OTSS Podcast

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...

Maurice Merrick from the “Horsepower Heritage” Podcast on “Only The Strong Survive” Maurice Merrick has turned his passion for all things automotive into the popular “Horsepower Heritage” podcast. Many automotive podcasts focus on car reviews or the latest unveils. However, Maurice takes a different approach, diving into the people and stories behind the machines. The result is a fascinating and i...

Krishan Udvadia on “Only The Strong Survive” Krishan Udvadia is Kahn Media ’s head of digital marketing with a unique background. Originally an electrical engineer, Krishan spent the early part of his career working in the defense and aerospace industries. Eventually, becoming bored with the mundaneness of testing electrical systems, he developed an interest in digital marketing along with a passi...

Lance Gillies might be a familiar name to “Only The Strong Survive” regulars. In April of 2024, he joined host Dan Kahn to discuss EarthCruiser. Founded in 2008, EarthCruiser specialized in making long-range overland vehicles built on Mitsubishi and Isuzu truck chassis. Born from Lance’s love of off-road travel and exploration, the unique vehicles could be off-grid for months and fit in a shipping...

On this episode of “Only The Strong Survive,” host Dan Kahn and AI expert Stephanie Nivinskus discuss AI and its impact on businesses. Stephanie has spent the majority of her career as a marketer, leading campaigns for well-known brands like Quicksilver, the NFL and Starbucks. A best-selling author, she founded her own agency in 2009, helping brands with all aspects of marketing. The rise of ChatG...

On this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, Coast Products CEO David Brands joins host Dan Kahn to discuss being a third-generation family business owner. The innovative maker of flashlights, headlamps, work lamps, knives and other products, Coast Products was originally founded in 1919 as Coast Cutlery Company by David’s grandfather. Its first product was a specialized salmon fillet...

Mark Schaefer’s first experiences with marketing and sales were selling flower seeds, Christmas cards and whatever else he could when he was 10 years old. Growing up in a blue-collar family in a small town, it was the only way he could make money for new clothes. From those humble beginnings, Schaefer worked in global sales, PR and marketing positions after studying journalism in college. Eventual...