The NOLN Podcast

In this month’s installment of the “Endeavor to Discover” series, Chris Messer and Mike Jones are talking about leading from the front lines and why leadership isn’t about titles—it’s actually about ownership, vision, and leading by example. Messer and Jones also explain why true leaders lead from the front and why every team member should see themselves as “the” leader in their role.

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Jason Lyon, chief operations officer for Benny’s Car Wash, recently was announced as the association president for the Preventative Automotive Maintenance Association’s 2026-27 term. This week, he took time to speak with us about his goals for PAMA, from better understanding the association’s membership to growing its education and training initiatives.

Lyon also discusses how Benny’s is relying on community engagement and personal...

Are you a manager or a leader? Do you know the difference between the two?

In this episode of our “Endeavor to Discover” series, Chris Jones, executive vice president of EndeavorB2B’s Transportation Group, and Mike Jones, president and master trainer at Discover Leadership Training, discuss how leaders follow up and follow through—setting specific outcomes and making sure projects are moving forward and not just waiting until the d...

Doug Zarkin has two decades of experience in retail and brand marketing, but he’s a newcomer to the quick lube industry. Zarkin was hired as the new chief marketing officer for Take 5 Oil Change earlier this summer, and he describes the way in which he has observed Take 5 lube techs working as “nothing short of a symphony.”

Zarkin shares what appealed to him about joining Take 5, what he has been able to carry over from his marketi...

In the first episode of our “Endeavor to Discover” interview series, leadership and failure are the topics of conversation as Mike Jones, president and master trainer at Discover Leadership Training, joins Chris Messer, executive vice president of the Transportation Group at Endeavor Business Media, NOLN’s parent company.

Jones, who works with small- to medium-sized business owners and their teams on evolving to improve, explains w...

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 decision.

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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. Harrington also discusses how Victory La...

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 (non-digital) marketing is seeing a re...

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. 

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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 Officer
• D. Power Report Shows Inc...

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 operational maintenance needs.

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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 long-term strategy behind them, and th...

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 should ask vendors when trying to pick...

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 Oil Change Enters Supply Agree...

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 convert inquiries into future sales wh...

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 in advance of going to market, as ...

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 details how shops can start with si...