.otsspodcast.com

Information

  • Creator
    Kahn Media
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    71
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Kahn Media Inc
  • Show Website
    OTSS Podcast