Automotive Repair News Today

Braxton Critcher [00:00:05]:
This is Automotive Repair News today with Ryan Reagan, the executive director, asta.

Ryan Ragan [00:00:13]:
Yeah, what's up, dude? Well, it's been a little while. Yeah, it's been like six months. Oh my God, six, seven months.

Braxton Critcher [00:00:18]:
The last time we talked was at asta. Yeah, so that was in September of last year.

Ryan Ragan [00:00:23]:
So it's, it's a lot. We have a lot of things going on, I won't lie to you. We've got a million things in the air, you know, getting, we have fueling connections coming up out, you know, in the Charlotte area. Out in Mooresville.

Braxton Critcher [00:00:36]:
Yeah, that's right.

Ryan Ragan [00:00:37]:
In April. That's coming up. You know, we're going to have that. It'll be held the first day there that Friday at the NASCAR Performance Institute. We're going to have dinner at the North Carolina Race Car hall of Fame and then the next day we'll stay at the hotel, have a couple panel things and then break for the day. So we're looking forward to that planning obviously next year, you know, this, this year's Expo now and planning next year's, you know, 20, 26 expo simultaneously. So that's been a lot redoing the entire website, creating a membership portal, things like that. So members will be able to log in, access member only content, be able to purchase things through, you know, multiple different ways, whether it be credit card, Apple, Pay ach, whatever you want to do, you can use but revamp and all of those things.

Ryan Ragan [00:01:21]:
So it's been kind of rebuilding the infrastructure. We went out and got. I think right now we're sitting at around 26 or 27 vendor partnership agreements where they'll offer our members some type of program or discount for their services. And we're still. I'm waiting on a few more down. Had a great conversation yesterday with Move, Moob Lubricant. Yeah, had a great conversation with them yesterday from the hotel. So it's the one thing about going to a trade show you still got.

Ryan Ragan [00:01:48]:
I still got my own stuff to run. I'm stepping out and getting into meetings all the time. But yeah, but no. So it's been real good talking to some other associations in the Carolina area about working together to do some things to just keep enhancing the value. So it's been really good.

Braxton Critcher [00:02:02]:
Yeah. By the way, we are at the Vision High Tech Training and Expo in Kansas City and I just ran into in the hallway and was like, hey man, what's going on? We should record because last year when we talked, we talked about ASTA and the big deal last Year was. It was ASTE rebranded to asta, and this year is not a rebrand, but it's a relocation. And you're like, what Lucas was telling me, it's going from like so many rooms, classes to over 200 or something like that. Like, it is like 50 times as large.

Ryan Ragan [00:02:43]:
It's going to be a lot different. So the space, you know, we're moving to the Raleigh Convention Center. We're going to be the next two years, which is great because you're right smack dab in the middle of downtown Raleigh. Lots of places to walk when you're not in the show and you're not in training. At the end of the day, there's things you can go do if you've never been there. You can explore. You know, there's museums, restaurants, anything you want, but it is. So, you know, normally we have around 150, you know, booths on the expo floor.

Ryan Ragan [00:03:09]:
We'll have capacity for about 212 this time, you know, we have space for 150. And then now we're going to have space to 212. We plan on filling them all. So there'll be, you know, that's our goals of 212 booths. And then, yeah, the meeting rooms. Just the amount of space we have is very grandiose. It is a very gorgeous, nice, you know, expo hall, gorgeous building. You know, one thing I'll tell you, though, you know, one thing we won't change, we had a lot of conversations about this is, yeah, it's going to be nice and shiny and new.

Ryan Ragan [00:03:41]:
We're still going to be the same down home, you know, kind of Southern country folks that we are. You know, you just needed a bigger space. Yeah, and we did. We've outgrown where we were at and, you know, we want to give people that same service and that same sense of coming and. And really just, you know, being with family and networking and connecting. But you're just going to have much more offerings there and a much prettier building.

Braxton Critcher [00:04:01]:
Because that is the thing. I forget who said it, but a week or two ago I was talking to somebody and he was like, you know, I've been. He said, I haven't gone to all the shows, but he's like, I go to a lot of them. And he said, every time I go to, I can't not go. Oh, it's Chris Enright. Chris Enright from Ohio. He said, I can't not go to asta. That is a must go for me every year because of the community, the Connections, the friendly environment.

Braxton Critcher [00:04:28]:
And he was like, it's way more than the education and the Expo, but it's just like, I go there, it's like a family reunion, and I can't.

Ryan Ragan [00:04:37]:
Miss that one, you know, it is.

Braxton Critcher [00:04:39]:
So that's good that that's not going to change.

Ryan Ragan [00:04:41]:
No, it's not going to change. It's one of the few things. And I've been to a million trade shows in different industries, and I've been to a lot of these lately and many more to go before Marshall. But the one thing I've learned is ASTA is probably one of the few places I've ever seen where you can learn just as much outside of the classroom just by networking, just by meeting people. A lot of these people are so giving of their time and their knowledge. And these are people that weren't always successful. They, you know, they struggle, they've overcame, and it was people that helped them, and so they just kind of pay it forward. But it's a great environment.

Ryan Ragan [00:05:13]:
You know, if you're new, if you're a new shop and you're struggling, I promise you, this is where you want to come.

Braxton Critcher [00:05:17]:
Yeah.

Ryan Ragan [00:05:18]:
The people you will meet there are just very giving. You know, we go out, we have our regional meetings throughout the state in different cities, and, you know, we get some shop owners, and some are members, some aren't members, but they all get to sit around, kind of break bread. I buy the dinner and people can talk and, you know, what are you doing about this? Or I don't know what this is. I had a board member who's a very successful shop owner called me the other day, and she's like, I'm on my way out to Wilmington. You know, it's not in her backyard. It's a drive. And I'm like, what are you doing? Then she goes, well, there's a shop owner, one of our members, that was struggling and needs some help, and I'm going to go out there and help her put in projects, processes, procedures, and that's what it's all about for us. Yeah.

Ryan Ragan [00:05:55]:
You know, anybody that's. That's a member of ASTA will break their back to help you out.

Braxton Critcher [00:05:59]:
Yeah.

Ryan Ragan [00:05:59]:
So they're good stuff.

Braxton Critcher [00:06:01]:
So you, you're like, you said you've been going to a lot of other expos, So, I mean, obviously I see your notebook, you're taking notes.

Ryan Ragan [00:06:09]:
I am.

Braxton Critcher [00:06:09]:
There's things that I'm sure you see, that you like, that you don't like, that you would do differently. Whatever so like when you. Because this is your first year in the industry.

Ryan Ragan [00:06:18]:
Oh, yeah.

Braxton Critcher [00:06:18]:
And your first real year preparing for the show. So what have you seen from Asta last year? What have you seen from other expos? And that you're like, man, that's a great idea. That's going to. And you know, you're not going to change the culture, not going to change the environment, but you're going to change some of how things work. So what, what do. What should I expect that's going to change?

Ryan Ragan [00:06:38]:
Well, you know, we streamlining the registration process. It's going to be a lot smoother, a lot faster. You know how we give out things. So one thing I'll tell you is, you know, when you register, you know, you'll get a bag and when you come in, you get your B, you're going to get a bag. You know, we used to, the next day we would give out T shirts or something that you'll get all that right when you show up and register. The trade show, the expo floor, it's, you know, last year it's open four or five hours. This year it'll be open Friday afternoon and then all day Saturday. But that first time it opens Friday afternoon, there'll be a session kind of there, only two to three hours, where the only people are going to be allowed on that floor are owners and decision makers.

Ryan Ragan [00:07:21]:
That way, if you're trying, you know, you're a vendor and you're trying to move product, you want to have some business deals, we'll have some offices set aside too. If you want to go have some private meeting, I want you to be able, I want the members to be able to get a good product. I want you to be able to move your product. If you're coming to our show and putting up a booth, is that something.

Braxton Critcher [00:07:38]:
You'Ve seen in others that you like?

Ryan Ragan [00:07:39]:
Lots of them. Yeah. Because then, you know, it's so hard to have a conversation. I used to suffer through it when I would be at booths, you know, and I'm in the middle of talking a great business deal and there's four people in line behind him. And you kind of, you know what, I'll call you next week. And then the next person says, hey, can I get a pen? You know, yeah, you can interrupt that question. We want to let the owners and decision makers kind of get a window there to have those discussions, even set up further discussions. And then, hey, let the masses in and everybody goes and fills the buckets and, you know, whatever they do and get their trinkets because that's a lot of fun and I know people look forward to it.

Ryan Ragan [00:08:15]:
So I think it's always a good thing for us. So that'll be a little different, you know, same podcast again. We're looking at maybe adding some. A couple other things for education wide, maybe a little more on the tire side on a Saturday. Also looking at maybe adding some collision education for some folks because we do have some member shops that do both, you know, and so adding that got some new vendors looking for new sponsors. One thing I've seen last year, we didn't sponsor certain things that we probably should have. We had folks that were interested in being sponsored and we just didn't really, you know, follow through and push that. There's opportunities now, obviously, look, you can sponsor the Friday night, you know, dinner party thing.

Ryan Ragan [00:08:55]:
Everything you can sponsor, you know, the registration, you can sponsor various things. But, you know, mobile apps, things like that. There were just things we left out. Nobody sponsored the buses to shuttle people. So looking at ways to engage, I've also, you know, signed some contracts with some other groups to help us out. So it'll be good. I have one that's an outdoor media company and they handle like the Raleigh media. So if you're a sponsor and you said, you know what, I want all the bus benches in downtown Raleigh to say Napa.

Ryan Ragan [00:09:24]:
I want the buses that are driving around skinned in Napa. They can make that happen for you. And it's pretty cool. You want to sign it to Uber at the airport, they can make that happen for you. You know, welcome to Asta. You know what, they can make all that happen for you. So it's new opportunities that we've never put out there before.

Braxton Critcher [00:09:40]:
So when we did talk at Asta, you encouraged feedback. You gave out your email. I don't think you gave out your phone number. You may have, I don't know, they.

Ryan Ragan [00:09:49]:
Can have it if they want.

Braxton Critcher [00:09:50]:
But you were like, I want feedback. I want to have ideas of what we could do we could work on. Have you heard from people?

Ryan Ragan [00:09:57]:
Sure.

Braxton Critcher [00:09:58]:
And are you working to try and work that stuff in too?

Ryan Ragan [00:10:02]:
Absolutely, 100%. I mean, you know, there were people that talked about the meals and how we did it, and then it was too noisy when we had speakers up while people were eating. Because it wasn't a box lunch. That was one thing they were smart here in doing is, you know, you have some box lunches, there's no clanging, there's no silverware, and, you know, you're pretty much done eating by the time the speaker got on stage, you know, the way that they timed out. So those are things that I paid very close attention to. We'll be, you know, incorporating some of that as well, you know, and just basic feedback overall about the membership. You know, what more value can we add? What can we do? So, you know, now we've got different coaching companies. We've got, you know, credit card payment processing companies.

Ryan Ragan [00:10:41]:
We have multiple different organizations out there that are going to give you some value. I signed a deal with adp. If you want to process your payroll through ADP and you're an ASTA member now, you get 20% off of that processing. And so just different things. Just to say, hey, any, any nickel and dime, I can save you, I'll save you. Because it's a tough world out there. I mean, everything's expensive. We're also in the middle of pushing legislation.

Ryan Ragan [00:11:05]:
You know, there's a bill that was introduced about increasing the cost for, you know, the inspection fees and things like that. And that's been kicked around for a long time. A lot of discussions around stuff. And so. Well, we got wind of it. We've reached out, you know, we're speaking with the representatives from the districts. We're reaching out to our shop owners and telling them, this is what the bill says. This is the dollar amounts that are proposed.

Ryan Ragan [00:11:30]:
Reached out to your people, you know, reach out to the districts, the leadership in your districts, and tell them that you support this because it's been a. It's been a struggle with the inspections right now. You know, let's be honest. In North Carolina, there's so many people that are just slapping a sticker on and waving you down the road. And because financially, it doesn't sense for them to do this. They lose money. And if you find something wrong, they just drive down the street somebody else and he'll put a sticker on it for them. And so we're really trying to get past this because I think with DVIs, you know, the digital video inspections today, and a thorough, proper inspection, you know, you can actually alert a driver, hey, your car is, you know, your tires are good, your brakes are good, your horns, all that stuff's good.

Ryan Ragan [00:12:10]:
But just to let you know, you know, here's a video. You don't have to take care of this day, but you have a slight leak in your head gasket. You're going to want to address that at some point. And it's an honest feedback session. And I just think it'll be better. And you know, if you look at the reports, you know, from Texas, other states that have gotten rid of the inspections, most of the accidents are caused by tires. You know, the tires are in terrible shape and things like that. And nowadays that's just not being looked at close enough.

Ryan Ragan [00:12:34]:
So we've got to find that happy medium of hey, we need safe vehicles out on the road. We need shops to be able to actually process a car through a good inspection and actually not lose money doing it. So that's, you know, we're pushing that right now. So there's been a lot of things that we're driving on. You know, it's. And every day we figure out something new we want to do or try and we put it out to the members. What do you think of this? What do you think of that?

Braxton Critcher [00:12:57]:
You know, I just thought about this too. You know, you're talking about the massive increase in space that's going to be happening and you know, we talked about the culture, the environment, that that's a big draw for ASTA because I just thought about this. But has there been other people that have been like, well, you know, when you go to that kind of space, I think part of the environment and the close knit feeling ASC had was because it was a smaller venue and when you come out of your class, there's not a lot of space to get lost. You come right back to the same central spot. You have those conversations. Are there people that are concerned that maybe that might be something that hinders those conversations because it is spread out more? Have you thought about that?

Ryan Ragan [00:13:39]:
I think there were initially in the layout, but once you actually go and see it, the grandiose interest is probably the biggest thing. So when you walk in, it's this massive open space, but where you go to the part of the convention hall we're going to be, it's going to be a good feel. It's pretty tight. And again, you know, the rooms are all right there. When you come out, it's going to be a crowded hallway, you know, heading back over to the restroom, to the food, whatever they want. So I think, and again, it's up to us and how we place things, how we place volunteers, how we place, you know, our staff to make sure that that field continues and even displacing, you know, certain types of objects, photo, things like that. You know, like I said, I told you earlier, we've never really done themes so much. You know, this year we're kind of going with.

Ryan Ragan [00:14:23]:
Since it's kind of a cult thing right now or pop culture thing, kind of going with an alien kind of UFO theme.

Braxton Critcher [00:14:30]:
Well, and it's also. You're getting close to Halloween at that time.

Ryan Ragan [00:14:32]:
It is a good time, you know, but no, I mean, we think that the training is so good there that even the aliens would send their text. So, you know, that's. That's kind of what we're going for and we're going to have a lot of fun with it. Do some goofy things throughout the show. I want people to have fun, I want them to learn and I want them to have an experience that they remember.

Braxton Critcher [00:14:51]:
Are you gonna wear an alien costume?

Ryan Ragan [00:14:52]:
It won't be me because I'm not thin enough to be an alien. I would not look well in it. That would be a weird looking alien. Yeah, I gotta. I've got. I've got recruits out there though, that'll. That'll do it for me though. Yeah.

Ryan Ragan [00:15:07]:
Yeah. But we're gonna have some fun. You know, we're still. We're still planning some things, so nothing's ever 100%, but we've got a few things we're looking at.

Braxton Critcher [00:15:15]:
You know, the one thing I will miss about the old place, cockroaches in my bedroom.

Ryan Ragan [00:15:20]:
Well, that was a whole thing. I was stunned by that last year. So, you know, do you have a cockroach in yours? No. But it was the weirdest thing for me though was I'd never seen a place that had that many bathroom issues. Like every time I'd go to a bathroom, something was broke or out of order and I was just like, and the next day there would be more and I'm like, I'd never seen anything like that. And so that will not be the case this year. You know the hotel across the street in the convention center? The Marriott, Stellar place. I've been there before for corporate retreats.

Ryan Ragan [00:15:48]:
Great restaurant. We're gonna have a women's dinner there. That's gonna be fantastic. So it's gonna be a whole different vibe, but still it's just gonna be the same old people, you know, just walking around in a shinier place.

Braxton Critcher [00:15:59]:
Maybe, maybe you could, you know, buy some cockroaches. We could put them in cages just for nostalgia. Put them in the rooms.

Ryan Ragan [00:16:06]:
I could do something like that.

Braxton Critcher [00:16:08]:
Maybe for your, you know, like Lucas.

Ryan Ragan [00:16:10]:
I could put them in Lucas. Yeah, that's a no brainer. No. You know, and I' getting out there and you know, getting. Getting all you folks back out there, Carm. All of them. You Know, I want everybody to get out there and have some fun and, you know, because again, you meet so many people out there and it's just, it is shocking to me. Since I've been here, just, you know, here, I've probably had 30, 40 people come up to me.

Ryan Ragan [00:16:35]:
I'm struggling to remember who they are because I met about 300 people that day and I was like, okay. You know, I'm like trying to remember. Okay. And they all know who I am. It is amazing how tight knit of a community it is. So, you know, I'm looking forward to that. I'm looking forward to continuing to build on it and then, you know, getting the feedback from this one, you know, that'll be great too. You know.

Ryan Ragan [00:16:54]:
What, what was better? What was worse?

Braxton Critcher [00:16:55]:
Yeah, I think, I think we talked about this before we hit record. So you mentioned the go karts because of the distance in between the center and the place is not happening. But you're doing something else.

Ryan Ragan [00:17:09]:
Yeah, it's just, it's too much of a distance. So in North Hills, not far from the AST offices, there's a place called Kings Entertainment. It's, you know, bowling, arcades, all kinds of stuff. You know, the full bars and just some crazy, you know, pool tables, all types of stuff you can do. So we lease that entire facility and you'll be right in downtown North Hills. And if you've never been in North Hills, it's a cool area. We'll shuttle you over there. You know, it's, it's going to be a great fun night.

Ryan Ragan [00:17:36]:
And when that event ends, if you want to keep going out, you know, you're in walking distance to everything you can imagine. You know, bar, tacos, tons of different restaurants, yard houses, capital grills, they're all right there. There's neat hotel right there. I actually just stayed in it for Valentine's Day with my wife that has a rooftop lounge, you know, and you're looking, looking over downtown. So it's, it's a cool area. I think the, you know, the thing that's going to be greatly different about this one is you're not just stuck there and have to uber somewhere where the convention center is where the events are, you're gonna be able to walk anywhere you want to go.

Braxton Critcher [00:18:11]:
Well, I mean, I think like I love go, like I love go karts. And I never, I had never gone on that kind of a go kart. Like that powerful that fast. It was awesome.

Ryan Ragan [00:18:22]:
I think something was wrong with mine. I'm just putting that out There excuses. I probably won't.

Braxton Critcher [00:18:28]:
I mean, I think people will miss that. But you could only do go karts. You got food. But what you just said, you know, bowling, arcade, pool table, like there's more variety. Well, I'm sorry, there was, there was some arcade. You're right, there was some. And it was sort of tucked away.

Ryan Ragan [00:18:46]:
We actually had looked at another go kart place that we maybe could have made work, but they're shutting down, like right now to go into remodel. And we don't know really what it's gonna be like when it's done. And so we're like, what if we sign and then. Man, we don't like this. Yeah, so we'll revisit that, you know, after this one and check that place out and see what we can do. A lot of fun, though.

Braxton Critcher [00:19:09]:
Anything else?

Ryan Ragan [00:19:11]:
No. I mean, this summer we've got a clay in Holly Springs, North Carolina. We got a little clay. Clay pigeon shooting.

Braxton Critcher [00:19:18]:
A clay shoot.

Ryan Ragan [00:19:18]:
Yeah. So we've got. Coming up. So, you know, come on down to that. The Fueling Connections things too. You know, we. We went all out. We got some really good sponsors this year who really kicked in for us, and so we were able to lower the cost of that.

Ryan Ragan [00:19:31]:
So if you're a member and you want to come to Fueling Connections and we've got Josh Parnell and some others.

Braxton Critcher [00:19:37]:
I know Laura Lee.

Ryan Ragan [00:19:39]:
Laura Lee will be there. She'll be there. And you want to listen to some good leadership training. You know, you want to do that the next day. We're going to have some panels. Like I said, we're going to have dinner that night at the North Carolina Race Car hall of Fame. And you know, if you're a member, it's $100. If you're a non member, it's $150.

Ryan Ragan [00:19:54]:
So, I mean, it's a good deal. But by doing how we were able to do it. The NASCAR Institute being so graceful, they gave us the facility, said, hey, you can use this for nothing. So, you know, that all aided us for me to be. Let's. Let's drop the ticket price, try to get more people to get some of this. So I'm hoping it's a really good event. Yeah, Elite Rewards was a great sponsor for us.

Braxton Critcher [00:20:15]:
Well, link to register for ASTA is in the show notes and hey, why not? I'll throw in one for Fueling Connections too. So please, do you want to go to those shows? You can get details for that in the show notes of the podcast.

Ryan Ragan [00:20:31]:
I better see you at some of these more. You don't wait all the way to the Expo.

Braxton Critcher [00:20:34]:
I'm definitely going to be at the Expo.

Ryan Ragan [00:20:36]:
Well, I don't want to wait that long to bump into you.

Braxton Critcher [00:20:38]:
I was thinking about going to Fueling Connections because I'm still. So that's only about two hours away.

Ryan Ragan [00:20:41]:
You should come down and hang out.

Braxton Critcher [00:20:43]:
I think it'd be good if I can.

Ryan Ragan [00:20:44]:
So. And then I'm gonna be out in Asheville probably in the next couple months. I spent three days out in Charlotte visiting shops members and non members, talking to them. I'm gonna probably do the same thing out in Nashville coming up, so I'll let you know when I'm in town. Yeah, we can definitely do it. I'd look forward to it. Cool.

Braxton Critcher [00:21:00]:
Thanks, Ryan.

Ryan Ragan [00:21:01]:
Thank you.

Braxton Critcher [00:21:06]:
Hey, if you're still here, thank you so much for listening to this episode of Automotive Repair News today. If you enjoyed the show, please take a moment like share. Subscribe to the podcast. It'll help us out a big deal and help grow the show. And you know what? While you're at it, slap on a review too. If you feel like this content is helpful for the industry, don't forget to follow us on all your favorite social media platforms. We're on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn. Stay connected and be the first to know about new episodes, behind the scene, content and more.

Braxton Critcher [00:21:37]:
And until next time, let's make the industry better together.