CAR WASH The Podcast

The Car Wash Show 2024 in Nashville is just ten days away! It will feature the most exhibitors we've ever had, the largest square footage, and it is sold out! 

Claire Moore, ICA's chief learning officer, is here this week to reveal some of the opportunities you may not know about along with a few tips and tricks to stay organized and get the most out of the show. 

This year we are also excited to have a podcast studio built into the LEAD booth on the show floor. We are inviting you, our listeners, to come and share your stories. Our theme is “Stories of Impact,” so we are gathering stories about how organizations have made an impact on you or your community or what has made an impact on your organization. Come visit us in booth #823!

We are going behind the brand with Qual Chem. Joseph Moldovan, founder and managing director, and Ryan Molinelli, VP of Sales, join us to pull back the curtain on the company's history and to discuss their new graphene product: NanoHex. 

We discuss the story of Qual Chem's founding, how they maintain company culture now, and the reasons for adding this new offering to their lineup. NanoHex also represents a new approach to research and development. We explore the unique methods they employed to hone NanoHex and how it will affect their product development moving forward. 

"The most important thing on a remodel is that you go big .... it's really important that you don't just put lipstick on the pig."

If you are considering remodelling your wash, there are many questions you need to answer before you begin. What amenities do you want to add? What is your budget? Is a remodel going to be less expensive than starting over?

John Roush, CEO of Express Wash Concepts, has remodelled countless washes since the ’90s. He joins us to talk about the do's and don'ts of revitalizing your wash.

When it comes to investing in your people, staff training is where it’s at. It even took the top spot in the Q1 ICA Pulse survey. In fact, 49% of those surveyed shared that they are planning on spending more on training in 2024 and 50% about the same as last year – leaving only 1% that were planning on decreasing their spending in this category.

While we've seen an influx of learning and development professionals in this industry, there are a few companies that have made training a priority for many years. 

Hoffman Car Wash in New York is a great example. Today we are talking with Walt Hartl, Vice President of Learning, about Hoffman's training history, their culture of learning, and advice for bolstering new training programs. 

Continuing our content theme from last week, we have another conversation around artificial intelligence. Brian Sathianathan, co-founder of Iterate.AI, joins us to talk specifically about AI in the car wash space. 

Iterate.AI works with companies across many industries including several big car wash and convenience store brands. Sathianathan offers unique ways AI can be used in your wash like pay stations, maintenance and managing inventory. He also addresses the security risks around customer data and the best ways to start implementing AI in your wash. 

You can read more about Iterate.AI in the Q1 issue of CAR WASH Magazine, which ships on March 28 to ICA members.

Tony Sposit always wanted to be a paramedic. And after high school that is exactly what he did. But in between his 24-hour paramedic shifts, he decided he wanted to find more work (he claims he was driving his wife crazy around the house).
When the Frenchtown-Monroe Auto Wash opened near his home, he became an attendant loading cars into the wash. A year later he is now the assistant general manager at that location as well as running the PR for all five of their wash locations — and has earned the nickname “The Monroe Car Wash Guy.”

Sposit joins us to talk about what it was like to change roles so quickly. We also talk about the skills that transfer over from being a paramedic to car washing and the unique experiences he has injected into his wash including a live-streamed TikTok radio show on Saturdays from inside the wash.

If you attended The Car Wash Show in 2023, you undoubtedly saw Quick Dry’s booth with pink carpet. Jonathan and Lindsay Wiles, who run the family-owned business, called it the ugliest booth at the show. But the carpet was to bring awareness to a great cause. 

In October of 2023, Quick Dry launched its Go Pink! campaign. They sold pink towels to participating customers and donated a portion of the proceeds ($10,000!) to Hospice of the Piedmont and Breastcancer.org. Many of their customers were also involved in fundraising projects that revolved around the pink towels.

The Wiles join us to talk about the idea for the campaign, the hurdles to make it happen, how they will make it better for 2024, and the humanizing effect that a program like this can have on your view of business.

Claire Moore of the International Carwash Association, Justin Salisbury of Breeze Thru Car Wash, and Michael Schultz of Rich's Car Wash joined Matt DeWolf in an informative live panel at the Car Wash Show™ 2023 in Las Vegas.

They discuss talent engagement, investing in your workforce, and how to effectively let employees know their personal worth and impact on the company.

In early November of 2022, Jeff Pavone was on the show to talk about what was happening in the car wash industry in a two-part episode called The Great Market Reset.

A year later, Pavone is back with his insight on the industry from his perspective as a founding partner of Amplify Car Wash. We discuss the recent market pause, trends moving forward, the added professionalism in the space, and the trends owners should consider to stand out.

Host: Matt DeWolf Guest: Jeff Pavone, Amplify Car Wash Advisors

Episode Summary:

This episode of "Car Wash the Podcast" features Jeff Pavone, a recurring guest, discussing the dynamic shifts and future trends in the car wash industry. The conversation revolves around the industry's rapid growth, market changes, and the impact of external factors like interest rates and inflation.

Key Points Discussed:

1. Industry Evolution:
• Jeff reflects on the industry's journey from rapid expansion to a more measured, profitable approach.
• Discussion on the "great pause" of 2023 and factors influencing it: rising interest rates, inflation, and credit accessibility.
2. Operational Strategies:
• Emphasis on being great operators with a focus on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and efficiency.
• The trend towards building car wash companies, not just car washes, highlighting the importance of infrastructure and team.
3. Market Trends and Challenges:
• An exploration of market saturation and its impact on even the most successful operators.
• The need for innovation and differentiation in an increasingly competitive market.
4. Technological Advancements:
• The role of technology in enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency.
• Predictions for future innovations including AI and robotics in car wash operations.
5. Advice for Small Operators:
• The importance of understanding market dynamics and buyer expectations.
• Adapting to technological advancements and using data effectively for customer retention and business growth.
6. Industry Outlook for 2024:
• Optimism about market stabilization and controlled, intelligent growth.
• Expectations of increased deal-making and strategic expansions by major players.
7. Personal Growth and Business Ethics:
• Jeff emphasizes the importance of being generous and community-focused, both personally and professionally.
• The role of building strong relationships and being a valuable part of the community for business success.

Closing Thoughts: Matt and Jeff conclude with insights into the future of the car wash industry, stressing the need for adaptability, smart growth strategies, and the potential for more creative and innovative approaches in the coming years. 

Claudia Moldovan Crea, CEO and Jessica Price Easter, Director of Marketing join us to go Behind the Brand with Qual Chem.

Marketing is all about spending money to (hopefully) make money. The trick is knowing where to focus that spend.

This week we are playing you a panel, recorded live at the Car Wash Magazine Live Studio at the Car Wash Show™ 2023 in Las Vegas. Levi McClendon of OptSpot, Nick Rodia of Sgt. Clean Car Wash, and Sam Sousa of All American Car Wash joined host Matt DeWolf to discuss trends they are seeing as the best ways to spend a marketing budget. From YouTube to community engagement and fundraising there is certainly something to take home and try out from this conversation.

This episode is all about people and is applicable to much more than the car washing community. Justin Salisbury, president of Breeze Thru Car Wash joins us to talk about how Breeze Thru Car Wash has maintained its culture as they have grown to 12 locations. He defines culture, gives great tips on coaching, discusses building trust, balancing staff development and profitability, and the importance of failure. Plus a brief aside on kid’s baseball teams. You are going to enjoy this one.

The Car Wash Show Europe was held in Amsterdam two weeks ago and we sent a member of the podcast staff to report on the goings on there. He is back this week to play some of those conversations and chat with Matt about his experience at the show.

This week Matt DeWolf is handing the mic over to four very capable speakers who were gathered at the Car Wash Show Europe in Amsterdam last week.

Eric Wulf of the International Car Wash Association along with Bryan Madderson of the Car Wash Association in the UK, Thomas Drott of the Federal Association of Gas Stations and Commercial Car Washes in Germany, and Erik Stern of BOVAG in the Netherlands spoke at a round table presentation on the state of the industry in each of their regions.

This is a conversation for managers by managers.

Iona Kearney of Speedy Sparkle Wash, John Sproul of Camel Express Car Wash, and Shad Valle of Metro Express Wash joined us to discuss their personal management successes, failures, and ideologies.

This panel was presented live at the Car Wash Magazine Live Studio at the Car Wash Show™ 2023 in Las Vegas.

So you collect some data but don't know what to do with it? You collect no data and don't know how to start? You don't know how to get more information from your customers? You want to turn your data insights into a more personalized relationship with your customers?

In this episode, we bring you a panel with exactly those insights. Kacy Erdelyi of Spark Car Wash, Anne Mauler of Soapy Joe's Car Wash, and Dylan Von Kleist of Amp, join us to discuss how they are using data, and what they are looking forward to building in the future.

This panel was presented live at the Car Wash Magazine Live Studio at the Car Wash Show™ 2023 in Las Vegas.

We are continuing our conversations with vendors who will be headed to the Car Wash Show Europe one month from now! In this instalment, we chatted with Jean de Negri. Negri oversees International Sales for Coleman Hanna Car Wash Systems.

Jean de Negri told us about his amazing path to Colman Hanna and the importance of regrouping face-to-face at the show.

The Car Wash Show Europe 2023 is in Amsterdam, on September 21 & 22. We will continue to air interviews with exhibitors previewing the exciting things on display at the September show.

We are continuing our conversations with vendors who will be headed to the Car Wash Show Europe one month from now! In this instalment, we chatted with Nate Wellens. Wellens is the Distributor Sales Support & International Sales Representative at Washworld.

The Car Wash Show Europe 2023 is in Amsterdam, on September 21 & 22. We will continue to air interviews with exhibitors previewing the exciting things on display at the September show.

This week we bring you an important conversation between Dorielle Birnkrant COO/CMO of PetroCal Associates and Megan Ragsdale COO of Soapy Joe's. Ragsdale is also the founder of Risky, Inc and the author of the book: "Risky Women".

Birnkrant interviewed Ragsdale about her book, women in leadership, and the benefit of diversifying your company's leadership teams.

This conversation was recorded live from the Car Wash Show™ 2023 in Las Vegas.

In this episode, we discussed the Car Wash Show Europe with Robert Andre. Andre is the Senior Vice President of Innovation at Sonny's The Car Wash Factory.

The Car Wash Show Europe 2023 is in Amsterdam, on September 21 & 22. This is the first of several interviews we will air with exhibitors previewing the exciting things that will be on display at the September show.

So you are thinking of selling your wash? 

In this episode, we bring you a panel that could not be more informative on the subject. In 2022 Zips Car Wash bought Jet Brite with the assistance of Amplify Car Wash Advisors. Dave Dalesandro the former owner of Jet Brite, David Miller of Zips, and Jeff Pavone of Amplify join us to talk about the process, decision-making, and experience of selling and buying. 

This panel was presented live at the Car Wash Magazine Live Studio at the Car Wash Show™ 2023 in Las Vegas.

Dan Gingiss is a customer experience expert, who believes that a remarkable customer experience can be your best marketing.

Gingiss argues that in car washing the wash itself isn't that different from location to location. "People want to drive away with a clean car that isn't scratched". That makes the product difficult to compete on, so the area where one needs to stand out is in the customer experience.

Gingiss joined us to discuss how we can show our employees what good customer experience looks like, allow them to bring their personalities to work, handle customer reviews, and build a subscription service so good that people won't even look at the price.

Dan Gingiss was a keynote speaker at the Car Wash Show™ 2023 in Las Vegas.

Sarita Maybin is a keynote and inspirational speaker. Maybin shows her audiences how to transform uncomfortable conversations into constructive communication. With real stories, real solutions and a relatable presence, she breaks down barriers to reveal how to work together better.

In this episode Mayin shares with us tips on language to use in conflict, how she decides to confront an issue, and how to address a frustrated customer for a productive result.

Sarita Maybin was a speaker at The Car Wash Show™ 2023 in Las Vegas.

Jason and Claire Cunningham are the husband and wife team behind Big Splash Car Wash and Spotless Wash Solutions. They are, as many in the car wash space, scrappy entrepreneurs. What sets them apart, and why we are telling you their story,  is a step further than that. They approach car washing with innovative technology. Technology that they have both adopted from other industries and invented themselves. Innovations that are so good, other people are buying them. We bring you this episode from their newest Big Splash site in Colorado.  

Sterling Hawkins is an author, investor and entrepreneur, and most importantly the founder of the #NoMatterWhat movement. In short, Hawkins shows people how to achieve the results they want regardless of the circumstances.

In this episode Sterling tells us his story of going from a multi-billion dollar startup to collapse and coming back to launch, invest and grow over 50 companies, and the lessons he has learned from it.

It turns out that getting results comes down to pushing past your comfort zone and limiting beliefs. Hawkins' book "Hunting Discomfort: How to Get Breakthrough Results in Life and Business No Matter What" will take you through 5 steps to first discover discomfort within yourself and then move through it to get the results you’ve been looking for. In this episode, we discuss a few of those steps.

Sterling Hawkins was a speaker at the Car Wash Show™ 2023 in Las Vegas.

Alex Chausovsky is the Vice President of Analytics and Consulting at the Miller Resource Group. He is a highly experienced market researcher and analyst with more than twenty years of expertise across subjects including economics, industrial manufacturing, automation, and advanced technology trends.

In this episode, Alex provides some big-picture analysis of the state of the economy, job market, and labor trends with new generations coming into the workforce.

We are taking a break from your education and improvement this episode. This one is more about honoring two people who are by all accounts, already excellent car washers and amazing people…. But we bet it rubs off on you.

At the Car Wash Show 2023 in Las Vegas, Manuel “Manny” Lozano of Lozano Car Wash and Frank Dorsa of Classic Car Wash were both honored as the newest inductees into the Car Wash Hall of Fame. It is really exciting to tell the story of these two car-washing legends together because they both accomplished amazing things. Industry-defining firsts, stuff that changed the game forever, but they did it in such different-almost opposing ways. Even more interesting is that they pulled off these feats in the same market. Ostensibly they were competitors, but my favorite piece of the entire story, and the most car wash thing about all of this …. is that they are long-time great friends.

ICA President Justin Alford, Frank, Manny, and several more voices join us to tell the story of, and honor, these two car-washing greats.

CEO and co-founder Austin Esecson joins us to go Behind the Brand at Rinsed.

This episode of our show was recorded at the Car Wash Magazine Live Studio at the Car Wash Show™ 2023 in Las Vegas.

President Kipp Kofsky and Business Development Director Mike Gordon join us to go Behind the Brand at Arcadian Services.

This episode of our show was recorded at the Car Wash Magazine Live Studio at the Car Wash Show™ 2023 in Las Vegas.

Mike Yamin joins us to go Behind the Brand at Gallop Brush Co.

This episode of our show was recorded at the Car Wash Magazine Live Studio at the Car Wash Show™ 2023 in Las Vegas.

We bring you an episode from the final day of The Car Wash Show 2023 in Las Vegas. ICA President Justin Alford and CEO Eric Wulf chat about the state of the car wash industry. They recap the show and talk about what they think is coming up in the future.

This episode is the first show from The Car Wash Show this year and will be followed by three episodes featuring our ICA Champions beginning tomorrow!

Kim Vinciguerra, ICA's Chief Experience Officer stopped by to chat about The Car Wash Show 2023 in Las Vegas. The show is coming up next week May 8-10.

Kim told us about some of the new aspects of the show including late-night events to help network, more vendors on the trade show floor than ever before, revamped education opportunities, and two new awards. She also told us what we can expect from the Hall of Fame celebration, Big Bash, and Car Wash Magazine Live Studio. Download the app, get your walking shoes, do your stretches, stay hydrated and we will see you next week in Las Vegas!

The labor market is changing and there's a new generation that we're trying to employ and retain and attract in our businesses. And on the flip side, we're trying to find ways to make really strong connections with our teams and customers.

Smiley Poswolsky is here to discuss that on this week's episode. Smiley is a speaker at the upcoming Car Wash Show in Las Vegas May 8-10. 

Smiley is a Workplace Belonging Keynote Speaker and author of "The Quarter Life Breakthrough", the "Breakthrough Speaker", and "Friendship, in the Age of Loneliness". Smiley's expertise is data-driven insights and practical tools that will help you attract and retain top talent, build highly connected hybrid teams, engage the multigenerational workforce, create a culture of belonging, and lead what he is calling "The Great Reconnection."

This week we had a great conversation with Shep Hyken, one of our excellent speakers at the show coming up May 8-10 in Las Vegas.

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert and the Chief Amazement Officer of Shepard Presentations. He is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and has been inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement in the speaking profession. 

His articles have been read in hundreds of publications, and he is the author of Moments of Magic®, The Loyal Customer, The Cult of the Customer, The Amazement Revolution, Amaze Every Customer Every Time, Be Amazing or Go Home, The Convenience Revolution and I’ll Be Back. He is also the creator of The Customer Focus™, a customer service training program which helps clients develop a customer service culture and loyalty mindset. 

Our conversation today is around just that. How can we make our operations better through the customer experience?

This episode comes from a great conversation with Kacy Erdelyi of Spark Car Wash and Nick Rodia of Sgt. Clean on our most recent CAR WASH Magazine Live panel. 

Every month we speak with experts in the industry on a topic and share it with you. This month we discussed retention and online conversions. New customers are great, but how do we keep the ones we’ve got? And can we convert potential new customers who aren’t at our car wash sites?

This week's episode is an industry update on the new patent that OmniX Labs have secured for their real time analysis of security video footage.  Anoop Kanthan, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder of OmniX Labs, talks us through the decision to get a patent, exactly how their product works, and his predictions for the AI landscape moving forward.  

This is part two of our series on Gleam Car Wash in Denver. If you have not listened to part one we recommend you start there!

In part two we hear again from owner and operator Emilie Barrata alongside the voices of other employees at Gleam and their philanthropic partners. This episode focuses on Gleam as a wash and its culture. We get a look into their inclusive hiring program, dedication to the environment, and work in the community. 

After a brief planning break CAR WASH The Podcast is officially back! for the first installment of season 3 we are bringing you a two-part series on Gleam Car Wash in Denver Colorado. In this first episode, we are telling you the story of Emilie Barrata who owns and operates Gleam. She tells us about her journey into car washing, the lessons she has learned from starting a car wash from scratch, and her perspective on being a woman in the car wash industry. 

Next week Thursday we will continue with part 2 focusing on the many amazing things about Gleam as a wash and organization. 

Season 3 is upon us! We are excited to announce that we are back with new episodes next week, Thursday, February 23rd. Season three begins with a two-part episode about Gleam Car Wash in Denver. We can't wait for you to hear it. 

This is part two of a conversation with Jeff Pavone, partner at Amplify Car Wash Advisors. Jeff is back on the podcast to fill us in on the merger and acquisition landscape in the car wash industry with trends, predictions, data, and expert insight into the current (and future) market. 

This week’s episode was so jam-packed with insight, we needed two weeks to share it with you. This is part one of a conversation with Jeff Pavone, partner at Amplify Car Wash Advisors. Jeff is back on the podcast to fill us in on the merger and acquisition landscape in the car wash industry with trends, predictions, data, and expert insight into the current (and future) market. 

AMP Car Wash Membership Platform Co-founders Dennis Dreeszen and Adam Trien join us to share their origin story. We go behind the brand to discuss how they developed an app for Autowash into a multi-tenant app, where the brand is today, where they want to go, and the honeymoon destination of the founders.

NFTs in the car wash space? We have a bonus episode for you discussing just that. Anne Mauler of Soapy Joe’s Car Wash joins us to talk about their recently NFT campaign, why and how they did it, and the result so far.