The NOLN Podcast

FullSpeed Automotive President Ron Stilwell joins the NOLN Podcast to discuss the growth of the company’s Grease Monkey brand. Stilwell shares insights on how FullSpeed is mapping the expansion of Grease Monkey into new markets and the role its “store of the future” model is playing in that development. *** Subscribe to The NOLN Podcast on your platform of choice:  Apple Podcasts   iHeart Radio Sp...

Margaret Light, a licensed marriage and family therapist with Equilibrium Therapy Services, explains the impact of mental health on decision making for business leaders. She also offers some tips for shop operators and managers who have a tendency to be either too optimistic or too pessimistic in their work, and she also offers thoughts on bouncing back mentally after making a bad business decisio...

Jim Harrington, executive vice president at Victory Lane Quick Oil Change, is this week’s guest on the NOLN Podcast. Harrington, a 30-year veteran of the quick lube industry, shares tips for how operators can better manage their inventory. In this discussion, Harrington highlights the benefits of good inventory management, and he  explains what can go wrong when stock isn’t properly tracked. Harri...

Jeff Tremper, senior vice president of Throttle CRM Service Reminders, shares insights on developing an omnichannel approach to marketing and why it’s important to craft consistent messaging across your different marketing channels. He also discusses best practices for using email and SMS messaging to connect with customers, the value of online customer reviews, and the reasons why traditional (no...

Tyson Daniels, an Idaho-based Grease Monkey franchisee with shops in five states, joins the NOLN Podcast to discuss how his shops are navigating the challenges of declining car counts that many operators are facing. Daniels also dives into how new technologies are increasing efficiency for his locations, and he notes opportunities for improvement that are often missed by quick lube operators.  Sub...

From recent awards announcements to vehicle recalls and new products, there is plenty happening in the quick lube industry. This week’s episode of the NOLN Podcast puts a spotlight on news we’ve recently reported on and stories you may have missed. Here are the headlines we’re diving into: iFLEX 2025: PAMA Recognizes Annual Award Winners Valvoline Inc. Names Kevin Willis as New Chief Financial Off...

On the heels of iFLEX 2025 at The Car Wash Show, NOLN catches up with one of the event’s exhibitors, Nick Haase, co-founder of MaintainX, a maintenance and work execution software firm. Haase discusses why having a great maintenance strategy is a competitive lever, what operators can learn from unplanned downtime data, and how they can shift into a more proactive mindset with regards to their oper...

Towner French, Managing Director at Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, joins the NOLN Podcast to discuss the Preventative Automotive Maintenance Association’s first Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C., where members met with legislators and agency officials to share their perspectives on Right to Repair and other proposed legislation. French also explains the value of these in-person meetings, the lon...

Jeff Cox, executive director of the Automotive Maintenance & Repair Association, joins the NOLN Podcast to provide a crash course on oil evacuation systems, which allow shops to remove old oil without touching a drain cap. He also explains why these systems are becoming more popular and how to determine whether your shop would benefit from adding one. Jeff then provides questions operators sho...

There’s lots happening across the quick lube industry, so we thought it was a good time to get you caught up on recent stories from NOLN you may have missed. Here are the headlines we’re diving into this week: Valvoline to Acquire Breeze Autocare, Bringing Nearly 200 Stores and Oil Changers Brand Driven Brands Appoints New CEO, Agrees to Divest U.S. Car Wash Business Strickland Brothers 10 Minute...

In an era when many rely on text messaging, websites, and smartphone apps to get the information they need, good old fashioned phone calls steadfastly remain a way to connect quick lube locations and potential customers. David Boyd, founder of Inbound Communications, joins the NOLN Podcast to share best practices for handling incoming calls, serving customers’ needs, and taking simple steps to con...

While you might be ready to exit the quick lube industry, is your business ready to be sold? Jim Parker, president of The Auto Repair Boss, a Florida-based brokerage firm that specializes in selling auto-related companies, joins the NOLN Podcast to offer guidance on how to determine whether the time is right for a quick lube shop operator to sell. He shares steps potential sellers should be taking...

John Forro, lead instructor, content developer and owner of the EV and engine performance training company Electron John, discusses emerging opportunities for quick lube shop owners to expand their offerings to include preventative maintenance for hybrid and electric vehicles. Forro provides a crash course on EV maintenance essentials, including both training and protective equipment, and he also...

How do you know when it’s time to rethink the marketing strategy for your quick lube shop? Gregg Rainville, SVP of Steer CRM, joins the NOLN Podcast to share some best practices for evaluating your marketing plan, explain how a good CRM can effectively integrate multiple marketing tactics, and provide some questions that shop owners should be asking when choosing a CRM vendor. Rainville also offer...

How can shop owners level up their leadership skills? In this episode, Mike Jones of Discover Leadership Training talks with Chris Jones, editorial director of Endeavor Business Media’s Vehicle Repair Group, about the hallmarks of effective leadership. Mike explains how comfort zones hold employees back from reaching their potential, the differences between management and leadership, and the relat...

Scott Just has been with SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service for 22 years. Today, he serves as the general manager for eight locations in the New England area. Recently, Just was named ASE Master Automobile Technician of the Year. He joins the NOLN Podcast to explain how he stays in the loop at each of the locations he oversees, as well as how communication has been a major key to building solid...

With 2024 marking 40 years in business for Take 5 Oil Change, we’re catch up with Mo Khalid, executive vice president and group president of maintenance for Driven Brands, the parent company of Take 5 Oil Change. Khalid discusses how a brand that began providing quick oil change services in New Orleans in 1984 has expanded into a national powerhouse in the industry with more than 1,000 locations f...

In this episode, Margaret Light, MA, LMFT, MN LMFT of Equilibrium Therapy Services P.L.L.C. discusses the impact of stress in the personal and professional life of business owners. She talks about the stress and burnout continuum and how unmanaged stress and burnout can develop into formal mental health concerns for business owners. She concludes by sharing tips to help you better understand the i...

How do you show appreciation to your employees? How do you acknowledge all of the good they do both in the shop and in the community? How about celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and personal wins? Today, we're talking to Bill Snow about how to appreciate your employees. Snow is the Vice President, Franchise Development and Operations at Rad Air Complete Care with 10 shops in Northeast Ohio. To...

September is awards season here at NOLN. Our Operator of the Year magazine issue launched this month, and if you haven't flipped through the physical edition yet, you can check out the digital edition online.  This year, the title of Operator of the Year went to Jeffrey Crafton. Jeffrey is with the Mississippi-based Sayle Oil Company where he oversees quick lube operations.  In this episode of the...

Whether you are a new franchisee or have been one for some time, there are many moving parts to consider. Finances, of course, play a role. Furthermore, factors such as inflation can have an impact on components of the automotive space. But navigating financial landscapes as a franchisee doesn't have to be a solo endeavor.  Kelly Tope is senior director of franchise development at FullSpeed Automo...

As the New Jersey-based shop owner of Automotive Magic and Magic Lube & Rubber, Shawn Gilfillan has seen every side of running a business in this industry. Technical know-how is a must, but there is another component that he's zoomed in on: the human element. The practice of developing soft skills is important to a business and its team.  Enter: Magical Solutions . This is Shawn's program that...

This summer, it was announced that Costa Kapothanasis bought out Costa Franchising LLC shareholders , which means he now has full ownership over the Costa Oil brand, which includes over 50 Costa Oil - 10 Minute Oil Change stores as well as Costa Oil Performance Filtration and Costa Motor Oils. Costa joins the podcast to outline what franchising has looked like for the brand and what the future hol...

In the second part of this two-part series for the podcast, W. Scott Wheeler of Automotive Consultants Group, Inc. continues the conversation on setting goals, strategizing KPIs, achieving profitability, and other business practices. For more from Scott, check out the first part of this interview series. Scott was also featured in an April magazine story for NOLN called " Cultivating Employee Goal...

W. Scott Wheeler is motivated by helping others. He started Automotive Consultants Group, Inc. in 1999 fueled by boots-on-the-ground experience that showed him what shop owners really need help with: the elements that make up running and managing a business in this industry.  Goal-setting is part of Scott's outlook on business practices, and in April 2024 he was featured in a NOLN story called " C...