Beyond The Blend

In this powerful episode, Beyond the Blend heads to St. Louis, Missouri, to meet Jim Carroll - Executive VP at Schaeffer Manufacturing and current President of the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association (ILMA).

Jim’s story spans decades of service - in both the U.S. Army, where he served for 30 years and rose to the rank of Colonel, and in the lubricant industry, where he’s spent over 25 years helping one of America’s oldest lubricant companies thrive through change.

From rebuilding engines to leading global advocacy, Jim’s career is proof that discipline and curiosity can coexist beautifully and that leadership, at its best, means never standing still.

Key Takeaways

1. From Steel to Schaeffer:

Jim began his career on the factory floor at National Steel, where curiosity for “how things work” turned into a lifelong technical fascination. A customer-turned-colleague, he joined Schaeffer in 1998 - and never looked back.

2. The Fixer Mindset:

As a child taking apart broken appliances, Jim learned a simple truth: If it’s stupid and it works, it wasn’t stupid. That mindset shaped his leadership style - pragmatic, creative, and unafraid of failure in pursuit of improvement.

3. Service and Structure:

Three decades in the U.S. Army instilled discipline, courage, and the conviction that “an 80 percent plan executed today beats a 100 percent plan that never starts.” Those lessons now guide how Jim builds teams, makes decisions, and handles complexity in business.

4. Leading Through Advocacy:

As ILMA President, Jim is passionate about advocacy and common-sense regulation. His mission: ensure that small, independent lubricant manufacturers have a seat at the table when shaping the policies that define their future.

5. Sustainability Is Our Story:

Jim argues that the lubricant industry is already one of the biggest sustainability success stories - reducing friction, saving energy, and extending equipment life — but not telling that story loudly enough.

6. Always Learning:

Whether through Stanford’s strategic-planning courses or back-of-the-bus “nerd chats” with industry peers, Jim’s commitment to continuous learning is unwavering. His advice to the next generation: Learn both the chemistry and the mechanics - innovation happens where they meet.

7. The Next Chapter:

Far from slowing down, Jim’s focus is now on strategy, value creation, and mentorship -ensuring the next generation of leaders inherits both knowledge and purpose.

🔗 Connect with Jim

• Jim Carroll on LinkedIn

• Schaeffer Manufacturing

• ILMA

Why Listen

This episode goes far beyond lubricants - it’s about character, curiosity, and commitment. Jim Carroll’s story shows how a sense of duty, whether on the battlefield or in business, can shape not only a career but an entire industry.

For anyone navigating leadership, legacy, or the next chapter of their career, this one’s full of insight, humour, and heart.

From geology graduate to global sales leader, Gwyn Simmonds has spent more than 25 years at the intersection of data, reliability, and customer trust. In this episode, Steve explores how a curiosity-driven career led Gwyn from the lab bench to the boardroom and what’s changed along the way.

Gwyn shares honest reflections on leadership, travel, and learning on the job, revealing how oil analysis has evolved from pipettes and paper reports to automation, AI, and insight-driven service.

Key Takeaways

From Geology to Oil Analysis

Straight from the University of Staffordshire, a newspaper ad led Gwyn into his first lab role. What began as “a job that paid the bills” turned into a lifelong fascination with data, machines, and people.

Curiosity Opens Doors

Not an engineer by background, Gwyn credits curiosity, and mentors like Mike Bourne, for showing him how data tells stories. That early curiosity built the foundation for his technical and commercial confidence.

Lab Coats to Leadership

Over time, Gwyn moved from interpreting data to managing accounts, then to leading global sales and marketing for eight laboratories worldwide. His leadership philosophy? “Lead from the front but bring everyone with you.”

Technology Transforms Talent

From pipettes to robots and from spreadsheets to Power BI dashboards, Gwyn describes how AI and automation are changing not just how labs work, but who works in them. Data literacy now sits beside engineering know-how.

Trust and Flexibility

With teams across continents, Gwyn leads through trust rather than control balancing global travel with family life in North Wales. His open, people-first approach shows that culture matters as much as process.

Learning Never Stops

From workplace book clubs (The Challenger Sale, Lean Selling, Modern Sales Leadership) to industry networking, Gwyn emphasises that growth comes from sharing knowledge, not guarding it.

🔗 Connect with Gwyn

• Gwyn Simmonds on LinkedIn

• POLARIS Laboratories

Why Listen

If you’ve ever wondered what a career in lubricants and condition monitoring really looks like, this episode offers a candid, human look at how curiosity, learning, and leadership evolve over time.

Whether you’re just starting out, leading teams, or simply trying to balance work and life on the road, Gwyn’s journey shows that staying curious is still the best strategy there is.

From hospitality and accountancy to marketing in the lubricant sector, Lisanne Hoolwerf brings a refreshing outsider’s lens to an industry often defined by tradition and technical jargon. In this episode, she shares her journey into lubricants, her passion for translating complex ideas into customer-centric stories, and why curiosity and consistency are her secret weapons.

Recorded live as part of the Beyond the Blend series, this conversation explores what happens when fresh perspectives meet a traditional industry and why marketers might just be the catalyst for change.

Key Takeaways

From Hospitality to B2B Storytelling

Lisanne’s early career in hospitality shaped her service mindset, stepping into the customer’s shoes and understanding how they perceive value. These lessons now drive her marketing approach.

Challenging Perceptions of the Lubricant Industry

Friends warned her against joining a “polluting industry,” but Lisanne discovered a world that keeps everything moving and a storytelling gap that needs to be filled.

The Translator Role

Lisanne frames marketing as “the translator between the product/service and the end user,” bringing clarity to complex, technical narratives.

Curiosity Over Credentials

With no technical background, Lisanne leaned into curiosity. Asking endless questions, listening closely, and shaping her own informed view of the industry.

Marketing’s Perception Problem

Too often, marketing is relegated to “making brochures.” Lisanne advocates for marketing’s role early in strategy. Crafting value-based messages that align technical excellence with customer relevance.

Making the Customer the Hero

She believes the industry must shift from product-first to customer-first storytelling. Positioning, speed of response, and narrative all need to reflect the buyer’s world, not just the companies.

Educating for the Future

Lisanne highlights the urgent need to tell better stories to attract new talent and challenge outdated perceptions, especially as the industry’s workforce ages.

Why Listen

If you’ve ever felt like an outsider in a technical industry, or if you believe marketing should be more than pretty brochures, this episode will resonate. Lisanne’s blend of curiosity, customer focus, and storytelling offers a clear blueprint for modernising how the lubricant industry communicates both internally and externally.

🔗 Connect with Lisanne

• LinkedIn

In this episode, we welcome Gemma Stephenson, Business Development Manager at Cargill Bio industrial, whose journey spans from the lab bench in tribology to shaping sustainability conversations across the lubricants industry.

Gemma’s story is one of curiosity, courage, and purpose. From her early days testing blends and MTM machines to presenting at international conferences, she’s built a career that proves passion, and persistence can rewrite preconceptions of what a “lubricants career” looks like.

Key Takeaways

From Lab to Leadership

Gemma began her career in Croda’s labs, testing lubricants and solving technical problems. What hooked her? The mix of science, real-world application, and a team of equally “bonkers” enthusiasts.

Breaking Perceptions

She faced the early stigmas of a male-dominated, “stuffy” industry head on, proving that the sector isn’t dull, but dynamic. Supported by mentors like John Eastwood, she grew from presenting data to influencing strategy.

Sustainability with Substance

Today, Gemma’s work sits at the crossroads of sustainability and business outcomes. From product carbon footprints (PCF) to lifecycle assessments, she champions making sustainability useful, practical, and customer-focused rather than abstract jargon.

The Rise of Sustainability Managers

Gemma sees first-hand how sustainability professionals are emerging as decision-makers in the lubricants supply chain. Bringing a “translation lens” to purchasing, technical, and commercial discussions.

Collaboration is Key

Her strongest insight? Progress accelerates when the industry stops working in silos. “Talk to each other,” she says. Real change comes from OEMs, additive companies, regulators, and suppliers sharing perspectives and aligning action.

STEM and the Next Generation

Beyond her day job, Gemma is passionate about outreach. Whether it’s speaking at schools with cereal-box wind turbines or helping launch the UKLA/UEIL STEM programme, she’s on a mission to inspire the next generation to see lubricants as exciting, impactful, and never boring.

Connect with Gemma

• Gemma Stephenson on LinkedIn

• Cargill Bio industrial

• UEIL Sustainability Committee

Why Listen?

If you’ve ever thought lubricants were “dull,” this episode will change your mind. Gemma brings energy, honesty, and practical insight to the sustainability conversation. Reminding us that purpose, collaboration, and curiosity are what drive real progress.

Tune in to hear how a lab scientist became a visible advocate for change, why sustainability must be woven into every CVP, and what it really takes to inspire both today’s buyers and tomorrow’s talent.

Recorded at: Lubricant Expo, Düsseldorf September 2025

Panel Guests:

• Lisanne Hoolwerf – Head of Marketing at Olyslager

• Daniel Tait – Managing Director at Oil Store

• Jade Thompson – Business Development Manager at SKF RecondOil

• Elisa Swanson-Parbäck – Business Development Director – Sustainable Lubricants at Perstorp Group

Hosted by: Rob Taylor and Steve Knapp (Plan Grow Do)

🎧 Episode Overview:

In this special Beyond the Blend LIVE edition from Lubricant Expo in Düsseldorf, we bring together a powerhouse panel of lubricant industry professionals to explore the findings of the Buyer Revolution, the largest-ever research into lubricant buyer behaviour with over 25,000 data points from five essential surveys.

We dive deep into what buyers really want, what frustrates them, and how commercial teams must adapt. From speed of response and solving your own problems to managing for long-term value instead of quarterly targets. This episode is full of hard truths, lightbulb moments, and actionable insights.

Key Takeaways:

1. Speed vs Relevance: Stop Replying Fast, Start Responding Well

58% of buyers are frustrated with response times - but even when a reply comes, nearly half say it lacks relevance. The panel explores how sellers must focus on both speed and substance and why perception is everything. Being “fast” in your eyes might still feel like a delay to the buyer.

2. Solve Your Own Problems – Then Get Out of the Way

71% of buyers define their needs before contacting suppliers. But two-thirds feel their input is ignored. Buyers don’t want a re-education, they want validation. As Daniel Tait shared: “Don’t put roadblocks in the way of a buyer who knows what they want.”

3. The New Account Manager Must Add Real Insight

81% of buyers rated proactive insight as the #1 trait in an account manager, yet only 22% experience it. Technical knowledge, curiosity, and empathy are the differentiators. As Jade Thompson explained, “If I turn up without application knowledge, I’m no use to the customer.”

4. It’s Time to Lead with Application Knowledge, Not Product Brochures

Product features alone won’t win trust. Understanding the customer’s processes, the actual application, and operational challenges is what truly delivers value, especially when buyers are already well-researched.

5. Think Long-Term: Sales Targets Aren’t the Buyer’s Problem

Elisa Swanson-Parbäck offered a powerful analogy: “Be the Alfred to your buyer’s Batman. Your job is to help them succeed.” Her call for account managers to prioritise customer lifetime value over quarterly pressure hit home.

6. Sales Has a Listening Problem – And It’s Costing Us

From ego-driven pitching to ‘coffee catch-up’ calls that add no value, buyers are frustrated by time-wasting. The panel’s final rapid-fire round made it clear: Talk less, ask better questions, and stop dropping in without purpose.

🔗 Links:

🌐 Buyer Revolution Research: plangrowdo.com/the-buyer-revolution

🎧 More Episodes of Beyond the Blend: Spotify | Apple Podcasts

📍 Lubricant Expo Info: lubricantexpo.com

Why Listen?

Whether you’re a seller, marketeer, or manager in the lubricants industry this panel episode delivers unfiltered insight into what buyers really think about your approach. You’ll walk away with practical takeaways, human stories, and renewed urgency to evolve.

👂 Listen to this episode if you want to close the gap between buyer expectations and seller behaviour - and build trust that lasts.

In this episode, we sit down with Angus Macdonald, Co-Founder and Director at A&S International, as he shares his entrepreneurial journey in the lubricants and reliability sector, spanning innovation, sustainability, and the power of partnerships.

Angus opens up about the pivotal decisions that shaped his path: leaving the security of corporate life, taking the leap to co-found a family business, and navigating the challenges and opportunities that came with growing A&S International from the ground up. It’s a story about trust, resilience, and vision but also about the personal moments that changed how Angus leads and lives today.

🔍 What’s Inside:

• Angus’s leap from corporate beginnings to co-founding A&S International and why embracing uncertainty became one of his greatest strengths

• How personal values shaped his decision to build a sustainability-focused business tackling real-world problems like fuel efficiency and bioremediation

• The reality of family business dynamics: navigating different perspectives, playing to each other’s strengths, and keeping relationships intact while growing globally

• The mindset shifts Angus experienced when working with customers facing operational challenges and how empathy became central to his leadership

• The role of partnerships, trust, and curiosity in opening new opportunities across multiple sectors

Angus’s journey is proof that personal growth and business growth go hand in hand. From moments of doubt to breakthrough wins, he shares openly how building a purpose-led company has shaped his leadership, relationships, and outlook on life.

Big Themes:

• Sustainability at the heart of modern lubrication

• Balancing innovation with strong family-business values

• Driving reliability and efficiency through smarter solutions

• Finding purpose and resilience through personal challenges

• Building lasting relationships and global partnerships

Why Listen?

This is more than a business conversation, it’s a story of courage, connection, and creating impact. Angus reveals the lessons he’s learned along the way: why purpose matters as much as profit, how staying curious opens doors, and why relationships remain the true currency of success in a rapidly evolving sector.

📲 Where to Connect:

• Angus Macdonald on LinkedIn

• A&S International Website

▶️ Listen now to hear Angus’s personal journey and discover how he’s helping shape a more sustainable, innovative, and customer-focused lubricants industry.

In this episode, we sit down with Annie Lindsell, Sales Operations Director at Blueprint Event Company, as she shares her unconventional journey into the lubricants industry and how she’s found purpose and passion in an unexpected place.

What’s Inside:

• Annie’s leap from fine art and Laura Ashley uniforms into the heart of the global lubricants event scene

• Why the Blueprint team’s culture and the power of events reignited her professional purpose

• Her candid take on motherhood, career balance, and rediscovering identity after starting a family

• Why working in the lubricants sector is not what she imagined—and why that’s a good thing

• Insight into what makes Lube Expo Europe, Middle East, and North America unique—and why they’re growing so fast

💬 Annie’s reflections are warm, honest, and inspiring. Whether you're in events, energy, or simply navigating life as a working parent, this episode has something for you.

Big Themes:

• Reinvention, resilience & rediscovery

• The human need for connection in a digital-first world

• The underestimated creativity behind event strategy

• Showing up with curiosity—even when the industry is unfamiliar

🎧 Listen now and get to know the people behind the lubricants industry—because this sector is about more than just molecules. It’s about community, collaboration, and momentum.

Where to Connect:

• Annie Lindsell on LinkedIn

• Blueprint Event Company Website

In this powerful episode of Beyond the Blend, we speak with Trevor Gauntlett of Trevor Gauntlett Consulting; a chemist, former Shell leader, basketball coach, Movember fundraiser, and all-round role model. From being a leading voice in the lubricant sector to building community through sport and advocacy, Trevor shares the story behind the science, his deep sense of purpose, and the people-first ethos that drives him.

About the Guest

Trevor Gauntlett, Principal Consultant at Trevor Gauntlett Consulting

With over 30 years in lubricants, including 21 years at Shell, Trevor is a leading voice in energy, base oils, additive strategies and sustainable transitions. He’s also a published writer, dedicated basketball coach, and long-time Movember supporter, using his experience to help shape the next generation of both professionals and people.

In This Episode

• How Trevor turned a cancer diagnosis into a writing career

• What junior basketball coaching teaches about leadership and motivation

• The hidden power of giving time, not just money

• Lubricants’ real role in the energy transition

• Why empathy, planning, and perspective matter more than ever

• “Nothing by halves”; how Trevor lives out this mantra in life and business

🔗 Links & Resources

• Trevor Gauntlett on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevorgauntlett/

Enjoyed the Episode?

• Follow Beyond the Blend wherever you get your podcasts

• Leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and review

• Share this episode with someone in lubricants, energy, or engineering who’d be inspired by Trevor’s story

In this episode of Beyond the Blend, we sit down with Caitlin Jacobs, ILMA’s Director of Communications and Member Engagement, whose work sits at the crossroads of storytelling, strategy, and service. Caitlin shares how she’s helping shape the future of the lubricants industry—not just through campaigns and comms, but through listening, elevating voices, and building bridges across generations and organisations.

Key Takeaways:

A Communications Role with Purpose: Caitlin opens up about how she’s reshaped the ILMA brand in recent years, moving beyond newsletters and conference brochures into a more digital, connected, and value-driven approach to member communication.

Elevating Member Voices: From highlighting family-run businesses to spotlighting innovation in sustainability, Caitlin discusses why giving members a platform to tell their stories is one of the most powerful tools for building trust and relevance.

Reaching the Next Generation: With a clear eye on talent and retention, Caitlin talks about how ILMA is adapting its approach to speak to younger professionals—without losing the legacy and values the association is built on.

Collaboration Over Competition: Whether it’s with board members, event planners, or ILMA’s wider stakeholder network, Caitlin believes the best results come from shared ideas, consistent feedback, and open communication.

The Human Side of Association Work: From on-the-ground planning to post-event follow-ups, Caitlin reflects on the emotional labour that comes with working behind the scenes—and why moments of connection matter more than metrics.

Why Listen?

If you work in associations, B2B communications, or are simply looking for fresh ideas on how to engage people in a legacy sector—this conversation will resonate. Caitlin brings heart, humour, and sharp strategic insight to everything she does.

Where to Connect:

LinkedIn: Caitlin Jacobs

Organisation: ILMA – Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association

In this inspiring and deeply human episode of Beyond the Blend, Steve speaks with Bhavika Sachdeva a business leader, a creative, a parent, and a strong advocate for women in the lubricants industry.

Bhavika shares her remarkable journey of joining the family business straight after an arranged marriage at 21, stepping into a male-dominated manufacturing world, and learning to find her voice, confidence, and leadership style all while navigating early motherhood and the dynamics of working in a close-knit family company.

Key Takeaways:

• Early Leadership Through Immersion: Thrown into the deep end at 21, Bhavika learned by doing. Without a manual or formal structure, she found her rhythm through hands-on experience, navigating cultural dynamics and real business pressure.

• Redefining Professionalism as a Parent: As a new mother, Bhavika built her leadership identity alongside her parenting journey. She challenges the belief that motherhood is a barrier, proving instead that it sharpens empathy, structure, and resilience.

• Creativity as Strategy: Bhavika brings creative thinking into everything from improving operations to launching journaling tools for children. She shares how creative expression helps her solve problems, connect with her team, and find joy.

• Courage in the “Crawling Days”: Bhavika speaks openly about the times when showing up felt like a struggle, and how consistent effort, even in low moments, became a foundation for personal and professional growth.

• The Power of Validation: A small but powerful moment, her father-in-law painting a mural to honour her work, sparked a shift in how she saw herself as a leader. It became a catalyst for confidence and belief.

• Women in Lubes & Greases: Bhavika reflects on the importance of visibility, representation, and community for women in technical sectors. Her message is clear: there’s space at the table, but we have to build the chairs too.

• Inner Work, Outer Change: Whether through therapy, personal journaling, or simply giving herself permission to feel, Bhavika believes that true leadership comes from aligning your inner world with your outer actions.

Why Listen:

Bhavika’s story is one of compassion, grit, and personal growth. If you’re building a career in a family business, juggling multiple roles, or simply figuring out how to show up as your whole self at work, this episode will hit home.

Where to Connect:

• LinkedIn: Bhavika Sachdeva & Trinity Lubes & Greases FZC

• Community: Women in Lubes & Greases – LinkedIn Group