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LEARNING WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT
Retailers consider organization, pinpointing priorities and teamwork as methods for helping to contribute to the longevity of the 12-volt industry.
“[Even for] smaller shops, I still think having three meetings a week is important. If you’re an owner and you have a right hand, that might be an end-of-the-day meeting, but the point is that you need to be communicating with your team, no matter how big or how small. What’s happening? What are the priorities? Do what works best for [your company size]. What comes up first is what’s left over from last week, and the expectations. What vehicles are coming in from a farther distance? These are the expectations [for these projects]. The people who work with you can say, ‘These are the problems.’ We are out the door at six now. [Organizing these issues] has helped us get there.” - Philip Lindsley, Titan Motoring, Nashville, Tenn.
“No one cares about the map. They want the treasure. They don’t want to take the long road to get there. When I buy something, I don’t need to know everything, I just want it. I expect you [as the salesperson] to tell me what I need. Don’t overcomplicate it. Some people want the technical information, but I’m not that guy. I think the majority of the people who come into our stores aren’t that way either.” - Jayson Cook, Columbus Car Audio and Accessories, Columbus, Ohio
“If you view other audio shops as your ‘competitors,’ you might want to do some market research. There’s such a need for reliable, educated, quality work in our field, that it’s insane to even think about competing when we still have so many clients to properly educate. Right now, it’s about bringing up the overall standard—which means bettering yourself and your shop—and helping new clients understand the practicality of adding a new audio system. [Viewing another shop as your competition is] a distraction to your personal growth. I know shop owners and other audio techs, whom I talk regularly, who love to help each other out. Locally and nationally. There’s more than plenty to eat at this table. We have to bring up the standard together. Those who don’t will be left behind.” - Cameron Powell, LIS Audio, Spring Hill, Kansas
SITE TO SEE
The National Transportation Safety Board
WWW.NTSB.GOV
Speeders, beware! The National Transportation Safety Board is recommending a new vehicle system that could stop lead-foot drivers. The technology recognizes speed limits and either issues visual or audible alerts when a driver is speeding, or prevents vehicles from going above those limits. The first place testing the speed-limiting technology is New York City with its fleet of 50 vehicles. After more than 20,000 deaths on US roads this year alone, the NTSB has called on the federal government to start incentivizing car makers to put speed-limiting systems in new cars, according to a report. It will be up to automobile manufacturers whether or not they introduce the technology.
SITE TO SEE
Bonneville Salt Flats
TRAVELNEVADA.COM/EVENT/BONNEVILLE-SPEED-WEEK
If you’re visiting Utah, check out one of the fastest auto, truck and motorcycle racetracks in the entire world: Bonneville Salt Flats. Racing—and breaking land speed records—happened at Bonneville before it even became a real track. The first-ever land speed racing record was set here in 1914. Bonneville didn’t gain world-renowned popularity until the 1930s when land speed racing pioneers Ab Jenkins and Sir Malcom Campbell set new records of 301 miles per hour. The fastest speed recorded at Bonneville was set by Gary Gabelich with the rocket car Blue Flame, topping out at 622 miles per hour in October of 1970. Today, Bonneville Salt Flats Speed Week is a popular event for racers and spectators. It begins on a Saturday, then ends the following Friday. Put it on your calendar for next year: August 5-11, 2023.
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SEMA Launch Pad
SEMA.ORG/LAUNCHPAD
If you’re headed to SEMA next month—Nov.1-4 at the Las Vegas Convention Center—take a moment and check out the legendary competition that gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their automotive-related inventions to a panel of industry leaders for a chance to win a grand prize package valued at $92,000. The panel of celebrity judges will be mentoring 15 semifinalists, who were selected back in June at the SEMA Garage in Diamond Bar, Calif. Semifinalists will attend the SEMA show in November, where they will each receive a complimentary booth in the SEMA Launch Pad Pavilion. The top five finalists will appear on stage and the winner will be crowned at the SEMA Industry Awards Banquet. In case you miss it, the competition will be featured in a nationwide TV special airing after the SEMA Show.
BOOK
Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away
BY ANNIE DUKE
There’s plenty of information about how to go after a job, but what about getting out? Business leaders may struggle to abandon a new app or a product that just won’t work. In our personal lives, we persist in long-term relationships or careers that no longer serve us. Why? According to Annie Duke, in the face of tough decisions, we’re terrible quitters, and it’s significantly holding us back. This book will help you get good at quitting. Read stories of elite athletes like Mount Everest climbers, founders of leading companies like Stewart Butterfield, the CEO of Slack and top entertainers like Dave Chappelle. Duke explains why quitting is integral to success, as well as the strategies you need for determining when to stay and when to walk. Whether it’s a make-or-break business decision or a life-defining personal choice, mastering the skill of quitting will help you make the next best move.
INVITING ABUNDANCE
Attendees at KnowledgeFest Dallas gathered to discuss professional and personal growth, once again taking education and preparedness to the next level.
WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA
Interactive sales trainings, a presentation by Automotive Ventures and a Connect2Car panel geared toward exhibitors were just a few of the new experiences for attendees at KnowledgeFest Dallas, August 26-28. On Friday, Chris Cook of Mobile Electronics Association opened the show with a keynote presentation to cover recent industry data. As reported in Stats in Mobile Electronics magazine, profits across the industry are slightly down for the first half of 2022, according to Cook. However, a lot of businesses continue to enjoy increased profits.
“We are still outperforming 2020 and 2019,” he said. “As an industry, we have been blessed with business I don’t think anyone was expecting. We all came through [the pandemic] and a lot of us picked up new customers.”
Adam Devine of Devine Concepts taught classes on 3D printing and efficiency, telling attendees, “There’s always more you can learn.”
In the first six months of 2022, Cook said some retailers have reported greater inventory stability. He noted the industry is still experiencing growth, “and I think we’re poised to continue.”
He reminded attendees to join KnowledgeFest Group on Facebook if they hadn’t done so already—a good place to stay updated throughout the year and during shows.
Educational opportunities throughout the show included classes taught by Dan Bowman and Philip Lindsley of Titan Motoring in Nashville, Tenn.; Wayne Harris of Term-PRO and Term-LAB; and Jason Kranitz of Kingpin University, to name a few.
THE STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
On Saturday, Steve Greenfield of Automotive Ventures presented during Connect2Car sessions for exhibitors. Chris Cook and a panel of industry professionals were in attendance to discuss and answer audience questions. Topics included the state of the automotive industry, along with the future of electric vehicles and the impact on the aftermarket.
Five years ago, according to Greenfield, it was believed by some that by 2022 “half the cars would be fully autonomous.” Of course, this hasn’t played out. As technology moves forward, governmental bodies discuss how to handle regulating them. Commercial applications will be witnessed, though, Greenfield added.
“You’re going to start to see convoys of 18-wheelers where there will be a human in the first one, but not in the others,” he explained, adding that this will be managed by robotics and automation to alleviate labor shortages, but
Interactive trainings such as “The Sales Pro Challenge” brought real-life experiences into the classroom, encouraging students to consider difficult sales situations from various perspectives. Here, Robert Kowatch of SoundShield works with a participating salesperson.
Presenters at KnowledgeFest Dallas brought a myriad of education sessions to attendees, on topics such as selling accessories, improving photography skills, audio tuning and much more. From left to right, front row: Robert Kowatch, Fernando Lopez, Adam Devine, Kevin Hallinan, Brian Mitchell, Chris Cook. Left to right, back row: Vincent DeStefano, Dean Beyett, Jason Kranitz, Drewbie Wilson, Andy Wehmeyer and Richard Basler.
“we’ll also see the risk of unemployment for workers.”
Another thing we’ll start to see is a growing reliance on subscription services and consumers being upsold on software additions, he said. “On an EV, when you see zero miles left, they never draw to the minimum capacity because it would damage the battery. If you get stranded, instead of calling for roadside assistance, you might unlock 50 miles of driving for a one-time charge of $100. People are now being conditioned to pay for everything by subscription.” Even the braking dynamics of a Tesla, he noted, can be updated using software.
The implication, he explained, is that a chunk of warranty work will go away when some of it’s being done through over-the-air updates. This means OEMs will make more money on subscription services. During the presentation and
– Drewbie Wilson
following discussion, there was some doubt raised over whether or not half of all vehicles on the road will be EVs by 2030, which is the current projection, according to Greenfield. The availability of chargers, the speed of charging and cost are currently major factors.
Phil Cantu of Mobile Toys, Inc. in College Station, Texas said that when he first worked on an electric car—a Tesla Model X—a lot of questions were raised about how to integrate and ensure safety features remained functional. Cantu advised the best thing to do is keep learning and networking.
“There’s a vast community online,” he said. “We get to hang out with each other a couple of times a year. We keep in touch with people we trust [for information].” As always, whether or not it’s profitable depends on the scope of the work, he said, adding, “Everything required some research when it was new.”
SALES PROS AGREE: KEEP ESTABLISHING VALUE
A new arrival at KnowledgeFest, Drewbie Wilson of Break Free Academy, and author of Crushing the Day: A Simple Guide to Success in Business and Life Through
WHAT IS YOUR TIME WORTH?
It’s important to know your value per hour, according to Drewbie Wilson. He advised listeners jot down whatever amount of money they took home last year. “Divide that by 2,000 hours, assuming you work 40 hours per week,” he said. “Factor in 52 weeks per year with a two-week vacation. If you made 100 grand last year, when you break that down, you’re worth $50 per hour. When I was asked about that, it made me think: ‘Am I really only worth $25 per hour?’ That’s kind of sad.” He challenged attendees to consider why they aren’t valuing their time the way they should be.
“Do a time study. This helped me understand how much time I was wasting each day,” he said. “From the moment you wake up until the moment you go to bed, take ten minutes at the top of every hour to write down everything you’ve done in the last hour. Break it down into categories. Are you working out? Factor in taking time to get ready for your day. How much time are you spending on personal development?” Service to Others, presented the principles he’s written about in his book. He recommended devoting time to building relationships, either personal or professional. “Build a relationship that brings fulfillment,” he said. “What can I offer this person? What can I provide with no expectation of anything in return? That’s what [creating] abundance is about.”
Consider the tasks handled every day, he said, and ask yourself the value of that task. “Can you pay someone else to do this so you can focus on something else? It’s your time and intentionality that creates the life you want.” Employees, he added, don’t leave a place if they enjoy working there. “People quit managers, not jobs.”
He challenged listeners to consider the “why” behind their relationship-building efforts. “If you’re a business owner, are you taking care of your team? You’re a leader. It’s your responsibility for them to be successful. You want to improve. You want a better business. You want to make more money. The money buys you more time, which is the one resource we can never get back. So, we need to be very intentional with it.”
Often, he said, many of us hit rock bottom but we still have one person who always supports and believes in us. The question is, he added, “Do you believe in you? Until you’re ready for that commitment, nothing else matters.”
Sales trainings culminated with “The Sales Pro Challenge,” held Sunday afternoon and moderated by Chris Cook, with a panel of award-winning sales professionals. Present to offer insights and act as judges were Jason Kranitz of Kingpin Car & Marine Audio, and Amari Schwartz and Robert Kowatch of SoundShield—all previous recipients of the Mobile Electronics Sales Pro of the Year Award.
The interactive class brought attendees into various aspects of what a salesperson faces while interacting with challenging clients, and offered strategies on how to overcome issues and close the sale. Participants shared their greatest sales challenges and the judges picked top challenges for a role-playing contest. Participants then broke into groups to discuss, and one person from each group was appointed to present on their approach to making the sale. The workshop brought real world retail experiences
into the classroom, offering attendees the opportunity to consider each situation from different perspectives.
At the end, Cook presented on what could’ve been handled better by salespeople. “Keep establishing value,” he said in response to one presenter. “Forget what the competitors say. [Remind yourself] ‘My customers come back to me time after time because—’ Ignore the competitors and follow the value of your own business.”
Critiques were offered on what salespeople could’ve done better during their role-playing experiences. During the assessment, Cook reminded attendees that when it comes to scheduling a job, the customer isn’t interested in the issues of the business or the problems of the salesperson; they just want the job done.
“Your timing issues aren’t theirs,” he said. “The customer doesn’t want to know your problems. Their problems are more important to them.”
Cook also advised approaching the initial introduction differently: “When someone comes in, greet them and say, ‘What kind of car do you drive?’ Don’t even ask what they came in for. Ask them if they have a few minutes. They might’ve come in for a backup camera, but now you’re getting them interested in a stereo.” They might not buy that day, he added, but they’ll remember. “Assume they came in for whatever your best product is, and then work your way down from the top.”
At the conclusion of the role-playing and discussion, the judges named Adam Devine of Devine Concepts in Naples, Fla. the winner of the contest.
BUILDING AN ATMOSPHERE OF ABUNDANCE
During the education sessions, Devine presented a class on 3D printing. During Cook’s keynote address, Devine commented on the class, stating, “There’s always more you can learn.” Additionally, he taught a class on efficiency, passing on what he’s learned over the years as someone who started out running a one-person business. Educational sessions and manufacturer trainings were well-attended throughout the weekend, with additional focus on professional and personal growth.
Wilson also taught “Social Media Mastery for the Everyday.” Both presentations offered strategies and inspiration to listeners. “I want to inspire you to become the greatest version of yourself,” Wilson said. “Crush the day before it crushes you. I say this to myself every morning because I know how easy it is to wake up, look at your phone and be disappointed by bad news. It’s easy for that to put a damper on your day. When you start out like that, every problem throughout the day makes your day worse.”
Wilson advised creating routines and intentional strategies to spark transformation in both personal and professional life. Every day, he said, write down the things you’re grateful for. “If you wake up and grab your phone [in the morning], what if [instead] you took five minutes to think about the things you’re grateful for?” he suggested. “Consider that gratitude.” Once you’ve begun the day with gratitude, he said, when a deal falls through or a distraction occurs, it will be much easier to cope with.
During his presentation, Wilson encouraged attendees to think about what they want to leave behind. What kind of legacy will be left to one’s children, and their children? “Don’t just leave wealth to your kids. Within four generations, it’ll be gone. Leave a legacy instead—something they can strive for,” Wilson said, adding, “Leave them something that makes them think bigger.”
