Mobile Electronics Magazine February 2019 by Mobile Electronics

February 2019

me-mag.com

is the new 20

How the Owens Brothers Keep Big Daddy’s on Pace With a Younger, Tech-Savvy Clientele

Cult of Connection Social media, forums build knowledge parity among specialists

PLUS

Paying it Forward: Credits mentor’s lessons for N&S Marketing success 3D Printing: Do you need it in your shop? Heads n’ Heaters: Receivers, remote start highlight retailers’ best sellers

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Volume 39 // Issue 2

Articles

54 14

18 Retail News / Who’s Who 54 Installs

FEATURES 14// What’s Happening: The 12-Volt Network Online

Departments

While offering comradery and the chance to network, online groups within the industry also translate into the real world—by fostering education, connecting at events and pooling resources for the betterment of all.

6 Editor’s Forum 8 Feedback 12 Helpful Stuff

26// Real World Retail: Big Daddy’s Stereo As it celebrates its 40th year in business, Big Daddy’s Stereo innovates and expands into new categories, remaining flexible and fresh in a continually evolving market.

44// Strategy & Tactics: Growing the Team Finding qualified personnel is only one aspect of encouraging growth in your business. Learn strategies for finding and keeping employees, as well as ways to help promote a positive store culture.

38// Difference Makers: N&S Marketing and Sales Before car audio was a thing, Dale Naeseth started N&S Marketing and Sales, which has flourished more than 40 years.

48// Tech Today: 3D Printing for the 12-Volt Industry Learn how to choose materials, what programs to employ and how to get started with 3D printing in your shop. On the Cover COVER DESIGN: Manny DeJesus Shop owners Robbie and Rusty Owens (pictured on this month’s cover) focus on nurturing store culture through team building and community service. Big Daddy’s Stereo has had a positive reputation in Longview, Texas for 40 years, but always strives to innovate rather than rest on its laurels.

4 Mobile Electronics February 2019

Ad Index Accele Electronics….................................... p. 2 & 3 Audison….................................................................p. 13 Aurigin: Hybrid Audio Technologies.........p. 42 DD Audio…................................................................p. 9 Directed................................................................. p. 30 Firstech: Drone Mobile................................ …p. 59 Harman: Infinity..............................................…p. 29 HD Radio….............................................................p. 33 Hertz…......................................................................p. 12 Hifonics…............................................................... p. 40 K40 Electronics…...............................................p. 35 Kenwood…................................................................p. 7 Metra Electronics: Axxess............................p. 39 MEA: KnowledgeFest…...................................p. 37 Orca: Foca/Gladden/Illusion/Mosconi….p. 11 Race Sport Lighting......................................…p. 47 Radenso Radar.................................................. p. 43 Rockford Fosgate: Punch.................................p. 5 Rostra................................................................... …p. 41 SiriusXM...............................................................…p. 31 Sony.......................................................................…p. 21 SounDigital........................................................…p. 25 TFP........................................................................ …p. 46 VAIS Technology................................................p. 23 Voxx Electronics: Prestige........................... p. 60

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editor’s forum

Now is the Time to Do It Right

The 2019 Industry Awards are coming. Take two pieces of advice and four steps to make sure you do your best. For you, it’s always awards season. The Mobile Electronics Industry Awards is an assessment of everything you do from the moment all of the trophies have been handed out for the previous year, up until you make your first submission. And speaking of submissions, it’s time to start planning yours! If you’ve participated in the past, you’ve no doubt seen that there has been a fair amount of talk about the rules for the awards. For this conversation, I want you to forget about the rules. Let’s just focus on you. You’ve heard me say two things over and over: “Do all you can do,” and “If it happens to you, it’s your fault.” These are similar, but they address different parts of action. The first precedes an action: Take ownership of a task and give your complete effort so as little as possible is left to chance. The second reflects upon an action: If something didn’t go your way, evaluate whether you really did everything you could have possibly done, or if a sub-par effort left too much to chance. We’re all starting fresh. You’re at the stage now where you have total control over the outcome of your submission for an award. Now is the time to ensure that your submission is so great, so engaging and so telling of your accomplishments that it leaves little room for argument. Regardless of the theme we’ve chosen for the awards, the biggest determining factor in the process is being able to demonstrate how you’ve grown, evolved or progressed, either as a professional or as a business. This should be your only goal. Now let’s go over some tips to make sure you are creating the best submission possible.

6 Mobile Electronics February 2019

1. Start asking around. If you’ve done a good job of networking in the industry, you should know the people who think you’ve progressed over the past year. Ask them how, if for no other reason than to get a viewpoint other than your own. We are often our own worst critics and therefore won’t see how something we think is minor actually had a major impact. Get input from others and add them to your personal list of accomplishments.

2. Prep your submission before you pick up a phone or camera. I can tell you that it’s no longer good enough to plop yourself in front of your iPhone and do a one-take, and that has nothing to do with the rules. It’s to do with the improved quality of submissions year over year. Applicants are spending more time going into detail about what they’ve accomplished in the past year, and how it’s impacted them or their businesses. In other words, the competition is stiff. So put some time into mapping out what you want to say in your submission, and practice it in front of your co-workers.

3. Get better at video. I know the quality of the video is not a major factor in scoring, but there are two reasons you should put in the effort. First, you should get better at it simply because you should be getting better at everything you do for the business. If showing evolution is the goal, then you can’t represent growth with a half-ass-shaky-selfie-stickone-person video. I’m not saying you need to hire a production company, but you should treat it as a process. What will you wear? What will your background be? How will you present yourself? Will you

walk around or stand still? Is extra lighting needed? Do your video in sections. That way, if you mess up, you aren’t starting all over. Use free or low-cost software such as iMovie or Adobe Premiere Elements to put the pieces together to create the final submission. The other reason you want a better video is because it doesn’t need to be single-purpose. Many successful retailers use parts of their video submission throughout the year to show customers how diligent they are, or to train new employees.

4. Finally: Your submission, not your reputation, will be the determining factor. We know that an installer or storeowner who is great this year will probably not forget how to be great for the next year and beyond. But if that were the only criteria, the lists would never change. What makes the Industry Awards great is that the process gives everyone a chance to be involved. That’s why the awards are judged solely upon your submissions. For you, it means don’t “mail it in” and assume that who you are will get you in. Think about the effort you put into something you really wanted, like finishing a marquee vehicle or redesigning your store. The energy, focus and drive you put into your submission should equal that effort.

Good luck!

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 feedback

Continued Training is Key

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

EDITORIAL Solomon Daniels Editor-in-Chief 978.645.6463 • solomond@mobile-electronics.com Rosa Sophia Managing Editor 978.645.6466 • rosas@mobile-electronics.com Creative Layout and Design: Manny DeJesus Contributing Editors: Jamie Sorcher, Joey Knapp and Laura Kemmerer.

Published by TM

mobile electronics association

Chris Cook, President 978.645.6434 • chrisc@mobile-electronics.com

Industry professionals underscore the importance of being prepared, while taking advantage of educational resources such as manufacturer training sessions to increase efficiency and profitability. “Expect the best and remember to plan for the worst. Be open to new technology in an industry that is evolving.” Howard Kruger, Phantom Electronics, Thousand Oaks, Calif. “The use of vendor training tends to be ignored and yet many people—installers as well as shop owners—don’t always fully understand the technology and features that are available in the products they sell. Use the knowledge and expertise of any and every possible resource to help make your job easier, more efficient and more profitable.” Chad DeGruy, Best Buy, Slidell, Louisiana “Do not schedule an MECP exam until you receive your guides. Just because you can order them doesn’t mean you will receive them in time. While MECP is great, the EVTCC certification is also really useful in this space [if applicable to your business].” Martin Novak, GPS Insight, Scottsdale, Ariz. “I always go out of my way when another shop needs help. I have volunteered so many hours for the good of the industry—whether it is in good faith or for positive karma, time will tell.” Jared Bahley, Sony, Mesa, Ariz.

8 Mobile Electronics February 2019

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 Tony Frangiosa, Chairman of the Board, MEA 1) Title of publication: Mobile Electronics. 2) Publication No.: 957-170 6. (ISSN# 1523-763X) 3) Copyright © 2018 by the Mobile Electronics 4) Date of filing: Oct. 1, 2018. 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/Rosa Sophia, 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: October 2018. 6. a) Total no. copies (net press run) Average: 10,237 Single Issue; 12,826. b) Paid/Requested mail subscriptions Average: 6039, Single Issue: 7346. c) Paid sales through dealers, etc.; Average: 0. Single issue; d) Requested distributed by other classes of mail: Average: 435, Single issue: 520. Total paid and/or requested circulation; Average 6039. Single issue: 7346. e) Non-requested distribution by mail; Average: 3593 Single issue: 4223. Free distribution through other classes of mail: Average: 0, Single issue: 0. f) Non-requested distribution outside the mail; Average: 267. Single issue: 750. g) Total non-requested distribution; Average 3860, Single issue: 4973. h) Total distribution; Average: 9,899. Single issue: 12,319. i) Copies not distributed; h1) Office use, leftovers; Average: 338. Single Issue; 507 j) Total; Average: 10,237. 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

 stats

Retailers Recognize Real Manufacturers that made big impressions on stores throughout the year get their come-uppance.

You Saved My Bacon Award Metra Electronics

Nav-TV

“They have a very high fill rate and jump through hoops to make last-minute emergencies done deals. Eric Kligman is my ‘handler.’”

“We were using an integration module that wasn’t working properly. The engineering team worked with us and created a patch fix just for this one vehicle. Our customer was thrilled and I can’t thank NAV-TV enough for saving the day.”

Morel “Had to use a unique set of midranges (that aren’t available separately) out of a three-way set for a client and they replaced them for us.”

Omega “I can reach multiple members of their tech support team at almost any hour of the day through various channels. Mike especially has saved me a lot on Sundays.”

AAMP Global “We had an interface harness that was bad out of the box and the client was in a hurry. AAMP overnighted a new one to take care of the client and made us look like heroes!”

How Did They Do That? Award ADS/iDatalink “I’ve been dealing with ADS Maestro since inception. I’ve been amazed at some of the things they’ve been able to accomplish.”

Pioneer Electronics “The new tablet-style head units available in different sizes and very affordable custom dash kits for them from Metra are going to be a real hit!”

Arc Audio

integration install much easier.”

Alpine Electronics “The power supply technology in the amplifiers: I asked how they did it and my sales rep, Pete, explained it to me. [It was] pretty awesome. When I share it with a customer, it’s a closed deal!”

DD Audio “[DD Audio has made] a profitable and protected line and provides free freight at $500.”

“[The Arc Audio] PS8-50 amp and processor in one [is offered] at a reasonable price point. It makes an OEM

10 Mobile Electronics February 2019

Wow, You Really Stepped It Up! Award Orca Design & Manufacturing “Well, Nalaka and the crew at Paragon have really stepped it up to fill Bill McKinley’s shoes. They’re doing a great job getting stuff shipped out and the product speaks for itself.”

Sony “They have truly stepped it up since the previous Sony. They continue to protect the margins as well as relate quality and innovative equipment.”

Rockford Fosgate “Their powersports and motorcycle lines are helping retailers expand beyond the shrinking audio category.”

Alpine Electronics “The diversity of SKUs has improved, especially with the 2019 product launch. Along with better accessibility to my sales rep and spot-on responses, it really makes business pleasurable.”

AAMP Global “AAMP Global covers so much ground now that Echomaster is established and available, not to mention some of the excellent solutions PAC has put in place including AmpPro. Great tech support and excellent representation.”

Wind Beneath My Wings Award Kenwood “In a market that seems driven at times by price alone, Excelon by Kenwood has expanded into a complete line that outperforms its counterparts. The “wind beneath my wings” is the predictable sellthrough of the line of goods we offer every year. Customers keep coming in for the good stuff.”

JL Audio “They’ve made great products that appeal to our not-so-serious listeners and our very serious listeners. There’s rarely an application that

causes us grief when using their product line.”

Sony “Their tech support is fabulous. If they do not answer, you get a call back within 15 minutes. Knowledgeable people answer the phone and go the extra mile to help you.”

AudioControl “Chris Bennett has done so much to help his clients, not only in sales and service, but in training. His training sessions have been invaluable. It shows he’s passionate about what he does, and when you’re around him, it’s infectious!”

facebook.com/MobileElectronicsâ&#x20AC;&#x201A; 11

 helpful stuff

Financial Freedom: A Proven Path to All the Money You Will Ever Need BY GRANT SABATIER

Nicknamed “The Millennial Millionaire” by CNBC, a 24-year-old Grant Sabatier truly transformed his life in 2010. Within five years his bank account went from $2.26 to over $1 million, giving him financial independence at age 30. He said he wanted “to escape the grind.” During his unique journey, which had him living in a “crappy apartment” and driving an $800 car, Sabatier realized that most of the accepted truths we have regarding money, work and retirement are incomplete or outdated. In his book, he offers a step-bystep guide that details how to make more money in less time. Sabatier challenges the validity of a traditional 9-to-5 job while slogging your way through to retirement at age 65. Instead, he says, forget all the stuff you’ve learned about money and allow yourself to live the life you want. One of the most startling revelations: You need less money to “retire” at 30 than you do at the age of 65. While not all of his ideas will work for everyone, there is a valuable take-away: Live life on your own terms at the soonest opportunity you can.

APP: Remote Fingerprint Unlock ANDROID ONLY—FREE PRO MODE ALSO AVAILABLE

You may have noticed that biometrics is adding a new layer of security to our devices these days. There are a growing number of Android devices that contain fingerprint sensors, and Remote Fingerprint Unlock is a new app that makes it simple to leverage fingerprint reading capabilities to unlock your Windows PC. If an attacker knows your PIN and adds his own fingerprint, the app is immediately notified and automatically invalidates its own key, which makes the stored private app information lost forever.

12 Mobile Electronics January 2019

APP: Attain by Aetna iOS ONLY

Be on the lookout for this app when it launches in the spring. Designed to track your health, it will offer rewards based on your activity and healthy behaviors. The more you work out, get your heart pumping and exercise, the more rewards you actually earn through the app. As you accumulate rewards, you get gift cards to use at retailers like Amazon and Best Buyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;just for exercising and eating right! This personalized experience couples your health history with your Apple Watch activity, giving you manageable goals so you can reap rewards and results!

Site To See: Rally Road WWW.RALLYRD.COM

Have you ever thought about investing in blue-chip collector automobiles? It is no different than putting your money in the stock market or other asset classes like fine art or real estate. The goal of this platform (which requires that you download the app to your iPhone) is to make alternative investments. Each asset on Rally Road is vetted by industry experts as well as acquired, insured and professionally maintained and monitored around the clock every single day of the year. If you like what you see, just click and invest.

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The 12-Volt

Network Online

 what’s happening

14 Mobile Electronics February 2019

WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA

Before the advent of Facebook, Russell Harley—owner of Hitts AutoSound in Port Royal, South Carolina—opened an online group called 12-Volt Insiders. “I think it was around 2006,” Harley said. “There were a number of shop owners, managers, salesmen, installers or reps in the group, and we had some big box employees. A lot of us were on the CarSound.com forum.” Harley saw the need for a place where 12-volt professionals could support each other, a place where everyone knew and understood what everyone else was going through in the day-to-day. Harley had a website, he said, and the basic knowledge necessary. He decided to start a forum.

The Beginning of Online Networking for the Industry At that time, Harley added, the industry was just beginning its fight against Internet sales, and the forum gave professionals a place to discuss how to remain vital in a changing market. At the beginning, 12-Volt Insiders was careful about who they let in, and today it is just as discerning about its

membership. “It wasn’t open registration. Everyone who wanted to join needed a secret handshake,” he said, adding that members were added largely based on referrals. “They might say, ‘Doug Dobson recommended that I join.’ They would send me an email and I would type everything up so we didn’t have any spam. We grew to about 2,800 members at the peak.” It was as if they all worked at the same factory, Harley said, and there was a bar across the street. “When the whistle blew, that’s where we’d end up and that’s what we’d talk about. Ninety-eight percent of it was work-related. It was a place where we could lean on each other and try to figure out how to stay in this game.” 12-Volt Insiders is still an active group on Facebook, Harley said, adding, “There are 20 to 25 posts a day on the 12-Volt Insider. It was nice back in the day because I was selling advertising space [on the forum website].”

Growing From Forums to Facebook Groups A number of spaces now offer networking opportunities on Facebook—including the Mobile Electronics Syndicate, started on Facebook by Ron Hoser and

The 12-Volt Network Online

Ata Ehdaivand as a place to present a streaming online video show they call Hardwired, according to Ehdaivand. “We try not to be a tech group,” he said, adding that despite this, the group has a wide pool of talent in one place. Ehdaivand also frequents groups including Mobile Solutions and the Sony group. Brian Schurg of Extreme Audio in Richmond, Va. added that he gets a lot of inspiration from CarbideCult, a group for car audio fabricators. “I go in there to see what other guys are doing, how they’re solving problems, using different approaches, different tools and materials,” Schurg said. “When I go to KnowledgeFest, I’ll meet 10 or 15 guys I know from CarbideCult. We never met in person, but I know them from that. We get together and have fun.” He also uses Facebook groups like 12-Volt Insiders, the Mobile Electronics Syndicate, iDatatech and Mobile Solutions VIP Techs. Other groups include AAMP Tech Support, Metra, JL Audio Dealers Only, 12-Volt Sales Pros and 12-Volt Careers, among many others. Online groups naturally led to people meeting up at events such as KnowledgeFest. Ehdaivand added that the Syndicate creates t-shirts for each major event and gives them away to those in attendance. “Our goal is to have a one-off t-shirt on these occasions,” Ehdaivand said. “We want people to get educated. Our agenda is to push the awards and to push our industry. The only way we know how to do it is to dangle a t-shirt in front of everyone.”

Vetting Potential Members Keeps Groups Industry-Only Although 12-Volt Insiders began as a forum, Mobile Electronics Syndicate has always been strictly a Facebook group. Individuals must be active members of the industry in order to join. Those who want to join must answer three questions in order to be approved, said Ethan Blau of Sound Wave Customs in Virginia Beach, Va. Blau is one of the administrators of the group. “We didn’t used to require answers to these questions, but now we do,” Blau said. “What shop do

you work for? How long have you been in the industry, and how did you hear about us?” Ehdaivand said the purpose is to educate and close the gap between smaller and larger stores. “Maybe there are things we do that we can teach, and maybe there are things they do that they can teach. There are discussions all the time like that in the Syndicate. Some people might not like the way other people do stuff, but it Brian Schurg of Extreme Audio frequents the Facebook opens their eyes to group CarbideCult, where he finds inspiration for his work what’s possible in in car audio fabrication. their business and how they can make a difference. Many “About 12 years ago,” Ward recalled, “I folks have approached me and said what created an online forum called OE Intera difference the Syndicate has made for face to share information about factory them. It’s not about the admins, but what radios. The only other person who ever the message is.” posted information besides me was a guy Sharing information is an important named Ray West. I met him years later, part of it: “James P. Smith of ACT Audio but aside from Ray, no one else posted put up a checklist for remote starts,” information. There were a lot of people Ehdaivand said. “It was such a good idea checking it for information, but there that I implemented it and some other wasn’t a critical mass of people contributpeople implemented it. It helped a lot of ing, so I shut it down.” people. The ideas that happen in there, Ward created the Educar Facebook and can streamline what you’ve got going group in November of 2015 and continues on, really make a difference.” to get positive feedback. “I got a message from someone today thanking me for the Industry Leaders Use information, and he said he gets on there Facebook Groups to Teach Integration to learn whenever he has free time,” Ward Strategies said. “A lot of people don’t do that. They While the medium has switched to get pulled in by a rep. Manufacturers Facebook, groups continue to bring the have been very supportive. Some people industry together in different ways— join and look at all the information, and including by supplementing training some just look for vehicle data.” courses. Ken Ward of Educar training Regarding his decision to open his own uses Facebook groups to help share inforFacebook groups, Ward said, “I wanted mation with the industry, as well as help to address a larger audience. The Educar to inform about upcoming Educar trainIntegration & Acoustics group is for two ing courses. things: It’s for talking about how to tune facebook.com/MobileElectronics

 what’s happening

Mobile Solutions VIP Techs and Educar Integration & Acoustics collaborate to help educate the industry. Ken Ward of Educar presented a two-day intensive acoustic class at Mobile Solutions in late January of this year, which both online groups promoted.

Online groups—like the Syndicate, with its logo on the hood of this demo vehicle— extend beyond the screen when those who network online endeavor to meet up in person at events like KnowledgeFest. your system, and it’s for talking about how to integrate with a factory receiver when you’re doing an audio system. It’s very audio-centric.” The group now has 2,700 members. “I feel we’re making a big difference,” Ward said, adding that there are two types of support in the industry. “There’s telling me how to do my job and helping me learn how, and then there’s solving the problem that’s staring at me and keeping me from going home.” Ward said he supports urgent questions about vehicles because they offer a chance to teach and share knowledge. “I get to talk about my over-arching questions, including what you need to do, what tools you should have and what I

16 Mobile Electronics February 2019

recommend you use to do your job,” he explained. “I wouldn’t be talking about the urgent questions if I didn’t get to talk about the strategic questions.” Blau stated that one of the groups he frequents is Ward’s Educar group. “If I’m trying to figure out if there’s a factory upmixer for a vehicle, Educar is the spot to go,” Blau said. “There’s a great library of knowledge in there.”

Supplementing Training Courses Using Facebook Groups Bryan Schmitt of Mobile Solutions also utilizes Facebook groups to help support training courses. “We wanted to have very like-minded people sharing ideas, a community,” Schmitt said. “Everyone

contributes in a positive way, to excel, to grow and to go to the next level. That’s my purpose, and to communicate what’s happening with our training classes.” Lots of questions are posted on the Mobile Solutions group, Schmitt said. “I’ll release dates through our VIP group and then it goes public, so those in the group have an inside track about what’s coming as far as training and products.” Schmitt added that he avoids the standard sales pitch and simply offers the information if people are interested. “The demand is crazy for our classes,” he said. “They sell out in days. We have a waiting list of people trying to get in. It’s a good problem, and I feel bad that everyone can’t come.” The Facebook page is used to communicate with past and potential students, and Schmitt said he thinks they have less problems because the purpose is more focused. “If you’ve attended class, if you’ve bought products, or even not—as long as you show that you’re an industry professional or a serious hobbyist who’s really involved in what your craft is about, then it makes you a candidate to be in the group,” Schmitt said. “I think at least 50 percent of our members have attended classes.” Mobile Solutions has a core group of members who are also instructors, Schmitt noted, and they post frequently: “Tom Miller, JT Torres, Matt Schaeffer—I think they’re icons in the industry. I think it’s great to have that top tier of talent for others to look up to as an example, even with how they run their businesses, what they charge, what their shops are like. We share that as a community. Everyone’s collaborating, and that part to me is really cool.” Also collaborating are Mobile Solutions and Educar, according to Schmitt. “Ken Ward is going to be a guest speaker coming up,” he said. “We cross-promote new ideas and dates. Ata, of the Mobile Electronics Syndicate, attends our classes, and so does Ron. They share our dates and update the group as well. If we can all help each other, it’s a win for everyone.”

The 12-Volt Network Online

groups. “Not our group specifically, because it’s a product group, but we do see it to an extent. A question might be easily answered by less key strokes if you looked it up on Google first,” he explained. “Also, a lot of guys pour stuff on the Internet that wouldn’t come out in normal conversation.” Tozzi advised manufacturers and those in tech support to not overextend themselves. “That’s our mantra. We’ll always help Mobile Electronics Syndicate administrators Ethan Blau you, but you have and Ata Ehdaivand feel that by offering free t-shirts to help us help at major events, they can help to spread a message of you. We try to be education and networking. supportive, but we The Downsides of Relying on Online also try to be very educational and build Support someone up in the process. I’ll answer At Sony Car Audio, the manufacyour question, but I am also going to turer runs a dealer page that uses a show you how you can get the answer crowd-sourcing component to help in the future so you don’t have to keep balance the weight for the company’s asking.” technical support. “There are a lot of When he first started in the industry, dealers helping dealers,” said Anthony Tozzi said, “you either asked the guy next Tozzi of Sony Car Audio. to you or figured it out yourself. Now, The real-time aspect of Facebook the first knee-jerk reaction is to hit the allows members to get answers quickly. Internet.” “There are things we don’t see because Schurg said he feels the biggest downwe’re not in bays and we’re not installing side is simply that it’s social media. every day,” Tozzi noted. “There is some “You’re forced to be in that realm,” he stuff we don’t catch that other dealers do explained. “You have to take the good catch. For the most part, nothing’s off the with the bad.” table for us and that’s both a good thing Take care whose advice you follow, and a bad thing.” Harley said, adding that just because Expecting instant gratification has someone responds to an online thread to been a byproduct of the Facebook group, offer advice, doesn’t mean they necessarTozzi said. “Someone will post at eleven ily have the right answer. However, it’s at night and then, a half hour later, post okay to reach out for information. “It’s a question mark if no one answers right always smart to let other people make away. Sometimes the expectation level for mistakes,” Harley said. “You don’t have an answer is pretty high.” to reinvent the wheel. Someone else Another downside, he added, is that has already done it. My physics teacher people may rely too much on online always said, ‘You don’t have to memorize

the phone book. You just have to know how to use it.’ You might as well utilize other people’s blood, sweat, tears and inspiration.”

Going Beyond the Industry to Help the Community Charity work continues to be an important part of the equation, Blau said. “We’re trying to grow and expand the industry as a whole. We’ve done a lot for charity. We have used Go Fund Me to help people with illnesses or those we’ve lost in the community,” Blau said, adding that the Mobile Electronics Syndicate hopes to do more for charity in the future. “We were part of Marty Deane’s 12V for a Cause charity drive. Manufacturers offered giveaways and they raised almost $16,000 for charity.” As for goals specific to the Syndicate, Blau said they’d like to be able to help out with more trainings.” Manufacturers are also sharing the message, Blau said. “Someone contacted us and told us they heard about us through Directechs. I met so many people in Long Beach that I knew from the Syndicate.” Blau said he thinks the Syndicate is able to bring more people together because it’s not specific to one topic. “It wasn’t planned. It was natural. It just happened, and we get along well,” he said. “There’s so much on there. You can reach manufacturers. A guy might be talking to three reps or manufacturers about LED lights [in the same thread]. How else could he do that? [I think] it’s unique to what the Syndicate offers and how it helps people in the industry.” Administrators of the group now review posts before they go up. “We’ve done stuff ourselves that was wrong or that we shouldn’t have posted about or said,” he added. “You learn from your mistakes, you grow and become better.” Schurg said he hopes people will continue to embrace the knowledge that can be gained in online groups. “It’s more of a hive mind. We’re all doing the same things. When I started in this industry, people didn’t want to share,” Schurg said. “Now, people are willing to share. Jump in and take advantage of it. Reciprocate. It makes everything better.” facebook.com/MobileElectronics

 retail news

Creative Audio Expands Both Warehouse and Industry Knowledge WORDS BY LAURA KEMMERER

reating a viable long-term business requires investment on a number of fronts, and for Kansas- and Missouri-based Creative Audio, this means sending as much of its team as possible to KnowledgeFest while also investing in the space for a new warehouse. Industry knowledge communicates itself through increased sales on the floor. “Basically, for several years we did have the opportunity to go to events like KnowledgeFest,” said installer Troy Saylor, who used to work in a managerial role in the Sedalia location. “We did a lot of training with different vendors, different manufacturers. We went to KnowledgeFest several years ago. We had

18 Mobile Electronics February 2019

40 employees across all of our stores, and getting everyone to [the event] could be a pain, but now that there’re more locations and more time, and we can spread it out, it allows us to break up our team and go.” In the most recent iteration in Dallas, the shop sent 12 members of the team to the event, including a good chunk of the managerial team as well as a number of installers, “so that everyone would have that experience and education.” The shop is also investing in its space in a similar fashion: When ordering over the Internet first took off, items were shipped from the shops that were closest. Now, with the addition of 25,000 square feet of warehouse space, Creative Audio can keep what’s needed in stock, easily accessible for shipping.

“About five or six years ago, we became so busy online it kind of became an issue with inventory and keeping track of who had what in stock,” Saylor noted. “With five stores, it became something of an issue. We keep quite a bit in stock in each location.” Previously, the shop had a warehouse in Springfield, which it has since outgrown. Now, a new warehouse is under construction: Phase one is 25,000 square feet, and phase two will bring an additional 25,000 square feet of space. The warehouse is also slated to be completely solar-powered, and that same approach will eventually extend to all five stores. In all, the shop has four stores in Missouri and one in Kansas, and each of the buildings are owned outright. Creative Audio has been in business for over 25 years.

Who’s Who

Faces in the Industry

Kimberly Trainer Car-Tunes, Inc. Greenville, Miss. Position: President/Owner Years of Industry Experience: 18 Hobbies: Cooking What you’re really good at: Product knowledge and presentation.

Jaime Pacheco

Titan Motoring Wins Award for Best Shop Culture

shop that invests in its work culture is bound to get noticed, and that was exactly what happened when Nashville, Tennessee-based Titan Motoring won last year’s Best Shop Culture award from Mobile Electronics magazine. “Things that we do differently—I mean, I’ve worked at a few shops across the country and I’ve had a lot of different experiences in different types of environments, and this one just seems to click with a lot of the right guys,” noted shop manager Ray West. “There’re the little things, I guess: like birthday cakes for staff members and we’ll take an hour at the end of the day, hang back. We go to hockey games together, trainings together, so it’s fun.” West has been in the industry since 2000, when he started working for Best Buy. Through a career that spans shop ownership, West eventually joined the Titan team in 2016. According to West,

Titan started in a van, focusing on mobile work. The business has continued to grow, now accounting for 13,000 to 14,000 square feet of floor space, which includes two 12-volt bays, among other amenities. “I’m a firm believer that any issues with a store environment are directly related to the management of that environment,” West said. “I’ve been in places that have poor to no management, and after all these years it’s easy to see there have been failures or the cost of miscommunication in those places and that’s a direct result of management. So, I say, look at yourself if something isn’t going the way you want it to go. You need to be very clear with instruction. That’s something that I, personally, within the last eight months or so, have really taken to heart and tried to be better at.” West also noted that he seeks advice from his mentors and peers.

Best Buy Dartmouth, Mass. Position: Advanced lead auto-tech Years of Industry Experience: 29 What you’re really good at: Installing.

Ray West

Titan Motoring Nashville, Tenn. Position: Shop manager Years of Industry Experience: 18 Hobbies: Anything 12-volt, and hockey. What you’re really good at: Understanding all aspects of 12-volt.

facebook.com/MobileElectronics 19

 retail news

Apicella Auto Sound Celebrates its First Anniversary

tarting a new business is never an easy feat, and the first year open is arguably as big as an accomplishment as celebrating 25 years in business. Nick Apicella recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of his shop, Stony Point, New York-based Apicella Auto Sound. Apicella has been in the industry off and on for the past four or five years. Apicella customarily spends his winters snowboarding, but when faced with the choice last year, he opted to go all in and open his shop instead. Apicella dubbed his experience so far as “unbelievably stressful.” “People always warned me that owning a business would be hard, but I didn’t expect it to be like this,” Apicella said. “Now that I’ve not only expanded the shop but also hired someone, it’s gotten crazy. […] At the same, I talk about this stuff all day regardless, so it’s kind of the same thing I was doing before for fun. Now I get to make a living out of it.”

Apicella recently hired the shop’s first full-time team member, industry veteran Damien Mullings. Apicella met Mullings at an event he had hosted previously. The shop owner was also able to expand shop space with the addition of the new team member, whereas before he only needed half of the 2,000 square feet of space. As

of writing, Apicella and Mullings are working on their third car together. What made Mullings stand out as an applicant was his personality, his work ethic and the passion he puts into his work. Though Apicella is worried about maintaining a consistent workload, he has a several-month-long waitlist currently on his plate.

Top Class Installations Hosts GPS Fleet Tracking Networking Event

eeping tabs on the pulse of the industry is crucial to business success, and for Tomas Keenan, owner of Hicksville, New York-based Top Class Installations, that meant taking the incentive to arrange a networking event for those installing GPS devices in fleet vehicles. Keenan originally began his career as an audio installer, later transitioning into working with a partner on installing GPS tracking devices on fleet vehicles. Over the years, the team has grown from two people to 15. In early spring of this year, Keenan set up a private Facebook group for GPS fleet tracking and camera installers from across the country. The group provided a unique networking opportunity for both Keenan and others: A number of members met at SEMA to discuss the industry and figure out ways to help each other. “We talked about everything that was not work-related for a good hour or two before we sat down and said, ‘Let’s

20 Mobile Electronics February 2019

talk about this industry and what we’re doing. What’s working? What’s not working? How can I help you?’ […] We found that it’s a pretty tight-knit community between us fleet installers,” Keenan noted. He also went on to add that in his shop, they rarely sell any product; the focus remains on providing labor and support

where needed. There were 16 attendees at the event. “We’ve already begun to leverage each other’s networks and utilize each other for help,” Keenan said. This includes passing along jobs to those who are nearer and can take the work.

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 hot sellers

Competitive prices and product bundling bring sales to a close, while breaking down costs and explaining the reasons behind it helps customers to arrive at a decision.

Viper DS4+ Remote Start Kenwood DNX995S 2-DIN with NAV, CarPlay and Android Auto Submitted by: Jayson Cook, Columbus Car Audio, Columbus, Ohio Main Selling Features: “The best feature is the high definition capacitive touch screen. Also it has Garmin navigation so it is very easy to operate.” Primary Objection: Price. How to Overcome: “If you need navigation, this is the way to go and it’s in line with other comparable products from other brands. If you would like something more cost-effective, I would recommend the step down to the DDX9905S model, which has all of the same features but no navigation. Would you like to take a look at that?”

Main Selling Features: “Customers like that they can use their smartphone to start the vehicle free of charge via Bluetooth within a 150-foot range.” Primary Objection: Learning curve and additional parts required. How to Overcome: “If I have a vehicle in the bay parking lot that I have just installed the unit, I bring the customer outside for a live demonstration of how the product and features work to ease their hesitance. In regard to extra parts, I let them know that these parts, typically relays and hood switches, are required by the manufacturer as safety features or to operate certain parts of the vehicle during start-up that won’t work without them.”

Focal RCX165 Auditor 6.5-Inch Two-Way Speaker with inverted Dome Tweeter Alpine iLX-107 AM/FM USB Apple CarPlay Submitted by: Richard Hume, Cartoys, Salem, Ore. Main Selling Features: “Customers are looking for wireless Apple CarPlay.” Primary Objection: Price and additional parts required. How to Overcome: “Only one other unit has wireless CarPlay and it does not work as well. The vehicles of today are more computer integrated and require more sophisticated parts to interface properly.”

22 Mobile Electronics February 2019

Submitted by: Kimberly Trainer, Car-Tunes Inc., Greenville, Miss. Main Selling Features: “We have these on our sound displays so people can hear the difference in sound quality from other brands at similar pricing. That’s all it takes!” Primary Objection: Labor cost to install. How to Overcome: “We break down the cost into steps so the process can be explained to the customer and the value in the professional installation while pointing out specific details. This includes displaying and explaining the need for dampening material and fast rings which are both additional costs that the customer does not mind at all once they see and hear the value.”

Pioneer AVH-4100NEX In-Dash Multimedia Unit Main Selling Features: “I introduced this product to clients looking to add a back-up camera capability to their vehicle. It was usually an up-sale from lower models that didn’t have Apple CarPlay/Android Auto built-in. Most clients found the technology useful and convenient, especially heavy commuters.” Primary Objection: Price and compatibility. How to Overcome: “The NEX series products from Pioneer are easier to sell with some kind of in-store bundle or price drop.”

JL Audio VX800/8i Amplifier Submitted by: Troy Saylor, Creative Audio, Sedalia, Mo. Main Selling Features: “The leap in technology is what attracts people to this. Even though the amp line is up there in price, it’s one less part they see on the invoice so they feel like it’s money better spent than adding a DSP to the system.” Primary Objection: Price and labor cost to install. How to Overcome: “We let them use their ears and play several different set ups for them. They change their minds pretty quickly when they can hear more detail in music.”

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 hot sellers

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Submitted by: Patrick Roberts, Allcomm Wireless Inc., Birmingham, Ala. Main Selling Features: “Programmable to meet the customer’s needs.” Primary Objection: Price, size, color and style. How to Overcome: “The prices are extremely competitive compared to other higher line brands with the same quality.”

Main Selling Features: “The modern floating display design helps sell the product.” Primary Objection: Price. How to Overcome: “This product has a unique look and feel over traditional head units.”

Fortin EVO-ONE Remote Start

Compustar DC3 Remote Start

Submitted by: Pierre Cormier, Audio Concepts Plus, Paquetville, NB, Canada Main Selling Features: “It comes with a lifetime warranty, and it’s made in Canada.” Primary Objection: Price and labor cost to install. How to Overcome: “We explain that it comes with a lifetime warranty, and then we explain that we are MECP certified.”

Submitted by: Mike Mears, Best Buy, Memphis, Tenn. Main Selling Features: “We demonstrate the benefits rather than the features themselves.” Primary Objection: Price and compatibility. How to Overcome: “I explain the necessity of the parts and what they do to accomplish the goal.”

VOXX CarLink6 Telematics Device Sony XAV-AX5000 CarPlay / Android Auto In-Dash Unit Submitted by: Eddy Lamour, DSP Audio & Video, Silver Spring, Maryland Main Selling Features: “We always sell us and solutions. The products are just a tool to get the results.” Primary Objection: Price.

24 Mobile Electronics February 2019

Submitted by: Jeremy Czech, Muntz Audio Video, Green Bay, Wis. Main Selling Features: “Allows you to lock, unlock, start and track the vehicle from an app. Gives you the ability to start the vehicle with unlimited range. No extra remotes need to be added to the key ring.” Primary Objection: Annual subscription. How to Overcome: “I break down what it costs per month and also share that the cost is roughly equal to going out to eat one time a year for unlimited usage.”

facebook.com/MobileElectronics â&#x20AC;&#x201A; 25

real world RETAIL

AGE IS JUST

As it celebrates its 40th year in business, Big Daddy’s Stereo innovates and expands into new categories, remaining flexible and fresh in a continually evolving market. WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA

As teenagers, Robbie and Rusty Owens were already passionate about car audio. “Our father gave us a hard time for spending all our money and time on audio systems, but we loved it,” said Robbie Owens, who owns Big Daddy’s Stereo with his brother. “In 2002 when

26 Mobile Electronics February 2019

my father [Rodney Owens] retired, he invested in our business.” The shop has been a presence in Longview, Texas for 40 years, and the Owens brothers are the third owners. “My brother and I had a business before this one,” Robbie Owens noted. “We were competitors of Big Daddy’s. We heard they wanted to get out of it, so we bought

the business. We kept the name because it had been in Longview for so long.” For the big anniversary this year, the shop will be holding a different category sale each month. “One month might be marine, another ATV—all items related to this will be on sale,” he said. “We are in the middle of designing a 40-year badge logo.”

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER

T A NUMBER The focus of Big Daddy’s Stereo, according to Owens, is to connect people to the latest technology and provide a fun experience while sharing the team’s love and knowledge of 12-volt with clients. Big Daddy’s Stereo has also been the recipient of the Local Business Review’s “Best in Car Audio and Home Theater” award for the last four years in a row.

Cell Phone Boosters Expand Customer Base and Bring Added Revenue The shop has expanded into commercial and residential audio and video, and it’s continuing to grow its home theater side as well as home automation.

“This helped us expand into other regions in Longview. Our 12-volt is still our main category,” Owens said. “We’re slowly growing our home and commercial line. There are lakes all around us, so we do a lot of marine business in the spring and summer.” The shop also has ATV and motorcycle audio clients. “About five years ago, we used to go to all the ATV events around us.” The shop stopped going when oil prices dropped, Owens said. “Most of our clientele for the powersports category are in the oil and gas industry. The price decrease resulted in mass layoffs in that industry.” To remain relevant, the team

responded to this and refocused their efforts in other areas. The shop now installs cell phone boosters in remote areas. “We’re getting ready to do a cell phone booster for a manufacturing plant,” he said. “People also want cell phone boosters for their vehicles. Our oil and gas customers want them in their cars, and need them for their locations out in the middle of nowhere in Texas.” When the shop installs home theater equipment, Owens added, they also check cell phone service. “There are a lot of rural areas that don’t have good cell service, so it’s something we pitch to our customers,” Owens said. “We advertise it. From all that, it’s kind of blown up. For facebook.com/MobileElectronics 27

real world RETAIL

FAST FACTS www.bdstereo.com Location: Longview, Texas Number of Stores: 1 Square Footage: 10,000 Store Type: Traditional Retail Number of Employees: 17

KEY STAFF Owner: Robbie Owens

Clients are able to look through the glass bay door that separates the showroom from the work area. definitely marketing and trying to grow.”

Owner: Rusty Owens

Larger Bays Allow for Expansion and Some In-House Manufacturing

Sales Manager: Clint Brown Custom Integration Manager: Richard Loe Install Manager: Jimmie Weisinger Office Manager: Morgan Falish

MAIN FOCUS 45% Car Audio and Video 25% Home Theater 15% Marine and Powersports 15% Window Tint 28 Mobile Electronics February 2019

Salespeople and installers are paid hourly and rewarded with bonuses when revenue goals are met. Pictured here is technician Ruben Chico, who has been with the company for 17 years. the oil and gas guys who travel, their office location might be in east Texas, but their work location is closer to the border with spotty service. They have fleet vehicles for their employees who drive back and forth. When they buy new trucks, they need

accessories, tool boxes, steps and window tinting.” These companies often operate out of large steel buildings, he added. “As soon as you step inside, the service is gone. It’s probably about five percent of our business, but it’s something we’re

The marine category is the shop’s biggest seasonal attraction. Four years ago, Big Daddy’s Stereo opened its current location. “In our previous building, we couldn’t pull a boat into our shop that had a tower on it because our bays weren’t tall enough. We worked out in the sun. In the summer in Texas, it’s 100 degrees outside,” Owens said. This led to a big push to get the new place built, he added. “Our shop now has four bay doors that are drive-through, so we can pull a boat in. We work on RVs, motor homes and boats, so a customer can pull in and pull right out. The first day we were open, we had four boats in our bay.”

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real world RETAIL the team together. “At one point, it hit me how much time I spend with these guys and how much they do for us,” he explained. “They’ve been with us a lot of years, so I was trying to think of what I could do. I thought it was important to get involved in our community and give back.” Owens saw community service as a good way to refocus the culture of the business in a positive direction. “Any time they want to do local charity work, we pay for that,” he said. “We pay for one day per quarter for them to do that.” On the same note, Owens added, “We have a local women’s shelter here, and once a month we go out and buy lunch for the women and serve them.” The shop also takes part in donation drives for the women’s shelter. “Every time we go out there, we bring stuff, and then we do donation drives where customers will bring in blankets and pillows.” Some of the staff members also go on mission trips through churches or other organizations, and Owens supports this,

When they take a first look at a client’s car, salespeople will also see if the client needs anything else, such as window tinting. Here, Clay Bardshaw works with a customer. The design of the building also allows clients to see into the bays from the store. “Between our showroom to our bays, we have a bay door that’s all glass. We want people to sit here and watch what we’re doing and say, ‘Wow, they’re taking good care of my car.’” Included in the plans for the coming year is an expansion into manufacturing. “The plan is to add a CNC machine to be able to take some of the custom work we’re doing and increase efficiency,” Owens explained. “We want to expand

some of our custom work into online sales—custom enclosures that people can order from us, and we can build and ship. We’ll have templated designs for pillars and boxes, different custom pieces. People will be able to place an order on our website. It’ll be part of our main business.”

Increasing Positive Store Culture by Serving the Community Due to fast growth of the company over the last few years, Owens said he began to consider different ways of keeping

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AGE IS JUST A NUMBER too. “A couple of my employees who go on mission trips came to me and asked whether that would be included as far as the paid day goes. And I said, yes, absolutely.” The staff gets along well and the charity work, Owens said, “makes you feel good. Whether my employees stay with me or not, I thought maybe it would catch on. Maybe they would keep doing charity work even if they left the business, and on their own time.” Big Daddy’s Stereo also offers health insurance for its employees, as well as vacation time and sick days. “Some of our more tenured employees have three weeks of paid vacation,” Owens added.

Special Trips and Staff Days Boost Morale Outside Work Hours Another new development, Owens said, are staff days. “We have two staff days a year where we close down the store during the week, typically on a Monday, and we take the staff somewhere for the day.” The staff will enjoy mini golf

Television screens at each service station display specials and work done by Big Daddy’s Stereo. Josh Mandreger tends to a customer by phone, with a screen visible behind him. together, or billiards or bowling. “At five, 10- or 15-year anniversaries, we’ll do something special. We did a fishing trip for one of the guys. We’re trying to figure out what to do on our next staff trip. We might go to a zip line place nearby.” Owens plans to rewrite the procedural handbook soon, adding that it’s outdated. “We have a staff code, and it’s something we take seriously.”

The shop also has a clear procedure when it comes to duties and responsibilities, Owens said, adding that he has to be particular about it, especially because of the current size and structure of the business. “When people used to come into our store [when we were smaller] we were working on their car behind the front counter,” Owens said. “The doorbell rang, someone walked in and you lifted your

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real world RETAIL

Private Holiday Sale Proves Unsuccessful “We hosted a private afterhours sale for existing customers. If you were an existing customer, we emailed you to let you know about the sale and we shared it on social media. We had a Santa Claus that came in [for the kids]. We thought it was going to be a good turnout because of the email marketing campaign response and the open rate. It was about a tenth of what we expected. We did multiple thousands of dollars in sales, but it wasn’t as big as I thought it would be. “We gave away a flatscreen TV, a 55-inch. We gave away a remote start. We hit multiple categories on the giveaways. We encouraged people to bring their kids to get pictures with Santa. We had food and beverages. “If I keep doing them, it could grow and be better, but it just flopped. I think it’s just one of those things that you have to keep doing [to be successful]. We continue to increase our contacts and add more emails. By the time next year rolls around, and if we do something then, we’ll have more contacts and more social media followers.” head up from under the dash and went to go talk to them.” Everyone has their own roles now. The average staff tenure at Big Daddy’s Stereo is eight years. In the past two years, the company added four new positions. New hires are given a 30- to 60-day probation period, depending on the position. “I want them to feel comfortable. If this is too much for you after 30 days, if

32 Mobile Electronics February 2019

you come to me and say this isn’t what you thought it would be, then there’re no hard feelings,” Owens explained. “A lot of people don’t realize how difficult even a sales position is in 12-volt. They don’t understand how deep and thorough it is.” The staff often goes through online vendor trainings and hands-on training. “One of our technicians has been to Mobile Solutions. That’s been really great for us, and we’ll send others as well. We

also attend SEMA, KnowledgeFest, and we’re a MESA dealer, so we go to the MESA Summit every year.”

Dedicated Outside Salesperson Handles All Dealership Work An outside salesperson helps balance dealership work, according to Owens, who added he and his brother now take more time to work on the business instead of in it.

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real world RETAIL It has all our dealer pricings on it, and it’s set up like an online store. Any time new products come out, or we’re running any specials for dealerships, we change that on the website and email them to let them know. That’s new for us and it’s been going really well.” The shop goes out to visit boat dealers, ATV dealers, tractor dealers and car dealerships. Instead of calling the store, the outside salesperson is able to deal with it, Owens said, making things much easier.

Following Up on Past Proposals Leads to More Revenue and Cash Bonuses

While a salesperson prepares an estimate for a potential client, the customer can peruse the store and see if there’s anything else they’re interested in. Rather than list line by line charges, the shop offers an overall project fee with warranties included.

With a dedicated outside salesperson, the shop has seen an increase in dealership sales. “We do window tint, cruise control, mobile video and we still do a lot of backup camera integration for dealerships,” Owens said. “We have a hidden part of our website that you have to have a direct link to get to.

Instead of selling an entire system using an estimate method, with line by line charges, Big Daddy’s now puts together packages for clients. The package includes everything they will need, as well as labor, warranties and taxes. “We were able to get a lot more sales that way.” Owens also pointed out that customers are quick to reject warranties if it’s added to the end of a conversation and not included in the entire package. Creating a package makes it feel more affordable and attractive to customers. “It’s made a huge difference in our bottom line, and we have been doing this about five years now.” Salespeople are paid by the hour and there is a bonus structure. The website gets a lot of traffic, and email marketing and social media draw in a lot of people, according to Owens. But follow-up phone

Billboards Help Increase Reach and Revenue “We just got through with a 12-month billboard advertising campaign. We put up 12 billboards the first month—a massive attack. We had people call. One person called and said, ‘Just in case you wondered if your billboards work, they do, and that’s how I found you.’ “We didn’t just do [a billboard that said] Big Daddy’s. We had two up at a time, and we would rotate them every month. Depending on the seasons, we would advertise [different categories]. One whole billboard was just a guy on a motorcycle. It had our logo and said ‘motorcycle audio.’ “Then we would do a boat, window tint and remote start. That’s all it would say, and have a cool picture of a car or a boat. We pushed our home theater and window tint, too. “I’m hoping there was a minimum sales increase of about 40 to 50,000 dollars in a year. Our largest sales revenue was in 2018. It was the best year we’ve ever had. I think the billboards helped make that happen.”

34 Mobile Electronics February 2019

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER

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real world RETAIL

Vendor Support Helped Bring High-End Car Audio to Longview “We have been a Focal dealer since before we bought Big Daddy’s—over 15 years. In Longview, we didn’t have what you’d consider a high-end car audio product that was being sold at that time. People were having to drive two hours away if they wanted something like that. We were able to bring that into this market and make people aware of it. “The other two would be Kenwood eXcelon and JL Audio. We’ve got a great relationship with our sales reps. Even though we’re out in the middle of nowhere, we have constant contact on a weekly basis. They come visit us once a month and I know that’s not super uncommon, but it used to be for us, because we’re not in a major market. Those vendors are part of the MESA buying group as well, so that’s helped us out even further. “Kenwood CarPlay units and Android Auto have been our top sellers recently. JL Audio’s micro-loaded enclosures and amplified loaded enclosures have been big sellers, too. I’m also excited about some of the new Utopias from Focal. “Our manufacturers support us with trainings. If we have specials, they’re great about helping us with terms—extending terms and term discounts. When we have promotions, they are willing to offer free goods to help us with giveaways and discounts on demo products for our boards.”

calls have been an important part of reaching out to clientele. It began with the home theater side, and Owens also instituted it with mobile electronics. Some proposals for the home side, he added, had neither been accepted nor rejected. “My managers would follow up. We got quite a few jobs that way.” Owens turned this into an incentive for the sales team. “I printed out a list of estimates from the previous month and was able to categorize them by salesperson. I handed them over and said, ‘Whoever has the most sales off these estimates in the next 30 days, I’ll give them 100 dollars cash.’”

Going the Extra Mile to Keep Clients Coming Back Some employees who’d worked in other shops weren’t accustomed to the level of care Big Daddy’s Stereo expects, Owens added. “If it’s something really simple, we don’t charge,” he said. “Maybe a wire came lose somewhere. I’ll do it out in the parking lot. They’re willing to pay, and I say, ‘Don’t worry about it.’ I tell them to leave me a nice review on Google. To me, I can’t put a price tag on that five minutes because that customer wasn’t able to get service somewhere else, and we were able to help them out.”

36 Mobile Electronics February 2019

They will probably come back from that point on, Owens said. “The money it would have cost me in marketing to get someone to come in, they’re already there and we’ll take care of them.” When a customer comes in, the salesperson shakes their hand and introduces themselves. “We look over their car and listen to the customer,” Owens said. “A customer comes in because they have a problem, whether it’s that their windows aren’t tinted, or their stereo sounds terrible. We listen to what the problem is and we find the best solution for them.” While assessing the situation, they also look for other issues. “We compliment the car. We find something we like about it. We check to see if the windows are tinted. If they have a radar detector, does it need to be hard-wired because it’s sitting on the dash and plugged into the cigarette lighter? Things like that.”

How Times Have Changed: 40 Years of Big Daddy’s Stereo As part of their 40-year anniversary celebration, Owens said the shop will be posting photos of installs from the 1980s. Jimmie Weisinger, a technician who recently celebrated 32 years with the shop, brought in some old build photos. “We’re going to start posting ‘How Times

Have Changed’ posts on social media,” Owens said. “We’ll encourage people who follow us to post any photos of jobs we’ve done in the past.” They’re also planning a cruise night for warmer weather. “We want to implement a Cars and Coffee event as well,” Owens said. “Any time we do something like that, we try to turn it into a donation drive for the women’s shelter.” As the store expanded, Owens faced difficulties when it came to adjusting to an increased number of employees. In the old store, he said, his office was behind the front counter. “Somehow, I could listen to everything that was being said, and I was like a mom who could hear what was going on with the kids. I felt like I had that control. Now, not all of my employees are at the store. They’re outside.” When the shop attracted a negative review, Owens refocused on taking care of the shop’s reputation. “That’s been a challenge.” He takes time to respond to these reviews, adding, “It’s hard to know what to say.” In the future, the focus is simply to continue to grow the 12-volt category. “We want to be seen as experts,” Owens said. “I want to make sure we’re always learning.”

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 Difference Makers

WORDS BY JAMIE SORCHER

Before car audio was a thing, Dale Naeseth started N&S Marketing and Sales, which has flourished more than 40 years.

There is a maxim that goes like this: It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. For Dale Naeseth, though, he couldn’t have asked for a stronger start to his long and successful career in consumer electronics that continues today. Right out of the Navy, he landed at Magnolia HiFi. “It is probably the most iconic retailer in the Pacific-Northwest,”

38 Mobile Electronics February 2019

Naeseth said. “And I was working for Mr. Len Tweten. I learned a lot from Magnolia and from Mr. Tweten—how to take care of customers and how to interact with salesmen and store managers and things like that. Magnolia was a wonderful employer and I have often said Mr. Tweten was the best boss I ever had. But I eventually left there to form this

company. The point was that in order to grow—grow personally—I needed to establish my own entity. So that is how I decided to get into the rep business in 1978.” Back then, car audio was kind of like the Wild West—just a big, wide open space. “In the case of mobile electronics, there really wasn’t any,” Naeseth said.

All In the Family

facebook.com/MobileElectronics â&#x20AC;&#x201A; 39

 Difference Makers “There was a little bit of Sony, a little bit of Jensen, Craig Electronics, and Lear Jet—you know, 8-tracks—and the latest technology were the amplifiers and boosters.” There really weren’t any car audio stores, either. “There were stores like Magnolia and others like them that had some car product under glass and later on, of course, there were demo rooms,” Naeseth said. “But car audio didn’t really start to kick in until around 1980. Things were starting to change and we were there at the forefront of it.”

Respecting the Car Audio Culture

Founder and Principal of N&S Marketing, Dale Naeseth, started the company in 1978 after learning the ropes from consumer electronics legend Len Tweten at Magnolia HiFi. As a rep-distributor, the firm is dedicated to providing its customers—residential A/V retailers, custom installers and mobile A/V specialists—with a wide variety of outstanding product. In his downtime, Naeseth loves to travel and watch movies.

40 Mobile Electronics February 2019

Applying a key principle that was highly valued at Magnolia, Naeseth made it one of his company’s core values as well. “Mr. Tweten taught me that integrity is your most important asset,” Naeseth said. “We not only represent our manufacturers as any rep company does, but we also represent our retailers, our dealers, as well. We always do our very best to look out for the interests of both our dealers and our manufacturers. It is in the spirit of a win-win.” Having integrity builds on another pillar of N&S Marketing. “The representative business is a relationship-based business,” Naeseth said. “I have worked hard and I am blessed to be surrounded by a sales team that has absolutely superb relationships with our dealers. I’ve got Ryan Christie and Barry Lightfoot, both of whom have great relationships in the industry. They are trusted and always ready to do the right thing. It doesn’t mean that other rep companies don’t do that, but we have been doing it for such a long, long time, so that has helped us. Our longevity in the marketplace distinguishes us.” What Naeseth figured out many years ago, which has remained the status quo, was the need for two distinct teams. “We have a thriving A/V business with Denon, Marantz, Kef—all the ‘A’ brands—and then we have our 12-volt group which represents brands like Kenwood, Kicker, Harman, Directed Electronics, Dynamat and so on,” Naeseth said. “Some companies, which is fine for them, have guys out in the field wearing both hats. But

All In the Family

the cultures of mobile electronics and AV are so different that I established a separate sales group for each category and it’s worked out well. There are a lot of commonalities for car and home like installation, for example, which is important on both sides. The cultures, though, are so different and it takes an incredible amount of manpower to represent all of those lines properly. Our team just wouldn’t have any bandwidth. Each has a different customer base.”

Zero Tolerance for Double-Speak Naeseth continued that in the case of 12-volt, he is incredibly grateful for the dealers who are keeping the industry alive. “We’re blessed that we still have brick-and-mortar retailers out there who are driving the business.” There are even some retailers that are still successfully doing both home and car—even marine. “Mostly that’s the case in tertiary, secondary markets,” Naeseth said. “In the metro markets, we are blessed to have Car Toys here in Portland, Seattle and Spokane. In Portland, we have Stereo King and Outrageous Audio. We have a plethora of ‘A’ dealers like that. But if you go somewhere like Lewiston, Idaho—a nice marketplace— you’ve got Steiner Electronics and they do both home and car. We have another dealer like that, Good Vibrations, in Roseburg, Oregon. Predominantly, nowadays, the A/V business is done through custom installers who don’t have storefronts.” In order for N&S Marketing to work with a retailer, there are certain things Naeseth considers. As a stocking rep, the firm maintains inventory of Kenwood, Kicker, Harman (JBL/Infinity), Directed and Maestro. “We are a rep and a distributor, but we’re a rep-distributor and that means there is an important distinction between us and a 12-volt distributor,” Naeseth said. “We represent the lines that we have distributed, so we control carefully where we put stuff. An independent distributor that is not associated with a rep company will pretty much sell wherever they can, and that is what distributors do.” However, he added, the firm has to remain mindful of their direct dealers.

From left to right: Ryan Christie, with N&S since 2008, and Barry Lightfoot, on board since 2005.

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 Difference Makers “We’re not going to open up a guy across the street that creates a conflict. We have taken dealers that are smaller—playing rookie league ‘A’ baseball—and as they get bigger and when it is in the best interests of the manufacturer and the dealer, we have no problem to take them direct. Again, when it is in their best interest.” As for taking on manufacturers, Naesmith said he’s always sought out the “A” vendors in every marketplace. “And we’re pretty much blessed to have them,” he said. “We need to make sure these manufacturers—and we’re fortunate all of ours feel this way—say what they mean and mean what they say. Our retailers are counting on them. Double-speak will always catch up with you in a hurry. Again, we’re blessed. If you look at Kenwood, we have been representing them now for 34 years! We have been with Kicker since 1994. We’re blessed to be with Harman.” Having been in business for as long as he has, Naesmith is proud to have cultivated a culture in his company that breeds success and rewards integrity. “N&S Marketing is not me,” he said. “I’m here, but I’m surrounded by a fantastic team including my inside staff led by Stephanie Baijot, who has been recognized as Office Manager of the Year by a number of our companies, and Cindy Wooden who helps to take care of our customers. It is a team from top to bottom.” While N&S Marketing uses all means of communications—including e-mail, phone and in-person visits—Naesmith is clear about his preference. “Face-to-face contact is the very best way to interact with the customer,” he said. “I always tell my guys that if you don’t get in front of your customers, someone else will. Email is great. Online is great. Phone is great. There is nothing, though, that beats getting our salesperson in front of a customer. That is a great way to maintain relationships. You can’t see body language when you’re on the phone. There are a whole lot of things in communication—not just speech. Above all, there is nothing better than a customer talking to the salesperson.”

42 Mobile Electronics February 2019

All In the Family

ROLL CALL Dale Naeseth—Founder

Involved with audio/video home entertainment, mobile audio and custom installation industries for over 40 years, Naeseth built the company back in 1978 after many years in retail at the leading consumer electronics retailers in the Pacific Northwest. He still very much enjoys the technologies and products that comprise the business. Hobbies include traveling and movie watching.

Grover Reed

With N&S since 1997 and based in Seattle, Reed is the senior man on campus. Originally selling 12-volt products in the Oregon market, he was named vice president of sales and marketing last year. In conjunction with the N&S inside team, he has brought a lot of direction to both the A/V and mobile sides.

Barry Lightfoot

With N&S since 2005, Lightfoot brings with him over 15 years of experience in retail and working with representative firms. He is responsible for mobile audio in Washington, Alaska and Northern Idaho and lives in the Seattle area. According to Naeseth, he is not only a great sales guy, but a real product geek.

Rob McCrory

Joining N&S in 2015 after working 20 years in retail and custom residential system design, McCrory lives in Portland and covers A/V and custom installation in Oregon, Southwest Washington and Southern Idaho.

Jack Weiss

Ryan Christie

Part of N&S since 2008, Christie brings over seven years experience as an electronics sales representative in the Pacific-Northwest and has more than 11 years experience in mobile electronics retail in the Oregon marketplace. He lives in the Portland area and is responsible for Mobile Electronics in Oregon, Southwest Washington and Southern Idaho.

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Greg Hayenga

Onboard with N&S since 2018, Hayenga brings 20-plus years of experience in the electronics industry. He lives in Seattle and covers A/V in Washington, Northern Idaho and Alaska.

EXCLUSIVE PRODUCTS

Darin Plemel

With N&S since 2008, Plemel is the Inside Sales manager and Distribution Manager. His career includes a long stint in both mobile and custom home electronics as well as vast experience in both sales and installation. His 12volt résumé includes time at The Good Guys.

Stephanie Baijot

EXCLUSIVE TERRITORY

As the N&S Marketing Office Manager and Customer Service Representative, Baijot accurately and promptly provides top level support to N&S customers.

Cindy Wooden

A customer service representative as well as handling accounts receivables, Wooden also manages social media, marketing and website responsibilities. She has been with N&S since 2013.

THE ULTIMATE INSTALLER EXPERIENCE

Covering the Montana market for N&S since 1993, Weiss was a product planner for a major CE manufacturer prior to moving to Bozeman, where he has resided for many years representing CE product for the Montana marketplace.

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 strategy & tactics

Finding qualified personnel is only one aspect of encouraging growth in your business. Learn strategies for finding and keeping employees, as well as ways to help promote a positive store culture. WORDS BY ANDREW EVENS

As owner of Industry Auto Body and Fabrication in Las Vegas, Nev., one of my biggest struggles over the years has been employee acquisition. It’s nothing new that many of us find hiring to be a huge struggle within this industry. It hasn’t gotten any easier. There is still a shortage of qualified, dedicated technicians. Because I continue to have difficulty with this issue, I have worked to find strategies to deal with it. You might be thinking that we’ve been through all of this and there’s nothing new to discuss, but bear with me. Sometimes to tackle an issue, we have to think differently about it. I think it’s very important that we break out of the old approaches and philosophies of hiring. For example, too long of a probation period can be problematic, while a short hands-on trial period can be very helpful.

Set Boundaries and Expectations Even though we are all in need of help, I feel it’s important to be cautious of the following points and set clear boundaries and expectations not only for the

44 Mobile Electronics February 2019

potential new hire, but for ourselves as business owners. Naturally, we are considering who we intend to hire, what their position will be and when we’ll be ready to hire someone. From my personal experience, the most overlooked point is: How will this decision impact our current situation and the shop’s culture and system? People who respond to outreach about a job opening may either respond online, or walk through the front doors of the

shop. The question is, do we hire an experienced technician, or someone who has less experience, but is willing to learn? Option A: Hire the experienced tech. This person may be ready to work on their own more quickly. During training, the shop standards would be demonstrated. We may have to briefly check their work until a certain comfort level has been reached. Option B: Hire the not-so-experienced tech. This individual would have to be

Growing the Team

taught everything. During training, we would keep a close eye on them and inspect their work for quite some time.

Clear Job Descriptions Are Essential Regardless of the candidate’s level of experience, we need to be very clear on their specific job descriptions or functions in our delicate shop ecosystem. If we are clear as an employer, our employees will be able to better understand their roles and know what is expected of them. You must also be cautious when deciding to hire. It’s crucial to make sure you’re ready to bring on a new employee. Are you prepared for the expense of Option A—the experienced tech—and will you be able to remain profitable after bringing this person onto your team? If you decide to go with Option B, do you have the time to invest in training someone who is less experienced? How we go about hiring someone in our industry is important to consider. One of the common mistakes I have seen—and made myself in the past—is to hire someone to fill a void much too quickly. I disregarded my instincts and didn’t pay enough attention to important warning signs. I feel we need a new format to break from the traditional corporate and business approaches of hiring personnel. We have to dig a little deeper or put a little more thought into it. We should customize the hiring process to our individual shops if needed. Doing things just because that’s the way they have been done for years is not going to work for us.

Rethinking the Way it’s Done I really feel a 90-day probation period for our field is too long of a probation. Our industry is much faster paced and technology driven. You can pretty much tell if a new hire is going to work out within nine days, unlike the 90 day period in most other fields. I have found a solution that works well for my shop, and it may work well for yours, too. I instituted a one-week paid trial period, in which I bring in the potential new hire for a Monday to Friday hands-on trial. This way, I get to see if facebook.com/MobileElectronics 45

 strategy & tactics this individual will fit in with the rest of the team. It also allows us some real time to check out a few other characteristics beyond the 12-volt knowledge and skills, such as work ethic, personality, punctuality and respect. A week isn’t going to show you everything, but at least you will get the opportunity to take the time and not rush into offering someone a job based on a résumé or referral alone. This gives you a great opportunity to sit down on Friday and mutually enter a discussion about how the week went. You’ll be able to get some of their input and feelings about your business, rather than have an awkward following week not knowing if it’s a good fit for the potential new hire or you, or worse, not wanting to fire them because you just hired them. The new hire staying even though they don’t like the workplace is the flip side. Maybe they won’t quit, or even worse,

they just stay on until they can jump ship and disappear without notice.

Impacting the Work Environment When it comes to hiring—whether you’re opening a new shop, or looking to bring in team members—it can be very easy to get caught up in finally finding

an option, to the point that we overlook some important factors. We tend to focus on the individual’s experience level and how much we will have to pay. Yes, these things are important, but they are far from the only things we need to be concerned about. Many of us focus on what someone knows how to do, or how much talent they can bring to the table. After we decide to bring on a team member, regardless of their level of experience, there is one question we should always ask: How will this person affect the work environment? The work environment is also considered the store culture. What we know about personality or attitude is very limited even after a weeklong trial. Will personalities clash? Will there be conflict between other employees or between management? It can get very bad very quickly and spread like poison if you aren’t prepared. It can ruin the morale on the sales floor as well as in the install bay. We need to have a plan in place and be aware and alert. There are apps and surveys now to help us with this issue. As technology evolves, so must we must as business owners.

Personality Tests as a Tool to Increase Understanding A while back someone suggested that I use a personality test with both new and current employees. This has helped me a lot. We use a website called 16 Personalities (www.16personalities.com). The site is simple to navigate and only takes a few minutes to use. The personality test offers

46 Mobile Electronics February 2019

Growing the Team

Regardless of a candidate’s level of work experience, it is crucial to be very clear about job descriptions when you’re looking to hire. the user insight about themselves, about others, and information about how things can be communicated and understood based on execution and delivery. A personality test allows you to read a detailed story about that person and how they view things, so you can interact with them on their level. When you do your own personality test, it explains your strengths and weaknesses to give you the tools you need to have a better experience interacting effectively. At Industry Auto Body and Fabrication, we have a small team, so the personality test helped us to understand each other better and to get along more easily. The test can be revisited as a tool to help continually improve store culture. I also use the results of the test outside of work. It has helped increase my awareness of how I come across to people in conversation. I have a tendency to be very direct, which can seem harsh to some personality types. The personality test has helped me to understand that my directness can be seen as insensitive or unappreciative, causing the listener to think they aren’t doing a good job, which in turn can make them not want to work as hard or effectively. As you can see, the personality test can go a long way in helping a team to understand each other, as well as helping individuals understand how they are communicating.

organization, and we recently started a family ourselves. We understand the challenges and issues that come up with having kids. We’re very open with our staff in this regard. It’s important to be able to deal with issues as they arise. We hope to get advance notice when an employee needs time off, but we’re also willing to work around people’s lives and make up for lost time. Flexibility is key.

Help your employees to be comfortable and happy. We like to provide lunch for the staff as a random treat from time to time. Some of our clients are in the food and beverage industry, so it’s not uncommon for us to get lunches, dinners or treats delivered from our generous customers. We try to schedule get-togethers outside of work, too. This can include events such as bowling or go-karts. These can be difficult to schedule, but the events are well worth it to help boost morale. Additionally, we offer bonuses and incentives for sales, as well as commissions on referrals, and we have birthday celebrations at work for team members. The best part of it all is that we have weekends and holidays off, so we can enjoy that time and share it with our families. I hope the advice in this article helps you with your hiring processes, and I wish you the best of luck.

Offering Incentives to Employees It’s important to understand the importance of your employees’ lives outside of work. We are a very mom-and-pop facebook.com/MobileElectronics 47

 tech today

for the 12-Volt Industry Learn how to choose materials, what programs to employ and how to get started with 3D printing in your shop. WORDS BY BRIAN SCHURG

Also known as “additive manufacturing,” 3D printing has been around for a few decades now. Mainly used in medical fields (think false teeth) and for rapid prototyping for industry use, it took a while to become somewhat mainstream. Of course, I use the term “mainstream” loosely. The technology has been wildly popular for prop makers, cosplayers, and those who need or require a Yoda head or a baby Groot. But for the 12-volt industry, not so much. In the past handful of years, CNC has been picking up speed in our industry, a revolution of sorts, yet additive manufacturing has been a hold-out. Unfortunately

48 Mobile Electronics February 2019

there tends to be a stigma surrounding 3D printing, ongoing misunderstandings and bad assumptions. While many of my friends picked up lasers and routers, I decided to go to 3D printing because I saw some potential. At first, they all snickered. They laughed or made fun of how small it was, but I chose not to listen.

A Complex, Multi-Layered Tool Like any process, 3D printing has its pros and cons. It will never replace a CNC laser or router. It just can’t compete with the speed or tolerance those machines have, but it can exploit the third dimension in ways those machines cannot. The main thing I was concerned with was that it can make products that are essentially

fabricated right off the platform, and they are done with ABS plastic—a plastic that anyone in the install bay is familiar with. I figured if I needed to paint or wrap the project, there would be no problem. It’s just ABS, no hocus pocus needed. Plus, I can model them with the correct tolerance ahead of time. (Say what?) I get asked questions about 3D printing all the time. Which printer is best? What material should I use? What’s a “slicer”? Do I need to learn CAD? Which CAD program is the best one? Does it really take 24 hours to print parts? Unfortunately it would seem every question leads to a much deeper conversation. Years ago, I didn’t know which machine to buy, either. How could I? The market has more machines than

3D Printing for the 12-Volt Industry

you can shake a stick at, and they seem to be multiplying faster and faster. So, I looked at what was cheap! I bought a $160 Anet kit. I figured the kit would allow me to get more familiar with how the machine worked, I could customize it and if it didn’t work out, then no big deal. I printed two things using PLA with that machine—items that came on the SD card in the kit. I realized there was more to this technology than just letting a machine do its thing. Much more.

Taking a Look at Materials and Temperature Resistance You may be asking yourself, “Why bother with ABS if you can make things out of PLA easily?” Well, it comes down to the products I wanted. I was looking for something that would work well in a vehicle environment, be durable, and easily worked into fabrication techniques I was already familiar with. PLA is great for making things that will be used

mainly in a house in which the climate is regulated. It’s a low temperature plastic that doesn’t lend itself well to the higher temperatures a car is subjected to. But then, you may ask, “There are other plastics available on the market. What about those?” This comes down to what works well with other fabrication techniques. Super glue works exceptionally well with ABS, and so does primer, paints and contact cement. Other plastics, such as polyethylene and polypropylene, tend to be higher maintenance, both on the machine and in the bay. There are higher temperature plastics available, and more to come, but ABS seemed best for what we need in the industry. Temperature was the reason my first go-around with ABS was a bit of a disaster. It can be a fickle material and it tends to shrink when it cools. When this happens, it warps and, worst of all, the part lifts and sometimes come off the build plate entirely. I ended up rigging

a makeshift enclosure around my $160 printer out of flat rate boxes from USPS. That was a game changer. Things were printing exceptionally well. That was, until I decided to “upgrade” and built an enclosure that was far more sealed. The heat it held in was a bit too much, causing printer parts to warp and rendered the printer useless. It appears these parts were made of PLA plastic, and couldn’t withstand the heat from ABS prints. Nowadays when asked which machine is best, I like to recommend something like a Creality CR10. It’s all metal, can support big builds, and it’s capable of doing ABS right out of the box. It doesn’t have an enclosure, so build one. An enclosed CR10 is quite a nice setup, but I’ll admit, huge. I did manage to get the Anet back up and going, and got a few parts off it, including ABS replacement parts for the future, and the first Aussie Iron holder. facebook.com/MobileElectronics 49

 tech today

Using Applications and Programming I have since upgraded to an enclosed printer and haven’t looked back. The iron holders were an unexpected hit. I have made hundreds of them and continue to do so. Those led into other fun projects like business card holders, and even things like tap handles and clocks. This helped me to get my head around the software involved in making something from nothing. You must become proficient at CAD. Everything from there is trivial. It all starts with a dream, right? A vision? A sketch? That’s where any CNC project starts as well, but in CAD. There are quite a few CAD programs out there that seem to work well for our application. I’m not going to act like I’m well acquainted with them all, but I know enough. AutoDesk seems to be the go-to for anything CAD related, and they offer a plethora of programs for different applications. What appears most popular is Fusion 360. This can be downloaded for free as an educational program. Once you start making some real money with it, you should probably start to pay because you get better support at that point. It’s

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a very powerful program, and I’m certain I’ve used about two percent of its potential. It may come with a bit of a learning curve, but take it slow. Initially I got into making projects in an Autodesk program called 123D Design. It is designed with 3D printing in mind, and it’s a boiled down version of Fusion 360. This has since been cut from Autodesk’s lineup, but you can still find it for download. I still use it for customized Aussie Iron holders or even business card holders. Although my templates could be imported into Fusion 360, I just prefer to use 123D, as it can be faster.

Applying 3D Printing Techniques Car audio fabrication is quite a wonderful thing if you step back and look at it. We really don’t conform to any set of rules. We use metal fab, wood fab and composites (plastics). We have to know how to upholster, do body work, paint and texture surfaces. We even have to know how to hook up electronics properly. It’s definitely a melting pot of disciplines. This is where CNC fits in. It’s been around for decades, but sometimes I feel certain techniques or technologies need to be kicked around the 12-volt bay to really figure out the potential. Stack fabbing is one such technique I have seen grow in popularity over the years and it fascinates me how we can integrate aspects of a design in ways we can only dream of when using other techniques. I tend to look at 3D printing as a miniature form of stack fabbing, but the layers aren’t ¾-inch. It is more along

the lines of .2 mm thick, and sometimes even smaller. Basically, we are telling a machine with a hot glue gun where to lay a bead of plastic, and we do it over and over until we have something. This command is done through what’s called a “slicer” program. We take our project from CAD, and import it into a program that turns it into hundreds (thousands?) of little layers that the machine understands. Cura, Slic3r, and Simplify3D are the top contenders in this arena. I’ve used them all, and they all seem to work great. At first, you can probably just use the pre-determined settings for your machine and materials. For the most part you will have success doing this, and once you get familiar with it, you can start tweaking the settings if need be. There are hundreds of settings in a slicer (too many to expand upon here) but the basic settings get the job done. There are a couple of important points you must remember. First, you don’t have to make your parts solid. Doing them in 20 to 50 percent infill will be sufficient to form 90 percent of the items you are making. Second, don’t worry about printing at .1mm layer height. If you have to finish the part (paint, wrap, etc.) you can use .2 or even .3mm height. Don’t waste your time. The difference between a 10-hour print and a three-hour print can literally be the layer height alone. Don’t get caught up in expecting a mirror finish from the machine; it’s super easy to post-process parts. Look at it this way: It’s 1,000 times easier to finish than a resin saturated fleece sub enclosure, and we have done that how many times already? I mainly use the printers for smaller projects like tweeter and/or mid placement, switch panels, or DSP controller locations. The 3D printer has been godsend for capturing an OEM feel for many installs.

From the 3D Printer to the Bay: Volkswagen GTI One project in particular is the Volkswagen GTI shown here. This was a returning customer who received a rather extensive job in his Nissan Frontier years

3D Printing for the 12-Volt Industry

ago. Unfortunately, he wrecked the truck and had to get a new car. He didn’t have it two weeks and he was at the shop looking to get a new system that would “blow the old one out of the water.” I figured this would be a good project to try some printing on. My team and I decided to lose the little triangle corner window. I’m not sure who at VW thought that was a good idea, so we tinted it and decided to build over it. The first step in the process is to take photos, mainly from the side and from the door opening, toward the windshield. These are imported into CAD to have a precise template to draw from. Plus, it gives me an idea of angles of the pillar for later adjustment.

The pictures are imported into Fusion 360. Taking measurements from the actual pillar, I’m able to scale the drawing to the proper size. I start with the spline tool and do a rough outline of the potential pod shape. After having a basic concept of shape and size, I continue drawing features that will be brought out later in the CAD process. Things like trim rings, emblems, speaker locations, gap tolerances and even magnet provisions are sketched in prior to bringing the drawing into three dimensions.

Once the overall concept is determined, the part can be pulled into 3D. This is done using the “extrude” command in Fusion 360. Essentially what you are doing is adding thickness to your CAD drawings. From there we can chamfer, fillet, slice, make holes and whatever else needs to be done. Here, you can see the final pod with all the parts, as well as a colored rendering to give you an idea of the finished product.

Notice the tweet and mid locations are tilted. The mesh was modeled at one point so I could determine which templates I would need for pressing the grilles. When the drawing is done, I export it as an STL file and prepare for the actual print. I take the time to figure out how I want to do this. Some parts need to be printed cleaner than others, so I export the parts that are seen in the final product in a high poly count. The baffle is done in low poly. I do this mainly to keep my computer from hating me. From there I put the parts into the slicer software and prepare for printing. The baffles are done at .3mm layers with a 20 percent infill. Now I can mirror the part for the driver and passenger sides. facebook.com/MobileElectronics 51

ď&#x192;Ž tech today

Now we move on to mock up, and see if there is anything that needs to be cut, trim or grinded to get these into the right position. The passenger side needed exactly three layers of cardboard to achieve proper orientation.

These pillars presented a unique challenge in that I had to build the lower portion that went around the triangle window, and down beside the dash. This was done using conventional ABS sheet plastic (see, ABS again!).

Grille cloth is then stretched over the entire assembly. The pillars are covered in fabric from the factory, so I end my grille cloth midway and resin the whole thing. The factory fabric absorbing resin aids in blending the new area to the old.

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3D Printing for the 12-Volt Industry

While the resin cured, I set out to finish the grille sections. The printed parts don’t take much to finish. I coated them with CA glue, sanded it and hit them with some SEM high build primer. I opted to do a few different colors here to coordinate with the interior of the car—satin black trim, gloss black inner and a touch of silver. I made 3D logos for the grilles as a kind of OEM premium speaker package look. The mesh for the grilles were pressed and trimmed, and assembly was started. Once sanded and smoothed, the pillars started coming together. They were wrapped in OEM material and test fitted. Once everything looked good, the pillars were fitted to the vehicle one last time, the speakers mounted, and the grilles were magnetically attached to the baffle. One really nice aspect of using CAD is the ability to create perfect mirror images, although the Audiofrog logo had to be slightly altered to look appropriate. And there it is—ready for tuning, and ultimately, enjoyment.

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SUBMITTED BY: CHARLES BRAZIL, FIRST COAST AUTO CREATIONS, JACKSONVILLE, FLA.

ne of the hottest cars in the 90s was the RX-7. Its 13B twin turbo engine made incredible power for its displacement. A pristine condition version of this car was one of the recent projects at First Coast Auto Creations. Under the command of Charles Brazil, this RX-7 received an audio upgrade fitting of its pedigree. Speakers and amplifiers were sourced from Phoenix Gold. The head unit was Pioneer and connection accessories were provided by Stinger. The highlight of the installation was the trim work in the hatch area. Protecting the woofer and amplifier is a custom multi-layer trim piece. The trim is made up of a black vinyl layer and silver layer and incorporates a grille to keep the woofer safe. The break line from the amplifier and woofer features a custom laser etched Phoenix Gold badge. Charles and Elmar Vonkurzbach did an incredible job with this audio creation.

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SUBMITTED BY: STEVE COOK, AUDIO X, FLORENCE, ALA.

teve Cook and the crew at Audio X are continuing their winning ways. This Toyota Sequoia has been actively competing and winning throughout the 2018 season. The culmination of the season was winning the 2018 MECA Cup for Best Sounding Vehicle. This success is a result of the hard work of Cook and owner, Tim Smith. The vehicle features amplifiers by Zapco, processing by Helix, speakers by Morel and Scan and subwoofers by Scan. The audio source is the Sony RSX-GS9 high-res media player. Pods in the front pillars were built to house the Scan midrange and tweeter. The Morel midbass drivers are mounted in the modified door location. The eye candy for this build is found in the hatch. The amplifiers and subwoofers are mounted in the floor of the Sequoia and feature multi-color lighting and numerous layers that add captivating visual depth.

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from the President

The Industry Goes to

KnowledgeFest Attend the best networking event our industry has to offer. Come to KnowledgeFest where you can learn, connect and gain the necessary tools to help you excel. Hopefully, you are off to a great start in 2019. There are a few very important things you should consider for your business as the year progresses. Learning more about your profession should be near, if not at the top of your list. There are many resources available to assist you in becoming the business owner, manager, technician or sales guru you want to become. Every day is a learning experience if you take the time to properly reflect upon your day. If you are looking for a real and highly beneficial learning experience, there is nothing that compares to participating at a KnowledgeFest event.

Why KnowledgeFest? Whether you’re a seasoned veteran, or a relative newcomer to the industry, KnowledgeFest has something for you. Each event includes over 40 hours of educational workshops with specialized training for owners, managers, sales and marketing professionals as well as technicians and fabricators. The education sessions are not brand specific. They provide relevant information designed to keep your business on the cutting edge. New products are available from many of your favorite suppliers. Why spend the time figuring out how best to sell and install them when you can experience over 70 hours of vendor training all at one location? Every major manufacturer and many specialty manufacturers will be there to provide an unparalleled learning experience. What you learn will assist you in becoming a product and installation expert in your market. The best networking experience for our industry is at KnowledgeFest. There are many activities going on during the event and afterhours that offer face-to-face networking opportunities. The best vendors in the industry are featuring the latest in aftermarket technology and demonstrating methods to offer these products to your customers. Talk one-on-one with the people you do business with (or should be!). You will never enjoy adding to your skillset more than by attending a KnowledgeFest event in 2019.

How to Prepare Pick your event. Long Beach in February, Indianapolis in March and or Dallas in August. Make your hotel reservation, book a flight if needed and register. Then make a list of exhibitors you want to visit, what you want to learn and who you want to meet. Planning will allow you to reach out to your vendors

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and discover what they’ll be offering. Are they introducing something new? Are they having a dealer event afterhours? These are things you need to know to make the most out of your experience. Contact your industry colleagues and plan to connect. Review the event education and vendor training schedule and make reservations for the classes and training sessions you want to attend. Go to KnowledgeFest with a purpose in mind—to improve yourself and your business.

Who Should Attend? The event has something great in store for everyone in your business. The education tracks have content targeted at owners, managers, sales and marketing professionals as well as technicians and fabricators. Vendor training is great for anyone selling or installing. Regardless of your position in the industry, KnowledgeFest has something for you.

The Experience There is nothing quite like the experience of participating in a KnowledgeFest event. Education sessions are taught by others in our industry who’ve had both successes and failures. They are eager to teach you what they learned. They will be ready to answer your questions during class and afterhours. The exhibit floor provides all the top vendors in one place, and they’re ready to share their best to help you be your best!

What to do When You Get Back to Your Store This can be overwhelming because you’re stepping back into reality with a laundry list of things you have learned. Your first thought may be to do them all. However, the best thing to do is make a list, and organize it according to what you feel will have the greatest impact. Pick one to three key takeaways and formulate a plan to implement them, beginning with whatever seems to offer the most positive outcome. If you are unsure, reach out to one of the instructors or one of your industry colleagues for insight. Our industry is blessed with many who want to help you be your best. It’s one of the many things I love about this industry. If you find that you have no one to call, feel free to call me and I would be glad to help! I hope to see you soon at a KnowledgeFest event.

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Mobile Electronics Magazine February 2019

Articles inside

From the President - The Industry Goes to KnowledgeFest

Tech Today: 3D Printing for the 12-Volt Industry

Difference Makers: N&S Marketing and Sales

Strategy and Tactics - Growing the Team

Real World Retail

What's Happening

Now is the Time to Do It Right