Your professional brand is forming right now, in the email you send, the way you show up at a trade show, and how you act when you’re nervous. Jacki Lutz sit down with Northwood University sophomore Caden Olvey and Dana leader and Northwood alum Ryan Devine to talk about what “professional branding” actually looks like inside the automotive aftermarket and heavy duty industry, especially when you’re early in your career and suddenly leading real conversations with real companies.

We dig into how Northwood’s student-run auto show creates a fast track for career development: captains, chairs, sponsors, and thousands of real-world touchpoints that build confidence through repetition. From thank-you notes to booth logistics, you’ll hear how small habits become big signals and why first impressions still matter when you never know who you’ll run into at the airport or on the show floor.

Then we get practical about reputation and LinkedIn strategy. We talk about consistency as the multiplier that makes your brand believable, how emotional intelligence separates high performers, and why your title is not your identity. We also share best practices for LinkedIn posts, trade show recaps, and staying authentic in an era where AI can easily flatten your voice. If you want a stronger personal brand in the automotive industry, start here, then subscribe, share the episode with a colleague, and leave a rating and review.

Send us Fan Mail

To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast.

To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

Your phone is quietly generating one of the most useful datasets in transportation and auto care, and it’s bigger than most people realize. We talk with Anthony Johnson, solutions engineer at Arity, about how phone-based telematics data becomes mobility intelligence you can actually use, from vehicle miles traveled (VMT) to real-time traffic signals with roughly a 60 second latency.

We break down what Arity “sees” at scale: millions of connections, massive daily trip volume, and the ability to translate raw GPS breadcrumbs into road segment analytics like traffic volume, average speed, and speed distribution across time. Anthony explains how the data is captured through an SDK embedded in opt-in apps, how non-vehicular trips get filtered out, and why the output is de-identified and aggregated to protect privacy.

Then we get practical. We dig into road traffic analytics for brick-and-mortar decision-making: visitation counts, trade areas, origin insights at the census block group level, dwell time distributions, and even how visitation can serve as a proxy for competitive market share and marketing effectiveness. We also connect risky driving behavior signals like harsh braking, rapid acceleration, speeding, distracted driving, and crash likelihood to real-world planning and forecasting, including what longer commutes and stop-and-go congestion could mean for maintenance demand in the automotive aftermarket.

We close with what’s next: intersection analytics, turning counts, queue insights, and richer audience profiling powered by demographic overlays. Subscribe, share this with a data-curious colleague, and leave a rating and review so more listeners can find the show.

Send us Fan Mail

To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast.

To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

A 6-3 Supreme Court ruling just rewrote the tariff playbook and then a brand-new 15% global surcharge arrived days later. Host Stacey Miller unpacks what fell, what stayed, and what stacked, translating fast-moving trade policy into clear steps for auto parts importers, distributors, and service providers who need answers now.

We start with the core shift: IEEPA no longer supports tariffs, wiping out fentanyl-related and reciprocal measures tied to that authority. Then we zoom into what still bites, Section 232 duties on steel, aluminum, and covered auto parts, before walking through the executive order that triggers a temporary 15% tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. You’ll hear how CBP’s effective date creates a bright line for compliance, why the on-the-water window matters, and where exclusions and carve-outs could make or break your landed cost. From pharmaceuticals and critical materials to USMCA-compliant goods and CAFTA-DR textiles, we map the most relevant categories and help you spot potential relief.

Next, we get tactical. We outline record-keeping musts, protest and post-summary correction strategies, and when to consider delaying an entry summary on CBP Form 7501. We explain stacking and how Section 122 avoids Section 232 yet piles onto MFN, Section 301, anti-dumping, and countervailing duties—so you can forecast cumulative exposure with eyes wide open. With new Section 301 investigations looming over industrial overcapacity, forced labor, digital trade, and more, plus a continued suspension of de minimis, we highlight the operational ripples that will hit your pricing, procurement, and customer communications.

Our goal is practical clarity: align with your customs broker, validate classifications, model scenarios at the SKU level, and prepare for refund pathways once the Court of International Trade and CBP finalize guidance. If you touch import operations in the auto care supply chain, this breakdown will help you prioritize actions in a volatile window. Subscribe, share with your team, and leave a review to help others find these updates—then tell us what trade question you want answered next.

Send us Fan Mail

To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast.

To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

What if the most powerful career move isn’t a promotion, but choosing yourself? Jacki Lutz sits down with two industry powerhouses, Kristine Frost of Shattered Glass Advisory and Tammy Tecklenberg of dott®. to unpack the real story behind career transitions, both planned and unplanned, and how to turn shock into strategy. They explore what it takes to elevate voices historically sidelined and make diversity of thought more than a slogan.

They get honest about the emotional rollercoaster of layoffs and pivots: the jolt, the quiet, the self-doubt, and the small daily rituals that bring you back to center. You’ll hear practical tactics that work under pressure, journaling to clear mental noise, crafting a simple morning routine, and asking for 15‑minute coffee chats that turn acquaintances into allies. We dig into the difference between having a big network and having people who would vouch for your character in rooms you’re not in.

Titles fade; reputation compounds. That’s why they map a repeatable approach to personal branding with three to four clear themes, so your value follows you across roles and industries. We also tackle the tax of being the only woman in the C‑suite, the tools to navigate decision rooms, and how organizations can prepare to truly welcome new perspectives. Along the way we reframe growth as a lattice, not a ladder: lateral moves, cross-functional projects, and volunteer leadership can unlock more opportunity than chasing a job title ever will.

Whether you’re processing a layoff, considering an intentional break, or plotting your next pivot, this conversation offers clear, human steps to move forward with purpose. Subscribe for more candid career strategy, share this with someone who needs a lift, and leave a review to help others find the show.

Send us Fan Mail

To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast.

To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

The floor at AAPEX buzzed with more than announcements, it pulsed with practical innovation. Stacey Miller sat down with Chris Jones, group editorial director at Endeavor B2B, to unpack what’s actually moving the aftermarket forward right now: AI that coaches advisors in real time, micro-learning that keeps techs sharp in five-minute bursts, and product design that turns raw data into clear decisions for shops and drivers.

We dig into how editors and shop owners are using AI as a research partner and workflow accelerator, from prepping smarter interviews to VIN-driven predictive maintenance that helps even new service advisors guide customers with confidence. In Joe’s Garage, we saw education become tactile ADAS demos, calibrations, and real repairs that show how smarter tools translate into safer vehicles and better margins. Chris also shares what readers can’t stop clicking: authentic people profiles, ADAS insights, and AI explainers that pair technology with real-world playbooks.

The energy wasn’t just about tools; it was about talent. Student engine-build competitions and TechForce events brought a wave of future pros into the room, reminding us why hands-on wins hearts. We talk workforce development, lowering the barrier to entry, and why micro-learning feels like Duolingo for the bay. On the media side, creative engagement like weekly word games is more than fun, it’s a signal of what audiences value. Chris frames the landscape as “worthy competitors,” a mindset where rising coverage lifts the entire industry with clearer reporting and stronger storytelling.

If you run a shop or brand, here’s the ask: share your story, test one new tool, and make learning daily. Subscribe, leave a review, and pass this along to someone building the next great aftermarket career. Your experience could be the insight another listener needs today.

Send us Fan Mail

To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast.

To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

What if the numbers you trust most are telling only half the story? Mike Chung sits down with Ben Orlando, host of The Midnight Library of Baseball, to explore how baseball’s most beloved stats—wins, RBIs, errors—became powerful myths and why context changes everything. This is a conversation for statheads and story lovers alike, where the romance of the game meets clear-eyed analysis.

We dive into the 1990 Bob Welch paradox: 27 wins and a Cy Young Award, yet teammates and rivals outpaced him on ERA, strikeouts, and complete games. That puzzle opens a bigger question: which metrics actually isolate individual performance, and which are shaped by teammates, ballparks, and managerial choices? From Joe Carter’s RBI surge behind elite on-base talent to Barry Bonds hitting 73 homers with surprisingly modest RBI totals due to empty bases, we expose how batting order and lineup construction warp the box score.

History adds its own twists. The spitball era and Ray Chapman’s tragic death led to cleaner balls and better visibility, boosting offense and safety in one stroke. Ball color experiments—yellow and orange—nearly stuck, while a quiet 1957 innovation, the glove hinge, expanded one-handed range and redefined defense. We also unpack error scoring and how risk-taking can penalize bold fielders while rewarding caution, plus the subtle influence of grounds crews tipping the scales with surface prep.

Beyond the diamond, we connect these lessons to smarter analytics in business and life: understand what a metric truly measures, know the system around it, and slow down enough to look beneath the headline number. If you care about performance, incentives, and how tools shape outcomes, this conversation will give you a sharper lens and a deeper appreciation for the game’s soul.

If this resonates, subscribe, share it with a friend who loves baseball and data, and leave a review to help others find the show. What stat do you trust the least—and why?

Send us Fan Mail

To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast.

To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

What if the difference between burnout and breakthrough is choosing the right kind of hard? We dive into the art of challenging yourself with intention, how to spot energizing resistance, build resilience, and grow without burning out. Auto Care ON AIR host Jacki Lutz, sits down with Liz Whalen, Founder and President of Whalen Search Group, and Rick Schwartz, CEO and Managing Partner of Schwartz Advisors at the AAPEX show where they draw on keynote speaker Wayne Gretzky’s take on passion, stories from a rocky business year, and real moments where failure became the hinge for a better path.

We begin with the why: boredom and stuckness often mean you’ve stopped stretching. From there, we get practical. You’ll hear how to set clear intentions, write goals you actually revisit, and use reflection to cut time sinks so the meaningful work has room to grow. Then we zoom in on adjacent growth, adding skills that sit next to your core strengths. Think sales learning marketing, product leaning into customer insight, or operators spending time with finance. Lateral moves and cross-functional fluency expand your range and make you more valuable when conditions change.

Community is a force multiplier. We talk about joining owner networks, peer groups, and informal circles that challenge your thinking and normalize shared struggles. Inspiration can arrive from anywhere—athletics, concerts, or a novel’s quiet line that lands at the right time. There’s a reason leaders often hire athletes: discipline, recovery, team play, and self-driven accountability translate directly to high-performance teams. Equally important is learning to read the signals: the right challenge leaves you tired but motivated; the wrong one leaves you drained. Use values and intention to decide whether to persist, pivot, or pass.

We close with simple systems that work: write it down, track it weekly, ask what to stop, and celebrate small wins. Pay it forward by naming the strengths you see in others-one honest compliment can tilt a career. If you’re ready to trade comfort for progress and choose the kind of hard that builds you up, this conversation will give you the mindset and tools to start today.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review—your support helps more curious people find us.

Send us Fan Mail

To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast.

To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

CES 2026 didn’t just showcase concept cars, it rewired the roadmap for the entire aftermarket. We unpack how software-defined vehicles, AI-first platforms, connected cockpits, and autonomous fleets are transforming everyday service work into high-value, repeatable revenue. From NVIDIA-led AI toolkits and panoramic displays to lidar-heavy ADAS stacks and open-source software initiatives, we explain what matters now and where independent shops can lead.

Host Stacey Miller walks through practical moves you can make today: develop multi-OEM software diagnostics training, package safe OTA updates as maintenance, and stock subscription-ready hardware that enables future features. On the cabin side, learn how to turn connected cockpits and voice assistants into install bundles, protection plans, and 30-day digital tune-ups that keep customers loyal. For safety, we outline an ADAS calibration blueprint—facility standards, targets, documentation, and mobile service—that wins insurer trust and creates dependable fleet contracts.

Autonomy is closer than hype suggests, and with robotaxis and delivery pilots scaling, uptime-focused service models will be critical. We share how to prepare autonomy bays, manage compute thermal loads, and negotiate SLAs with mobility providers, then look beyond cars to the wider mobility ecosystem: two- and three-wheelers, smart trailers, and new charging accessories that add fresh margin. Open-source collaboration rounds out the trendline, lowering barriers to diagnostics and enabling a more transparent, repair-friendly landscape.

If you’re ready to turn CES headlines into a 12-month playbook, this conversation delivers the steps, tools, and language to get your team moving. Subscribe, share with a colleague who leads training or operations, and leave a review to tell us which opportunity you’ll tackle first.

Send us Fan Mail

To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast.

To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

A revolution is happening in aftermarket marketing: The Automotive Communications Council (ACC) is coming under the Auto Care Association, and with it a stronger community for communicators who turn complex parts and fitment into stories people actually understand. We brought together ACC’s current president, Leyla Saad of ZF Aftermarket, and industry veteran Lance Boldt of AutoNet TV to unpack what works now, what to stop doing, and how to build loyalty without fluff.

We start with the real challenges marketers face in the bays and boardrooms: translating dense catalogs and cross-references into quick, useful messages; designing long-form content that fuels search, sales enablement, and social; and choosing the right channels for shop owners, counter pros, and decision-makers. Leyla shares deployment tactics and project management lessons from the trenches, while Lance breaks down a practical storytelling frame that makes the audience the hero and turns complexity and downtime into beatable villains.

From ACC’s conference highlights... like making purchasing simpler and auditing what generative AI thinks of your brand... to the daily habits that keep you sharp, this conversation is packed with actionable ideas. We cover loyalty programs that actually matter, planning content for multi-market reuse and translation, and the value of taking tasteful risks to stand out. You’ll also hear why rest and reflection time unlock better ideas, and how treating B2B as B2P helps every message land with a person who needs clarity, not jargon.

If you’re ready to level up your aftermarket marketing with smarter content, stronger community, and a clearer voice, you’ll find plenty to put to work today. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this with a teammate who’s ready to try something bold.

Learn more about ACC here: https://www.autocare.org/acc

Send us Fan Mail

To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast.

To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

What if vehicles could tell us exactly where congestion starts, which intersections are most dangerous, and how to shave days off fleet delivery timelines? Auto Care ON AIR host, Mike Chung, sits down with Eddie Nath from Stellantis Mobilisights to unpack how trusted, OEM-embedded telematics is powering safer roads, leaner fleets, and smoother trips for everyone from municipal operators to everyday renters.

We break down Mobilisights’ four pillars—Smart Fleets, Smart Consumers, Smart Services, and Smart Decisions—and show how 200 high-value signals from the CAN bus translate into real outcomes: proactive maintenance, driver coaching, fuel and energy insights, and verifiable safety metrics. Eddie explains why privacy-by-design and GDPR-level consent are non-negotiable, and how anonymized patterns help cities target potholes, optimize signal timing, and plan around big events without tracking individuals. You’ll hear practical wins like shipment tracking that gets vehicles into service sooner, automated rental returns that cut lines to zero, and digital tolling that kills transponder hassles and surprise fees.

We also look ahead. V2X communication promises fewer crashes by letting vehicles, infrastructure, and vulnerable road users “see” each other before humans can react. Video analytics is evolving from incident capture to real-time coaching. EVs introduce new data needs—battery state-of-health, charging availability, and the policy shift toward road usage charging as fuel taxes fade. Throughout, Eddie emphasizes partnership: customers shape which signals matter most, and data teams turn that feedback into clear, consented services.

If you care about fleet performance, traffic safety, connected car data, or the future of mobility, this conversation delivers the signal without the noise. Subscribe, share with a colleague who manages vehicles or infrastructure, and leave a review to tell us which innovation you want us to explore next.

Send us Fan Mail

To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast.

To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast