In this episode of the⁠ Training Impact Podcast⁠, Jeff Walter sits down with Mike Willins of ⁠Motor Age Training⁠ to discuss the growing challenges and opportunities shaping the future of automotive technician training.

As modern vehicles become increasingly dependent on software, sensors, electronics, and advanced diagnostics systems, the role of the technician is evolving rapidly. Mike explains why today’s automotive professionals must go far beyond traditional mechanical repair skills and develop stronger diagnostic, analytical, and continuous learning capabilities to keep pace with the industry.

The conversation explores the widening technician skills gap, the ongoing workforce shortage impacting repair shops and dealerships, and why many organizations are struggling to recruit and retain highly skilled technicians. Jeff and Mike also discuss how training programs must evolve from occasional certification events into ongoing learning strategies that directly support operational performance, customer satisfaction, and technician retention.

Mike shares how Motor Age Training supports technicians and automotive organizations through diagnostics education, workforce development, and modern training approaches designed to help learners adapt to rapidly changing vehicle technologies. The discussion highlights why diagnostics has become one of the most valuable skills in today’s repair environment and how stronger learning cultures can create long-term competitive advantages for automotive organizations.

Whether you are a dealership leader, repair shop owner, trainer, technician, or learning and development professional, this episode delivers valuable insight into how automotive training is transforming alongside the industry itself.

Learn more about Motor Age Training: ⁠Motor Age Training⁠

In this episode of the ⁠Training Impact Podcast⁠, Jeff Walter sits down with David Boyes, President of ⁠Today’s Class⁠, to explore how adaptive microlearning and AI-driven personalization are changing the future of automotive workforce development.

As modern vehicles become increasingly complex, shops are facing growing pressure to keep technicians, service advisors, and service teams up to speed on rapidly evolving technology. At the same time, technician shortages, employee turnover, and limited training time continue creating major challenges across the industry.

David explains how Today’s Class approaches these challenges differently through daily three to five minute learning experiences delivered through an adaptive mobile platform. Instead of relying on occasional classroom sessions or static online courses, the system continuously evaluates each learner’s strengths, weaknesses, confidence levels, and retention patterns to personalize training over time.

Jeff and David discuss how AI and machine learning help create highly targeted learning experiences that evolve daily based on employee performance, business priorities, seasonality, and long-term knowledge retention. The conversation also explores how shops can use learning data to improve engagement, support ASE preparation, strengthen service advisor communication skills, and create stronger learning cultures throughout their organizations.

This episode is a fascinating look at the future of adaptive learning, continuous workforce development, and how modern automotive organizations can turn training into a long-term competitive advantage.

Learn more about Today’s Class: ⁠https://todaysclass.com⁠

Follow the Training Impact Podcast on Social Media: ⁠https://t-sml.mtrbio.com/public/smartlink/trainingimpactpodcast⁠

#AutomotiveTraining #AdaptiveLearning #Microlearning #TechnicianTraining #AITraining #WorkforceDevelopment #LearningAndDevelopment #AutomotiveIndustry #TrainingImpactPodcast

What happens when training stops being a support function and starts driving real business impact?

In this episode, Jeff Walter, Founder and CEO of ⁠LatitudeLearning⁠, joins ⁠CourseCreek⁠ as a featured guest to explore how organizations can rethink training as a strategic asset. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in extended enterprise learning, Jeff shares how training programs can evolve beyond content delivery and become directly connected to performance, growth, and scalability.

The conversation dives into a critical shift happening across learning and development. Many organizations still measure success through course completions and participation rates, but high-performing teams are aligning training with real business outcomes. Jeff explains how this shift changes everything, from how programs are designed to how success is measured.

A key focus of the discussion is structure. Jeff outlines how training programs must progress through stages, moving from basic knowledge acquisition to skill development and ultimately to performance-driven learning. This evolution allows organizations to create consistency across distributed teams, improve execution, and deliver measurable results at scale.

The episode also explores the growing role of AI in training. Rather than replacing human expertise, AI is enabling faster content creation, more personalized learning experiences, and better visibility into what is actually driving performance. Jeff emphasizes that the goal is not more training, but smarter, better-aligned training that supports learners in real time.

As a guest on CourseCreek’s platform, Jeff brings a collaborative perspective that connects strategy with practical application. Whether you’re leading training for a franchise system, managing partner enablement, or building internal learning programs, this episode offers a clear path forward for turning training into a competitive advantage.

🎧 Watch the full episode here 👉 ⁠https://www.latitudelearning.com/ai-lms/portfolio/57-coursecreek/⁠ 

#TrainingImpact #LearningAndDevelopment #ExtendedEnterprise #FranchiseTraining #PartnerEnablement #LMS #AIinLearning #CorporateTraining #TrainingStrategy #WorkforceDevelopment

Most training programs measure activity, not impact. In this special episode of the Training Impact Podcast, Jeff Walter shares highlights from his presentation at the Annual ATMC Conference and explains why training systems, not training programs, are what truly move business metrics.

Jeff introduces his Learn, Do, Teach framework and a five-stage roadmap for building scalable learning systems that improve technician performance, increase partner success, and drive measurable outcomes across dealerships, franchises, and channel networks.

You’ll learn how to connect training to metrics like productivity, fixed right first time, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency, while also exploring how AI is reshaping knowledge access, course creation, and personalized learning.

If you want training to become a strategic asset instead of a cost center, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately.

Learn more at https://www.latitudelearning.com/

For more from the Training Impact Podcast, follow us on Social Media: https://t-sml.mtrbio.com/public/smartlink/trainingimpactpodcast

#TrainingImpactPodcast #JeffWalter #ATMC #TrainingSystems #LearningAndDevelopment #WorkforceTraining #TechnicianTraining #DealerTraining #BusinessGrowth #TrainingROI #AIinLearning #LeadershipDevelopment

What if one small step could completely change your future?

In this episode of the ⁠Training Impact Podcast⁠, Jeff Walter speaks with Alesia Visconti, CEO of ⁠FranServe⁠, about how franchising creates life-changing opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Alesia shares her inspiring personal journey, the mission behind FranServe, and why so many people feel overwhelmed when exploring business ownership. She explains how FranServe helps candidates find the right franchise fit, build confidence, and move from uncertainty to action.

You’ll also hear insights on women in franchising, transferable career skills, and why franchise ownership can offer freedom, growth, and purpose.

If you’ve ever considered owning a business or reinventing your career, this episode is for you.

Visit FranServe: ⁠https://www.franserve.com⁠

For more from the Training Impact Podcast, follow us on Social Media: ⁠https://t-sml.mtrbio.com/public/smartlink/trainingimpactpodcast

What does it really take to scale a modern franchise brand in a rapidly evolving market?

In this episode of the Training Impact Podcast, Jeff Walter sits down with Kevin Moran, Chief Development Officer at Blaze Pizza, to explore how one of the most recognizable fast casual brands is reinventing itself for the next phase of growth.

This conversation goes beyond traditional franchise development. Kevin shares how his career path, which spans finance, operations, and strategy, shaped a cross-functional approach to building and scaling businesses. Rather than staying in a single discipline, he developed a deep understanding of how every part of the organization connects. That perspective now plays a critical role in how Blaze Pizza evaluates franchise partners, designs support systems, and drives performance across its network.

A central theme of the episode is what Kevin describes as Blaze 2.0. As customer expectations shift and digital ordering becomes a dominant channel, Blaze Pizza is rethinking its entire operating model. From store design and kitchen layout to labor strategy and customer flow, the brand is evolving to reflect how customers behave today, not how they behaved a decade ago.

At the heart of this transformation is Ignite by Blaze, a live innovation restaurant where new ideas are tested in real-world conditions. This is not a theoretical exercise. It is a fully operational location where Blaze experiments with equipment, digital ordering systems, and service models while gathering direct feedback from customers. The result is a continuous learning environment that allows the brand to refine its strategy before scaling it across the franchise system.

The discussion also explores the growing impact of digital ordering on restaurant operations. As more customers engage through online channels, brands must rethink how they balance in-store experiences with digital demand. Blaze Pizza is addressing this by separating workflows, improving efficiency, and reducing friction for both customers and employees.

Kevin also shares valuable insights on international expansion. From understanding cultural preferences to navigating supply chain and regulatory challenges, he explains why global growth requires flexibility and strong local partnerships. Success comes from adapting the brand to fit the market while maintaining its core identity.

Throughout the episode, one theme consistently emerges: curiosity. The willingness to ask better questions, explore how things work, and challenge assumptions is what drives innovation and long-term success. It is also what enables leaders to build stronger systems and more effective partnerships.

This episode is especially relevant for franchise leaders, training professionals, and operations teams looking to scale performance in a complex and changing environment.

For more from the Training Impact Podcast, follow us on Social Media

For more information on Blaze Pizza, visit their website

#BlazePizza #FranchiseGrowth #RestaurantInnovation #FranchiseDevelopment #TrainingImpact #RestaurantStrategy #DigitalTransformation #FastCasual #BusinessGrowth #ScalingPerformance

In this episode of the ⁠Training Impact Podcast⁠, Jeff Walter sits down with Adam Gaedke of ⁠Freddy Media⁠ to explore how influencer-driven marketing is transforming the automotive industry—and what it means for dealers, brands, and channel performance.

Freddy Media is redefining how companies connect with customers by leveraging a powerful network of social media influencers. Instead of relying on traditional advertising, they help automotive brands build trust, awareness, and demand through authentic, grassroots content that reflects real dealership experiences.

Adam shares how Freddy Media partners with companies to not only market their products, but also help sell them into dealership networks. By combining deep automotive expertise with modern marketing strategies, they focus on driving adoption, increasing revenue, and improving the bottom line for their partners.

A major theme in the conversation is trust. The automotive industry has long struggled with transparency, but influencer content—showing real service work, day-to-day operations, and honest interactions—helps break down those barriers. When customers engage with a dealership on social media before ever walking through the door, their confidence and buying experience fundamentally change.

The episode also explores how platforms like YouTube are shaping the modern buyer journey. Today’s consumers start their research online, and content-driven strategies are becoming essential for capturing attention and guiding buyers through a more transparent path to purchase.

Adam also discusses Freddy Media’s approach to growth—focusing on going deep with select partners rather than scaling broadly—ensuring meaningful impact and long-term success in the automotive space.

If you’re in automotive, marketing, or any channel-driven business, this episode offers a practical look at how influencer networks, content, and trust can drive real performance.

#AutomotiveMarketing #InfluencerMarketing #FreddyMedia #TrainingImpactPodcast #ChannelPerformance #DealershipMarketing #DigitalMarketing #CustomerExperience #SalesStrategy #ContentMarketing

What if your most effective growth channel wasn’t a franchise, dealer network, or sales team—but a network of influencers?

In this episode of the ⁠Training Impact Podcast⁠, Jeff Walter sits down with Emily Vernon, Head of Social Media at ⁠Tote&Carry⁠, to explore how the brand is redefining channel development through ambassadors, affiliates, and creator-driven content.

Tote&Carry has built a distributed ecosystem where influencers act as an extension of the brand, generating content across platforms like TikTok and Instagram to drive visibility, engagement, and revenue. This approach goes beyond traditional marketing and reflects a new model of partner enablement built on authenticity, experimentation, and relationships.

Emily shares how influencer marketing can function as a scalable channel strategy, where repeated exposure across diverse voices builds trust and drives performance. She also explains why authentic, relatable content is consistently outperforming highly polished campaigns—and what that means for brands trying to connect with modern audiences.

The conversation also explores how Tote&Carry structures its ambassador program, combining AI-driven discovery tools with direct outreach to build stronger, more aligned partnerships. Performance is measured through engagement, conversions, and revenue, creating a system that continuously evolves based on results.

Another key theme is experimentation. Tote&Carry operates with a test-and-learn mindset, constantly refining its approach to creators, content, and messaging. This iterative model mirrors modern training and enablement strategies, where feedback loops and continuous improvement are critical to success.

Emily also emphasizes the importance of seeing through the customer’s eyes, evaluating every touchpoint from the user perspective to improve alignment and drive better outcomes.

This episode is especially relevant for learning and development leaders, training managers, and enablement teams looking to understand how distributed networks can be aligned and scaled effectively.

To learn more about Tote&Carry, visit: ⁠https://www.totencarry.com/⁠

For more from the Training Impact Podcast, follow us on social media: ⁠https://t-sml.mtrbio.com/public/smartlink/trainingimpactpodcast⁠

#ToteAndCarry #InfluencerMarketing #AmbassadorProgram #AffiliateMarketing #ChannelStrategy #PartnerEnablement #EcommerceGrowth #CreatorEconomy #TrainingImpactPodcast #LearningAndDevelopment

How does safety training protect an entire industry?

In this episode of the ⁠Training Impact Podcast⁠, Jeff Walter speaks with Katherine Henmueller, President and Chief Operating Officer of the ⁠Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair ⁠(CCAR). The discussion explores how specialized safety and hazardous materials training helps prevent accidents across the automotive repair ecosystem.

Founded in 1994 through an Environmental Protection Agency grant, CCAR has grown into a national safety advocate for the automotive industry. The organization develops eLearning programs that help repair shops, dealerships, logistics providers, and trade schools understand how to safely handle hazardous materials commonly found in automotive environments.

Katherine explains how CCAR’s training programs focus on real world risks associated with chemicals, batteries, refrigerants, and other materials that technicians and service teams encounter every day. The training also helps organizations comply with Department of Transportation hazardous materials regulations, including the 49 CFR standards that govern safe packaging and transportation.

One of the most interesting challenges discussed in the episode is the perception of compliance training. Because safety training is designed to prevent incidents, its success is often invisible. When it works well, accidents never happen, and workers simply assume safety systems are part of everyday operations.

Jeff and Katherine explore how education helps technicians and automotive businesses understand the bigger picture of safety. By establishing consistent industry standards through training, CCAR helps make the entire automotive repair environment safer for workers and customers alike.

The conversation highlights the broader role of learning in complex industries. Training is not just about knowledge transfer. In sectors like automotive repair, it functions as infrastructure that supports safety, compliance, and operational consistency.

Learn more about CCAR and their safety training programs: ⁠https://www.ccar-greenlink.org/⁠

For more from the Training Impact Podcast, follow us on Social Media: ⁠https://t-sml.mtrbio.com/public/smartlink/trainingimpactpodcast⁠

#TrainingImpactPodcast #CCAR #AutomotiveRepair #AutomotiveSafety #HazmatTraining #ComplianceTraining #AutomotiveIndustry #WorkplaceSafety #LearningAndDevelopment #CorporateTraining #SafetyTraining

How do organizations turn expert knowledge into scalable digital learning?

In this episode of the ⁠Training Impact Podcast⁠, Jeff Walter speaks with Robert Lunte, founder and CEO of ⁠CourseCREEK,⁠ about the process of transforming expertise into structured online learning programs.

Robert shares his journey from internationally recognized voice coach to leading an eLearning development company. After creating his own digital courses, he discovered how powerful digital education could be for scaling knowledge and helping professionals reach far larger audiences.

That realization led to the creation of CourseCREEK, a company focused on helping experts and organizations convert their knowledge into structured digital learning programs.

The conversation explores why many professionals struggle to scale their expertise. Much of what they know exists as implicit knowledge inside their heads. Instructional design and course development help convert that knowledge into structured training programs that can be delivered consistently to learners anywhere in the world.

Robert explains how CourseCREEK works with clients ranging from executive coaches to healthcare educators and corporate training teams. These organizations often possess valuable expertise but need help transforming it into engaging digital learning experiences.

Jeff and Robert discuss the instructional design process used to develop effective courses. It often begins with gathering existing materials such as presentations, notes, documents, and videos. Instructional designers then organize the information into a storyboard that maps the learning journey, including modules, lessons, and engagement activities.

This structured approach ensures that courses are not simply collections of content but carefully designed learning experiences that help learners absorb and apply knowledge.

The conversation also explores the importance of engagement in digital learning. Modern learners benefit from a combination of multimedia elements such as video instruction, reading exercises, quizzes, and interactive scenarios that reinforce key concepts.

By combining instructional design with modern learning technologies, organizations can create training programs that scale expertise, preserve knowledge, and deliver consistent education to large audiences.

If you are responsible for learning strategy, course development, or digital education programs, this episode offers valuable insight into how organizations convert knowledge into scalable learning systems.

🌐 Learn more about CourseCREEK ⁠https://www.coursecreek.com/⁠

For more from the Training Impact Podcast, follow us on Social Media https://t-sml.mtrbio.com/public/smartlink/trainingimpactpodcast

#TrainingImpactPodcast #CourseCREEK #Elearning #InstructionalDesign #DigitalLearning #CorporateTraining #KnowledgeManagement #OnlineCourses #LearningLeadership