Collision Course

Jason Stahl interviews Matt Ebert, founder and CEO, on his newfound celebrity as a promoter of careers in the collision repair trade. In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How Ebert got national news shows focused on the collision repair industry
• Where his passion for the collision repair industry comes from
• Where the tech shortage currently stands
• Crash Champions' acquisition strategy moving forward
• And more!

Jason Stahl interviews Tommy Maitz, senior director of marketing for Hunter Engineering Company, on Hunter's plans for the 2026 SEMA Show.  In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Hunter's history with the SEMA Show and Industry Week
• The importance of Hunter connecting with customers at the show
• Expectations for show attendance
• Plans to preview equipment that has never been seen before
• And more!

Jason Stahl interviews Travis Johnston, founder of BainbridgeAI and former auto body shop owner, on how his company and their AI-driven tools are helping collision repair facilities streamline estimating, negotiate with insurers and reclaim hours lost to administrative work.

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• What items are insurers cutting from estimates the most
• Does providing detailed documentation to prove you did something always get you paid?
• How is artificial intelligence (AI) being used in the collision industry — by body shops, insurers and vendors.
• And more!

Jason Stahl interviews Lucky Papageorg, executive director of the Massachusetts Auto Body Association (MABA), on the association's legislative priorities, the challenges facing collision repair businesses and the importance of industry unity.  In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why Massachusetts has the nation's lowest labor reimbursement rates and what MABA is doing legislatively to change the system.
• How ADAS technology is reshaping collision repair, why insurers continue to challenge reimbursement for calibrations and scanning, and what that means for repair shops.
• Strategies that have made MABA one of the country's most effective state associations, including member engagement, legislative advocacy and building a unified industry voice.
• Why collision repairers should view the vehicle owner — not the insurance company — as their primary customer, and how consumer education can improve repair quality and business success.
• Practical advice for state and national collision repair associations on working with legislators, building industry consensus and advancing policies that promote proper, safe repairs and fair compensation.
• And more!

In the latest episode of Collision Course, Jason Stahl interviews Drew Plischke, director of client insurance reconciliation at Gold Coast Auto Body in the Greater Chicago area, on how his shop operates in a manner much different than other collision repair facilities, refusing to play the insurers' game and instead fighting tooth and nail for the vehicle owner. In this episode, you'll learn:

• The importance of educating the consumer on a proper and safe repair per their vehicle manufacturer's guidelines
• The importance of understanding your state's laws and insurance policy language
• How Gold Coast does not "play the game," as the price to repair the vehicle is produced by the extent of damage the vehicle sustained in the accident
• How Gold Coast adheres to a 100% disassembly with three goals in mind: no supplements, one complete part order and no delays
• And more!

Jason Stahl interviews Mike Anderson, president and owner of Collision Advice, on what his message is to collision repairers in 2026 and how they can thrive, not just survive, in challenging times.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to ignite excellence in your OEM research, customer experience, marketing efforts, culture — and yourself
• Ways to capture more business
• How to boost customer pay
• How to be profitable no matter the level of your business volume
• And more!

Jason Stahl interviews Aaron Schulenburg, executive director of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), on five issues he is hearing from SCRS members in their respective marketplaces that are making running a collision repair business more challenging today, including:

• Escalating insurer cost pressure disrupting shop operations
• Consumers increasingly being asked to repair cost gaps out of pocket due to insurer pushback
• Repair complexity outpacing shop compensation models
• Surging administrative workload — with AI not being a cure-all
• Declining car count creating market instability

Jason Stahl interviews Blair Womble, secretary and conference chair of the Women’s Industry Network (WIN), and Nicole Carpenter, conference vice chair, on WIN’s upcoming annual conference May 4-6, 2025 in Tucson, Ariz., themed, "Empowering Excellence: 20 Years of Driving Change & Building Leadership."

In this episode, Jason Stahl discusses the technician shortage with Conner Janning who, as a traveling welding instructor for I-CAR, is on the front lines of the tech shortage and, as such, has a rare, firsthand view of what it will take to rebuild the tech pipeline. 

Janning is trying to change the narrative around collision repair, showing students that collision repair isn’t just "fixing cars" but a modern, tech-forward career that blends engineering and safety-critical problem solving.