For this episode, we’re diving into one of the most important topics in EV repair—safety and personal protective equipment (PPE). Our guests are Baily Soto and Mavrick Knoles from Legacy EV, leaders in EV education and technology. Baily and Mavrick share best practices for protecting technicians working on electric vehicles and insights into how Legacy EV is helping shops create safer environments for EV repairs. From specialized PPE to essential safety protocols, we’ll cover it all. Enjoy the show! Connect with Legacy EV: Websites: https://legacyev.com/ https://legacyev.com/collections/education https://academy.legacyev.com/ Socials: https://www.instagram.com/legacy.ev/?hl=en https://www.linkedin.com/company/legacy-ev/   This episode is sponsored by: Thryv Ready to hit the gas on growth? Meet Thryv, the do-it-all small business software that can save you over 20 hours a week. Attract customers, manage day-to-day tasks, and keep communication simple with one powerful tool made for your auto business. Rev up your revenue today and let Thryv save you time so you can get back to doing what you love. Schedule a demo today by visiting https://www.thryv.com/ 

For this episode, we have an essential discussion on personal protective equipment (PPE) and how innovation is shaping workplace safety in collision repair shops. Our guests for this episode are Scott Shinn, advanced technical service specialist in the Personal Safety Division for 3M, and Jason Scharton, global industry relations leader for 3M. Scott and Jason bring a wealth of knowledge about the latest advancements in PPE, how 3M is addressing the unique safety challenges in our industry, and what shops can do to keep their teams safe and productive. Enjoy the show! Connect with Scott and Jason: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/collision-repair-us/   This episode is sponsored by: Thryv Ready to hit the gas on growth? Meet Thryv, the do-it-all small business software that can save you over 20 hours a week. Attract customers, manage day-to-day tasks, and keep communication simple with one powerful tool made for your auto business. Rev up your revenue today and let Thryv save you time so you can get back to doing what you love. Schedule a demo today by visiting https://www.thryv.com/ 

Today, we’re continuing our Safety First: Prioritizing Health in the Workshop series by diving into best practices for workplace safety. Joining us today is Stephany Birkholz, regulatory project manager at KPA. Stephany is an expert in workplace safety and compliance, helping collision repair shops implement tools and strategies to protect their employees and improve operations. Today, we’ll explore practical steps shop owners can take to build safer workplaces and ensure long-term compliance with industry standards. We hope you enjoy! Connect with Stephany: Website: https://kpa.io/ Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/birkholzs/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/kpa-llc/   This episode is sponsored by: Thryv Ready to hit the gas on growth? Meet Thryv, the do-it-all small business software that can save you over 20 hours a week. Attract customers, manage day-to-day tasks, and keep communication simple with one powerful tool made for your auto business. Rev up your revenue today and let Thryv save you time so you can get back to doing what you love. Schedule a demo today by visiting https://www.thryv.com/

Our guest for this episode is Andrew Batenhorst, Body Shop Manager at Pacific BMW. In addition to being all over the industry and very active in his volunteer work, Andrew is a leader with a vision for how to embed safety into the day-to-day practices of auto body shops. Today, we’ll discuss his strategies for building a strong safety culture, reducing risks on the shop floor, and how prioritizing safety can ultimately improve business performance. Connect with Andrew: Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-b-1119a4186/   This episode is sponsored by: Thryv  Ready to hit the gas on growth? Meet Thryv, the do-it-all small business software that can save you over 20 hours a week. Attract customers, manage day-to-day tasks, and keep communication simple with one powerful tool made for your auto business. Rev up your revenue today and let Thryv save you time so you can get back to doing what you love. Schedule a demo today by visiting https://www.thryv.com/

We’re kicking off our brand-new series, Safety First: Prioritizing Health in the Workshop. In this first episode, we’re diving into a critical aspect of workplace health—employee well-being and the role of benefits in collision repair shops. Joining us is Richie Seaberry, Vice President of Business Development and Enterprise Portfolio Manager at Decisely. Richie is here to talk about how offering comprehensive health benefits—like medical, dental, and vision coverage—can have a tremendous impact on both your employees' well-being and your shop's success. We’ll explore the connection between employee health, workplace performance, recruiting and retention, and why investing in benefits can be a game-changer for collision repair businesses. Connect with Decisely: https://scrsbenefitscenter.decisely.com/ This episode is sponsored by: Thryv Ready to hit the gas on growth? Meet Thryv, the do-it-all small business software that can save you over 20 hours a week. Attract customers, manage day-to-day tasks, and keep communication simple with one powerful tool made for your auto business. Rev up your revenue today and let Thryv save you time so you can get back to doing what you love. Schedule a demo today by visiting https://www.thryv.com/ 

On this episode, we’re diving into one of the most exciting and highly anticipated events of the year for the automotive industry: SEMA 2024. Our guest today is RJ de Vera, Vice President of Marketing at SEMA, and an influential figure in the world of car culture, customization, and the aftermarket industry. RJ has seen it all at SEMA, and we’ll discuss what attendees can expect from this year’s show, the trends shaping the industry, and the builds that will blow everyone away. Enjoy the show! More information and to register: www.SEMAShow.com   www.SEMAFest.com   Download the SEMA App: https://www.semashow.com/app/   This episode is sponsored by: Thryv  Ready to hit the gas on growth? Meet Thryv, the do-it-all small business software that can save you over 20 hours a week. Attract customers, manage day-to-day tasks, and keep communication simple with one powerful tool made for your auto business. Rev up your revenue today and let Thryv save you time so you can get back to doing what you love. Schedule a demo today by visiting https://www.thryv.com/

We are continuing our Art of Restoration series by talking with Ryan Basseri, founder of Rywire Motorsport Electronics. Ryan’s known for his work in high-performance custom builds and his expertise in wiring and electronics. More recently, he’s been making waves with his EV conversion builds, a couple of which he will be showing at SEMA 2024. Today, we’ll discuss his journey, the evolving world of custom builds, and what’s next for Rywire. We hope you enjoy the show! Connect with Ryan: Website: https://www.rywire.com/default.asp Social: https://www.instagram.com/rywire_motorsport/?hl=en   This episode is sponsored by: Thryv  Ready to hit the gas on growth? Meet Thryv, the do-it-all small business software that can save you over 20 hours a week. Attract customers, manage day-to-day tasks, and keep communication simple with one powerful tool made for your auto business. Rev up your revenue today and let Thryv save you time so you can get back to doing what you love. Schedule a demo today by visiting https://www.thryv.com/

As SEMA 2024 gets closer, we continue to highlight some of the most innovative and exciting creators in the automotive industry. Today we have a fellow southerner who puts a signature flair on his hot rod builds. Jonathan Goolsby is the Owner of Goolsby Customs, an award-winning hot rod shop fueled by their passion for bringing automotive visions to reality for their customers. Jonathan and I talk about his story, some of his favorite builds, his strategy for fostering an engaged team, and what Goolsby Customs has planned for SEMA 2024… enjoy the show! Connect with Jonathon: Websites: https://goolsbycustoms.com/  https://www.carbuffnetwork.com/shop-service/goolsby-customs/ Socials: https://www.instagram.com/goolsbycustoms  https://www.facebook.com/GoolsbyCustomsInc/ https://x.com/goolsbycustoms?mx=2   This episode is sponsored by: Thryv Ready to hit the gas on growth? Meet Thryv, the do-it-all small business software that can save you over 20 hours a week. Attract customers, manage day-to-day tasks, and keep communication simple with one powerful tool made for your auto business. Rev up your revenue today and let Thryv save you time so you can get back to doing what you love. Schedule a demo today by visiting https://www.thryv.com/ 

Welcome to another episode of the collision vision. As SEMA quickly approaches, we continue to highlight some of the most innovative, exciting creators in the automotive industry. Eddie B. is the Founder and CEO of Revolt Systems, a manufacturer of electric motors for high-performance vehicle, and Snow is his right-hand man at Revolt, as well as… basically a rocket science. Today, Eddy, Snow and I are talking all about some of their favorite builds, the past and the future of electrification in classic cars, the business of EVs, SEMA 2024, and a whole lot more… enjoy the show! This episode is sponsored by: Thryv Ready to hit the gas on growth? Meet Thryv, the do-it-all small business software that can save you over 20 hours a week. Attract customers, manage day-to-day tasks, and keep communication simple with one powerful tool made for your auto business. Rev up your revenue today and let Thryv save you time so you can get back to doing what you love. Schedule a demo today by visiting https://www.thryv.com/

Welcome to our newest series titled Art of Restoration. With SEMA just around the corner, we’re bringing the who’s who of custom cars and classic car restorations… and we’re starting with one of the very biggest names in the industry…. Dave Kindig. Dave is an industry giant, and insanely talented artist, and a great guy to speak with. The passion he has for what he does—and that is, of course, creating some of the coolest cars you’ve ever seen—is contagious. I had the opportunity to meet Dave at SEMA last year, so it’s fitting we’ll spend a fair bit of time talking about SEMA coming up this year, as well as some of his favorite builds, his inspiration, how he’s built a world-class team, and much more… enjoy the show! This episode is sponsored by: Thryv Ready to hit the gas on growth? Meet Thryv, the do-it-all small business software that can save you over 20 hours a week. Attract customers, manage day-to-day tasks, and keep communication simple with one powerful tool made for your auto business. Rev up your revenue today and let Thryv save you time so you can get back to doing what you love. Schedule a demo today by visiting https://www.thryv.com/

Today’s episode is all about new technologies and their relationship with insurance. More specifically, we’ll dive into how ADAS calibration and insurance are working together, and what the future of that relationship might look like. Our guests are Mike Anderson, president & owner of Collision Advice, and Steve Dawson, Washington DC Regional Manager for Hunter Engineering. Enjoy the show! Connect with Steve Dawson: Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-dawson-hunter/ Web: https://www.hunter.com/alignment-machines/collision-alignment/#overview  https://www.hunter.com/alignment-machines/adas-calibration-tools/   Connect with Mike Anderson: Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-anderson-1124ba48/ Web: https://collisionadvice.com/ This episode is sponsored by: Hunter Engineering At Hunter Engineering, the theme behind all their products is do it right, do it once. So when you’re doing alignments, the time to find hidden damage is before you start, not after. The workflow for Hunter’s Collision Alignment System surfaces the trouble right up front by providing five additional collision-specific measurements, like toe out on turn, maximum steer and ride height, to find the problems right away. It’s all about efficiency, so find the damage before it finds you. To learn more about Hunter’s Collision Alignment System, visit https://www.hunter.com/

Today's guest is Billy Walkowiak, the founder and president of Collision Safety Consultants. During our conversation, Billy provides helpful insights on how to properly negotiate with insurance providers, the importance of detailed documentation on repairs, and the value of doing right by your consumers. Enjoy the show! Connect with Bill Walkowiak: Website: https://collisionsafetyconsultants.us/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-walkowiak-%F0%9F%94%8D-88262276/    This episode is sponsored by: Hunter Engineering  At Hunter Engineering, the theme behind all their products is do it right, do it once. So when you’re doing alignments, the time to find hidden damage is before you start, not after. The workflow for Hunter’s Collision Alignment System surfaces the trouble right up front by providing five additional collision-specific measurements, like toe out on turn, maximum steer and ride height, to find the problems right away. It’s all about efficiency, so find the damage before it finds you. To learn more about Hunter’s Collision Alignment System, visit https://www.hunter.com/

On this episode we speak with Patrick Crozat, COO of G&C Auto Body, a fast-growing California based MSO. During our conversation, we discuss how to utilize insurance relationship and DRP's to fuel growth in your shop. Pat has become an authority on how to approach DRP business with a lazer focus on efficiency. We love Pat's perspective on diversifying your profit centers and we think you will gain a lot from this episode. Connect with Pat Crozat and G&C Auto Body: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-crozat-2b49b985/ Email: [email protected] Website: https://gandcautobody.com/    This episode is sponsored by: Hunter Engineering At Hunter Engineering, the theme behind all their products is do it right, do it once. So when you’re doing alignments, the time to find hidden damage is before you start, not after. The workflow for Hunter’s Collision Alignment System surfaces the trouble right up front by providing five additional collision-specific measurements, like toe out on turn, maximum steer and ride height, to find the problems right away. It’s all about efficiency, so find the damage before it finds you.  To learn more about Hunter’s Collision Alignment System, visit https://www.hunter.com/

Welcome to the first episode of a new series for the Collision Vision podcast titled Insurance Talk: Navigating Insurance and Repairs. For the first episode we had the pleasure of talking with John Yoswick, a seasoned journalist in the collision repair and working columnist for Autobody News. John also runs his own publication focused on insurance and the collision industry called the Crash Network. For these reason's, John is the perfect person to give us an overview on the state of insurance relationships in collision repair, and the emerging trends. Connect with John Yoswick: Website: https://www.crashnetwork.com/ "Who Pays for What?" surveys: https://www.crashnetwork.com/collisio... "Insurer Report Card" https://www.crashnetwork.com/irc/   This episode is sponsored by: Hunter Engineering At Hunter Engineering, the theme behind all their products is do it right, do it once. So when you’re doing alignments, the time to find hidden damage is before you start, not after. The workflow for Hunter’s Collision Alignment System surfaces the trouble right up front by providing five additional collision-specific measurements, like toe out on turn, maximum steer and ride height, to find the problems right away. It’s all about efficiency, so find the damage before it finds you. To learn more about Hunter’s Collision Alignment System, visit https://www.hunter.com/

Today’s guest is Steve Olson, Managing Partner of Louisville Collision Center out of Kentucky and, more recently, Manchester Collision Center out of New Hampshire. With two shops so far apart, we’ll talk about how Steve uses technology and software to help his business scale and run smoothly and efficiently. Additionally, if you know anything of Steve, you know he’s a culture fanatic, so it’s no surprise we’ll discuss culture and how it relates to technology. Enjoy the show!   Connect with Steve Olson:  LinkedIn:   / steve-olson-24b24378   Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.louisvillecollision.com/   This episode is sponsored by: Hunter Engineering  At Hunter Engineering, the theme behind all their products is do it right, do it once. So when you’re doing alignments, the time to find hidden damage is before you start, not after. The workflow for Hunter’s Collision Alignment System surfaces the trouble right up front by providing five additional collision-specific measurements, like toe out on turn, maximum steer and ride height, to find the problems right away. It’s all about efficiency, so find the damage before it finds you. To learn more about Hunter’s Collision Alignment System, visit https://www.hunter.com/

Today’s episode marks yet another in our series titled Operational Excellence: Shop Strategies for Success. Today’s conversation is all about the talent side of your operation, an update on the talent shortage, and how to solve for it in YOUR shop. Today’s guest is kind of THE guy in the talent space, a multi-time guest here on the Collision Vision, and a good friend of mine. Jay Goninen is the Co-founder and President of WrenchWay, and- more recently- owner of his family’s longtime repair shop. Today, we’ll talk all about how to hire, retain, and develop a world-class team for your organization. Enjoy the show! Website: https://wrenchway.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaygoninen Beyond the Wrench Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2VNAbdlBcMGfB9Qy_yjLZJjcgfHxViFA   This episode is sponsored by: Hunter Engineering  At Hunter Engineering, the theme behind all their products is do it right, do it once. So when you’re doing alignments, the time to find hidden damage is before you start, not after. The workflow for Hunter’s Collision Alignment System surfaces the trouble right up front by providing five additional collision-specific measurements, like toe out on turn, maximum steer and ride height, to find the problems right away. It’s all about efficiency, so find the damage before it finds you. To learn more about Hunter’s Collision Alignment System, visit https://www.hunter.com/ 

Thank you for tuning in to the Collision Vision, driven by Autobody News. As always, I’m your host, Cole Strandberg. Today’s episode represents another episode of our latest series, Operational Excellence: Shop Strategies for Success. Today, we’re going to talk about streamlining operations for efficiency, and finding some profit centers you might be overlooking. Our guest today is Steve Dawson, Washington DC Regional Manager for Hunter Engineering, and a bit of a collision repair expert for Hunter, as well as a systems and processes guru. Tune in for a great conversation around all things operations, as well as some serious talk about the opportunities surrounding collision alignments and ADAS calibration. Enjoy the show! Connect with Steve Dawson & Hunter Engineering: Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-dawson-hunter/ Web: https://www.hunter.com/alignment-machines/collision-alignment/#overview  https://www.hunter.com/alignment-machines/adas-calibration-tools/   This episode is sponsored by: Hunter Engineering At Hunter Engineering, the theme behind all their products is do it right, do it once. So when you’re doing alignments, the time to find hidden damage is before you start, not after. The workflow for Hunter’s Collision Alignment System surfaces the trouble right up front by providing five additional collision-specific measurements, like toe out on turn, maximum steer and ride height, to find the problems right away. It’s all about efficiency, so find the damage before it finds you. To learn more about Hunter’s Collision Alignment System, visit https://www.hunter.com/ 

Today marks the very first episode of our latest series titled…. Operational Excellence: Shop Strategies for Success. This is going to be an impactful, and actionable series, offering real ways to improve the operations of your business. Today’s guest is a good industry friend of mine and someone I consider to be one of the best operators in the business. Walt Link was most recently a Division VP for Gerber, though he’s got some exciting entrepreneurial things happening right now, which we’ll talk about. Additionally, Walt and I are going to spend a lot of time focusing on a topic near and dear to my heart… Financial Management and Growth Planning. Enjoy this episode with some great insights, and a uniquely compelling perspective. This episode is sponsored by: Hunter Engineering At Hunter Engineering, the theme behind all their products is do it right, do it once. So when you’re doing alignments, the time to find hidden damage is before you start, not after. The workflow for Hunter’s Collision Alignment System surfaces the trouble right up front by providing five additional collision-specific measurements, like toe out on turn, maximum steer and ride height, to find the problems right away. It’s all about efficiency, so find the damage before it finds you.  To learn more about Hunter’s Collision Alignment System, visit https://www.hunter.com/

Today’s episode represents the last in our MSO Chronicles series, so we’re ending it with a bang. We’ve had many great MSOs represented so far, from the small up-and-comers to some well-established juggernauts, and everything in between. It's only fitting then, that we end this series with the largest of the MSOs. Today’s guest is Todd Dillender, COO of Caliber Collision. Caliber obviously needs no introduction, and today we’ll talk about their growth, Todd’s take on culture, the future of Caliber and the industry as a whole, and much more. Stay tuned at the end of the show for a sneak peek of our next series and, in the meantime enjoy this insightful episode. This episode is sponsored by: Hunter Engineering At Hunter Engineering, the theme behind all their products is do it right, do it once. So when you’re doing alignments, the time to find hidden damage is before you start, not after. The workflow for Hunter’s Collision Alignment System surfaces the trouble right up front by providing five additional collision-specific measurements, like toe out on turn, maximum steer and ride height, to find the problems right away. It’s all about efficiency, so find the damage before it finds you. To learn more about Hunter’s Collision Alignment System, visit https://www.hunter.com/

We continue our MSO Chronicles series with a guest who's had high-level experience work for a national consolidator then making the leap into building his own regional MSO. Chris Ray is the owner of One Twenty-Two Collision, an Atlanta-area MSO with three locations planning to double in size by the end of the year. Today, we start by diving into Chris’ background and what led him to start One Twenty-Two Collision. We then focus on key attributes of mainting strong culture such as hiring, delegating and communicating. We also talk growth strategies, OEM certifications, real-estate opportunities and a whole lot more. Enjoy the show! Get connected with One Twenty-Two Collision: Website: https://onetwenty-two.com/ Social: https://www.facebook.com/onetwentytwocollision/ This episode is sponsored by: Hunter Engineering At Hunter Engineering, the theme behind all their products is do it right, do it once. So when you’re doing alignments, the time to find hidden damage is before you start, not after. The workflow for Hunter’s Collision Alignment System surfaces the trouble right up front by providing five additional collision-specific measurements, like toe out on turn, maximum steer and ride height, to find the problems right away. It’s all about efficiency, so find the damage before it finds you. To learn more about Hunter’s Collision Alignment System, visit https://www.hunter.com/ 

Today’s guest is a different type of collision repair leader… we’ve had a few franchisees here on the Collision Vision, but we’ve yet to have a franchisor… until today. Domenic Ieraci is the President of Simplicity Car Care, a Canadian franchisor of collision repair centers with over 100 locations at the time of this recording. We discuss the growth avenue of franchising and why it may be a fit for the right operator. We also get Domenic's take on the popular topics of growth and culture. We hope you enjoy the show! Connect with Domenic and Simplicity Car Car: https://www.linkedin.com/in/domenic-ieraci-54294524/ https://simplicitycc.com/   This episode is sponsored by: Hunter Engineering At Hunter Engineering, the theme behind all their products is do it right, do it once. So when you’re doing alignments, the time to find hidden damage is before you start, not after. The workflow for Hunter’s Collision Alignment System surfaces the trouble right up front by providing five additional collision-specific measurements, like toe out on turn, maximum steer and ride height, to find the problems right away. It’s all about efficiency, so find the damage before it finds you. To learn more about Hunter’s Collision Alignment System, visit https://www.hunter.com/

Today’s guest is the CEO of an MSO quickly approaching that 50-store mark, and they’ve also been in the news recently for a big-time private equity re-cap. Vartan Jerian Jr. is the CEO of VIVE Collision, a fast-growing, northeast-based MSO. Vartan and I will cover a variety of topics today, and his passion for the industry- and general optimism as a leader- make this one a fun and insightful listen. Enjoy the show! Connect with Vartan Jerion Jr. & Vive Collision: Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vartan-jerian-jr-18471722/ Website: https://www.vivecollision.com/   This episode is sponsored by: Hunter Engineering At Hunter Engineering, the theme behind all their products is do it right, do it once. So when you’re doing alignments, the time to find hidden damage is before you start, not after. The workflow for Hunter’s Collision Alignment System surfaces the trouble right up front by providing five additional collision-specific measurements, like toe out on turn, maximum steer and ride height, to find the problems right away. It’s all about efficiency, so find the damage before it finds you. To learn more about Hunter’s Collision Alignment System, visit https://www.hunter.com/ 

Thank you for tuning into another episode of The Collision Vision’s latest series, The MSO Chronicles. Today’s guest is the founder and CEO of a fast-growing regional MSO who has a heck of a track record and big-time goals. Jonathon Best is the CEO of Better Collision, a Carolina-based MSO with seven stores, and growing quickly. We’re going to talk a lot about scale today, and the different ways to do it, so if you’re someone with a growth mindset, you’re going to love this episode. Enjoy the show! Connect the Jonathon Best & Better Collision: Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathon-b-96bbb7b2/  https://www.linkedin.com/company/better-collision-centers/ Website:  https://www.bettercollision.com/   This episode is sponsored by: Hunter Engineering At Hunter Engineering, the theme behind all their products is do it right, do it once. So when you’re doing alignments, the time to find hidden damage is before you start, not after. The workflow for Hunter’s Collision Alignment System surfaces the trouble right up front by providing five additional collision-specific measurements, like toe out on turn, maximum steer and ride height, to find the problems right away. It’s all about efficiency, so find the damage before it finds you. To learn more about Hunter’s Collision Alignment System, visit https://www.hunter.com/ 

Today’s episode is the third installment of our MSO Chronicles series where we host some dynamic leaders of multi-location organizations across the collision repair space. Today’s guest is currently leading a 50+ location MSO. Joe Morella is the CEO of Puget Collision, a large consolidator originating from the Pacific Northwest. We’re going to dive into Joe’s background, Puget Collision, private equity, and the world of collision repair franchise systems, along with some great leadership lessons for those looking to scale like Joe has. Enjoy the show!   Contact Joe Morella: Email: [email protected] Cell: (206)799-9146 Website: https://pugetcollision.com/

Today marks the second installment in our series titled the “MSO Chronicles,” and today’s guest is the CEO of one of the most interesting and innovative operators in the industry. Michael Giarizzo Jr. is the CEO of DCR Systems, a dealer-focused body shop group with four distinct business units and 10 locations at the time of this recording. You’ve probably seen Michael online or at conferences, and in this conversation we’ll take a deep dive into his very unique business and his leadership style. Enjoy the Show! Connect with DCR Systems:  https://www.dcrsystems.com/ 

Welcome back to the Collision Vision. We are excited dive into a new series over the next few months titled "The MSO Chronicles." We will be featuring titans of industry currently leading or who have led MSOs from around the country, ranging from national juggernauts to the regional up-and-comers. Today’s guest has been both, though today he is currently well within the juggernaut status… Matt Ebert is the CEO of Crash Champions, a national consolidator with roughly 650 locations at the time of this recording. Today, we’re going to talk about Matt’s origin story, the growth of Crash Champions and what that journey looks like, how to prepare your organization for growth, and the future of the organization and the industry as a whole. We hope you enjoy the show!

We have two all-stars on today’s show, each coming from unique perspectives. Kelly Logan, a return guest on the Collision Vision, is the Director of Collision Repair Programs at Rivian and Kris Burton is the Owner of Rosslyn Autobody, an OEM-certification centric collision center out of Alexandria, VA and a Board Member with SCRS. They spend much of today’s conversation around how exactly body shops can take full advantage of the opportunities EV repair creates, both from the perspective of an OE and from a shop that is doing it. Enjoy the show!

Today marks a continuation of our technology series here on The Collision Vision. This episode is a high-level overview of where we are in the ever evolving arena of Technology within collision repair.  When approaching this overview, we figured who better to discuss this far-reaching range of topics than a couple of our friends from I-CAR, who continue to help guide the industry through new technical innovations.  Today’s guests are Bud Center, director of technical products and curriculum, and Scott Kaboos, principal OEM technical lead and subject matter expert. We cover a lot of topics on today’s show, ranging from where we are today, the requirements and ROI for shops looking to invest in the future, and what exactly the future looks like. Enjoy the show! Connect with I-CAR:  [email protected] [email protected] I-CAR.com/ADAS: Central hub for ADAS courses and resources, including I-CAR’s two multi-day hands-on ADAS courses taught at the Chicago Technical Center I-CAR.com/EV: Central hub for EV courses and resources, including I-CAR’s 5-Day Hands-On Skills Development course. Collision Careers: An online resource for parents, counselors, students, and educators to dive into the promising careers within collision repair. Industry Training Alliance: Through this program, individuals can earn I-CAR training credit for completing education via approved Alliance Partners. RTS: Now available in an app format, the Repairability Technical Support service is a free resource that provides essential and real-time support, especially to technicians and those doing repair planning. Just in Time: A short-video series that offers repair insights in 5 minutes or less from I-CAR’s technical subject matter experts. Repairers Realm: I-CAR’s live web series, which includes audience Q&A, where I-CAR's technical experts discuss collision repair topics, covering everything from extensive repairs to specific vehicles. With step-by-step demonstrations and special guests from various industry segments, this series format brings comprehensive insights for technicians.

Continuing in our technology series, today’s episode focuses specifically on the world of ADAS. Our guest for this episode is Greg Peeters, CEO of CAR ADAS Solutions, a turn-key provider of ADAS Solutions with over 80 locations nationwide. During our conversation, we’ll talk all about how the collision repair industry is impacted by ADAS, the results of continuously new technology on the space, the benefit of taking your ADAS business “in-house” and what that looks like, the opportunities represented by ADAS, and a whole lot more. Enjoy the show!    To learn more about CAR ADAS Solutions visit: https://caradas.com/ 

This episode marks a very exciting episode of the Collision Vision as the very first episode in our special series on Technology within Collision Repair titled, aptly, Tech Transformation: The Future of Collision Repair. All month long, we’ll dive deep into the world of technology and technology only, giving you the latest tools and strategies, as well as a roadmap for the future. We’re starting this series with a deep dive on collision repair software with Craig Stevens, Director of Solutions Delivery with CCC Intelligent Solutions. How can your shop use software to increase efficiency and production? What are some of the pitfalls with modern-day software solutions? What does the future of collision repair software look like? Let’s find out together! Enjoy the show, and welcome to our series on the future of collision repair technology. Connect with Craig Stevens & CCC Intelligent Solutions: Website: CCCIS.COM, CCCONE.COM, CCCIS.COM/TEAM Email: [email protected]

We’ve talked about recruiting and retention a ton here on this show. We’ve also talked training and career mapping. But we’ve never gone to the source, to the very beginning of the supply chain of collision repair talent… straight to the schools themselves. Today’s guest is Jeff Wilson, Collision Instructor and Department Chair at Kingwood Park High School where he is currently teaching 88 students in his collision repair program. Today’ Jeff and host Cole Strandberg will talk about the foundational stage of the future of the collision industry, recruiting the next generation of technicians, retaining this young talent, and much more. Enjoy the show! Website: https://www.humbleisd.net/o/kphs/staff?search=wilson&filter_ids=324787 Twitter/ X: @KPHSauto Email: [email protected] 

Today’s guest is knowledgeable and experienced in two hot topics within the collision repair industry… marketing and recruiting. Today, we’ll talk about both. Diane Benting is a long-time member of the collision repair industry, working in various marketing roles at a prominent regional paint jobber before becoming President of BodyShopJobs, a job board for the collision repair industry. Enjoy the show!   Website: www.bodyshopjobs.com Email: [email protected] Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmbenting/  

Host Cole Strandberg was able to attend the 2024 National Meeting for I-CAR just a short time ago, and two presenters that were speaking The Collision Vision's language were a must-feature on the show. Today’s guests are Dara Goroff, I-CAR’s Vice President, Planning & Industry Talent Programming, and Arianna Sherlock, Senior Marketing Director for I-CAR. The two of them talked about talent programming, Colision Careers, and how we are going to recruit and train the next generation of collision repair technicians, and that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about today as well! Enjoy the show!

Today’s guest made waves recently, when she announced a major move within the collision repair industry earlier this year. Michelle Sullivan is the CEO of Certified Collision Group, a member network platform that serves nearly 800 highly successful independent collision repair shops across the U.S. and Canada. Today, Michelle and host Cole Strandberg will dive into some high-level industry trends, the future of independent collision repairers, and how independent shops can stay competitive in an increasingly consolidated industry. Enjoy the show! Connect with Michelle: [email protected] https://certifiedcg.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/certifiedcg/ 

One extremely positive message that has developed out of the collision industry, particularly over the last few years, is the importance of being involved. That applies both locally and nationally within the collision repair industry. So what better people to speak with about ways to be involved than Josh Kent, Executive Director of The Carolina’s Collision Association, the Gulf States Collision Association, and the Tennessee Collision Repairers Association, and Jill Tuggle, the Executive Director of the Auto Body Association of Texas. Today, we’ll talk about some trends they’re seeing in our industry across the nation, the importance of being involved in your local association, and the value of regional shows for the collision repair industry. Enjoy the show! Connect with the Carolina's Collision Association here: https://carolinascollisionassociation.com/  Connect with Auto Body Association of Texas here: https://abat.us/ of email Jill Tuggle here: [email protected] 

Today’s guest is Jordan Beshears, Vice President of Steve’s Auto Body, a two-store— and growing— operation out of the St. Louis area. Jordan and host Cole Strandberg discuss a ton in this episode, including how Steve’s Auto Body has grown to where it is today, the dynamics of a family business, OEM certifications vs. DRPs, some exciting growth plans in the works, and much more. Enjoy the show!   Connect with Jordan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-beshears-a9020621a/ 

Today’s guest is someone host Cole Strandberg considers to be a mentor… in fact, he hired Cole at his very first job out of school with an investment bank. David Boim is a long-time executive with vast experience in multiple industries within the world of private equity. He’s a turnaround guy from his early days, and now spends a ton of time consulting on business growth, business planning, and exit planning for small and medium businesses with his company, DSB & Associates. Today, we’ll talk about all of that and how it pertains to business leaders in the collision repair space and beyond. Enjoy the show!

Something we are big believers of in today’s business environment is producing high-quality content for your business, and this is especially applicable to collision repair centers. Today, we’ll be speaking with Jon Nigbor, President & CEO of WinWin Videos, a video production company with a ton of experience in the collision industry. We discuss why video is powerful, what kind of content can build trust with your audience, how to go about creating high-quality content, and a lot more. Enjoy the show! How to connect with John: Website: winwinvideos.com  Email: [email protected]  Phone: 503.720.6431 

It’s no secret that- from the perspective of sales- the last year or two have been good for the collision industry. We have a trend of growing sales and growing backlogs, though the latter seems to be trending downward… so the focus has really been on operations more than on marketing. That needs to change. With that in mind, today’s guest is Daniel Burkholder, Founder of Bodyshop Marketing and former collision operator. Daniel focuses exclusively on digital marketing for collision repairers, so in today’s conversation, we’ll dive into some strategies and tactics to ensure you’re doing what it takes to keep that pipeline full. Enjoy the show! Website: www.bodyshopmarketing.io Email: [email protected] Phone: 855-667-9648 

Today’s guest is Russ Ramsey, CEO of Blue Vista Data Systems. Russ’ background, much like mine, includes a lot of time focused on supplying things for the collision repair industry… so while Russ knows the industry and knows it well, he proclaims to be a bit of an “outsider on the inside” of the collision industry. That resonates with me… Today, a lot of our conversation revolves around safety, training, reducing liability, and ensuring proper repairs, as well as some family business talk. Another them of this episode? While I have spoken in the past about ways to bring in more business, Russ walks through opportunities to generate more profit of the business you already have…I hope you enjoy the show! For more information visit https://www.bluevistadata.com/ 

G.B. Outlaw… known by most as just “Outlaw” is the President, Partner and Master Facilitator of Next Progression, providing leadership and performance insights, strategies and tools to help organizations and individuals unleash their full potential and make positive difference in the world. Get ready to be energized and motivated, and enjoy the show!

Our guest today is Giorgio Andonian, Managing Director with FOCUS Investment Banking’s Automotive Aftermarket team. Giorgio spends the bulk of his time in the wheel and tire, automotive services, and automotive technology spaces. The guy is an absolute rising star in the automotive industry! Today, we’ll talk about different opportunities to add related services to collision repair centers, the economic profiles of different segments of the automotive industry to offer a nice frame of reference to collision repair business owners, the future of automotive, and a lot more. Enjoy the show!

Today’s guest is someone host Cole Strandberg met at CIC at SEMA this past year and was immediately blown away by his story and his passion for the collision repair industry. John Melendez is the Owner of JDM Collision, located in Thornton, IL just south of Chicago. John used to be a multi-shop operator but currently operates out of one location. Something John believes you don’t need to be a huge operation to be successful in our industry. John is doubling down in the space, though, and we’ll talk all about that in our conversation today. Enjoy the show! Email: [email protected] Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-melendez-576b59294/

Jay Goninen of WrenchWay joins us for another episode of The Collision Vision. He and host Cole Strandberg discuss the current state of the technician shortage as well as the ongoing Technician Pay Survey, providing the transparency desperately needed to attract technicians to the space. Learn more about the survey, and get your technicians to participate, here: https://wrenchway.com/blog/announcing-2024-automotive-diesel-technician-pay-survey/.

Today’s guest is Paul Williams, president of Brightpoint Auto Body, a family office-backed collision repair holding company with three brands and five locations at the time of this recording. Paul’s story is a fun one, and we’ll talk all about what Brightpoint is up to, as well as some exciting topics like family business, working for- and selling to- a large consolidator, and partnering with a family office to scale in a big way. Enjoy the show!

Today's episode is a special one. As some of you know, host Cole Strandberg's dad is a legend in the collision repair industry. Gregg Strandberg founded Filterworks USA (now known as Autotality), a company that eventually became one of the largest paint booth, frame and welding, and wheel and tire equipment distributors in the country. Today, he and Cole will talk all things related to shop buildouts. So whether you're looking to Brownfield or Greenfield new locations, looking to increase productivity in your existing footprint, or just want to hear some fun family banter about the family business, be sure to give this episode a listen. Enjoy the show! P.S. Happy Birthday, Dad!

Nancy Rolland with FOCUS Investment Banking joins us for another episode of The Collision Vision. As you might remember, Nancy is host Cole Strandberg's partner with the automotive aftermarket team at FOCUS, where they work together on M&A and capital raising within the collision industry. On this episode, Nancy and Cole discuss M&A activity in 2023, trends as we move into 2024, and revisit what you can do to increase your shop’s value and make it attractive to the different buyers out there. Enjoy the show!

Today, we bring you another episode "from the Vault" to round out an incredible 2023. You may remember Steve Olson, Managing Partner of Louisville Collision Centers. In addition to this episode of The Collision Vision, you may see Steve all over social media, where he showcases an incredible facility and a unique, attractive culture. In this conversation, we’ll talk about how Steve built Louisville Collision Centers to what it is today without DRPs, how he built his culture, and where Louisville Collision’s future is trending. An importan note... throughout this episode, we talk about Steve's focus on building one great collision center. Ironically, Steve and his team would go on to acquire Manchester Collision out of New Hampshire- another world-class facility- only a few short week after this initial recording. I encourage you to listen to this conversation through that lense and I hope you enjoy, once more, this great conversation with Steve Olson, from the vault.

We're coming to you this week with another throwback episode from the vault-- a story of crazy fast growth you may have heard before if you're a longtime listener to the Collision Vision. Our guest today- once more- is Casey Lund, owner of Collision Leaders (formerly known as Warrensburg Collision), an MSO out of Missouri. Casey’s background is fascinating and the growth within the Collision Leaders organization is unbelievable, going from one location to eight in just about one year. Casey and his team received a ton of recognition for that growth at SEMA this year, which was fun to see. We’ll talk about that scalability, how Casey has built a culture- and foundation- that has allowed that type of growth, and much more. Enjoy the show!