Auto Care ON AIR

"Auto Care ON AIR" is a candid podcast dedicated to exploring the most relevant topics within the auto care industry. Each episode features insightful discussions with leading experts and prominent industry figures. Our content is thoughtfully divided into four distinct shows to cover four different categories of topics, ensuring collective professional growth and a comprehensive understanding of the auto care industry. The Driver's Seat: Navigating Business and the Journey of Leadership To understand organizations, you need to understand their operators. Join Behzad Rassuli, as he sits down for in-depth, one-on-one conversations with leaders that are shaping the future. This show is a "must listen" for how top executives navigate growth, success, and setbacks that come with the terrain of business. Carpool Conversations: Collaborative Reflections on the Road to Success Hosted by Jacki Lutz, this series invites a vibrant and strategic mix of guests to d

Auto Care ON AIR is a business podcast hosted by Auto Care Association, with 130 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Auto Care Association hosts Auto Care ON AIR, a business show with 130 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #130

  AAPEX Aftermarket Industry Week Game Plan

  Sep 29, 202643 minS1

  AAPEX doesn’t stay relevant by standing still and we’re not pretending a “same show, new year” strategy works anymore. Jacki Lutz sits down with Mark Bogdansky and Ted Hughes to unpack what changed last year, what worked, and how Industry Week in Las Vegas is being redesigned to help you do better business in less time while still discovering what’s next in the automotive aftermarket. They talk about the big shift that reshaped the attendee experience: segmenting the show floor by product category and moving booth locations so discovery feels new again. From food trucks and on-floor rest areas to activations like short escape rooms, a NASCAR simulator, supply chain games, stage programming, and even automotive parts turned into art for charity, the focus is simple: keep you on the show floor where the value is. We also share what’s coming with celebrity moments, keynotes, media hubs, and community-driven networking that make it easier to learn, connect, and recharge without losing momentum. AWDA plays a major role in how the week starts, so we cover the one-on-one meeting format, the Sunday night general session and awards, and why the conference is a launchpad rather than a finish line. Then we get practical with the habits that separate a great show from a costly trip: plan ahead, build buffer time, split responsibilities across your team, and bring learnings back to the office. Most important, they call out the biggest missed opportunity in trade show ROI: follow-up. If you want stronger leads, better relationships, and real results after AAPEX, hit play, take notes, and share this with the teammate who controls your post-show process. Subscribe, leave a rating and review, and send this episode to someone who’s headed to Vegas with you. Thank you to Schrader TPMS for sponsoring this episode. If you want to learn more about their TPMS solutions, visit SchraderTPMS.com. Send us Fan Mail To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast. To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

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  Episode #129

  How Association Volunteering Accelerates Auto Aftermarket Careers

  Sep 22, 202634 minS1

  Walking into a conference and seeing leaders from every corner of the automotive aftermarket can trigger that gut reaction: I don’t belong here. We’ve felt it too, and we’re here to tell you something simple, you have more to offer than you think, and the room is better when you’re in it. Jacki Lutz sits down with Auto Care Association President and CEO Bill Hanvey and Cliff Hovis, President of Hovis Auto and Truck Supply, to unpack what “getting involved” really means, from joining committees and communities to simply attending events and meeting people outside your day-to-day lane. They talk about curiosity as a career skill, how volunteering builds confidence over time, and why this industry’s culture is uniquely welcoming to newcomers. You’ll also hear how involvement creates tangible value: earlier insight into market shifts, smarter decision-making, stronger cross-industry relationships, and a clearer understanding of how your role fits into the larger aftermarket ecosystem. They also dig into advocacy and why showing up as a group changes the impact, whether you care about Right to Repair or the bigger challenges the industry faces. For managers, they share a practical approach: encourage your people to stretch, then ask them to bring back what they learn so the business benefits. Applications for Auto Care Association committee positions are open, and there’s a place for every interest, from emerging technologies and sustainability to marketing, government affairs, and events. If you’re ready to stop staying in your silo, listen now, share this with someone who needs a push, and subscribe and leave a review so more professionals can find the show. Auto Care committee applications are open September 14 - November 9, 2026. You can learn more and apply at autocare.org/committees This episode is brought to you by Schrader TPMS, learn more about their TPMS solutions at SchraderTPMS.com. Send us Fan Mail To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast. To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

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  Episode #128

  Robb Holland Explains How He Turns Setbacks Into A Plan

  Sep 17, 202622 minS1

  A single bump can erase months of planning, but it can also reveal exactly what you’re made of. From the base of Pikes Peak, Jacki Lutz sits down with professional race car driver Robb Holland to talk about a year that started with momentum and ended with one of the biggest crashes of his career, a violent impact with boulders at over 100 mph, a car tumbling, and a hard landing upside down. Robb walks us through the details that most highlight reels leave out: why altitude and new pavement change everything, how competition pushed the limits with massive horsepower, and what it feels like when you realize you no longer have control. Then we get into the real survival story, the training that becomes automatic, cutting power to prevent fire, assessing fluid leaks, fighting a pinned door, and getting out in 33 seconds while time seems to slow down. It’s a vivid look at motorsports safety, crisis decision-making, and performance under pressure. We also move beyond the crash into the mindset that helps people rebuild. Robb shares how the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb community shows up like family, why he refuses the victim mindset, and how accountability turns a setback into a learning plan. If you’re navigating adversity, leadership challenges, or the messy middle in your own career, you’ll leave with practical language for focusing on solutions, surrounding yourself with the right people, and taking the next step when motivation is gone. This episode is brought to you by Schrader TPMS, to learn more about Schrader, visit SchraderTPMS.com. Subscribe for more candid conversations, share this with someone pushing through a setback, and leave a rating and review so more curious listeners can find the show. Send us Fan Mail To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast. To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

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  Episode #127

  Big Dreams Take Big Risks And You Can Train For Both

  Sep 15, 202623 minS1

  The cliff edge is right there, the road is narrow, and we’re still talking like it’s the most normal thing in the world. That’s the vibe as we record while driving up Pikes Peak with professional race car driver Caitlin Zingler, who’s tackling the mountain for the first time and doing it with a calm that honestly shocks us. Hosted by Jacki Lutz, Caitlin shares her nontraditional racing origin story, starting not with childhood karting but with serious driver safety training, autocross, and track days that turned into a full commitment to motorsports. Then the conversation takes a turn: after the Paradise, California wildfire destroyed her family’s home and hometown, they rethought what mattered and chose to invest in experiences and time together, using insurance money to buy race cars. It’s a raw, hopeful look at how grief can rearrange priorities and how a big dream can become a family mission. We dig into the real risks people don’t see: the financial burden, the work required just to get the car to the track, and the reality that effort doesn’t guarantee a win, a podium, or even a finish. Caitlin explains why racing is “multiple full-time jobs,” from training like an athlete to building a brand, managing sponsors, and showing up consistently. Along the way, we connect the dots for business owners and automotive professionals: risk versus reward, staying focused on your own growth, and pushing forward when other people tell you to take the traditional path. We also get practical about motorsports fitness and performance: cardio, neck and core strength, intense brake pressure, and the mental load of staying present at speed, especially on a mountain where altitude and conditions change fast. If you’re weighing a big leap, building a career in racing, or just trying to stay steady in the middle of uncertainty, this ride up Pikes Peak will stick with you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s on the edge of a big decision, and leave a rating and review so more people can find the show. This episode was brought to you by SchraderTPMS, if you would like to learn more about their solutions, visit SchraderTPMS.com. Send us Fan Mail To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast. To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

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  Episode #124

  Tariffs, Trucks, And Tech, 3 Trends Effecting the Aftermarket

  Aug 25, 202615 minS1

  Auto sales aren’t crashing, they’re settling and that one word changes how we should plan for the next few years. Host, Stacey Miller breaks down the latest signals from the market and what they mean for the automotive aftermarket, especially if you build parts, distribute products, run a repair shop, or manage service strategy. When new vehicle sales slow, drivers tend to keep vehicles longer, and a growing, aging vehicle fleet is the foundation for steady demand in maintenance, diagnostics, and repair. We also dig into why strong spending on higher-priced pickups and SUVs matters beyond the showroom. Today’s premium trucks and tech-heavy vehicles become tomorrow’s service base, and that can be great news for the aftermarket, as long as we’re ready for the complexity that comes with modern systems. That naturally brings us to right to repair, because fair access to repair data, tools, and information is becoming the line between “we can fix it” and “we have to turn it away.” Then we zoom out to the pressures that can hit your costs overnight: tariffs and trade actions that ripple through automotive supply chains, from brake components and sensors to steel, aluminum, copper derivatives, and logistics. We also look south to the Mexico auto market, where Chinese automakers are gaining market share even with tariffs, accelerating how quickly new makes will show up in the vehicle population. Finally, we spotlight the next big battleground in auto repair: ADAS diagnostics and calibration, where software, training, and data access will decide who captures value in the decade ahead. Learn more about the Right to Repair and get involved at REPAIRAct.com. Send us Fan Mail To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org?utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast. To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

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