OTSS Podcast

As we revisit some of our favorite conversations from the Only The Strong Survive archives, we’re going back to Episode 25 with Norris Marshall, CEO of BluePrint Engines. Originally released in October 2024, Norris’ episode is one we’ve wanted to bring back for a while. And for the first time, we’re releasing the conversation with video, giving viewers a new way to experience Dan and Norris’ discu...

Originally released in February 2024, our conversation with Larry Chen has remained one of our favorite episodes of Only The Strong Survive. Now, in September 2026, we’re bringing it back as part of our Best of OTSS series, revisiting some of the conversations that have stuck with us long after they first aired. Growing up in the center of Southern California car culture, Larry Chen was exposed to...

On the latest episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, host Dan Kahn sits down with Bob Wheeler, the visionary president and CEO behind the modern resurgence of Airstream. Bob’s journey began in the trenches of General Motors as a mechanical engineer. While navigating the complex manufacturing floor, he earned his MBA at night, gaining invaluable, real-world lessons in leadership and labo...

On the latest episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, host Dan Kahn sits down with Bruce Meyer, a true legend in the car collector world. As the founding chairman of the Petersen Automotive Museum, creator of the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance and co-founder of the Peninsula Classics Best of the Best Awards, Bruce stands as one of the most respected ambassadors of automotive history and...

Automotive passion isn’t just a career for Vince Finaldi. It is built into his DNA. His story began nearly a century ago when his grandfather worked for General Motors in 1920s America before returning to Italy to open his own garage. Years later, Vince’s father followed the same path back to the U.S., establishing a shop that repaired and imported legendary Italian marques like Ferrari, Lamborghi...

Welcome to another episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, where host Dan Kahn sits down with leaders and entrepreneurs from some of the most dynamic brands in America. In this episode, Matt Stevenson shares his journey to president and CEO of Holley Performance Brands and the many lessons he learned along the way. Matt’s deep-seated fascination with cars wasn’t born in a boardroom but h...

Monterey Car Week stands as the ultimate mecca for automotive enthusiasts worldwide, but few events capture its spirit quite like The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering . One of the co-founders of this iconic event is Monterey native Gordon McCall, whose life was profoundly shaped by the roar of engines at the nearby Laguna Seca raceway. From sneaking into the track as a kid to sweeping floors at a lo...

As the senior vice president of automotive at CI&T, Nick Haywood helps clients navigate the digital landscape and build high-impact solutions for it. From major OEMs to dealership groups and niche players, Nick specializes in driving businesses forward through technology, focusing on data management, e-commerce platforms and apps to elevate the customer experience. Lately, AI has taken center stag...

When Dan Kahn isn’t hosting “The Only The Strong Survive” podcast, he serves as CEO of Kahn Media and the outdoor-focused TREAD Agency. Both agencies offer a wide range of innovative marketing services to everything from small startups to mid-size companies to massive OEMs. His “day job” of leading both agencies and over two decades of experience give Dan deep insight into the marketing landscape...

In the world of motorsports, some races test your outright speed, and then some test the absolute limits of mechanical and human endurance. Falling squarely into the latter category is King of the Hammers (KOH), widely recognized as the toughest one-day off-road race on the planet. What started as a casual challenge among 12 friends in 2007 has evolved into a massive, week-long global phenomenon t...

Brett Caslow followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps, joining the family business of selling automotive paint to jobbers. After learning the ropes, he then landed a job at 3M, where he put his extensive experience to work in sales, sales training and marketing. Even though Caslow worked for a major corporation, he always describes himself as a “light blue collar worker,” sticking clos...

The automotive aftermarket is a massive economic force, generating $53 billion in annual sales and a total economic impact of $337 billion. At the helm of its most influential organization, the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), is Mike Spagnola, a lifelong enthusiast who transitioned from building companies to leading the entire industry as SEMA’s CEO. Spagnola’s automotive journey be...

Attention is harder to earn than ever, and video is becoming the tool brands rely on to break through. At the latest Growth Garage Lunch and Learn, Kahn Media unpacked one of the biggest shifts in marketing today: how video is driving attention, engagement and action. Hosted by Kahn Media’s Michael Serrano, the session featured insights from David Kennedy of the NHRA and Jordan Perri of Hoonigan,...

Danny Combs didn’t set out to be the head of a non-profit that makes a huge difference in the lives of neurodivergent individuals. In fact, he spent most of his high school years working in the trades in the summer before serving a stint in the Air Force. After that, he moved to Nashville to pursue a music career. However, it was the birth of his son that radically changed Danny’s trajectory. Afte...

Johannes Crepon of Paramount Data Management (PDM) knows a lot about product data. That might sound boring to some business founders who are more focused on developing actual products than on the data behind them. However, having the right product data is crucial for any automotive aftermarket e-commerce operation. Without ACES, PIES and other data standards, figuring out which parts fit which veh...

Velocity’s Tom Maxwell on “Only The Strong Survive” Initially, Tom Maxwell wanted to be an actor and got a degree in creative writing while attending university in the U.K. However, he quickly realized that pursuit would only be good enough for “beer money” and pivoted to a more steady corporate job. Corporate life turned out to be a bit too monotonous for Tom, and he made another pivot. This time...

From a young age, Mark Neifeld knew he wanted to be involved in sports. However, unlike most kids who dream of being a star quarterback or center, Mark wanted to pursue a career in sports management. After graduating from college, his first job at the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning allowed him to pursue that dream. Eventually, he would also work with the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers. However, as a...

Jason Noel’s path to success, like many entrepreneurs, has been long and hard-fought. In high school, he discovered a love of woodworking and carpentry and quickly landed a construction job after graduating. Once he reached the six-month mark in his employment, Jason decided to launch his own contracting operation. He quickly learned that, without any formal training or business education, being h...

Corky Coker originally had no plans to enter the family business. His father had originally started Coker Tire in 1958 as a small shop that sold tires, performed retreads and handled light maintenance jobs. Even though he grew up as a “car guy” with his uncles and dad constantly working on Model As and Ts, Corky wanted to be a veterinarian. However, after getting all “Bs” in college (babes, brews...

2025 has been an amazing year for the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast. Throughout the year, we recorded 25 episodes, bringing our total to 55 installments of OTSS since its launch just over two years ago. We have had some fantastic guests since the start, sharing their insightful knowledge on entrepreneurship, marketing, running a business and what it takes to be successful in today’s ever-chang...

Peter Nam is unique for starting not just one successful brand but two. After graduating from Boston University with a degree in finance, he struggled to find a job in his field immediately following the burst of the dot-com bubble. Instead of continuing his fruitless search, Peter decided to launch a passion project selling high-quality carbon-fiber parts for European vehicles. Over 20 years late...

Growing up in the Adirondack Mountains, Lauryn Menard always had a love of the outdoors. Eventually, the big city and her interest in fashion design called her south to New York City. However, she quickly grew tired of the fashion world and wanted to stop chasing trends and focus on solving bigger problems. That realization led Lauryn to switch to a career in industrial design and co-found PROWL S...

Joe Molina built one of the most respected public relations agencies in the automotive world from the ground up. While serving in the U.S. Army and writing for his base’s newspaper, he somehow arranged for a concert with a then-up-and-coming band called Kiss. After the concert with the band that would rapidly become rock legends, Joe quickly realized that he no longer wanted to be a journalist but...

RJ de Vera has had an amazing career arc. Like many Southern California kids, he had childhood dreams of Ferraris and muscle cars. However, his automotive interests shifted to Japanese imports during his teenage years. Soon, RJ was traveling to Japan to check out car shows and find rare parts. His early expertise in the Japanese tuner car scene, before it gained widespread popularity, opened other...

On this special episode of the “Only the Strong Survive” podcast, host Dan Kahn is joined by three experts in artificial intelligence. Seema Alexander is the CEO of Disruptive AI. Believing that the rise of AI is more impactful than the advent of the internet, she guides CEOs on how to integrate AI into their companies successfully. Daniel Manary is the co-founder of Manary.haus, a high-touch AI c...