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 123 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Auto Care Association hosts Auto Care ON AIR, a business show with 123 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 #123

  You Cannot Control The Change, Only Your Response

  Aug 18, 202636 minS1

  Change at work rarely arrives as one clean announcement. It shows up as a new boss, a new system, a new set of goals, and a creeping feeling that nobody will say what happens next. Jacki Lutz sits down with Matt Fowler of Pivotree and Jeff Koviak, CEO of APSG, to get practical about change management in the automotive aftermarket, especially during acquisitions, mergers, and rapid organizational shifts. They dig into what leaders can control when the stakes are high: communicating the vision early, repeating it often, and creating real space for questions so uncertainty does not turn into rumors. Jeff shares lessons from major integration work and what it takes to bring two organizations together without letting “us versus them” become the culture. Matt breaks down what it feels like inside an acquired company, why people forget they were bought for a reason, and how to become indispensable fast by learning, partnering, and stepping up instead of stepping back. They also flip the perspective for professionals who are not in the boardroom. If you cannot control the change, you can still control your response: read the updates, ask the questions, assume positive intent, and practice extreme ownership. We close with the idea of the player-coach, the person who steadies the room, lifts the team, and gets noticed when things are chaotic. Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, communication, and human skills in the aftermarket, and if this helps you navigate change, share it with a colleague and leave a rating and review. 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 #122

  Six Forces Reshaping Independent Auto Repair

  Aug 11, 202616 minS1

  The aftermarket is projected to grow, but growth is not the same thing as opportunity. Host Stacey Miller zooms in on what’s actually shaping day-to-day business conditions across independent repair shops, distributors, manufacturers, and the wider automotive aftermarket ecosystem. She breaks down six developments that are changing who can compete and how repairs get done. First, right to repair is gaining federal momentum, from the White House “Freedom to Fix” memo to congressional action, but the real question is whether policy keeps up with modern vehicle technology. Today’s repairs can hinge on wireless vehicle data access, secure authentication, cloud diagnostics, software pairing, and even permission to activate a replacement component. If independent repair can’t reach those functions, “access” becomes theoretical. Next, she looks at USMCA and tariff uncertainty as a real operating cost. Parts often cross borders multiple times, so even the possibility of changing duty treatment forces tough choices on inventory, suppliers, and pricing. Then we challenge the headline forecast numbers by asking what kind of growth it is and where the value lands, especially when higher ticket totals can hide margin pressure from rising labor, parts, and software costs. She also digs into the programming burden inside shops, the technician capacity problem that limits revenue and customer service, and the quiet rise of extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws that turn sustainability into everyday compliance. If you care about the future of independent auto repair, fair competition, and affordable repair choices for drivers, hit play, subscribe, share the episode, and leave a rating and review. Learn more about the Repair Act 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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  Episode #121

  Practical AI For Real Work and Life

  Aug 4, 202638 minS1

  AI didn’t quietly “arrive” at work. It showed up all at once, and now every team is being asked to respond, even if they’re not sure where to start. Jacki Lutz sits down with Jeff Paul of Vipar Heavy Duty and Meagan Moody of The Moody Blueprint to get past the buzzwords and talk practical AI, the kind that helps real professionals remove bottlenecks, make faster decisions, and stop drowning in repetitive busy work. We dig into why AI progress feels so sudden, why the adoption curve resembles the early EV conversation, and why “Which tool should we use?” is usually the wrong first question. Instead, we focus on strategy, the specific slowdowns inside a business, and how to choose the right AI solution for the job, whether that’s a general-purpose LLM like ChatGPT or Claude, or something more targeted like an AI voice agent. We also talk about governance and data security, including what happens when AI note takers slip into meetings before anyone has answered the hard questions about ownership, storage, and policies. Most importantly, we keep the spotlight on people. Adoption fails when teams don’t get trained, don’t get role-based examples, or don’t get an honest conversation about efficiency and job fear. Our takeaway is simple: start small, train intentionally, and build your expertise now, because soon AI won’t be a differentiator. It will be a baseline expectation. If this helps, subscribe, share the episode with a colleague, and leave a rating and review so more auto care industry 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 #120

  EPR Laws Are Spreading So Here Is How To Prepare

  Jul 27, 202626 minS1

  “Make it make sense” is more than a catchy line. Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is landing on desks across the automotive aftermarket, and the rules are arriving state by state with real deadlines, real reporting, and real consequences for companies that ship packaged products into EPR states. Stacey Miller talks with Kylie Bolticoff, founder and principal of Bolticoff Advisory Group, about what EPR laws actually require and why they’re spreading. They unpack how costs that used to sit with taxpayers and municipalities are shifting back to producers, brand owners, and sellers, and why a producer responsibility organization (PRO) often becomes the practical path to compliance. You’ll hear which states have active reporting now, what to watch next, and why the lack of federal standardization creates a patchwork that’s especially tough for multi state businesses. Then they get concrete: what data you need for EPR reporting (sales by state, packaging material types, packaging weight), why that information often lives in the supply chain, and how to start with a simple Excel spreadsheet as an internal compliance platform. They also dig into California’s unique focus on single use plastic reduction, including the idea of an annual source reduction plan and progress checks on the road to 2032. Along the way, they cover common first filer pitfalls, how to document your methodology, and why “do your best and improve the data” is still the smartest move when programs are young but enforcement is coming. If your team ships into California, Oregon, Colorado, or other emerging EPR states, this is your practical reset. Subscribe, share this with the person who owns packaging data at your company, and leave a rating and review so more aftermarket professionals can find the show. Send us Fan Mail To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org. To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

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  Episode #119

  A Former FBI-Trained Hostage Negotiator's Guide to Difficult Conversations

  Jul 21, 202634 minS1

  One tiny mistake can blow up hours of progress, and Scott Tilema has lived that reality. Scott is an internationally recognized crisis negotiator and former SWAT hostage negotiator, and he joins us in Atlanta at Auto Care Connect to translate high-stakes negotiation into everyday leadership and workplace communication. If you’ve ever dodged a hard conversation, rushed through feedback, or felt your nerves spike before a performance review, this conversation gives you a clear, usable path forward. Jacki Lutz walks through four practical principles Scott teaches: choosing courage, leading with respect, communicating with intention, and building real connection. Scott explains why disrespect is often unintentional but still toxic, and how appreciation, autonomy, empathy, and fairness help people save face so they can stay engaged. We also dig into active listening and why “how you say it” matters as much as the words, especially when the other person is stressed, defensive, or overwhelmed. You’ll hear stories from crisis scenes that highlight timing, emotional regulation, and the hidden “t-shirt” everyone wears, the stuff we don’t post on our highlight reels. We also talk about what to do when you’re on the receiving end of clumsy leadership, how to lead up without triggering ego battles, and why the golden rule works better when it becomes “treat people how they want to be treated.” If you want more influence without more force, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a leader on your team, and leave a rating and review so more people can find the show. Send us Fan Mail To learn more about the Auto Care Association visit autocare.org. To learn more about our show and suggest future topics and guests, visit autocare.org/podcast

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Recent guests on Auto Care ON AIR. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

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