CollisionCast

As the National Auto Body Council celebrates its 30th anniversary and looks to the next 30 years, we talk with Executive Director Debby Robinson about NABC's various programs and how your shop can get involved. Learn more about the Recycled Rides program, the First Responder Emergency Extrication (F.R.E.E.), and the Changing and Saving Lives Foundation Keys for Change program, which can help you dispose of abandoned vehicles on your lot. 

There are a number of reasons why you might consider repairing certain plastic parts, including lack of availability of replacement parts, their prohibitive replacement cost, and the rise in customer pay work. How plastic automotive parts are repaired has evolved, but with concern over affecting ADAS functionality, it’s also important to view each repair on a case-by-case basis. To learn more about the state of today’s plastic repairs, in today’s episode I talk with Frank Phillips Jr., CEO of 4Plastic.

Built around proactive microlearning, Collision ProAssist's BackBay Discord community replaces one-size-fits-all training and opinion-driven social media advice with documented, expert-backed answers that improve estimate accuracy, capture overlooked operations, and strengthen communication between the front office and the shop floor.  In this episode, Collision ProAssist's Jason Bartanen explains how BackBay and its newest extension, BackBay Estimator — addresses a critical gap in the collision repair industry by connecting technicians and estimators directly with OEMs, equipment manufacturers, and product experts for tailored, real-time guidance.  By helping repair planners or estimators understand the technical “why” behind required procedures, Back Bay Estimator supports better customer and insurer conversations, increased shop profitability, and technicians being paid for all work performed, and that ultimately creates safer repairs and a more aligned, knowledgeable repair team.

Are you ready to let go of beliefs, habits, emotions, and stories that no longer serve you? In this special Endeavor to Discover episode, Endeavor B2B’s Chris Messer is joined by Mike Jones of Discover Leadership and Louie Sharp, owner of Sharp Auto Body in Chicago. They emphasize that past struggles, negative motivation, anger, fear, or even past success can initially drive achievement—but holding onto them eventually limits progress. True leadership and fulfillment come from awareness, self-reflection, and consciously choosing how to respond to events rather than reacting emotionally. By changing the internal narrative, practicing self-worth, and being curious instead of judgmental—especially in leadership situations—people can build trust, stronger relationships, and healthier cultures. The discussion highlights that everyone controls their response to circumstances, and that lasting success requires releasing control, punishment, blame, and outdated motivations. Growth is a lifelong process, and moving forward means giving up what once helped you but now holds you back.    

How do you manage safety, human resources, and environmental regulations and management? Wayne Curtis, CEO of KPA, has over 20 years of firsthand experience working with collision centers and auto body shops to help them balance compliance with the challenges of focusing on daily operations. He explains the reasons why although the Trump administration has softened certain safety and environmental regulations, now is not the time to grow complacent.

He built 14 stores. Then he sold 10 of them — one by one — during one of the toughest economic downturns in modern history. In Fearless to Courageous, James Baxter reveals the sleepless nights, payroll fears, and hard leadership decisions that reshaped his company, and why focusing on four strong stores made him more profitable than ever before. If you’re an entrepreneur navigating growth, succession, or tough calls about the future of your business, this episode delivers real-world insight on vision, culture, and the courage it takes to right the ship.

The Women’s Industry Network’s mission is to attract, develop, and promote women into collision repair professions. And there is still time to register for Empowering Excellence, the 2026 WIN Conference, May 4-6 in Tucson, Arizona. Blair Womble, director of strategic account services with Caliber Collision; and Nicole Carpenter, head of marketing at VIVE Collision, join the CollisionCast to tell our listeners what to look forward to at the event! For more information on WIN or to register for the conference, click here. The early bird registration has been extended to March 16, so don't delay!

More drivers these days are choosing to pay out of pocket instead of filing an insurance claim. At FenderBender, we know of some shop owners reporting as much as a 30 percent increase in customer-pay work. In today’s episode, Rich Harrison, CEO of MSO CollisionRight, explains the reasons for this shift, how this evolution creates both pressure and opportunity, and how shop owners and operators can adjust to this new paradigm, including offering easy financing options.

Safety inspections, including but not limited to restraint systems, steering gear, and collapsible steering columns, are of utmost importance when required by an OEM. But with the amount of procedure research required, they can be labor-intensive before the toolbox even opens. Here to talk about those inspections is Gerry Rosenbarker, general manager of Mohawk Collision Center, and two members of his crew, Mechanical Technician Tyler Foote and Collision Parts Consultant Jeremy Godbout. We discuss how their workload has been lightened through the use of Collision Vision, an all-in-one portal that helps shops track everything from OEM and technician certifications to employee training and the proper tools and equipment required for a job. Collision Vision co-founder Andrew Suggs gives us updates to platform since we first wrote about it in the July issue. Read about the presentation on safety inspections at the OEM Summit in the February issue. Reach Gerry and his team at Contact Us – Mohawk Collision Center

What if the biggest thing holding you back isn’t your goals — but how you’re framing them? In this special Endeavor to Discover episode, Chris Messer, vice president of transportation at Endeavor Business Media, sits down with Mike Jones, president of Discover Leadership, alongside editorial director Chris Jones for a powerful conversation on fighting forward. From personal growth to shop performance, they unpack why focusing on what you want — rather than what you’re trying to avoid — can change your results, your culture, and your leadership impact. If you want a mindset shift that leads to real, lasting change, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.  

In the second part of this two-part podcast, Dave Luehr of Elite Body Shop Solutions joins the CollisionCast to discuss how a transformational approach to the customer experience can allow you to have customers for life through your unique selling propositions. If you have OEM certifications, we discuss ways you can maximize your ROI at the dealership service lane, plus how to change what you can control over insurer pushback. They're just a few ways independent shops can win in 2026.  See how you stack up against other collision repairers at bodyshopassessment.com, and register for the Positivity Summit Feb. 6 at collisionsummit.com.

In trying times, independent collision repairers are positioned to succeed by leveraging community relationships, reputation, and ability to quickly adapt, including custom programs to capitalize on the rising trend of customer-pay work. In part 1 of this episode, Dave Luehr, owner of Elite Body Shop Solutions, joins the CollisionCast to talk about how the best time to be independent is now. We'll talk about what viewers can look forward to at the Positivity Summit on Feb. 6, plus other ways independents can win in 2026.

What's the state of the labor shortage in the collision repair industry, and what are some strategies for recruiting and retention? Crash Champions Founder and CEO Matt Ebert joins the CollisionCast to talk about how more young people are choosing skilled trades careers over traditional college educations, how the company's Skills Training Education Program apprenticeship is designed to get a technician standing on his or her own after a year, and more.

In this Endeavor to Discover special episode of CollisionCast, Endeavor B2B's Chris Messer and Discover Leadership's Mike Jones dive into why your mindset — not your skill set — determines the trajectory of your business. From the power of surrounding yourself with the right people to embracing change in a fast-moving industry, this episode challenges shop owners and leaders to elevate their awareness, rethink their environment, and commit to becoming an even better version of themselves. If you want to shift from fixed to growth mindset — and inspire your team to do the same — this conversation is your starting point.

Do you have a toxic team, or does your shop have a family atmosphere? Today, we’re talking about toxic leadership and team conflict in collision repair. Dr. Paul White, co-author of The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, joins the CollisionCast with speaker and coach Sheryl Driggers of Collision Advice, who's also a former collision repair shop owner, for real talk about tough people, team friction, and how to fix the things that slow your shop down. Get in touch with Dr. White at https://drpaulwhite.com and Sheryl at sheryl@collisionadvice.com. And be sure to check out the previous episode with Dr. White and Sheryl on Busted Myths: What Leaders Get Wrong About Showing Appreciation.

I-CAR President and CEO Kyle Thompson joins the CollisionCast to highlight the organization's focus on talent development. Highlights of this year include the rollout of the I-CAR Academy and Registered Apprentice Program, plus the organization's strong partnerships with ASE, CREF, the Collision Career Institute, and WrenchWay. Hear how these collaborations act as “force multipliers” to help address the technician shortage by aligning resources and modernizing training. And learn how I-CAR is adapting to differing learning methods in part by introducing mixed-reality and virtual-reality courses, is focused on growing Gold Class participation, accelerating technical-training updates, and deepening OEM engagement so that shops are prepared to repair the newest vehicles safely and correctly.

Boost productivity, reduce turnover, and elevate morale by mastering one overlooked leadership skill: showing appreciation. Dr. Paul White, co-author of The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, joins the CollisionCast with speaker and coach Sheryl Driggers of Collision Advice, who's also a former collision repair shop owner, to talk about how misconceptions could be hurting your retention, morale, and results.  Get in touch with Dr. White at https://drpaulwhite.com and Sheryl at sheryl@collisionadvice.com.  

In business, conflict is inevitable, whether it’s from customers or your staff. As Mike Jones, founder and president of Discover Leadership, points out, conflict often arises because people operate from their own “belief systems.” In this special episode, Mike joins Chris Messer, executive vice president of EndeavorB2B’s vehicle service and repair group, and Randy O’Connor, owner of Dealer to Dealer (D2D) Development Group, to talk about exploring the power of outcome-based leadership rooted in commitment, integrity, and personal accountability. 

In this episode, we’ll be talking with Andrew McInnes, FCSD, Collision & Global Brand Protection Manager, Ford Motor Company, about how the OEM recently updated its position statements for all Ford and Lincoln vehicles from 1996 and later to include a powerful word change to “required,” and the reasons for that change. For more information and the links to those position statements, go to: https://www.fenderbender.com/55321726.

Do you have an “I can” attitude…or an “I will” one? You may recall the protagonist in the children’s book “The Little Engine That Could” overcoming a seemingly impossible task. But according to Mike Jones, president and master trainer at Discover Leadership, “I can” is a statement only of potential. And saying, “I will try” can set oneself up with an excuse for failure. In this special CollisionCast episode, listen to Jones’ conversation with Chris Messer, executive vice president of EndeavorB2B’s Transportation Group, to see how you can change to an “I will” attitude.