The NOLN Podcast

The Federal Trade Commission recently sent a report to Congress detailing some of the tactics that dealership service centers and OEMs use to divert maintenance work to their shops. We are NOLN are digging into the report for some reporting, but in the meantime, we've brought in an expert to talk about the main points.  Joanna Johnson, policy advisor for the Automotive Oil Change Association (AOCA...

Regular readers of NOLN likely saw a lot of coverage about the new gasoline engine oil standards from the American Petroleum Institute.  Interestingly, diesel engine oils are evolving in very similar ways, with technology and viscosities geared toward greater efficiency and lower emissions. A lot of technology and development goes into those standards, and Greg Matheson from Lubrizol is an expert...

Megan Williams is back on The NOLN Podcast to talk about marketing target audiences. It's important to get the best idea of who your marketing is intended to reach, and in this episode, Williams talks about some  easy, free tools that can help operators find out about those audiences.

Brett Steele, director of auto services for Podium, talks with associate editor Megan Gosch about how the landscape for online reviews are changing and how both customers and operators can keep up. They will also go over insights from Podium's recent State of the Online Review report.

In this special podcast and promotion from Devon, Devon and 1 Source president Kelly Lykins discusses the contemporary lube industry (and how Devon can help). 

One of the toughest things for an operator is how they can remain effective and efficient as their network grows. From one unit to five, the role of the owner can change significantly.  For this episode, Rick Bisio speaks to those roles. He is a franchise coach and author of "The Educated Franchisee." Bisio speaks about growth stages, moving from one unit to three, four units to five, and beyond. 

For this episode, NOLN is happy to feature Jeanet Wade, who is a certified Entrepreneur Operating System implementer, author, and coach. Wade outlines the six facets of human needs, which are included in her book, " The Human Team: So, You Created a Team and People Show Up ." Wade explains clearly how operators can meet the needs of their workforce and create a more comfortable and friendly work e...

Adam Tatum, Director of Operations for Jiffy Lube franchisee Virginia Lubes and monthly NOLN columnist, sits down for a podcast interview with some exciting news. He talks about how his shop is emerging from some of the stricter COVID-19 protocols and how the industry has adopted some new processes that will stick around. He also reveals a new quick lube venture that he's involved with and how tha...

This week, we've got Frank Leutz, repair shop owner and industry personality, sharing the strategy and importance of YouTube for business marketing. Video is a great way to show off the personal side of your business. Curious how to get started with video? It shouldn't be a huge challenge. Check out this story from NOLN's April issue for the basics. Frank Leutz is the owner of Desert Car Care of C...

Eric Galindo, owner of Oil Change Express San Antonio, shares his thoughts on expansion as he gets ready to add his 12th and 13th stores. Galindo dives into the details of his expansion, the strategy of entering new markets and why he's confident in the future of the business. 

For this episode, hear from former Take 5 Oil Change president and current franchise operator Pete Frey. Pete is a kind, fun guy who talks with associate editor Matt Hudson about his transition from his corporate work to franchise operations, the quick maintenance industry at large, and how he met the COVID-19 pandemic just shortly after he opened his shop.

Megan Williams, co-founder of 3P Marketing Solutions, talks with associate editor Mike Munzenrider about what makes a successful social media marketing strategy. While Williams approaches things from a collision repair perspective, the tips will be of great use to NOLN readers and quick maintenance operators.

CEO of WLR Automotive Group Randall Simpson joins the podcast to discuss his company's plans for the future. WLR currently operates 13 quick lube facilities, 10 car washes and two repair shops, but it won't stay that way for long. Simpson details the company's growing focus on the car wash industry and what he plans to do with his quick lube facilities in the next 10 years. Check it out!

Marketing expert Megan Williams breaks down geofencing, a marketing tactic that allows you to target potential customers based on where they travel. It's a neat tool that helps operators be precise in marketing to customers with specific interests, or who might be in need of service at the moment. Check it out!

To celebrate the first-ever Best Workplaces awards, NOLN is bringing the award winners back for special interviews. This time, we're speaking with Jerod Starch, who manages Lube Pro Oil Change and Inspection Xpress in Lubbock, Texas. It's an impressive operation for its size, and this is an exemplary shop for taking care of its people.  

The vehicle odometer determines a lot of service recommendations for customers. But is that enough to convince them to buy into it? Today, we're speaking with the founder of Fluid Rx Diagnostics about vehicle fluid testing, the science behind it, and how accurate testing can help shops' bottom lines. The company has an interesting and deep history in the vehicle maintenance world, and founder Ron...

Just the other day, Tim Armstrong of At Your Convenience On-Site Oil Service made a Facebook post about a young man who stopped at the shop with a lot of questions and interest in technical work. Instead of just performing the service, Armstrong worked with the young man and showed him the ropes. That's just kind of operator Armstrong is, and he came onto The NOLN Podcast to talk about starting a...

Larry Witherspoon, founder of the Automotive Training Center in East Point, Georgia, speaks to NOLN about working with the young workforce and how to get the best out of them. He shares what he's learned in his eight years working with at-risk youth and what anyone should know if they plan on taking on an apprentice or a young technician.  Here's the story of Witherspoon's center and how it starte...

Jordan Mosely, operator of seven shops in the Dallas, Texas, area, speaks to NOLN about how he launched his independent quick maintenance brand. Mosely also has longtime experience with the well-known Kwik Kar Lube and Tune brand as an operator, and he shares his perspective about keeping his shop messaging effective to customers.

Hiring and firing are actions that all operators take, but few are experts in those areas. So NOLN brought an expert in to speak to those crucial times in an operation. Roxi Bahar Hewertson is a consultant, business expert and author of books like "Hire Right, Fire Right: A Leader’s Guide to Finding and Keeping Your Best People ." She spoke with NOLN about how to set up employees for success at th...

When new vehicle technologies emerge, the quick maintenance industry will be there to meet them.  While researching potential services of the future, associate editor Matt Hudson spoke with Gene Smotkin, who is a professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Northeastern University. He's also the founder of Nuvant Systems , which sells battery repair and reconditioning equipment. Smotkin talked a...

In a special podcast presented by BOLT ON TECHNOLOGY, BOT director of marketing Tim Cifelli shares how to avoid becoming "The Greying Garage" and position your shop for high AROs and revenue in the 2020s. 

This week's episode is part two of our conversation with Dynamic Automotive CEO Dwayne Myers. If you missed part one, don't worry, we recap the highlights, but you can also listen to it at noln.net/podcasts. This episode picks up after the financial crisis of 2007 and Dynamic's issues with their new larger bank. Learn how partners Dwayne, Lee and Jose picked up the pieces, fought back and ultimate...

If you've met Dwayne Myers or his partners at Dynamic Automotive, Lee and Jose, you know they're salt-of-the-earth people. Gracious, kind, funny, not to mention the owners of a killer operation. But that hasn't precluded them from tough times. In fact, in 2007 and 2008, they went through a period that nearly destroyed them. It was a period so destructure it moved past burnout into nearly a midlife...

This episode of The NOLN Podcast hits hard at the top of a new year. We're speaking with Robert Weissberg, who runs a Midas-SpeeDee Oil Change and Auto Service shop out of Watsonville, Calif. Weissberg is a credentialed technician and has some great insight on the education, training and mindset that owners will need to consider when thinking long-term about the future of vehicle maintenance servi...