Interview with Conrad Coe: Operations, AI, and the Evolution of Automotive Wrapping
Host: Jeremy Rivera, Unscripted Small Business
Guest: Conrad Coe, Operations Manager at Exotic Vehicle Wraps
Episode Overview
In this episode, Conrad Coe shares his unconventional journey from music education to becoming operations manager at one of the nation's top automotive wrapping shops. We explore how AI tools are transforming small business operations, the value of hands-on experience over formal education, and why showing the heart of your business matters more than polished marketing in today's digital landscape.
Top Quotes
On Experience vs. Education:
"I would rather have four years of hands-on practical experience at the thing you're trying to do than a degree saying I'm good at it."
On AI in Small Business:
"We wrap cars with vinyl. That's sticky. So what we've been using AI for has been mostly beneficial for us."
On Marketing Differentiation:
"No one uses dashes. Nobody does except for GPT and AI models... In that way, we are using AI to help us differentiate ourselves from AI."
On Customer Service:
"We're not vinyl installers. This isn't a vinyl wrap shop. This is a client experience shop."
On Problems as Opportunities:
"Problems are bugs and not a feature. Like, you're going to have problems. That problem then therefore becomes a feature if you know you're going to have these problems."
About Conrad Coe
Conrad Coe is the operations manager at Exotic Vehicle Wraps, a premier automotive aesthetic restyling shop in Loudoun County, Virginia. With 20 years of experience in the industry, Conrad's path started in retail management, moved through music education at Berkeley Boston, and evolved through design, print, and installation before landing in shop management. His hands-on approach and mentorship style have helped shape one of the longest-running and most respected shops in the automotive wrapping industry.
Key Discussion Points
The Non-Traditional Path to Success
Conrad discusses his journey from aspiring music teacher to operations manager, emphasizing how mentorship and practical experience often outweigh formal education in tr...
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com