The Collision Vision

Today's guest is Eddie Hightower, Senior Vice President of Sustainability & Social Responsibility at Caliber Collision, to discuss the steps Caliber is taking to lead the industry toward a more sustainable future. While sustainability in collision repair often brings to mind environmental efforts, it's much bigger than that. Today, we'll explore Caliber's sustainability initiatives, how they're re...

Our guest for this episode is Mary Mahoney, Vice President, Replacement & Leisure Division at Enterprise Mobility and a key leader in the Collision Engineering Program. Enterprise has been a driving force behind this initiative, which is designed to bridge the technician gap by providing structured, hands-on education and career pathways for aspiring collision repair professionals. We'll discuss w...

Joining us today are three incredible industry leaders—Kristle Bollans (National Sales Director at CSN Collision), Olivia Peterson (An Instructor Trainee with I-CAR, as of very recently), and Kayla Clark (SVP of Business Development at Classic Collision)—who are here to discuss how we attract, onboard, and retain top talent in collision repair. In this episode, we'll explore what shops can do to c...

Our guest for this episode is David Dart, Chief People Officer at Caliber Collision. With over 1,700 locations nationwide, Caliber has developed some of the most comprehensive and innovative workforce development programs in the industry. We'll explore how Caliber attracts new talent, builds world-class technicians, and creates career growth opportunities that keep employees engaged. We'll also di...

In this episode, we're tackling one of the most pressing challenges in the collision repair industry: the technician shortage. Joining me is Jay Goninen, Co-Founder and President of WrenchWay, and owner of his family's longtime repair shop. We explore the root causes of the technician shortage, highlight innovative solutions to bridge the skills gap, and discuss how shop owners can recruit, train,...

Today we're continuing our Technology Takeover: The Impact of ADAS & Calibration series. In this episode, we're joined by Lance Bull and Steve Davis from Techmotive, a company dedicated to helping collision repair shops navigate the complexities of ADAS calibration with the right tools, technology, and expertise. ADAS calibration has become one of the most critical—and sometimes daunting—services...

Today we're continuing our Technology Takeover: The Impact of ADAS & Calibration series with another deep dive into the evolving world of ADAS calibration. Joining us is Sam Poradish, Vice President of Insights & Innovation at Repairify, a company leading the charge in advanced diagnostics and calibration solutions for the collision repair industry. As ADAS technology becomes more advanced and wid...

Today we're diving into the fascinating world of ADAS and calibration as part of our series titled Technology Takeover: The Impact of ADAS & Calibration. Joining us today is Greg Peeters, CEO of Car ADAS Solutions, a company at the forefront of licensing and supporting dedicated ADAS calibration facilities across the country. Greg and his team are leading the charge in helping collision repair bus...

Joining us today is Adi Bathla, CEO of Revv, an AI-powered platform that's transforming how collision repair shops approach ADAS calibration. Adi and his team recently raised over $20 million to expand their operations and revolutionize the way shops handle this critical service. In this episode, we'll explore the incredible opportunities ADAS calibration presents for collision repair businesses,...

In this episode, we're focusing on the "scale" option—how shop owners can grow their operations strategically to compete in today's collision repair landscape. To help us navigate this topic, we're joined by Thomas Goforth, former owner of Absolute Collision and a two-time guest of The Collision Vision. Thomas built Absolute Collision into a seven-store MSO in less than four years, creating a stro...

In this episode, we're tackling the "sell" option in the equation—what it looks like when body shop owners decide to exit the business and pass the torch. Joining us is Mike LeVasseur, Senior Advisor at FOCUS Investment Banking, and Giorgio Andonian, Managing Director at FOCUS Investment Banking. Together, we'll dive into the current M&A landscape, the process of preparing for a sale, and what it...

For this episode, our Host Cole Strandberg outlines the seismic shifts disrupting the collision repair industry. The single-store generalist shop, capable of repairing every type of vehicle, is quickly becoming unsustainable. Increasing vehicle complexity, equipment costs, and training demands are forcing shop owners to rethink their strategies. Cole walks us through three paths forward: specializ...

On this episode we are focusing on the importance of building a strong paint team. Joining us is John Melendez, Owner of JDM Collision. John has built a reputation for his leadership in the industry, his partnership with I-CAR, and his dedication to fostering the next generation of technicians. In this episode, we'll discuss John's approach to building a successful paint team, the impact of his re...

Joining us for this episode is Bruce Sorensen Jr., a master paint technician with years of experience working on luxury vehicles. Bruce is also an expert in OEM-certified refinishing, tackling the unique challenges of precision, advanced technology, and the high standards expected in this segment of the industry. We'll dive into the talent, tools, and certifications that set high-end refinishing a...

For this episode, we continue our Safety First: Prioritizing Health in the Workshop series with a discussion on lift safety and ergonomically designed equipment. Joining us is Dave Wiederschall, National Account Manager at BendPak, a leader in designing lifts and other shop equipment that prioritize both safety and efficiency. Dave will walk us through the importance of proper lift usage, best pra...

For this episode, we're diving into one of the most important topics in EV repair—safety and personal protective equipment (PPE). Our guests are Baily Soto and Mavrick Knoles from Legacy EV, leaders in EV education and technology. Baily and Mavrick share best practices for protecting technicians working on electric vehicles and insights into how Legacy EV is helping shops create safer environments...

For this episode, we have an essential discussion on personal protective equipment (PPE) and how innovation is shaping workplace safety in collision repair shops. Our guests for this episode are Scott Shinn, advanced technical service specialist in the Personal Safety Division for 3M, and Jason Scharton, global industry relations leader for 3M. Scott and Jason bring a wealth of knowledge about the...

Today, we're continuing our Safety First: Prioritizing Health in the Workshop series by diving into best practices for workplace safety. Joining us today is Stephany Birkholz, regulatory project manager at KPA. Stephany is an expert in workplace safety and compliance, helping collision repair shops implement tools and strategies to protect their employees and improve operations. Today, we'll explo...

Our guest for this episode is Andrew Batenhorst, Body Shop Manager at Pacific BMW. In addition to being all over the industry and very active in his volunteer work, Andrew is a leader with a vision for how to embed safety into the day-to-day practices of auto body shops. Today, we'll discuss his strategies for building a strong safety culture, reducing risks on the shop floor, and how prioritizing...

We're kicking off our brand-new series, Safety First: Prioritizing Health in the Workshop. In this first episode, we're diving into a critical aspect of workplace health—employee well-being and the role of benefits in collision repair shops. Joining us is Richie Seaberry, Vice President of Business Development and Enterprise Portfolio Manager at Decisely. Richie is here to talk about how offering...

On this episode, we're diving into one of the most exciting and highly anticipated events of the year for the automotive industry: SEMA 2024. Our guest today is RJ de Vera, Vice President of Marketing at SEMA, and an influential figure in the world of car culture, customization, and the aftermarket industry. RJ has seen it all at SEMA, and we'll discuss what attendees can expect from this year's s...

We are continuing our Art of Restoration series by talking with Ryan Basseri, founder of Rywire Motorsport Electronics. Ryan's known for his work in high-performance custom builds and his expertise in wiring and electronics. More recently, he's been making waves with his EV conversion builds, a couple of which he will be showing at SEMA 2024. Today, we'll discuss his journey, the evolving world of...

As SEMA 2024 gets closer, we continue to highlight some of the most innovative and exciting creators in the automotive industry. Today we have a fellow southerner who puts a signature flair on his hot rod builds. Jonathan Goolsby is the Owner of Goolsby Customs, an award-winning hot rod shop fueled by their passion for bringing automotive visions to reality for their customers. Jonathan and I talk...

Welcome to another episode of the collision vision. As SEMA quickly approaches, we continue to highlight some of the most innovative, exciting creators in the automotive industry. Eddie B. is the Founder and CEO of Revolt Systems, a manufacturer of electric motors for high-performance vehicle, and Snow is his right-hand man at Revolt, as well as… basically a rocket science. Today, Eddy, Snow and I...

Welcome to our newest series titled Art of Restoration. With SEMA just around the corner, we're bringing the who's who of custom cars and classic car restorations… and we're starting with one of the very biggest names in the industry…. Dave Kindig. Dave is an industry giant, and insanely talented artist, and a great guy to speak with. The passion he has for what he does—and that is, of course, cre...