Mobile Electronics Magazine - October 2017

October 2017

me-mag.com

The MAD

MODDER! Chris Pate’s speed, creativity and no-fear design put him atop the installation world as IOTY

PLUS:

Line Check:

Retailers Plan to Stand Pat On Vendor Relationships

Old to Bold:

Soundscape Car Audio Makes A Bigger Home in Carrollton

Tech Team:

ADS’ Support Specialists Excel at Every Level

optimize your senses

RVC910

RVC1100

RVC1500

RVC180B

Wide Viewing, 120º view, 0.3 Lux

OEM look, Stick On mount super wide, 160º view

Mini Surface Mount Camera Incredible Low Light !

Split Screen 180º Rear/Front Camera

BACKUP CAMERA TECHNOLOGY ! IR LICENSE PLATE CAMERA WITH “DRS” ACTIVE PARKING ASSIST LINES

NEW !

No OBD Connection Required !

RVCLPM (Chrome) RVCLPMB (Black Chrome)

RVC800LPWIRB (Black) RVC800LPWIR (Chrome)

License Plate Camera 120º view

IR License Plate Camera 120º view

“DRS” active parking assist lines !

“DRS” active parking assist lines show car turning trajectory

TLP100IRBL

High sensitivity 1/3″ DSP color CCD Lux 0.3 @ F2.0 140° viewing angle

UNIVERSAL HEADS UP DISPLAY NEVER TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD

ON STAR ! OE STYLE REARVIEW MIRROR WITH BUILT IN 4.3” LCD (MANUAL DIMMING)

• 4.3” LCD Rear View Mirror with OnStar !

• Manual Dimming • Includes Cable Adaptor • Adjustable Parking Lines

NEW !

Adjustable Parking Lines

RVMMMDOS

OE STYLE REARVIEW MIRROR with Built In 4.3” LCD (Auto or Manual Dimming)

NEW !

Auto Dimming !

Rear View Mirror Monitor

RVM430NG

RVM430MMD RVM430MAD

Adjustable Parking Lines

5” Display with bluetooth to android smartphone function HUD500BT

OEM GRADE MICROWAVE BLINDSPOT SENSOR SYSTEM

3” Display

HUD300

USB POWERED PODS AND EXTENTIONS

• Installs behind bumper so no holes • OEM Quality • Clean Look • Waterproof IP67 • Easy to Install Not Ultrasonic

Microwave Radar will work in rain, snow and even through mud !

Dual USB Power Output

Dual USB Power POD with Mount

12 VDC Input

Round flush mount

Dual 2.1A / 2.1A Output

USBD12V

1 amp & 2.1 amp USB output

USBR12V

Indicator LED Lights

BSS300R

Volt Meter

DVM100/DVM200

HDMI / USB Extension

USBRHDMI

u o y e Ar

. . . y d Rea

10.2” OR 17” WIDESCREEN FLIPDOWN WITH WIFI STEAMING

10.2” MOTORIZED FLIPDOWN MONITOR WITH WIFI • Built in Wireless Wifi HD receiver • USB Input • AV + HDMI inputs • Wireless FM transmitter • Led Dome lights • IR Remote control • Wireless IR headphone transmitter • Motorized Auto (Up / Down)

( ( ( ((

Wirelessly Stream !

1080 HD Content from your smartphone

NEW ! (

• Built in Wireless Wifi HD receiver • Built in SD card player • Audio Video inputs • Wireless IR headphone transmitter • Wireless FM transmitter • Led Dome lights • IR Remote control

10.2”

1080 HD Content from your smartphone

(

AXFD102MHDWF

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NEW !

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DVD9850

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IR Transmitter

AH-IRXHDMI

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Interchangeable color skins (Gray & Tan)

IR REPEATER OVER HDMI CABLE

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CAR ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM WITH BUILT-IN DVD PLAYER / GAME CONTROLLER • High Resolution Digital Panel • Works in all type of Cars • Multimedia DVD Player • Supports 3-In-1 SD Card Slot, USB, DVD • HDMI Input • Game Controller and remote • Slim Design • Touch Button Controls • Dual IR Wireless Headphone Transmitter Built-in

( ( ( ((

Wirelessly Stream !

Volume 34// Issue 10

14 FEATURES 14 // What’s Happening: The Dangers of Ransomware

Every day technology advances is another chance for hackers to steal a retailer’s sensitive information and hold it hostage. Experts and retailers weigh in on what owners can do to protect their assets in this time-sensitive topic.

32 // Installer of the Year: Chris Pate

Industries tend to create their own trends, whether that be with the periods in which new products are announced or the amount of time it takes for a new generation of stars to be born. In the case of the latter, Chris Pate inadvertently followed a trend set by his predecessor in spending six years from the start of professional frustration to take the crown as Installer of the Year. But it was only a portion of a much bigger journey.

40 // The Support Team: ADS

Some companies in 12-volt have tech support and customer support departments to help specialists troubleshoot problems. But what happens when a manufacturer has a problem they need solving about a product they purchased? Enter ADS, the support team for the 12-volt industry, as well as retailers.

Accele Electronics...................................... p. 2 & ®3 American Bass .................................................. p. 23 American Road Products ............................ p. 27 AudioControl ....................................................... p. 19 Custom Car Stereo ......................................... p. 49 DD Audio .............................................................. p. 24 Elettromedia: audison ................................... p. 47 Firstech: Compustar / ArcticStart ......... p. 59 Harman: JBL ......................................................... p. 11 HD Radio ................................................................ p. 15 InstallerNet ......................................................... p. 45 Kicker ........................................................................ p. 5 Memphis Audio .................................................. p. 17 Metra Electronics: Axxess .......................... p. 25 Mobile Electronics Association (MEA) .p. 39 Orca: Focal ............................................................ p. 13 Scosche ................................................................. p. 12 SiriusXM ............................................................... p. 29 Sony .......................................................................... p. 7 SounDigital ......................................................... p. 49 Soundskins USA .............................................. p. 46 VAIS Technology ............................................... p. 31 Voxx: CarLink ..................................................... p. 60 Waylens ................................................................... p. 9

44 // Strategy & Tactics: Business Expansion and Diversification

In the eyes of the novice, it only makes sense that growing a business to include more employees, more locations and more product offerings is a good thing. Sometimes it is, but not always. Top retailers like Ethan Blau of Sound Wave Customs and Joe Cassity of Tunes-N-Tint discuss how they’ve either added or subtracted these elements to the betterment of their business.

50 // Tech Today: Real World Tuning

After Andy Wehmeyer concluded his best practices for tuning, it might seem as if it’s all been said on the subject. But with a complicated subject comes many perspectives. Installer of the Year Chris Pate discusses how to tune a car to perfectly fit the needs of any customer in a real world situation.

50 ARTICLES

On the Cover

Chris Pate is on top of the world. His story was particularly fascinating given how the time frame for his decision to get his life together and, ultimately, become Installer of the Year, mirrored that of his predecessor, Matt Schaeffer. The cover is meant to reflect who Pate is, and show that no matter who you are, or where you feel your strengths lie, you can always improve and turn your life around to reach the top of any field, as long as you are aware of and accept the sacrifices required.

COVER DESIGN: ROBIN LEBEL

4 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

20 Retail News/Who’s Who 56 Installs

DEPARTMENTS 6 Feedback 8 Editor’s Forum 10 Stats 12 Helpful Stuff 26 Hot Sellers 58 Guest Editorial

facebook.com/MobileElectronics

© 2017 STILLWATER DESIGNS

No mods… no problem.

KICKER VSS™ (Vehicle-Specific Solutions) audio upgrades provide one of the easiest mobile-electronics installations you’ll ever do. VSS installations mean no vehicle modifications, no error codes, and that it’s certifiably manufactured to automotive specifications (TS16949). A VSS audio install means less shop time and more profit.

See us at the SEMA Show, booth #11861. www.kicker.com/vss /kickeraudio

Encore: 7 Things I’ve Said This Year That You Should Be Doing Yes, I’m checking up on you.

My daughter does it all the time.

She’ll say something, then there’s a thought process when she realizes that what she said was pretty notable. And based on my reaction, she thinks that maybe I didn’t really get it. So she says it again, with emphasis. And I make sure she knows I got it, because a lot of times, I didn’t get its significance the first time.

Not because it wasn’t important, but because it was said at a time when I was doing other things.

Of course, repetition is the basis of all advertising. Either it trains the brain to feel a certain way, or you keep seeing something until it clicks that there is a value to you.

Every time I write this editorial, I try to come up with a different topic based on people I’ve interacted with in the industry, or lessons I’ve learned that might help others. The unfortunate thing about this format, though, is that all I get is the one pass. I would hope that it serves as a reference, but with print, you never really know. So today I want to do the repetition thing, and put some information in front of you a second time.

Are you embracing High-Resolution Audio? There are two things I never thought I’d say in 2017: 1) President Trump, and 2) I just got a new Sony Walkman! And yet; I’ve said both. The latter is not the cassette playing hip-hugger of old. It’s a mech-less media playback device that stores and streams high-resolution audio formats. It’s one thing to understand the theory; it’s another experience altogether to hear the difference. THIS is what we should be talking about with our customers. Let someone listen to audio through their connected iPhone, then through a hi-res source. It’s not even close.

Are you doing more while you’re doing well? It’s nice to call around the industry and hear how unseasonably swamped retailers are. The best part is, your mindset is at its best when things are going well. You know what else you should do with a great mindset? Plan. Take time out to look ahead three to four months

6 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

to think about all of the cool marketing campaigns, renovations, staff activities and training you’ll undertake. Don’t wait until you’re slow and worried about cash flow to plan. Positive energy nets positive results.

Are you filling up your dance card? The greatest strength we have as an industry is the ability to share. Though we serve different markets, we experience the same issues. Being able to talk with a peer to get or give a solution can be the difference between being in business and out of business. Your goal is to make five new peer relationships this year. If you haven’t done it, you’ve got three months left!

Are you tootin’ your own horn? No more of this “unsung hero” stuff. The ability to promote what you do well—both as stores and as individuals—sets you apart from competition. (Plus, it puts you in a good place when it comes to the Top 50!) For those of you who have just done great work and waited for others to shout your accolades, it’s time to step out of your comfort zone. Post some pictures. Offer some advice. Help others. Most important: don’t feel like it’s being boastful; it’s not bragging if it’s true.

Are you collecting email addresses? I hope that of all my past messages, this one has resonated with you. It’s no longer tabooed to ask for an email address. Consumers are trained to give them in exchange for a token savings, or just something to make them feel special. Take advantage of that.

Are you USING email addresses? Every store should have a monthly or twice-monthly communication going out to current and past customers. PERIOD. This is no longer an optional marketing practice. In our competitive climate, we have to keep the customers we’ve invested in, and just like any relationship, you do that by keeping in contact. Talk about a new product, one of your longtime staffers or an upcoming sale. If you need ideas, give me a call.

Have you re-learned how to learn? Nothing is static about our industry. It’s not even about the changing technology of our core products, but instead the evolving consumer demand that changes the outside products with which we must interact, or even compete. Our volatile environment means we have to pull the entrepreneurial caps we started with out of the closet and wear them constantly, because we will be continually reinventing who we are in order to stay relevant. Get that sense of wonder and discovery back. You’re going to need it.

XAV-AX200SXM

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Get directions, make calls, send and receive messages, and listen to music, all in a way that allows you to stay focused on the road. Just connect your iPhone or Android phone and go. www.sony.com ©2017 Sony Electronics, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Sony and the Sony logos are trademarks of Sony Corporation. Android Auto workswith devices using Android 5.0 software or higher. Some devices may not yet support Android Auto, see the Google site for the latest list of compatible devices. Android Auto and its logo are trademarks of Google Inc. Apple CarPlay works with iPhone 5 and newer phones. Apple CarPlay and its logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Features and specifications are subject to change without notice.

 feedback

Biggest Lessons From KnowledgeFest

Retailers who attended share their most valuable experiences from this year’s show in Dallas.

“I was extremely impressed with the overall educational format.

The overall tone I walked away with was fairly informative and a breath of fresh air. I’d like to extend my appreciation for what I was able to attain through the training.”

“I felt it was geared for individuals to accelerate ourselves and to better accelerate our businesses. This was valuable because we tend to put business first and not our own bodies, minds, and spirits. The key note speaker was saying to be the best version of me. It hit home because it is something I try to do, but can forget at times. It’s not the best technician, salesman, or owner. It’s me that’s most important.”

“Pretty much every moment that Marcel spoke was incredibly informational, inspirational and worth recording and listening to repeatedly.

By far one of the best speakers I’ve ever had the opportunity to meet.”

“The basics of DSP in OEM integration were the best part of the show.”

“I learned how to use REW to measure phase response between multiple speakers.”

“In this case, it was more of product awareness than the actual classes that helped me.”

“Learning about high resolution audio for myself!”

“The info in Marie Still’s marketing class. More classes need that level of detail, instead of being the same general overview of ‘do this, this and this.’”

“Product knowledge: the ability to see, touch and perform first hand.”

“Show up and pay attention.”

“The show reminded me of a lot of things that I knew but have not been doing.”

8 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

“The most valuable elements were learning about my peers’ businesses and networking with others.”

“The seminar with Ken Ward and Brett was my favorite.”

“The event proved how important networking is.”

“I learned easier ways to modify A-pillars for tweeters.”

ADVERTISING SALES Kerry Moyer 978.645.6457 • kerrym@mobile-electronics.com ®

EDITORIAL Solomon Daniels 978.645.6463 • solomond@mobile-electronics.com Ted Goslin 978.645.6466 • tedg@mobile-electronics.com Creative Layout and Design: Robin LeBel Contributing Editors: Jamie Sorcher, Laura Kemmerer and Rosa Sophia.

Published by TM

“I learned that we are always dealing with four types of people: directors, performers, researchers and mobile electronics association caretakers. I think the whole concept is valuable for sales and for leadership Chris Cook, President too.”

“I enjoyed engaging with other vendors and industry affiliates to learn about emerging technologies.”

“Don’t walk around downtown Dallas at 11pm by yourself. But I really enjoyed the Del Ellis training and have used and keep using his sales trainings. The best thing I’ve ever done for myself is meeting him.”

“The class on websites and online marketing was an eye-opener.”

“DSP is the way of the future.”

“Lots of fabrication tricks from Bryan, JT and Chris Pate. Those alone were worth the trip.”

“Learning how to close sales at a higher percentage.”

“I learned that no matter the differences we may have with in our industry, we can all come together, share our stories and learn from others.”

“Every year, I leave this show re-energized and more effective!

I guess I learn every year that this event is the most important thing we do as an industry. I just wish more people knew!”

978.645.6434 • chrisc@mobile-electronics.com Kerry Moyer, VP Strategic Partnerships 978.645.6457 • kerrym@mobile-electronics.com Solomon Daniels, Dir. Media and Communications 978.645.6463 • solomond@mobile-electronics.com Richard Basler, Dir. Technology Solutions 978.645.6449 • richb@mobile-electronics.com Robin Lebel, Creative Director 603.505.5566 • robinlebel@mobile-electronics.com 1) Title of publication: Mobile Electronics. 2) Publication No.: 957-170 6. (ISSN# 1523-763X) 3) Copyright © 2017 by the Mobile Electronics 4) Date of filing: Sept.

1, 2016. 5) Frequency of issue: Monthly. 6) No. of issues published annually: 12 7) Annual subscription price: $35.00. 8) Periodical postage paid at Lawrence MA and additional mailing offices. 9) Complete mailing address of known office of publication: 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845. 10) Complete mailing address of the headquarters or general business offices of the publisher: 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845. 11) Full names and complete mailing address of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor: Publisher: Chris Cook, 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845; Editor/Managing Editor: Solomon Daniels/Ted Goslin, 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845 12) Owner: MERA, Mobile Electronics Retailers Association, 85 Flagship Drive, Ste F, North Andover, MA 01845. 13) Known bondholders, mortgages, and other security holders owning or holding 1% or more of total amounts of bonds, mortgages or other securities: None. 14) Tax Status: Not applicable. 15) Name of Publication: Mobile Electronics. 16) Issue date for circulation data below: August 2016. 6. a) Total no. copies (net press run) Average: 12,484 Single Issue; 12,826. b) Paid/Requested mail subscriptions Average: 6834, Single Issue: 6826. c) Paid sales through dealers, etc.; Average: 0. Single issue; d) Requested distributed by other classes of mail: Average: 531, Single issue: 520. Total paid and/or requested circulation; Average 7365. Single issue: 7346. e) Non-requested distribution by mail; Average: 4382 Single issue: 4223. Free distribution through other classes of mail: Average: 0, Single issue: 0. f) Non-requested distribution outside the mail; Average: 325. Single issue: 750. g) Total non-requested distribution; Average 4707, Single issue: 4973. h) Total distribution; Average: 12,072. Single issue: 12,319. i) Copies not distributed; h1) Office use, leftovers; Average: 412. Single Issue; 507 j) Total; Average: 12,484. Single issue; 12,826 Percent paid and/or requested circulation; Average: 61.01%. Single issue 59.63%. 17) POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Mobile Electronics, 85 Flagship Drive Suite F, North Andover MA 01845-9998

“. . . if you’re hitting the racetrack, or just the expressway in an R8, the Waylens is the way to go.” — Autoweek

Introducing the Ultimate Automotive Camera System from Waylens The Waylens Horizon was designed for the auto enthusiast. More than a dash cam, the Horizon represents years of passionate design to capture the fun behind the wheel, integrating the vehicle’s performance.

Precision, high-performance camera: The Horizon system includes a state of the art HD camera that captures the drive in crystal-clear video. Its elegant design looks at home in any vehicle. Its custom lens and highspeed processor captures every moment, even in low light conditions. A quick-release windshield mount makes it easy to install or remove.

Wireless Plug and play vehicle data: The wireless data module plugs into the vehicle’s OBDII port and communicates vehicle performance data, including G-Force, Pitch and Roll, Boost and other critical parameters to the camera. The result is the total driving experience, including vehicle performance, in brilliant 1080p.

Capture the best moments: We’ve made it easy to instantly highlight your customer’s best moments during their drive with our one-touch remote. They simply tap it during a hair-pin turn or other event and the system will file it separately for easy retrieval later.

Application Features: Our free app allows us to continually add the features drivers want. Waylens GO lets users post 0-30 and 0-60 times to our cloud-based leaderboard in real time.

And, our LapTimer feature uses GPS to map out a track or course and automatically track lap times.

Gauge the progress: The ultra-bright display provides optional information at a glance.

G-Force

Easy editing and sharing: Video is stored on a high-performance SD card, but our unique mobile app allows easy access and sharing of the best moments without removing it. Editing on a larger screen is also made simple by removing the card or camera and reviewing the video with our desktop application software.

Comes complete: The Waylens Horizon Automotive Camera system comes complete with everything your customers need to capture their total driving experience..

Visit Shop.Waylens.com for more product information or for dealer inquiries email us at info@waylens.com

Pitch and Roll WAY-4-007-Camera-Jul2017-2.0

Line of Sight

 stats

Retailers reveal how they select their product lines and categories.

Number of Lines Carried for Each Product Category

none

1

2

3

4 or more

Autosound and Video

0%

0%

15%

21%

63%

Accessories and Materials

0%

13%

46%

20%

20%

Connectivity and Integration

0%

12%

37%

25%

25%

Safety and Driver Assistance

6%

21%

46%

12%

12%

Security and Convenience

3%

41%

45%

6%

3%

none

1

2

3

4 or more

Autosound and Video

3%

19%

16%

19%

41%

Accessories and Materials

20%

13%

43%

13%

10%

Connectivity and Integration

29%

25%

22%

12%

9%

Safety and Driver Assistance

35%

38%

16%

6%

3%

Security and Convenience

35%

32%

25%

3%

3%

Ranking Considerations for Selecting a Line to Carry

Of Those Lines, The Number of Lines Purchased Direct (From the Manufacturer or Rep) for Each Product Category

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Multiple Price Points

0%

21%

21%

21%

0%

14%

21%

0%

Price/Volume Discounts

20%

27%

13%

7%

0%

7%

13%

13%

POP/Marketing Support

12%

6%

19%

6%

12%

12%

12%

19%

Consumer knowledge of the brand

23%

0%

12%

6%

35%

12%

6%

6%

Warranty/RA Policy

11%

6%

28%

6%

17%

11%

11%

11%

Brand Tech and Training Support

0%

18%

0%

23%

18%

18%

18%

6%

Variety of products/categories within the line

15%

10%

5%

5%

15%

20%

15%

15%

Local competition

25%

5%

0

20%

5%

5%

0%

40%

INCREASE NUMBER OF LINES

DECREASE NUMBER OF LINES

KEEP MY CURRENT LINES

KEEP THE SAME AMOUNT, BUT CONSIDER OTHER BRANDS

Autosound and Video

5%

10%

60%

25%

Accessories and Materials

0%

5%

65%

30%

Connectivity and Integration

20%

5%

65%

10%

Safety and Driver Assistance

35%

0%

50%

20%

Security and Convenience

15%

0%

65%

20%

10 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

Plans For Each Category Over the Next 12 Months

THE ALL NEW

POWE R SP O RT S B A R

Legendary JBL audio performance is now available to take on the trails, the desert or anywhere else your next adventure takes you. The new JBL STADIUM UB4000 Powersports Soundbar is jam-packed with all the most enticing features, including the singular JBL audio performance. Plus, our bar can be mounted as a single unit or as two separate pods. The installation options are endless. See it in action at WWW.JBL.COM/POWERSPORTS

105DB • WATERPROOF • WIRELESS REMOTE CAMERA MOUNT • BLUETOOTH • MAPLIGHT

 helpful stuff

Book: We Need To Talk:

How To Have Conversations That Matter

by Celeste Headlee

App:

https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062669001/we-need-to-talk Based on the TED Talk with more than 10 million views, this book addresses a key issue all of us face today, either professionally, personally, or both. We don’t talk anymore! More often than not, we communicate from behind our computer screen or from the Smartphone in our hand with a text or self-destructing Snapchat picture or video. The consensus is that we’re actually feeling less connected and more alone than ever before. Some of the blame for the disconnect falls to our political landscape, according to the book, but the decline of our conversational skills as a society is on us. In her book, Headlee outlines the strategies that have helped her and offers simple tools that can improve your communication. She suggests the unthinkable—hiding your phone. Not just to put it down—but to get it out of sight and reach. Get some helpful tips on how to have meaningful conversations that can benefit you in life, on the sales floor, in the shop, or at an event.

focalmark.com Free for iOS and Android

Great! You’re on Instagram and Facebook, and you’re posting great pictures of all your installs daily on social media. To really get some traction and up your followers, though, you need the right hashtags.

Focalmark can help. Let the app know what kind of image you’re uploading, and it generates a mix of the best performing hashtags to help your work get seen. Its algorithm filters through thousands of hand-collected hashtags for each category of photography, design or other topic, then ranks the hashtags in order of reach and authenticity. Finish up by copying and pasting as a comment to your latest Instagram upload.

EXCITING NEW VEHICLE AUDIO SOLUTIONS AND ACCESSORIES MAGICMOUNT™ PRO MPWD, MPDCF

Audio Installation Accessories EFXAKC0 & EFXDBUQM

BOOMBOTTLE®+ & Fire Extinguisher Mount PSCLG (Large), PSCSM (Small)

Chevrolet Camaro Dash Kit (2010 - Up) GM5201B DIN and DDIN In Dash Kit ITCGM01B

3-in-1 Heavy-Duty Mount PSC3N1

To learn more, visit our website or call one of our car audio dealer representatives at 800-363-4490 (x2)

12 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

©2017 Scosche Industries

Come visit us in the North Hall

Booth: 11717

Site to See:

Hooniverse.com http://hooniverse.com/

The word hoon is a term used in Australia referencing someone who drives in a reckless manner. Here in the States, it has been adopted and redefined to mean someone who simply loves driving. This site is designed to capture that feeling. Based in Southern California, with satellite offices in Boston, Atlanta, and Edmonton, Hooniverse features a news feed (not a “news grind”), motorsport round-ups, questions/answers, a column called Shift Happens, car reviews, and show reports like a recent one from the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Services:

plugshare

https://www.plugshare.com/

If you drive a regular gas guzzler, then you might have the Gas Buddy app or some other way of making sure you get the best prices. But as more folks go with a hybrid or full-on electric vehicle, the location of a charging station becomes your new reality. PlugShare has the world’s biggest and most accurate public charging map with over 140,000 public stations, including all major networks in North America (Tesla SuperCharger, ChargePoint, Blink, SemaCharge, GE WattStation, AeroVironment, EVgo) and Europe (RWE, Clever, Endesa, Enel). It is also the world’s largest EV driver community. PlugShare users have contributed nearly 1,000,000 station reviews and photos to help drivers make the most informed charging decisions possible. It’s also the official EV charger locator for the Nissan No Charge to Charge Program and the MyFord Mobile app.

me-mag.com 13

 what’s happening

The DANGERS of Ransomware In 2016, 61 percent of businesses were hit by ransomware.

Experts and retailers discuss how businesses are impacted and how best to prevent future attacks.

WORDS BY JOE DYSART

While ransomware has long been an epidemic, the latest figures are positively chilling: 61 percent of businesses surveyed last year said they had been hit by ransomware, according to a CyberEdge Group study.

“It’s certainly important to think about protecting your business against ransomware and other cyber attacks,” said Alex Foster, manager of Sundown One in Springfield, Ill. “It’s always a possibility.”

Mobile electronics dealers who have been devastated by ransomware know too well how it unfolds: A message is sent to your computer announces that it has been hacked and your files have been encrypted.

If you want those files back, the message informs you that you’ll need to pay the hacker for the privilege. Sometimes it’s $500, sometimes it’s $5,000, sometimes it’s more.

14 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

Some businesses pay the ransom and get their files back.

Other times, a mobile electronics dealer or other business will pay the ransom, but the files and money are never seen again.

“The findings of CyberEdge’s latest Cyberthreat Defense Report are consistent with what we’re seeing in the industry,” said Mike Rothman, president of Securosis in Phoenix, Ariz. “There are more attacks, more sophisticated malware and more complexity ahead relative to skyrocketing cloud usage,” Rothman added. “This difficulty is compounded by the global security skills shortage, and the ongoing inability for most employees to avoid clicking on links that compromise their devices.”

Probably most sobering was the breadth of organizations surveyed

in the study. CyberEdge researchers surveyed 1,100 security decisionmakers representing 19 industries in 15 countries. Each company had at least 500 employees.

Moreover, CyberEdge is not the only research firm documenting a major spike in ransomware victims. Information Security Media Group and Trend Micro came out with their own 2016 study, finding that 53 percent of U.S. firms surveyed reported they were hit with ransomware. Plus, 19 percent of organizations said they are repeatedly hit with ransomware attacks more than 50 times each month.

“Ransomware became one the highest profile challenges facing cybersecurity professionals in 2016,” said Tom Field, vice president, editorial at Information Security Media Group. “Based on our research, we feel that nothing indicates a slowing down of this problem. In fact, we may have only scratched the surface.

With organizations reporting that their own employees are their greatest threat exposure, I expect a drastic increase

HD Radio Technology For Every Car on the Road TM

HD Radio Technology is available from today’s leading electronics manufacturers

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HDRadio.com

 what’s happening

Super computers like IBM’s Watson are being trained to leverage artificial intelligence in the fight against ransomware and similar malwares.

Alex Foster of Sundown One is well aware of the dangers of ransomware, especially for businesses like his that offer multiple product offerings, with more information to use against him.

16 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

in training, awareness and vigilance across all organizations in 2017.”

Not surprisingly, the greatest consequence of ransomware was significant business disruption, according to ISMG. Fifty-nine percent of victims said their businesses had been disrupted by the attacks.

And 28 percent said their business’s reputation had been damaged.

The two studies were echoed by yet a third study released by SonicWall, which found that 638 million businesses were hit by ransomware in 2016— up from 3.8 million attacks in 2015.

“Cybersecurity is not a battle of attrition,” said Bill Conner, CEO of SonicWall. “It’s an arms race. And both sides are proving exceptionally capable and innovative.”

A key factor behind the spike was the proliferation of “ransomware as a service,” according to Conner. The term refers to ransomware-to-go software packages, which are easy to buy on the Internet. They make it simple for criminals with even extremely limited technical knowledge to become hackers overnight.

Also contributing to ransomware’s rise has been the growing reliance on the Internet of Things— or all the devices mobile electronics dealers and other businesses have connected to the Internet, such as surveillance cameras, phone systems, security systems, smart terminals and

smart vehicles.

The computer software on all of those devices is largely unsecured, simply inviting hackers to stop by and wreak havoc. With a majority of organizations already victimized, it’s imperative for business owners to marshal cyber defenses right away by utilizing best practices recommended by IT security experts.

Enlist Help From Employees With multiple studies reporting that a majority of businesses were hit in 2016, fully educating employees about the threat is the first line of defense against ransomware.

A majority of respondents in the ISMB study—60 percent—saw susceptibility of employees as the primary entryway that hackers use to break into computer systems.

Essentially, new employees need to be given a crash course on common ploys hackers use to infiltrate company systems

via ransomware links sent in emails, or with seemingly innocent requests made for IDs and passwords over the phone.

Moreover, current employees need to be regularly monitored by firms like Knowbe4.com, which will test staff with common hacker ruses regularly, and send the business a report on which employees are falling for hacker tricks.

“It’s vital to be proactive with educating your staff about not opening unfamiliar items, emails or attachments,” said Jeff Cantrell, president of JC Audio in Jackson, Tenn. “It will only take one click to put you out of business for a period of time. Education is the key.”

Creating a System Image A system image is an exact copy of a drive and includes the drives required for Windows to run on a PC. It includes Windows, system settings, programs, and files. A system image can be used to restore the contents of a computer if the hard disk or computer ever stops

working. While it’s popular these days to create continuously updated system images of PCs, it’s better to create a separate system image featuring no data. This way, before the computer is even linked to the Internet, it will be clear that this particular system image is free of ransomware, malware and other viruses. Since Macs have the option to use Time Machine for backups, and are traditionally better encrypted than PCs, creating a system image in this sense is not needed.

Once that PC is connected to the Internet and data is generated, there’s always a chance ransomware will be downloaded. If a strike happens, a business will be able to reformat the computer with the system image that features no data—just the operating system and applications. System image software with good reviews include Paragon Hard Disk Manager, Acronis True Image and Marcrium Reflect.

In addition, many versions of

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me-mag.com 17

 what’s happening Backup, Backup and Backup

Jeff Cantrell (center right), owner of JC Audio in Jackson, Tenn., instructs his employees not to click on anything unless they can confirm the source is security. Staff training is one key to protecting a business from cyber attacks.

Security firms like Knowbe4.com will test a business’s staff with common hacker ruses regularly, and send a report on which employees are falling for hacker tricks.

Windows—including Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10—come with system image software.

With Windows 7, for example, making a system image is as easy as clicking “Control Panel,” “Backup and Restore” and “Create a System Image.” Once there, follow the prompts to create a system image of your PC on an external hard drive. If you’re looking to be super careful, make three system images on three different external hard drives—just

18 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

in case the other two don’t work for some reason.

When restoring a system image with Windows, always retain the name of the folder Windows renders when it initially makes your system image, which is, “WindowsSystemImage.” If you change the name of the folder (by adding a specific date or another descriptor) Windows will not recognize the changed folder name when it tries to restore your system image.

Now more than ever, IT security experts are strongly recommending— and in some cases, beseeching—mobile electronics dealers and others to create three backups of data.

The idea is to have data continuously backed up to a data storage unit, and then have a second copy of that backup go to the cloud.

“We’ve moved as much as we can over to cloud backup services for convenience and security,” Foster said of Sundown One. “It’s the easiest way to ensure we’re protected, while providing us an everyday convenience.”

The third backup, often referred to as “cold storage,” should be made daily to a storage device that is never connected to the Internet.

In practice, that means disconnecting the computer or network from the Internet once per day, backing up all newly generated data to the cold storage device, disconnecting that updated storage device from the computer system, and then reconnecting the computer system to the Internet.

Yes, such backup work is tedious, but so is the alternative—losing your files to ransomware.

“I still use multiple hard drives to back up our server and keep them rotated out,” Cantrell said. “It’s not just ransomware we’re concerned about. Several other potential risks are out there including fire, lightning, theft, tornadoes and water damage.”

The system image software mentioned above can also be used to back up data.

For one of the easiest to use data backup programs, check out Bvckup 2.

Such programs are great if you’re simply looking to create a mirror image of every data file you’ve got, without any compressing, encrypting or other file manipulation.

For example, if you’ve got a mirror image of a Word file, you can click on it and open it without worrying about decompressing it or decrypting it first.

If you’ve been hit by ransomware or some other virus, you can use military grade wiping software from firms like

WipeDrive Small Business to wipe your hard drive clean of malware.

It’s the same kind of software used by the U.S. Department of Defense to restore infected hard drives.

And it gives you advanced options, including network wiping, remote wiping and advanced reporting.

Hammer to The Hard Drive Given that ransomware is a neverending battle, hackers know what tools businesses are using to thwart their software, and they’re working diligently to neutralize those tools. If ransomware has impacted only one computer, it may be easier to simply remove the hard drive, take a hammer to it and replace it with a brand new one.

The move is much safer than trying to remove ransomware from a hard drive, which could take hours for an IT professional. Even then, it may not have been completely removed. Plus, simply

replacing the hard drive may be much less expensive than trying to dig out the ransomware. A 1 TB hard drive goes for about $50 and typically takes no more than an hour for an experienced IT person to install.

Super computers like IBM’s Watson are being trained to leverage artificial intelligence in the fight against ransomware. “Combining the unique abilities of man and machine intelligence will be critical to the next stage in the fight against advanced cybercrime,” said Denis Kennelly, vice president of development and technology at IBM. The emerging threat of ransomware has been impacting people all around the globe, with one of its most recent attacks coming on May 12 of this year, reaching to 150 countries. The European Union addressed the threats during its 2017 State of the Union in which it agreed to create a defense plan, hoping other nations, including the United

States, would follow suit.

“With the recent ransomware attacks, a dramatic rise in cyber-criminal activity, state actors increasingly using cyber tools to meet their geopolitical goals and the diversification of cybersecurity incidents, the EU needs to be more resilient to cyber-attacks and create effective cyber deterrence,” said the European Commission in a State of the Union 2017 - Cybersecurity statement.

“As long as the perpetrators of cyberattacks—by both state and non-state actors—have nothing to fear besides failure, they will have little incentive to stop trying.”

Despite this threat, the U.S. has not yet taken action to create a cybersecurity policy of its own to protect its citizens.

This solidifies the cause for concern amongst U.S. residents, particularly business owners, giving more urgency for them to protect themselves by any method possible. 

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me-mag.com 19

 retail news

Quick Draw With industry vets at the helm, Chronos Specialty Auto Works has taken Omaha by storm to establish itself as a high-end 12-volt powerhouse.

WORDS BY LAURA KEMMERER

C

hronos Specialty Auto Works (Omaha, Neb.) is spearheaded by industry veterans. The result? An established high-end clientele base, even though the location has been open for less than a year. General manager Craig McGinnis has been in the industry for years, and knows firsthand what it takes to get shops to the point of attracting high-end work and clients.

Chronos Specialty Auto Works opened its doors on Nov. 8, 2016, according to McGinnis, and there was a financial backer involved. But more than this, what has drawn the eyes of customers is the

20 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

shop’s work with high-end vehicles.

“We have one of our show vehicles, a 2014 Lamborghini Aventador. We did a whole big custom stereo system in that.

And we have two other show vehicles, too: a ’69 Camaro and a 2015 Corvette z06,” McGinnis said.

But having the cars themselves is still not enough. The general manager of Chronos does something else—what he calls “guerilla advertising.”

“Getting out there and going to car shows and picking the right vehicle to go to what show,” he explained. “We do custom upholstery, which is awesome for the hot rod guys.”

The actual in-the-trenches work involves more finesse and industry

knowledge.

McGinnis specified he receives a car show book every year. “With Facebook, we can tell what car shows are coming up to what, and I do a little bit of research about the show, and I can pick the best car that’s going to go to that show that’s going to help our business,” he said. “So, if we have a hot rod show coming up, I’m going to take our Camaro. And our Camaro is completely decked out—full custom interior system, full stereo system—so that one’s going to be better for that show.”

Like so many mobile electronics retailers, Chronos also gets involved with charity events. “Basically, depending on the charity, it determines which vehicle I take,” he said.

» Ryan Pyfrom VAIS Technology Englewood, Co. Years of industry experience: 12 Hobbies: Getting outside, home building What you’re really good at: Understanding how parts work

Mike Schwitz Sound Connection, Inc. Waite Park, Minn.

Years of industry experience: 14 Hobbies: Snowboarding, working in my 1,800 square foot garden What you’re really good at: Remote starts, tuning, custom fabrication

Luke Farley Lynx Customs Denver, Co.

Thanks to the keen eyes of its veteran owners, the shop has a clean, professional look, representative of its need to impress its high-end clientele base.

For more business-oriented car shows, McGinnis does his best to estimate what the median income is going to be for those who will be attending the show.

Other than doing the proper research to establish solid advertising groundwork, McGinnis was also recruited for his industry experience—he said that he had been in the industry since 1999—and along with the owner of Chronos and one other person, they’ve been able to collaborate and list what worked in the local shops they’d worked for, and what didn’t.

“We have a very clean shop, our

bay included, and don’t have problems taking customers into the bay. We have a very contemporary showroom, brightly colored, not dingy and there aren’t products stacked everywhere,” McGinnis noted. “There are a couple of cars on the show floor and our displays are nice and clean. We have all the right tools to do anything and try to keep up with all the new technologies.”

For other shops looking to attract high-end clientele as well, McGinnis said, “Basically, keep up with the times, do your research and figure out what works best with each vehicle.” 

Years of industry experience: 10 Hobbies: Family What you’re really good at: Running the company

Kimberly Trainer Car-Tunes, Inc. Greenville, Miss.

Years of industry experience: 16 Hobbies: Cooking What you’re really good at: CarTunes, Inc.

me-mag.com 21

 retail news

A Bold Move

2016 Retailer of the Year, Soundscape Car Audio, needed more space to entice customers so owner Dan Ungaro jumped at the chance to move when a new location became available next to a client's business.

WORDS BY LAURA KEMMERER AND TED GOSLIN

For many mobile electronics retailers, the health of their store relies upon their location. But more than that, the efficiency of day-to-day functions also relies on what the space itself can do for employees. Dan Ungaro from Soundscape Car Audio in Carrollton, Texas, knows the frustration of dealing with limited space firsthand.

Soundscape’s first location was 4,000 square feet, and while Ungaro and his crew were making that work, Ungaro himself was still in the market for another space for his business, as he needed more room for the install bay.

He also noted that he needed to change the format of the store to more closely

22 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

resemble the way Soundscape did business, with an emphasis on more of a boutique experience for the customer.

“I want people to walk into an inviting space,” Ungaro said. “Walking into a sales floor is a transactional situation.

We weren't there yet. I wanted to start developing more of a relationship with customers."

Even though Ungaro was making the previous space work, as soon as a new space opened up—which turned out to be next door to a client's business—Ungaro jumped at the opportunity. The other business specializes in home theater products, so the mobile electronics retailer hit near-instant synchronicity

with its neighbor.

When it came to the move, that’s when the real challenges began.

To begin with, the landlord in charge of the new space was already halfway through a new build-out, Ungaro said.

The owner of Soundscape had some specific requests about the flooring and walls that would be installed in the new space, and after some negotiation, everything was settled except for one significant detail—the epoxy flooring in the install bay.

According to Ungaro, it simply took the installers too long to do the work.

This resulted in a significant portion of the store and its inventory being packed up in trucks and parked in front of the business owner’s home for three days.

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 retail news

The move to the new location took about one week, which occurred after some building construction, including showroom work and a new wall built by the staff themselves.

24 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

With a delay in getting the store opened already in place, the move took about a week all told. Soundscape Car Audio was officially moved in as of May 1.

“It’s been spectacular,” Ungaro said. “The presentation of the store is definitely higher than it was. A lot of people asked me why bother moving, and why I planned on doing it. Once they've seen it, now it's more apparent. I had a vision of what Soundscape should be, and this resembles that.”

With this move, Ungaro reached the goal he’d envisioned for some time.

“I'm just amazed it happened,” he said.

“I planned to move two years ago, and it didn't seem like it was going to happen.

I was not really prepared, but when the opportunity came up, I dug deep and made it happen.” Ungaro did note that the whole process had been stressful, however.

Now, both sales and the overall workflow move more naturally. “We're putting processes in place that are more

The new install bay allows for technicians to house and work on more vehicles than the previous bay, which kept work at a lower rate than business required. cohesive with the format we are using now,” Ungaro said.

While their new location is a little off the beaten track, Soundscape’s bottom line has remained the same.

“The real reason I wanted to be in this area is there is a toll way that runs from Frisco to Dallas. The North Dallas

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Parkway,” he said. “Having that corridor is very beneficial. Geographically we are in a much better place for our clientele, despite being off the road.”

To make the new location work, the Internet has been key, Ungaro added. “I worked with Google to make sure all of our reviews got transferred properly.” 

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 hot sellers

MAXIMUM RETURNS

Keith McCumber sells the Match amplifiers by hyping their many applications while Graeme Wyatt tells customers how DD Audio speakers outperform other speakers for half the price.

Sony MEX-XB100BT CD Receiver with BLUETOOTH® Wireless Technology

Submitted by: Mark Kievit, Jr., Car Tune Automotive & Sound, Inc., Holiday, Fla. Main Selling Features: “Safety! Also, Bluetooth, handsfree calling, onscreen controls for music, phonebook, etc.”

Primary Objection: Price, additional parts required How to Overcome: “We have to sometimes include the additional wiring/fuse holder required for the install. It helps seal the deal in most cases.”

Match PP 82DSP 8-channel Plug & Play Amplifier

Submitted by: Keith McCumber, SoundsGood Auto, Coquitlam, B.C. Main Selling Features: “It works in so many applications. It’s compact, with loads of power and can tailor the sound in most cars all by itself, but we can also add a subwoofer amplifier for even more quality output.”

Primary Objection: Price, size, color, style and compatibility How to Overcome: “Most people remember the EQ from back in the day. This is that, on steroids!”

26 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

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 hot sellers

PAC Dash Kits, AAMP Pro Factory Finish Dash Kit & Factory Amplifier Integration

Main Selling Features: “The factory appearance and amazing functionality of the PAC dash kits with included modules! They beat most things on the market in the same category. The AAMP pro is an amazing factory amplifier integration module to help customer save time on expensive DSP’s and/or signal summing devices as well as save more labor dollars on installation without an AAMP pro.”

Primary Objection: Price How to Overcome: By describing functionality and comparing to other products on the market.

DD Audio E Class 6.5-inch Coaxial Speakers

Submitted by: Graeme Wyatt, Impact Tint and Audio, Tyler, Texas Main Selling Features: “We explain to the customer how a fairly inexpensive speaker can out-perform one that is more than twice the price because of how it is designed and the application types it was made for. Customers really seem to understand it with the way we lay it out.”

Primary Objection: Price, missing feature(s), learning curve, labor cost to install, brand to brand comparisons.

How to Overcome: “For the DD EX6.5 we don’t really have to overcome any of the above objections because it is a near-perfect product. If anything, it may come down to our labor price and we either work a deal or tell a customer that is all we can do and maybe explain why it is that price and why it takes so long.”

Goshers BSDS-RD1108 Radar Blind Spot Detection System

Submitted by: JT Torres, Automotive Entertainment HB, Huntington Beach, Calif.

Main Selling Features: “Safety.”

Primary Objection: Labor cost to install How to Overcome: “We explain the reason for the labor cost; most customers understand.”

28 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

Race Sport Lighting Color Changing RGB Lighting

Submitted by: Austin Thorne, Tunes-N-Tint, Lakeland, Fla. Main Selling Features: “Lighting sells itself and is a secondary category that enhances the mood just as much as music does.

Simple interior add-on kits or even dressing up audio installs with a couple of color-changing LED strips not only adds onto the ticket, but increases your wow factor. Bragging customers are great for referrals.”

Primary Objection: Price How to Overcome: “Show off functionality.”

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 hot sellers

Pioneer AVH-4200NEX Double-DIN Flagship Multimedia DVD Receiver with 7-inch WVGA Touchscreen Display

Submitted by: Dana LeBlanc, Parkway Sound, Everett, Ma. Main Selling Features: “Depending on what phone they have, either Apple or Android. When they see how Apple CarPlay or Android Auto works, it usually closes the sale out after that demo.”

Primary Objection: Additional parts required, labor cost to install How to Overcome: “Explaining the features lost if not purchasing the extra modules needed for the installation (steering wheel controls, instrument chimes, etc.) puts them at ease with the extra costs.”

Hybrid Audio Technologies Mirus Speakers

Submitted by: Rommel Miranda, Car Audio, Radio & Security, Charleston, S.C. Main Selling Features: “Customers love the lifetime warranty that comes with the product.”

Primary Objection: Additional parts required, learning curve How to Overcome: “Explain the benefits.”

VAIS Technology GSR-U01 Universal Satellite Radio Submitted by: Ryan Pyfrom, VAIS Technology, Englewood, Co. Main Selling Features: “Stock one then you are always being prepared to be able to handle your client quickly. Sales don’t always return.”

Primary Objection: Learning curve; satellite radio is a dead market How to Overcome: “Education on the multitude of cars coming without it.”

30 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

Focal FSP-8 Digital Signal Processor

Submitted by: James Halter, Stereo and Video Center, Tyler, Texas Main Selling Features: “Showing the customer that a DSP is not just something used in high-end or competition systems.”

Primary Objection: Price, labor cost to install How to Overcome: “Once they hear the difference using the product makes.”

me-mag.com me-mag.com 31 31

 Installer of the Year

The Six Year Itch

32 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

It took Installer of the Year Chris Pate over 10 years to earn the top prize in the industry. But before that, he lived a lifetime as a professional musician and music lover with a taste for design.

WORDS BY TED GOSLIN

A

mong the biggest truisms of human beings is their tendency to let history repeat itself. While some things—like war and genocide—are best left in the past, others might be worth repeating. In 2010, Matt Schaeffer had hit a professional wall. Eager for a change, he set out on a path of improvement. Six years later, he was Installer of the Year. It turns out, in 2017, history would repeat itself again.

Six years ago, Chris Pate was in a similar situation. After what would seem like a lifetime full of achievement that included fronting a touring band, 36 car audio championships and buying/ creating a two-store retail chain, Pate hit his own wall, finding himself stagnant as an installer. To solve the problem would take a combination of long hours, family approval and industry support, not to mention an openness to new ideas.

The Early Days Growing up in Houston, Texas, Pate began his life as a builder. “I built everything,” he proclaimed. His parents bought him every building toy they could, including Erector sets and Legos, to satisfy his creative urges. As he grew older, he started building half-pipes.

Then, at age 13, he built his first speaker box. Having access to a woodshop and the encouragement of his father, brother and grandfather helped as well.

“My dad and brother were into car audio. They would do stuff at local stereo shops, come home and want to build it.

My brother would build speaker boxes and once I said ‘Let me try,’ Pate said. “We were building speaker boxes in my dad’s driveway in Houston. When I was 13, my

dad threw me into an S-10 pickup to install a radio.

He gave me a test light and crimper and said, ‘Go to town.’ It worked.

It took me about three hours, but I knew enough about positive and negative to figure it out.”

Eventually, his family moved from Houston to a town called Hardin, located in East Texas, where Pate went to high school. “In high school, I was in marching band. I did a lot of music.

That’s where most of my drive comes from—music,” he said. “A lot of Chris Pate won the award for 2017 Installer of the Year guys know me for after 10 years of hard work. fabrication and building cool cars.

But a lot of what I do, what I consider days during childhood, turned into music, that higher level, is building good then returned to building in college. sounding cars. I’ve built sound quality “They didn’t have a music department cars for as long as I can remember.” at Texas A&M. I started off majoring in Pate started off playing the trombone, aerospace engineering. I wanted to have a practice that began in the sixth grade. an engineering degree but didn’t want The same year, his dad bought him to take as much math as I was taking his first guitar. Within three to four the first year. I decided I would transfer months of each other, he played both to the architecture department. It was instruments. “Those are the two main really a design degree, which is what I instruments that I play. I’ve learned to wanted,” Pate said. “It ended up being play drums and bass guitar since then,” computer animation. I ended up taking he added. His musical prowess led him most of the math classes anyway. It was to become head drum major in the high an interesting process. As a kid, you think school band. you’re going to get out of something, but After graduating high school, Pate I ended up taking all the things I wanted attended Texas A&M University in College to avoid. Environmental design was the Station, Texas, which he would eventually only design degree they had.” call his permanent home. Unlike his To pay for the degree, Pate worked at predecessor, Matt Schaeffer, Pate didn’t Circuit City, quickly moving up to the role start his career with a laser-pointed focus of sales and installation manager. After on car audio. It was more general than finishing school, he left Circuit City and that, centered on design creativity. That began working for Audio/Video, where urge, first nurtured by his box-building he remained for five years. “I talked

me-mag.com 33

 Installer of the Year

34 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

A Winner’s Build

This 2012 GMC Denali was brought to Chris Pate by his client Chris Lear with the hope he could create a hi-end quality sound system within a budget. Parts installed included a Sony RSX-GS9 source unit, a Brax MKII Pro processor, Audison Voce 4 and 5.1 amps, Hybrid Legatia SE2 tweeters and 3-inch midrange Illusion Audio Carbon C8 speakers in the front stage and a JL Audio 12W6v3 subwoofer. me-mag.com   35

 Installer of the Year

Before he was known as a top level installer, Chris Pate was the frontman for the band, Linus, which had a record deal with Atlantic Records at one point. them into opening a car audio-only store that was separate from the rest of their business,” he said.

A Short Segue This might be the part of the story that transitions to how Pate got into being the owner and lead installer of his own car audio business. But that would leave out an important part of what makes him who he is. “In 1999 I went to my first world championship.

Some buddies of mine ran a different shop. They competed. They were going to the Kansas City USAC competition.

For me, it was about going to a car audio show and seeing some cars. I was totally blown away. The extent these people would go to make a car sound better to me was extremely interesting,” Pate said.

“Also being in a rock ‘n’ roll band [lead singer and guitarist for the band, Linus], I thought, ‘This is what you’re trying to do. Create those types of live music environments in a car.”

Hoping to make an impact in that scene, Pate started building his first competition vehicle in 2001, a 1993 Mazda RX7. He took the car to his first finals where hundreds of other cars were competing. “I got fourth place, which felt pretty neat for a guy who didn’t know what he was doing,” he said. “You get

36 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

clients that are into it; it ended up being a great selling tool. We would invite customers to hang out and build cars for them, then take them to events.”

The small group of car audio buffs, which included friends and clients, would travel together to championships over the years, piling into cheap hotel rooms during their stay. “From 2001 to now we won a bunch of championships for cars I built and tuned, cars I helped build and tune and my own personal vehicles,” Pate said. “I was never able to use my personal vehicles because I was always doing work for customers. In 2007 I was finally able to win expert class with my own vehicle.”

Back to the Tale At the end of his five-year-run with Audio/Video, Pate received a phone call from his long-time friend and audio expert, Gary Biggs, to come work with him on a project at his store in Tulsa, Okla. The side work led to a full-time job at Cartoys of Tulsa. “I spent five years in Tulsa working with Rob Rice, doing projects with Gary Biggs. Gary talked me into being head fabricator and installer for Cartoys of Tulsa,” Pate said. “I had never lived or gone anywhere else. Rob offered me a nice pay package. Audio/ Video had not made me a partner like they had planned. So I went. I got a chance to work with Gary on a lot of projects while I was there.”

But as with most tales like this one,

Pate’s story had only just begun. An opportunity arose that Pate couldn’t refuse. “My old employer, Audio/Video, wanted out of the business. I wanted to move back to Texas. But I needed a partner. So I got in touch with my best friend from college, [architect] Lou Le, who offered to be my silent partner,” Pate said. “They made us an amazingly cool deal that you hope to get but never do.”

In 2009, Pate and Le re-opened the shop as Mobile Toys, Inc., with Pate managing the day-to-day and Le remaining in the background, helping manage billing. Eventually, he would leave his architect gig and join the company full-time handling human resources, employee issues and billing.

Today, after a background in music, a degree in environmental design, a short career as a touring musician and 36 car audio championships under his belt, Pate runs two stores and creates some of the most exciting builds in the industry. But there’s more.

Six Years Ago It happens to everyone at some point.

Stagnation sets in when repetition takes hold and there are seemingly no more fresh opportunities to inspire the best work one has to offer. But it’s an illusion.

The reality is that there is always more opportunity if you look for it. That’s how Pate saw it once he had his eyes opened by his industry peers. It’s funny how a little mentoring can go a long way.

“About six years ago, I was in a funk. I was running my business, but just hated it. I couldn’t decide how to get out of my funk. Talking with Bryan Schmitt and Jeremy Carlson, they said, ‘You gotta get better.’ That’s when I decided to do more machining and tooling and do it my way,” Pate said. “Getting to work with guys like Jeremy Carlson, Jeremy Katz, Tom Miller, JT Torres, Matt Schaeffer and Bryan Schmitt has been amazing. When you are around a group of guys like that, you get to learn their process and the way they think. You’re silly if you have any ego about it. You should just sit there and soak it up. I tell installers every time to

get with someone who’s better than you and learn. Be the guy who sands panels and learn.”

Once the inspiration of being around the best in the business took hold, Pate continued to work hard until he won the Runner-up Installer of the Year award in 2016. He then made a fateful decision, one he knew his family had to be on board with before he began.

“After I won runner-up, I had a good time and a fun night. The next morning, I woke up, told my wife I didn’t think I could win, but now I think I can. I’d been part of the group for 10 years. It was just fun to be part of it. But winning meant dedicating everything to do what it takes.

She was willing to let me do it, to have one good go at it. I said, ‘If I don’t win

Pate (right) improves his skills daily by working with other top-tier installers, like Gary Bell (left).

Thank You Chris Pate would like to thank the following people

for their help along his journey to becoming Mobile Electronics Installer of the Year.

Wilson Atcock Gary Biggs Jeremy Carlson Bryan Schmitt Jeremy Katz Matt Schaeffer JT Torres Tom Miller Nick Wingate Doug Winker Jeff Smith

Jake Acker Nalaka Adikari Lou Le Samantha Pate Savannah Pate Seth Moore Gene Joyce Kimon Bellos Duane Pilgrim Carrie Sahotsky Lee Teeples Pete Daley Brian Tolley Hector Mena Jim Wheling Shawn Simpson George Reed Jimmy Bradfield

Scott Buwalda Klifton Keplinger Edgar Diosdado Matt Thomas Adam Pate Matt Thomas Darrel Brewick Doug Dobson David Cruz Mark Kletee Andrew Evans Solomon Daniels Chris Cook Donna Rhodes Anthony Rhodes Donald Ray Pate John Wayne Hibbeler

me-mag.com 37

 Installer of the Year

that next year, then I’m done.’”

For the next year, Pate would put everything he had into improving his process, creating the most exciting builds possible every time, never letting an opportunity slip by.

older is installers sticking to what they know and [they] will stop learning, progressing and getting better. The fact is Mobile Toys, Inc. has two locations, one in Bryan, that if you don’t get any better, Texas and the other in his long-time home of College you can’t grow your business.

Station, Texas.

At 40 years old, I’ve learned any of that stuff. Sometimes when you’re “I don’t speculate on what more in the last two years super tired and worn out, that’s the best other guys have done, I know what I than I have in the last 10 or 12. You’ve got part of your day. Being there for your did. My thought process on everything to be willing to learn and expand your kids.” is I’m going to outwork you. I’m going knowledge base. You’re not the best guy to put more work into it. I may not be Now, after all is said and done, Pate on the planet; there are 100 guys better the most creative, or the best guy who has a trophy on his mantle. “To be at than you. If you can learn more, you can does the coolest work ever, but I’m going the end of it and have the trophy sitting present higher quality installs to your to outwork you the whole way. Every over there and to have that moment customers.” day I’m going to build something better was totally worth it. I’m a goal-oriented As the newly minted Installer of the than I did the time before. I got the person,” he said. “It was a goal, I’m proud Year, Pate welcomes the requirements philosophy from Jeremy Carlson. Base it of it, my kids are proud of it and I didn’t that come with the job, including off of what you can do, not what everyone waste the time being away from them. mentoring the next generation of else is doing,” Pate said. “I worked It’s something that makes them want to installers. “The cool thing is that with the probably 300 out of 365 days. That’s not work harder and that they can tell their Internet, it’s so much easier to connect an exaggeration. There were multiple friends.” with these guys. I get 10 to 20 questions projects where I did all-nighters.” a day from other installers. Ask. It never To maintain the breakneck pace and Youth Through Humility hurts to ask. I try to answer them all. still have time for family required one For some, hitting the top leaves them I’ve invited probably 100 installers to my thing of Pate: Never miss the important nowhere to go but down. With Pate, it’s shop and work. They’re welcome to come moments. “You still have to go on a different story, based on the reality hang out and turn a wrench with us. It’s vacations, you can’t miss recitals or that there is always the next build to give a brotherhood with these fabricators and orchestra concerts. When my son had an a chance to take that next step toward installers,” he said. “The one thing I tell orchestra concert, I’d leave for an hour inner greatness and external innovation. guys is, ‘Don’t be afraid to work hard.’ and a half, watch his recital, grab a bite, “What I do is build everyday vehicles.

That’s something that’s been lost on the go back to work. The biggest thing was People want their vehicles to sound younger generation. You have to work not missing anything. I would take kids better. When you’re doing the install, hard to get what you want. That requires to school in the morning but a lot of they want it to look better. The goal nine an investment in time, effort and skills. times I was too tired. Samantha would times out of 10 is the sound. Ultimately, It’s going to be a long road, with lots of do it a lot of times. It was tough,” he customers are paying you to make their trial and error, a lot of mistakes along said. “Don’t skip the important stuff. It’s cars sound better,” Pate said. “The biggest the way. Pick yourself up, don’t do those not okay to skip your kids’ recitals. You challenge I’ve faced in my career is trying mistakes again, and try again. Don’t be can’t get the moment back and you’re not to remain what I would consider relevant. afraid to get your hands dirty. It’ll pay off going to get it back. I’m glad I didn’t skip The one thing I’ve noticed as I’ve gotten in the end. It always does.” 

38 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

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 The Support Team

A Partner For All

Automotive Data Solutions offers a unique option to the industry, as the support mechanism for any manufacturer looking to enhance its remote start and audio integration offerings.

WORDS BY JAMIE SORCHER

Think back to what the car buying experience was like two decades ago.

Whether a consumer bought used or new, purchasing an aftermarket car stereo was no big hassle.

Today the landscape has completely changed with aftermarket companies forced to keep pace with all of the advanced technologies automakers are

40 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

packing into their vehicles. But that is how Montreal, Canada -based Automotive Data Solutions, Inc. (ADS) helps its technology partners keep doing business as usual.

ADS specializes in the development and marketing of remote start and audio integration solutions destined for the aftermarket. Its list of technology partners, which reads like a who’s who of the 12-volt world, includes: Alpine, Arc Audio, AudioControl, Audison, Autopage, Belron (Canada), Compustar, Firstech, K40 Electronics, Kenwood, Omega, Pioneer, Rockford Fosgate, and Voxx.

Marketed under the iDatalink, iDatalink Maestro, and iDataStart brands, ADS products are sold and installed through a network of authorized dealers across North America, South America, Europe, and Russia. ADS also develops several private label solutions for various strategic partners and markets those worldwide.

“Right now the biggest challenge is that it’s a very vehicle specific game,” said ADS marketing director Dan Facciolo.

“Go back 15 years ago and you were able to advertise and sell a car radio without having to worry that it wasn’t going to work in certain cars. Now when it comes time to market that radio you don’t want to worry about which cars it won’t work in. Not every product works in every car, but that’s where we come in. We specialize in the vehicle interface part. Our job is to make the car radio or remote car starter from a manufacturer work in a lot of cars.”

A recent example involves BMW. “A few years ago we released the first remote car starter solution for BMWs that didn’t require the installers to physically install a key in the vehicle,” Facciolo said. “Over one year of R&D was invested in deciphering the technology, but years later, we still are the only company to have

offered a solution.”

Even the most mainstream, popular vehicles have fallen victim to the same challenge, according to Facciolo. “A few years ago the Toyota Corolla became somewhat of a complicated vehicle if you wanted to install a remote car starter,” he said. “There are literally hundreds of thousands of Corollas sold every year.

If you can’t install a remote car starter on them, it becomes a huge problem for the retail channel because they’re missing out on a bread-and-butter car, or the installation becomes a lot more expensive than it should be. Every year new cars are coming out with more technology and what we need to do is reverse engineer those technologies in order to install aftermarket products in those cars.”

Full-On Support What makes ADS unique is that its comprehensive support efforts are not just limited to products. It is a powerful one-stop shop for its technology partners’ needs.

“We can manufacture their products from A to Z, but we also offer marketing and sales support,” said Facciolo. “We

offer engineering support, IT support and on-the-road sales support. When you’re dealing with ADS, we can help you manufacture your product, assist with the marketing of it, or we can simply manufacture a component that is compatible with an OEM product.”

ADS has close to 100 employees with a large engineering team on both the remote start and car audio fronts.

“Engineering and IT are our biggest departments,” said Facciolo. “We also have a large technical support department because we need to support all of our private label partners as well as our own brands across North America.” There is central marketing (which Facciolo heads up) where marketing collateral for private label customers is generated.

“When a manufacturer comes to us we don’t just create the product itself,” Facciolo said. “We help them develop the packaging. We make websites for them.

Sometimes we create sales material.

Often times we have a sales team that will go on the road and support a private label vendor at distributor shows or trade shows. ADS might be there giving presentations on behalf of the private

label manufacturer. What we offer is end-to-end service—not just creating or manufacturing a product for them, but also offering the services that go along with the product.”

Just recently, ADS attended KnowledgeFest where the company had its own booth, but its presence went beyond that. “Our staff was also assisting other vendors at their booths and also in their trainings,” Facciolo said. “If you go to any road show, any big distributor show, any industry trade show, there is a good chance you’ll find an ADS representative at the Voxx booth, at the Compustar booth, or at the Kenwood booth.”

If there is a situation where a retailer is installing an ADS product and having an issue, the company has a technical support department open six days a week with social media available 24-7. “We have support groups and they’re available phone, social media, or forums which is pretty industry standard for our retailers,” Facciolo said.

With its technology partners, said Facciolo, if there is an engineering issue, then it is typically addressed engineering team to engineering team. “Their

The company offers engineering support, IT support and on-the-road sales support to help all manner of customers. me-mag.com 41

 The Support Team

“We offer engineering support, IT support and on-the-road sales support. When you’re dealing with ADS, we can help you manufacture your product, assist with the marketing of it, or we can simply manufacture a component that is compatible with an OEM product.”

Dan Facciolo - Marketing Director, ADS

ADS-manufactured remote start and audio integration products are flashed with vehicle-specific software via various websites managed by ADS.

42 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

engineers will contact ours and we will work through the problem,” he said. “If it is vehicle specific, then we will get access to that vehicle and do the troubleshooting for them. Since we work with software, our product is designed to be programmed online. You plug our product into the USB cable to our website and there is software that gets flashed in and allows it to work on a certain vehicle. If it is a vehicle-specific bug, we get access to that car and make the necessary tweaks to the software that will make it work. It’s a quick process. As soon as a bug is reported we are able to address it pretty quickly and issue software updates through the Internet.”

Stand and Deliver Communicating new solutions when they’re available is also important. “Our existing products need to cover future vehicles so a big tool that we offer is that we actually communicate to a technology partner’s client list the minute that we have new software solutions for a vehicle,” Facciolo said. “We have access to their email lists. We also manage central vehicle look-up web sites so, for instance, we have our own website, but if we create a product for a private label partner, we will give them their own version of that same website. Their customers are then able to go on there, do the vehicle look-up and see what product is compatible with their car.”

ADS also handles marketing materials on request. “It might be that we create catalogs or sales materials for a partner,” Facciolo said. “We also handle packaging.

We can design the packaging for a client and they get a turn-key product shipped to their warehouse. We somewhat pioneered that concept because what we noticed in the 12-volt industry over the last few years is that a lot of the bigger companies need that type of support.”

Partnering with ADS is simple for a manufacturer to do. “Essentially because we are specialists in the in-vehicle integration space, any OEM that manufactures products that requires integration in specific vehicles is a company that might reach out to us,” said Facciolo.

The new reality with emerging in-ve-

ADS delivers technology solutions to many of the top brands in the industry like Rockford Fosgate, Firstech, Omega R&D, Voxx and more.

hicle technologies like infotainment systems, including Ford Sync or Chrysler Uconnect, is that these are make-specific systems that reside in the original radio in the car, Facciolo explained. “If ever you wanted to upgrade your radio to, let’s say a Kenwood with navigation, or a Pioneer with navigation, you would lose a lot of the original features if you remove the original radio," he said. "We make interface modules to restore all the original features with aftermarket radios, provided they are compatible with us. That is why a company like Kenwood, Pioneer or Alpine would reach out to ADS—so they can make their radios compatible with our products, which would make their products work in the vehicles.”

Manufacturers that make remote car starters have also partnered with ADS to address the overwhelming amount of vehicle-specific applications. “Once upon a time, anybody who used to be in the remote car starter space used to make one product which was compatible with all vehicles,” Facciolo said. “Then with the introduction of complex vehicle technology, which varies from make to make, it started to require our expertise for the in-vehicle integration part. Remote car starters are no longer universal. Well, they are universal again, but in a way, where they need to be programmed for specific vehicles and installed differently in each vehicle. This wasn’t the case 15 or 20 years ago.”

ADS tech support is available 24-7, six days a week to troubleshoot problems for manufacturers and retailers alike.

Ready, Set, Go The connected car isn’t going away and will only make it more difficult for aftermarket radios to make a case for themselves in the next five to 10 years, Facciolo said. “The more technology that gets introduced at the OEM level in a car, the more it hurts the aftermarket. What happens is they need companies like ADS to reverse engineer those technologies and find ways to sell aftermarket products in cars that are already loaded with technology. That is today’s challenge but that is our expertise as well.”

If you’re thinking that ADS is a 24-7 type of operation, “it's not quite 24-7, but close,” said Facciolo jokingly. We manufacture and support our partners in every way—marketing, technical, sales, and engineering. Our partners have access to all of our departments—not just to the tech support—that is what makes us unique and appreciated.” 

me-mag.com 43

 strategy & tactics

Double Trouble From adding product offerings to expanding stores, or even consolidating the size of a business, retailers and experts discuss how expansion and diversification can boost profits for any company.

WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA

Growth is interpreted differently by business owners the world over, and that’s because it’s different for everyone.

While one business may wish to expand, another might want to stay small. Over the years, each business picks up various strategies that work well for them.

Mobile Toys, Inc. in College Station, Texas expanded in unanticipated ways, increasing space, diversifying product and adding staff. “Three years ago, we opened up our own upholstery shop,”

44 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

said Chris Pate of Mobile Toys, Inc. “We brought in our own stitcher and sewing machines. We expanded our offerings to dealerships for aftermarket leather kits and are able to do more custom interiors and repairs,” he added, noting that this was an entire segment of their business that they were unable to do before. At their second location in Bryan, Texas, the company has a 600 square foot space dedicated to special upholstery.

“From there we got into doing hot rod interiors, which went hand-in-hand with our work,” Pate added. “Since then, we started to do truck accessories. We can do everything you want on a vehicle. We just don’t do paint and body.”

While Mobile Toys, Inc. expanded, Tunes-N-Tint of Lakeland, Fla. has consolidated its business to increase effectiveness in certain areas. Meanwhile, Sound Wave Customs in Virginia Beach, Va. has expanded in terms of staff, going from a skeleton crew of three or four team members to a staff of eight, including owner Ethan Blau.

Each business has come across its own set of challenges, but each continues to grow thanks to the implementation of strong business strategies.

Tight Rope Finding good employees is one challenge stores in the 12-volt industry

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 strategy & tactics

Mobile Toys has multiple shops that focus on diverse offerings, including fabrication and upholstery work.

46 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

are continually struggling with. Pate stated that the most challenging part of expanding Mobile Toys, Inc. was finding qualified people who could do the work.

“Getting into lifts, rims and tires and truck accessories, you’re not just putting a radio on a truck,” Pate said. “You’re doing lifts, rims and tires. You could hurt someone or kill someone. You have to be thorough and find people who can do it right. That’s one of the biggest tasks we have. We have more insurance because of it. It’s not easy finding qualified employees who do the job right.”

Mobile Toys, Inc. provides a wide range of services including truck accessories, wheels and rims, tires and lift kits on trucks, LED lighting, custom headlights as well as installations of light bars and more. To do all this, the team needs to be diverse and well-trained. Mobile Toys, Inc. now has 10 employees.

Discovering a need for additional team members is something that happens over time, according to Blau of Sound Wave Customs. “I’ll use my kids as an example,” Blau said. “One minute they are born, they’re an infant, and the next thing you know they are five or six years old. You can relate to that in business. The more your name gets out there, the busier you get. We have to handle that workload. We have a big building, 6,300 feet. It takes that many employees to do stuff.”

At one point, Tunes-N-Tint had two locations, but owner Joe Cassity chose to focus on only one store to keep from being stretched too thin. “We've consolidated our Lakeland stores down to one, but expanded our offerings,” he said.

“This has allowed us to increase revenue while decreasing overhead. By keeping our staff members cross-trained it allows us to control costs, mitigate time off issues and deal with what can sometimes be a roller coaster business.” Cassity also noted that managing all the social media and digital platforms can also be challenging.

Another challenge can be encouraging customers to return to the store. Blau stated the number one goal at Sound Wave Customs is ensuring a positive customer experience. “I get great reviews, from Google to Yelp, to Better Business

APSP G7

Prima Sound Pack for VW Golf 7

Team member Joshua Pike working with a client at Sound Wave Customs.

Bureau, Facebook—it just grows. The store grows, we bring in a new line or change the showroom,” Blau said. “I’ve revamped the layout of the store twice in four years. Even returning customers are like, ‘Wow, you’re always doing something new!’” Keeping things fresh is also strategic in that it helps encourage growth and expansion in the long run.

Scheduling is also a challenge, according to Pate, who stated that it can be difficult to schedule jobs and to ensure that staff members aren’t already scheduled for something else.

“The margins on rims and tires and lifts and truck accessories are far less than car audio,” Pate added. “That can be a challenge, too, especially because of the Internet.”

Growing Pains Mobile Toys, Inc. first examined its options before moving forward. “We looked at the market. We were already part of the truck clubs around town,” Pate said. “That was really the deciding factor. We had customers who wanted to get their lifts done here. We looked at that—if we could do it all in house.

It would be nice to do one or two lifts here and there—offering customers the convenience. Same with audio and tint; it was the extra piece of the puzzle.”

Every store is different, stated Blau

of Sound Wave Customs. Like so many 12-volt shops, finding qualified staff was the hardest part for him. “It’s hard. It’s a struggle sometimes,” he said. “[We are a] lot more efficient now that we have eight [staff members]. People are getting their regular days off. We were working nonstop and backed up and stuff like that.”

To look for candidates, Blau posted on social media channels including 12-Volt Career, a closed Facebook group. He has also posted on Craigslist and the Mobile Electronics Syndicate. “There’re all these groups, especially on Facebook.

Fabrication groups, too. As long as it’s okay with the admin, you can post a job listing. Most of them don’t care. You’re just trying to hire.”

Finding the right strategy to work through a challenge often begins with the seed of an idea. For Mobile Toys, Inc,, upholstery was something the business had wanted to get into for years, according to Pate. “When we did custom interior, we would source that stuff out. It made sense if we could bring that in house. It could make a substantial difference,” he said. “We also have contracts with the university here for system repairs. We did auditoriums at A&M University.”

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 strategy & tactics

Tunes-N-Tint has expanded its offerings over the years to include window tint, which required a store name change, which previously reflected only its car audio offerings.

Toys, Inc. “We are the servicer for all of those universities.

So when they have a problem with upholstery, we get called in to redo the upholstery in auditoriums and lecture halls.

Something we didn’t intend to get into, but it turned out to be very lucrative.”

Difficulties have shown Tunes-N-Tint where they can improve and focus to make things easier to handle. Crosstraining employees helps to deal with these challenges.

“By being cross-trained, our team members never truly have down time. Keeping them busy helps with their paycheck and the overall bottom line of the store,” Cassity said. “I wholeheartedly recommend any technician ask and even seek out crosstraining into some of the restyling categories. The more skills you bring to the table, the more valuable you are to your current or future employer. And the reality is most people's income is based on their value or their ability to generate shop revenue themselves. The more skills you have, the more you have to offer to your customer(s).”

Sizable Interests

The staff of Sound Wave Customs. Left to right: Jeff Ballance, Adam Perkins, Josh Pike, Ethan Blau, Aric Williams, David Martire, Kelly Graham, Mike Kreiselman.

48 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

Since it can be so difficult to find staff when a store needs to expand its team, many turn to those who might wish to relocate. However, it may not be sustainable unless the individual really wants to move. Blau has had a few people contact him from out of state. “Usually we have a lot of good conversations, but logistically it doesn’t work out because they realize how much is involved,” he said.

If an individual moves their entire family for a job, and it doesn’t work, “Then you’re

stuck,” Blau added. “I think it’s scary enough for anyone not even in the industry to go from job to job in the same area. Any change is big, especially long distance.”

Despite this, Blau said that some recent staff members have indeed come from different locations. “Kelly was our first addition of the three,” he said. “She was referred to us from one of our previous part-time employees who knew her through the military.

She not only did electrical work in the Navy, but went to school for sound engineering as well as videography and photography.”

New to the 12-volt industry, she was eager to learn and Blau offered her a position.

“We have been putting her under our wing and teaching her the ins and outs of this industry. She is technically a beginner technician and installer, but she also helped out tremendously with the videography and pictures for this year’s Industry Awards,” he said, adding that she absorbs information quickly and has become a valued member of the team. “I think mine was the only shop at KnowledgeFest that had a woman in the industry as an employee and tech. She blew minds.” Blau added that people were saying, “‘That girl’s amazing. Where’d you find her at?’ You can see that excitement and passion; it’s hard to find in anyone.”

The other newest team members are Josh, who relocated from Richmond and is now the main salesperson in the front of the store; and Mike, who came from another local car audio shop and had already been an installer for six years. Both Josh and

Mike found the shop and reached out, recognizing “our drive and passion in this industry,” Blau said. It takes time to find the right people. “I have also talked to other business owners and even if you go through seven or 10 guys, and you find that one right person, that’s all it takes.”

Another way to attract good employees is through reputation. “If you talk to any of my veteran or long-term employees, they have good things to say about me and the company,” Blau added. “I think that helps in finding new hires.”

As for further expansion, Blau doesn’t plan on opening another shop. “I already know it’s impossible to duplicate myself,” he said, stating that one of the business’s successes is that they’ve been able to hire people they can really trust and who care deeply for what they do. “I would like to step back and do more behind the scenes, do more ventures within the industry.” He isn’t sure what it will be, yet, “but I can see that happening down the road.”

Meanwhile, Tunes-N-Tint is in

the process of bringing in a new staff member for fabrication and OE integration, as well as a new salesperson, according to Cassity. “We've maintained the same overall staff level for a little over a year and have focused on intelligent growth. We have eight team members total at the moment with one part-timer.”

The staff is very flexible. “Our team members can help out and even take on the various roles needed,” he said.

“Instead of having just a tint specialist, all of our team members are proficient in tinting—same goes with upholstery, truck accessories as well as sales.”

For Mobile Toys, Inc., Apple CarPlay is its biggest seller in terms of product diversification. Pate didn’t think it would last. “I thought it would be popular for a minute and then gone,” he admitted. “As far as a single item, the Kenwood Apple CarPlay radios have turned very quickly.

All their new models are shipping with CarPlay now.”

At Sound Wave Customs, Blau hopes

Kelly Graham was the first of three new hires at Sound Wave Customs. to invest in something new, perhaps another demo vehicle. “I reinvest a lot in the company,” he said. “I reinvest in the business and it goes a long way.”

Cassity believes there is one strategy that works perfect for retailers who may be expanding the business, minimizing it or seeking to diversify offerings. “Plan, plan, plan. Failing to plan is planning to fail," he said. "Expanding into a category isn't enough. You have to be able to implement and execute that plan to ensure success. I've had lots of challenges.

It's how we rise to those challenges every day that makes the difference between success and failure.” 

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Audio • Video • Tinting

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 tech today

Installer of the Year Chris Pate takes the tuning concept discussed in the last few issues to another level, focusing on realworld applications for installers.

FORWARD BY JOEY KNAPP WORDS BY CHRIS PATE

50 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

B

y now everyone has heard about the winners for the Mobile Electronics Magazine Industry Awards. If you haven’t by chance, they are in this edition! This year’s candidates were all great and all well deserving. I was excited to hear that Chris Pate had won the Installer of the Year award. I recently wrote about my

2017 Installer of the Year Chris Pate, seen here, is known for his use of tooling to achieve sonic bliss. trip to France last summer and the tour of the Focal factory. On that trip were many other dealers. One that I had the pleasure of spending time with was Chris Pate.

Since I was 14 I have had a strong love for car audio. Through the years that passion has remained and grown. There are times in my life when I cross paths

with others that share that same passion, and meeting Chris was one of them. I enjoyed spending time with Chris and learning more about his facility and the advanced tools he used. I personally wear many hats, but the one I probably most enjoy is that of fabricator. Over the period of a few days I learned from Chris how my life would not be complete without a

laser cutter and sheet-sized CNC. Chris shared with me how he incorporates both of these into every day life at his facility.

A short period of time before the France trip I attended KnowledgeFest in Dallas. It was at that event that I first met Chris. I had the pleasure of listening to his incredible single seat car. We then talked a bit about sonics and tuning. I

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 tech today

Use a tape measure to measure to the center of each speaker, and write down the measurement.

The output of the amplifier is analyzed to determine the gain setting.

thought it would be fitting to have Chris, the 2017 Installer of the Year, walk us through basic tuning in a real-world setting. Follow along as Chris shares his procedures on a car recently completed at his facility, Mobile Toys, Inc.

52 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

Chris’ Part So you just finished up that amazing install in your customer’s car. You have spent hours drawing, designing, fabricating and installing the bevy of audio equipment your salesman sold.

All the hours building and constructing this automotive masterpiece will be for naught if you cannot make it sound amazing. Point blank, any installer can build an audio system and dress it up.

But for you to take the next step as an installer you need to be able to tune that ride. That doesn’t mean you must have a pair of golden ears or a pile of IASCA sound quality championships to make your customer’s ride sound great. All you need is a tape measure, an oscilloscope, an RTA (real time analyzer) and a test disc with a pink noise, test tracks, and sine waves.

Let’s start off by describing the car and system that has been installed and is in need of tuning. The car we will be tuning is a 2014 Subaru Forrester with a front three-way speaker system as well as a rear sub. All speakers are run to independent amplifier channels allowing for an active crossover design.

The midrange and high frequencies are handled by a pair of Illusion Audio C3CX coincidence drivers that have been installed in the left and right sail panel windows. The mid bass frequencies are being reproduced by a pair of Illusion Audio C8 eight inch drivers installed in the factory door locations on a pair of custom built PVC, mounted into the factory mounting holes. The sub frequencies are being reproduced by a single Illusion Audio Carbon 12-inch sub in a sealed enclosure with 1.25 cubic feet of air space. Amplification is being produced by a pair of Mosconi Zero4 four-channel amplifiers. For our source unit we have a Sony RSX-G9 high resolution media player. Last but certainly not least is our processor, a Mosconi 8-12 Aerospace DSP. As installers, we don’t have days to tune a car. We generally only have a few hours to test, make adjustments and then deliver the sound system to our customer. So let’s begin by pulling out our oscilloscope and setting the gains on our source unit, processor, and amplifiers. The key to laying a solid foundation for any tune is correct gain adjustments. We will be using sine wave test tones from the Focal Tools disc.

The sine waves we will be using are

60hz for subs, 200hz for mid bass, 2khz for our midrange, and 8Khz for the tweeters.

Each of these tones creates a reference level sine wave that can easily be seen on your oscilloscope.

When the signal is clean, you get a nice smooth curve from valley to peak, and when your amplifier clips it sends out distortion which can be seen as flat plateau at the top of each wave. The first step is to connect the positive and negative probes of your scope to your receiver’s RCA connections on the back of the receiver. Once connected, make sure all equalizer settings are set to flat, the bass boost and loudness functions are off. We start off by playing the 60hz tone on our source unit. We turn the volume up until we see the wave peak and plateau. Make note of the level the source unit is at.

Now we repeat the process on each of the next three frequencies making note of the volume level at which the source unit clips. In our case, the 200hz tone clipped at the lowest volume setting.

This was level 40 on our Sony RSX-G9. We now know the highest level we can play our source unit cleanly is 39. This process can now be repeated on our processor inputs, and our amplifier channels.

The process is very similar when setting the DSP input gains, but a little different on the amplifier side. In the case of the amplifiers you will want to use the corresponding sine wave frequency that is directly related to what that set of channels will be driving.

The sine waves we will be

using are 60hz for subs, 200hz for mid bass, 2khz for our midrange and 8khz for the tweeters. We start by connecting the leads to the sub amp output channels.

Make sure again that the gain is set to zero. While playing the 60hz tone at level 39 on the Sony source unit, begin turning the amp gain up until you see the scope’s wave form plateau, indicating the output of distortion.

Once the peak level has been reached, back the gain down until the wave form becomes smooth again.

This process will need to be repeated on each of the other three pairs of channels using the correct frequencies. By taking the time to correctly set the system’s gain you will maximize its output and limit its distortions. This process is actually very quick and easy to do once you get it down.

Time to Process Now that we have set the gains on our customer’s sound system, we can begin dialing in the processor and really working the car’s sound into shape. If you have done this for a while it is easy to just set the drivers to the average frequencies and slopes that you think they should be. I recommend taking the time to call the driver’s manufacturer or distributor to ask for recommended starting point for the drivers you have installed. Driver’s have different response curves as well as optimal crossover points. While these can be adjusted it is always good to have this knowledge on hand as good starting point.

In the Subaru, we begin by setting our subwoofer

A TPI 440 is a hand-held o-scope that can be used for setting equipment gains and determining clipping.

The crossover points for the tweeters are set in the Mosconi software. To achieve the 24db crossover slope, two 12db slopes are used.

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 tech today

The AudioControl RTA is being used to analyze the frequency response inside the vehicle.

Our testing determined that 39 was the maximum volume on this Sony radio, before clipping occurs.

Experience in tuning will help you learn characteristics of speakers, such as the high-end roll off of the Illusion Carbon 3-inch coaxial.

54 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

frequency to low pass at 80hz and 24db per octave.

This will give us solid base to build on. Next, we will set the 8-inch mid bass drivers to high pass at 80hz, low pass at 350hz, and both at a 24db per octave slope. This type of crossover setting is called band pass. We will use the same technique on the 3-inch midrange.

We shelve these drivers at 350hz for high pass, 4.5khz for low pass. The slope will be 24db per octave again. The small high frequency driver in the Illusion Audio C3CX will be high passed at 4.5hz and a 24db per octave slope. Now that we have completed this part of the process, we can move on to setting the equalizers.

Now it’s time to start correcting some of the nasty frequency issues we are beginning to notice in the Subaru. Setting the equalizers for each group of drivers using a RTA (real time analyzer) is the only way to accomplish this feat. There are many different real time analyzers on the market and all of them will get the job done. You can use a program like True RTA on a laptop, download any number of applications to your smartphone or hand held device or use a stand-alone unit like the AudioControl 3055. I recommend using a device you are comfortable with as it will be the easiest for you to analyze.

We will be using the AudioControl 3055 RTA to analyze the frequency

response inside the car.

We will start by muting every channel except one, two, three and four. These channels are dedicated to the Illusion Audio C3CX midrange and tweeters.

They are routed to the front equalizer channels of the Mosconi 8-12 Aerospace.

Next we will need to place the microphone into a spot that is very close to the location of the driver’s head. The microphone will be placed between the top of the driver’s seat and the headrest with the diaphragm facing the windshield. We will be playing pink noise from the Focal tools disc.

I recommend playing the volume at a normal listening level and also putting the track on repeat. Once we start the process we can see the problems with the response curve from 350hz and up.

We begin by adjusting each frequency up and down until we have flattened out the response curve. As you reach 16khz you will notice a pretty stiff drop off down to 20khz. This is the natural roll-off of the C3CX and I do not recommend boosting the frequencies associated with this range in an attempt to flatten out the curve. Next we will move on to the 8-inch mid bass drivers. Their signal is routed to the rear equalizer of the DSP. We begin by muting channels one, two, three, and four.

We will unmute channels nine and ten.

At this point, the only

speakers playing will be the 8-inch mid bass drivers in the door. Continuing with the same process we used on channels one through four, we analyze the response curve from 80hz to 350hz making adjustments to flatten out any nasty anomalies in the equalizer curve. Now that we are happy with the curve on the mid bass drivers we can move on to correcting the subs.

The same process will apply as before. We mute channels nine and ten while unmuting channels eleven and twelve. We can now finish the process by correcting the subwoofer’s response cure.

Once all the channels have been corrected, it is time to unmute all the channels and see the finished curve. You are not trying to achieve a ruler flat equalizer curve.

What you are trying to do is flatten out any extreme peaks or valleys that create holes in the tonality of the system. At this point we have a very balanced system that is tonally sound and can play at a loud volume without distortion.

The Final Move Our final move is setting the time alignment of the system, which will help create a soundstage that is realistic and places the players/instruments in their correct locations on the stage. This is a pretty simple part of the process for the most part, as long as you understand the processor and software you are using.

To do this you will need a tape measure. Starting off with a tablet and tape measure we will need to measure the distance from the listener’s head to each driver. Keep in mind the midrange and tweeter will have same measurements. Once the measurements have been attained we need to input them into the DSP. After we are very careful to input the measurements into the correct channels, we should hear the stage beginning to really come together. Vocals should come from a central location on the dash with drums existing just behind.

Guitars, bass, backing vocals, and percussion will exist to the left and right of the center position. This process has now produced a tonally accurate sound stage that is solid and well placed.

At this point we have brought the Subaru from an unruly sonic mess to a very organized and sonically pleasing representation of what an automobile’s audio system can be. This is by far not the end of the road, and there are many, many, many more items we can address. No automobile is the same and no system is the same, but by using this process, any installer or technician can get a car to 80 percent very quickly.

Remember that the most important part of our job as car audio installers is to make a customer’s ride sound amazing. Using this process will get you on the fast track to sound quality nirvana. 

If the speaker is mounted behind a grille, measure from the center of the grille and estimate the additional distance to the cone.

The rear of the vehicle was home to the electronics and the subwoofer.

Setting the equalizer for the system requires analysis of both the left and right side speakers. me-mag.com 55

 installs

TETRIS

TRUCK

SUBMITTED BY BRYAN HUSTON, STEREO INSTALLS, MENTOR, OHIO

Electolite, a long time commercial vehicle customer, needed a detail-oriented project from Huston and his team, who have built their name on their craftsmanship, creativity and reliability. This Ford F450 lighting service vehicle was given a custom enclosure that fit into the truck like a game of Tetris, allowing form to follow function with both car audio and service tools fitting comfortably inside.

12-volt parts installed included a PAC Audio RP4-FD21, two set of Kicker Marine LED Lit 8-inch speakers, two KICKER Q-class 8-inch subwoofers, one Kicker Q-Class IQ1000.1 amplifier, two Q-class IQ500.2 amplifiers and one set of Q-Class 6.76-inch components. A military-grade fire extinguisher and holder, Linex-coated file rack, custom bronze badges recessed into the cabinet, flashlight cubby and diagnostic tool compartments were built into the design for practical use.

56 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

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Inspired to Overcome Focusing on the Big Picture

A quick glance of the past month’s news leads me to believe that some of us have dealt with some significant setbacks. Some in our industry are dealing with the aftereffects of fires, floods, and other substantial issues that even the best efforts cannot immediately overcome. Life is full of the unexpected. However, one thing you should expect is, at times, to be discouraged. It happens to everyone both in life and business. Are you feeling overwhelmed?

Ask yourself, ‘What is the worst that can happen?’ This question will help you put things into perspective.

When life hits you where it hurts, there are some simple steps to remember that can help you through your situation. Make sure you look at what is right in front of you.

Take a moment and see if you can identify the source of your discouragement. Once identified, you can begin the process.

Manage Your Emotions This step would be the first one on the list when dealing with any difficult and perhaps unexpected life circumstances. When you’re dealing with an issue that has you discouraged, do your best not to make any life changing decisions. Managing your emotions will help you think through the best ways to take control. Don’t let the situation drive you to do something that may leave you with regret in the future. How do you manage emotion? Separate the issue into two groups. One is the ‘how you feel about it’ group and the other is the hard facts. Toss out the first group and organize the hard facts by your perceived priority. Now you have a list of things for which you can take action.

Don’t Take it Personally Yes, that is what I said. Regardless of the situation, don’t allow it to negatively impact who you are. When situations arise, know that they are just that. Don’t focus on the past.

And don’t let your discouragement define who you are.

In business and life, you take risks and you will have both negative and positive outcomes. When the outcome is negative, reflect on all the positive things you have accomplished. Let your motivator be the last success you had.

Use that motivation to set expectations.

Review Your Expectations In a crisis, it may be hard to fully assess the situation. So first set some expectations. Think about the desired outcome. Look at that list of facts you created. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and/or advice. When you are discouraged, it is easy to feel isolated. Reject the isolation and phone a friend. We are all in this life together and need to lean on each other for inspiration. I am inspired as I read post after post on industry forums of retailers and suppliers helping 58 Mobile Electronics  October 2017

each other.

It is a great thing that we as an industry should cherish. Now that you have received some good advice, review your expectations to make sure your goals are measurable and achievable.

Divide Then Conquer Review what is before you and then make another list.

This time list every issue and the desired outcome. Once completed, and if possible, look for the one that you can accomplish today. Getting something accomplished will have a positive effect on the next thing on your list. It will also be the first step to overcoming the issues before you.

Even the smallest success will serve as a motivator to do more. Breaking the issue down to smaller pieces will allow you to focus on the parts but still keep the whole in mind. It also serves to break down the barrier that was holding you back for addressing what had you discouraged.

Take a Big Picture Perspective When you identified the cause of your discouragement it may have seemed like a daunting barrier to your success. If you have taken the right steps to tear it down, you should be on better footing to focus on the big picture and to accomplish great things both personally and for your business. Get back to your mission! Don’t let the weeds of discouragement take over your garden.

And when all else fails, remember, you may not be able to overcome discouragement with a process. Sometimes you must push through until things get better. Having a plan that looks at the big picture does much to help you through. I remember watching the movie Castaway with Tom Hanks. With very few words he could communicate the steps he took, the emotion it produced and a practical plan to live out his existence in the best way he knew how.

When going through discouraging times, do everything you can motivate yourself and those around you. Let your story be an inspiration to someone else. Look for someone that you can encourage. When you take the focus off yourself and the problems you face it can become inspiring both to you and others.

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