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. 4d ago

    OTSS Rewind: Norris Marshall, CEO of BluePrint Engines

    As we revisit some of our favorite conversations from the Only The Strong Survive archives, we’re going back to Episode 25 with Norris Marshall, CEO of BluePrint Engines.Originally released in October 2024, Norris’ episode is one we’ve wanted to bring back for a while. And for the first time, we’re releasing the conversation with video, giving viewers a new way to experience Dan and Norris’ discussion about entrepreneurship, leadership, company culture and building a business designed to last.A lot has changed since Episode 25 first aired, but the lessons Norris shared still hold up. His story of growing BluePrint Engines from a small-town machine shop into one of the country’s leading builders of high-performance crate engines is exactly the kind of story Only The Strong Survive was created to tell. Whether you heard the original episode or are discovering it for the first time, it’s worth revisiting.BluePrint Engines CEO Norris Marshall is an amazing example of a true American entrepreneurial success story. Born in rural Nebraska, Marshall spent much of his youth working on the farm. However, he began working in a small-town repair shop in his teenage years. It was there that he discovered his love of working on engines. Eventually, Marshall moved from fixing small lawnmower engines to larger ones when he began working at a local machine shop.Marshall quickly left that machine shop to start his own, showing his entrepreneurial spirit. From those humble beginnings as a small machine shop, he guided his business to become one of America’s premier builders of high-performance crate engines. With over 400,000 engines now produced, BluePrint Engines employs a vast array of engineers, engine builders, salespeople, support staff and other employees at its Kearney, Nebraska, headquarters.The journey from a small machine shop to a leader in high-performance crate engines wasn’t easy or a straight path. In this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, Marshall discusses what he learned from that experience with host Dan Kahn. Click on the play icon to watch this fascinating discussion that is a must for anyone running their own business. Here are our top five takeaways: * Always keep pivoting. * Company culture is more important than many people think. * Fantastic employees are the result of training and development. * Mentoring is a great way to develop your employees further. * Employee ownership is a way to ensure your team is vested in long-term success. Don’t Be Afraid to PivotKey to BluePrint’s success is Marshall’s willingness to shift business models. Initially, he started the business as a small machine shop, but it was limited to supplying local engine builders. Wanting to grow the business further, Marshall shifted to building remanufactured replacement engines. That change led to massive growth, with BluePrint producing over 100 engines a day. However, as factory OEM engines improved, the need to replace them dwindled. Once again, Marshall shifted to building complete and brand-new high-performance engines to continue the company’s success.“The amount of remanufactured engines that the world needed shrank in a very short period of time. It was kind of like Kodak film. Kodak had all the imaging going on, but in a 10-year period of time, it disappeared, and nobody needed film. So, we were back to needing to change what we do and being more viable,” says Marshall. “The good part is that was the beginning of BluePrint Engines. We had the equipment, knew about engines and knew how to make the engines.”Company Culture is Just as Important as Your ProductsCompany culture is often overlooked in the drive to produce more products and create new ones. However, it is essential and should never be ignored. Recognizing this fact long before company culture became a more recent focus, Marshall carefully built the right one. The move proved wise, as Marshall built a brand that employees want to be a part of and move forward.“I guess the culture comes from me, how I want to treat our employees and how I expect our managers to treat our employees. I start with the idea that everybody wants to do a good job, and you just have to find a way to let them,” says Marshall. “I also do believe that people are capable of a lot more than we realize if we challenge and encourage them. So, I am big on challenging and encouraging. I’ve got a lot of push, and I am not easy to work for. At the same time, I am on their side, and I want to help them. I think you need to make it personal, too. People need to know that you care about them, and when the moment arises to show that, you really need to show up.”Grow Your EmployeesIn the daily grind of running a business, individual employees can be just as overlooked as company culture. However, if you want your company to succeed, you need to pay attention to both its culture and employee growth. Properly training employees and taking a vested interest in their development makes them better at their jobs and more impactful to a company as a whole.“Great companies are made up of awesome people who are really just regular people who were given a chance to be great. Everybody’s got some of that greatness in them,” says Marshall. “I realized that when you are looking at your competitor and admiring their people if you can’t admire your people, you probably need to do more to try to develop and train them because it is in most of them to be really great at something.”Mentoring MattersMentors are equally as crucial to employee development as proper training. The right mentors can guide employees, pass along knowledge and help teach valuable skills. A mentor from outside a company can also bring fresh perspectives and new ways of tackling issues or problems. With a mentor making a big difference in his early career, Marshall happily makes them available to his employees.“We have a lot of people here on the leadership team who have been here for a long time. For the most part, they haven’t worked anywhere else. We need that outside influence (of a mentor), so they know more than what we collectively know at BluePrint,” says Marshall. “So let’s get them with somebody who can teach them those other things. For the most part, I see really, really fantastic growth and change in the individuals who get mentored.”Boosting Buy InGetting employees to buy in and believe in your organization’s mission is critical. One way Marshall boosts buy-in at BluePrint is by having employees literally buy into the company. By offering employees the chance to purchase stock in the company that yields returns based on its performance, they become more vested in the long-term success of BluePrint. The stock isn’t free or cheap, ensuring a deeper level of commitment among the employees who purchase it. It also gives a path to BluePrint’s longevity beyond Marshall and keeps ownership within the company.“I did enough research five years ago on who you can sell a business to and learned about strategic buyers and private equity, and I also learned about employee ownership. So, to create a path, and there is no guarantee this is how it is going to end, my wife and I decided to sell about 10 percent of the stock in the company. We ended up with a group of about a dozen employees who purchased stock. It is not phantom stock or an ESOP,” says Marshall. “One of the attributes about it that I really like is that the employees ultimately get wealthy. I think it is important to really have that carrot out there that if you come in here and buy stock and sweat it out, make those payments and continue to buy more stock when you can, by the time you’re 50 or 60 and if you have a high-level job, you’re going to own enough stock that you are going to be rich.” 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 Rewind: Norris Marshall, CEO of BluePrint Engines

  2. Sep 17

    OTSS Rewind: The Larry Chen Episode

    Originally released in February 2024, our conversation with Larry Chen has remained one of our favorite episodes of Only The Strong Survive. Now, in September 2026, we’re bringing it back as part of our Best of OTSS series, revisiting some of the conversations that have stuck with us long after they first aired.Growing up in the center of Southern California car culture, Larry Chen was exposed to everything automotive from an early age. Like many kids in the region, he dreamed of owning and racing exotic cars. Eventually, those dreams started to take shape on a smaller scale as Larry raced what he could and brought his camera along to document the experience.That decision to photograph those early races would eventually change the course of his career. As his skills behind the camera grew, Larry hung up his helmet and turned to photography full-time, becoming one of the most recognized names in automotive photography.By the time he joined Dan Kahn on Only The Strong Survive, Larry had built a career that extended far beyond photography, balancing work for major clients with a massive audience across his own channels.What makes this episode worth revisiting more than two years later is how well the conversation has held up. Larry and Dan talk about what it actually takes to build a creative career, why being easy to work with matters, how constant learning keeps you moving forward and what Larry has learned about avoiding burnout along the way.The five takeaways below were true when the episode first aired in 2024, and they feel just as relevant in 2026: * Why success as a creator takes time * The importance of continuing to learn * Why your attitude matters * How passion fuels creativity * Larry’s approach to avoiding burnout Don’t Expect Immediate SuccessMany people want to be influencers and content creators, and from the outside, the path can sometimes look easier than it really is. Larry’s career is a reminder that building something sustainable takes time.It took him years of hard work to hone his skills and become an accomplished photographer. He worked multiple odd jobs while funding his passion for photography, and it was four years before he broke even.“It took quite a long time for me to get to a point where I broke even by taking pictures. I started in 2004 taking photos of cars,” says Chen. “It got to the point around 2009 where I had to break even somehow. Luckily, that year, I was able to break even. The next year, I told myself that I had to take home $10,000, and I was able to hit that goal. Then it just slowly went up year after year. It wasn’t an overnight thing.”That part of the conversation feels especially relevant today. The platforms may have changed and the volume of content has increased, but building a real career still takes patience and consistency. Constantly Learning Is KeyThere really isn’t a single guidebook for creativity, especially when you are working at the front edge of an industry.For Larry, a big part of staying successful has been the willingness to learn as he goes. Automotive photography and content creation continue to evolve, and the people doing the work often have to figure things out in real time.“I can’t just Google a lot of these things because we are trying to be the first or very early adopters of something,” says Chen. “We have to do a lot of learning as we go. Most of the processes that me and my guys have figured out over the years, we try to do what we can to share it. That is where the education portion comes in. We try to share as much knowledge as possible because it really is elevating car photography and content overall.”That mindset still holds up in 2026. New tools will keep coming, but curiosity and the willingness to keep learning remain a major part of staying relevant. Be Easy to Work WithOne of the strongest parts of the episode is Larry’s perspective on reputation.Talent matters, but long careers are also built on how you show up and how people feel about working with you. Being reliable, collaborative and easy to work with can carry just as much weight as the quality of the finished product.“There are so many good shooters out there, but maybe sometimes they are more difficult to work with. They usually get weeded out,” says Chen. “I try to be as reliable as possible and easy to work with and deliver stuff in a timely manner.”That point feels even more relevant now. There are more talented creators than ever, which makes the experience of working with someone matter just as much as the work itself. Be Passionate About What You DoSpend any time talking to Larry and it is obvious how much he genuinely loves cars.That passion plays a huge role in his creativity and has helped keep him engaged across so many different parts of automotive culture. It gives him a reason to keep exploring new ideas and stay interested in the work.“Everyone on our team is very passionate, and I am so appreciative of that. We are all just a bunch of nerds. We love drifting, going to the track and tinkering on our cars,” says Chen. “I am so lucky to be able to do what I do.”More than two years later, that part of the conversation still feels important. When your career is built around creating constantly, genuine interest in the subject matter goes a long way. Avoiding BurnoutBurnout is something nearly every creative person has to think about eventually, especially when the lines between work, personal projects and social media can blur so easily.For Larry, one of the things that keeps him interested is variety. His work spans a huge range of automotive culture, which gives him room to stay curious rather than getting stuck doing the same thing over and over again.“A lot of people ask how I don’t burn out and stay interested in all the stuff that I do. Luckily for me, I am able to shoot everything. It is not just one thing. It is not just drifting or time attack,” says Chen. “It’s legitimately everything that the car culture world has to offer. If it has four wheels or even two wheels, or if it has some sort of transportation aspect to it, then I am there and interested in it. Honestly, if I did get burned out, I would stop. But I don’t really know what else would keep me interested or what else would keep me so happy.”That perspective has aged well. Creative careers have only become more demanding, which makes finding ways to stay interested in the work even more important.More than two years after this episode first aired, Larry’s perspective on creativity, work ethic and building a lasting career still holds up. That made it an easy choice to bring back as part of Best of OTSS. 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 Rewind: The Larry Chen Episode

  3. Sep 3

    Bob Wheeler, President & CEO of Airstream

    On the latest episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, host Dan Kahn sits down with Bob Wheeler, the visionary president and CEO behind the modern resurgence of Airstream. Bob’s journey began in the trenches of General Motors as a mechanical engineer. While navigating the complex manufacturing floor, he earned his MBA at night, gaining invaluable, real-world lessons in leadership and labor relations. Seeking less bureaucracy and greater agility, Bob eventually transitioned into the RV industry, taking the helm at Airstream in 2005 after joining the company in 2002. Founded in 1931, Airstream is an undisputed American icon in luxury travel trailers. However, when Bob arrived, the legacy brand was suffering from stagnation, relying on a single outdated product line while sales dropped despite a booming RV market. In this episode, Bob reveals how he steered a storied company out of a slump and into record growth. Click on the icon to listen to the lessons he learned while successfully modernizing the brand for a new generation of adventurers without losing the timeless magic that makes an Airstream instantly recognizable on the open road. Here are our top five takeaways: * Spending time on the factory floor helps you understand what really makes the business run. * Fresh, external talent can be a great way to reinvent a brand. * Great marketing is about building relationships with future buyers long before they’re ready to purchase. * Leaning on past experience and company history keeps your employees focused when times get tough. * Leaving your ego at the door makes you open to better ideas and keeps your team collaborating. Get on the Factory Floor One of Bob’s first roles after transitioning into the RV industry was supervising manufacturing on the factory floor. The experience was pivotal, as it taught him that the people on the floor are just as important as the products made there. Gaining a deeper understanding of those workers, how to connect with them and their needs has helped him throughout his career. “I started out in manufacturing management, which is a great experience I would recommend for anyone,” said Bob. “If you jump right into an office job and you are part of a manufacturing company and you don’t spend time on the floor with people that don’t have your background, opportunities or resources, and you don’t learn to communicate, connect and understand their perspectives, you really miss something important.” Bring in Outside Eyes While Airstream’s trailers were iconic, they were also becoming stagnant and steadily losing sales to other competitors. The product needed a refresh, but it had to be done very carefully. To help accomplish this feat, Bob brought in a fresh set of eyes with an outsider’s perspective. “There was a real challenge and opportunity to refresh the brand, but it had to be done in a way that respected its heritage and didn’t ruin what is so magical about Airstream. Luckily, we partnered with a respected and talented architect out of San Francisco named Chris Deam,” said Bob. “He reimagined what the Airstream could be in a way that none of us had. When we saw it, we recognized that it really would change the game and reintroduce the brand and the product to a whole new generation of owners.” Plant Seeds Marketing can often be very focused on the near term. However, for Bob, thinking long-term and “planting seeds” is equally important as reaching quarterly goals. Doing so ensures that there will always be a steady crop of buyers for Airstream’s iconic trailers. “We have gone from just kind of answering the phone when people call and opportunities land in our lap, and they continue to at a rate we remain grateful for, to now being more strategic in who we want to partner with, rather than who is calling us,” said Bob. “And, maybe more importantly, how do we continue to push the brand to connect in ways with buyers that are younger? They might not be buyers in five or even 10 years, but how do we plant the seeds with future buyers in a way that they understand Airstream is cool, it’s authentic and can transform your life?” Keep Calm and Carry On Guiding a company through an economic downturn and a pandemic can be a hair-raising experience for any CEO. However, Bob was able to rely on the knowledge he gained during the 2008 financial crisis to remain calm and collected. But just as critical as keeping yourself calm is allaying the fears of everyone else in the company. “When we hit the downturns in 2018 and 2019, when things got soft, and the crisis of early 2020, when the bottom fell out for about six weeks before it came roaring back for us and everybody else in the industry, you learn how to manage through that. You keep calm because you have done it before,” said Bob. “It helped to tell people that I had been through this and we had been through this before as a company. We were 90 years old then as a company and knew how to weather these things.” Be Humble For Bob, being humble is about more than just not being braggadocios. When you are humble, you become more open to collaboration and other ideas. By doing that, you become a much better manager and a more effective leader than one who thinks their ideas are always the best. “Humility is really a strong core value for me. It leads to a collaborative style of management. I don’t always have the best idea in the room, but every now and then a blind squirrel finds a nut,” said Bob. “I have got a great team, and I listen to them, and we collaborate a lot. Humility makes you open to others’ ideas, and many times, it is a better idea.” 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

    Bob Wheeler, President & CEO of Airstream

  4. Aug 20

    OTSS Podcast - Bruce Meyer

    On the latest episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, host Dan Kahn sits down with Bruce Meyer, a true legend in the car collector world. As the founding chairman of the Petersen Automotive Museum, creator of the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance and co-founder of the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Awards, Bruce stands as one of the most respected ambassadors of automotive history and culture. Yet Bruce’s path into car culture wasn’t inherited, unlike that of many enthusiasts. Growing up in a family that viewed automobiles strictly as basic transportation, Bruce credits what he jokingly calls a “mutant gene” with sparking his obsessive passion for automobiles. Coming of age in the epicenter of Southern California’s 1950s hot rod boom definitely helped fuel his passion for high-octane machinery and create a lifelong romance that eventually led him into hot-rodding, racing and curating one of the world’s finest automotive collections. While his garage holds many priceless pieces of automotive history, Bruce will be the first to tell you that his true passion isn’t just the machinery but the incredible people who build, drive and preserve these amazing automobiles. Click the icon to listen to the entire episode as Bruce shares his insights from his lifelong dedication to car culture and what he learned along the way. Here are our top five takeaways: * You can learn a lot from your elders. * There are always risks in big ideas. * The right staff members can make all the difference. * Being a people person is pivotal to success. * Buying the best is always the right choice. You Don’t Know Everything Bruce’s father might not have given him a love of cars, but his dad did play a vital role in shaping him. His father, an entrepreneur who eventually bought GEARYS Beverly Hills, instilled in Bruce a strong business sense. The challenge for a young Bruce was realizing he didn’t know everything and that he could learn a lot from his dad by helping out in the family business. “When you are in your 20s, you think you know everything. I was in my 20s, and I thought I knew everything about mail order and retail. It was the height of my intellect,” joked Bruce. “My dad knew very little, and I knew it all. As you get older, you realize that maybe you didn’t know it all and maybe he did.” Big Ideas Carry Big Risks As its founding chairman, Bruce has been involved with the Petersen Automotive Museum since its inception. One of the big ideas behind its massive $90-million redesign in 2015 was to completely transform its rather mundane exterior with 308 stainless-steel flying ribbons. Once unveiled, the museum’s new look was criticized by many in the architectural press. However, the risk was worth taking, as the criticism eventually faded, and the museum is now seen as an icon on Wilshire Boulevard’s fabled Museum Row. “When we got it open, the architectural critics threw us under the bus. They said we were the Edsel of architecture. They were very clever in telling people how awful we were,” said Bruce. “Now we are the darling of museums worldwide. We have been voted the best museum in the world by every metric and every group, and honestly, we are.” Hire the Right People One constant tenet we have heard from multiple entrepreneurs is the importance of hiring the right people. Bruce backs that idea up with the crucial decision to bring Terry Karges on board as the Petersen Automotive Museum’s executive director in 2012. Karges was the right choice and has had a massive impact on the museum’s success. “What really turned us around was a fellow named Terry Karges,” said Bruce. “Terry was created for this job. He worked for Disney, he owned his own race team and he worked for Roush. He knew cleanliness, discipline, how to staff and keeping your staff happy. I credit Terry with the rebirth of the Petersen. As much as David Sydorick and I did to lay the groundwork, it is Terry who is responsible for the Petersen we have today.” Be a People Person One of Bruce’s many superpowers is his ability to bring people together from disparate groups. It is a skill that has served him well throughout his multiple leadership and event roles. For Bruce, it isn’t a talent that he had to learn, but one that comes naturally from his love of people. “It all comes down to people. It doesn’t matter if you have a Ferrari GTO and you are the last man on Earth. If you have nobody to share it with, it is not so much fun,” said Bruce. “I just love sharing friendships and bringing people together. It just means a lot to me. I do it out of love, and I do it out of respect.” Make it Hurt Once Whether it is buying cars, hiring people or anything else in life, Bruce always wants to get the best possible option. Doing so might not be the cheapest route, but it always comes out better in the long run. For him, the long-term benefits always outweigh the short-term financial pain. “That is my mantra. Buy the best and cry only once. I have had friends of mine who have told me when I bought a car that I could have bought it for a whole lot less,” said Bruce. “Well then, you might have to put a lot of money into it, and it becomes not a pleasant experience. Buy the best and cry only once, I live by that.” 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 - Bruce Meyer

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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
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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
    75
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Kahn Media Inc
  • Show Website
    OTSS Podcast

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