LEADING THE WAY
What makes a good manager? Industr y professionals discuss their perspectives.
BUILDING FROM THE BOTTOM
Cabe Sipes shares how he’s grown, what he’s learned along the way and how he hopes to help others do the same.
FANDOM FORGING A
HOW DOES A BUSINESS BUILD A LOYAL FOLLOWING? KARTELE MOBILE ELECTRONICS, WINNER OF THIS YEAR’S AWARD FOR BEST CUSTOMER RETENTION PROGRAM, BEGINS BY ENSURING CLIENTS FEEL APPRECIATED.
FEATURES
12// What’s Happening: The Keys to Effective Management
What makes a good manager? Industry professionals share how they apply leadership methods in their retail locations, and what they’ve learned.
20// Customer Retention: How to Keep Them Coming Back
KarTele Mobile Electronics—this year’s winner for Best Customer Retention Program—shares a few simple keys to retaining customers and attracting referrals.
36// On the Show Floor: Fit for the Future
In continued coverage of KnowledgeFest Atlantic City, vendors present everything from integration kits to new amplifiers and lighting options.
46// Model Mentor: Full Circle
Cabe Sipes overcame countless obstacles, joining the cast of MTV’s Pimp My Ride. Today, he’s driven by a love of car audio and a passion for teaching as he shares his knowledge with the industry.
50// Strategy and Tactics: Positive Planning
A salesperson must work on themselves to finetune their professional life. Sales trainer Kevin Hallinan recommends positive affirmations to shift the mindset.
When it comes to customer retention, business owner Mike Hungerford said no special program is needed: If a customer is treated fairly and honestly, he said, they’ll come back, and they’ll share that experience with friends and family. KarTele Mobile Electronics, based in Waterbury, Conn., is this year’s recipient of the award for Best Customer Retention Program.
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EDITOR’SFORUMROSASOPHIA• EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
LEARNING TO LEAD
What do you think are the essential traits of a good manager?
While attending automotive school years ago, I worked as a library clerk here in Florida. I loved my job, in part because I’ve always loved libraries— going all the way back to when my mother would take my brother and me to the library in Telford, Penn. every Saturday. But what’s the basis for a positive work environment? Something about my job inspired to go above and beyond. I made myself available to help patrons learn to use their Kindles and smartphones, to walk them through tasks on public computers. While everyone on the staff offered this kind of assistance, I wanted to do more. Beneath all the daily tasks, there existed a positive work environment—a culture that made me feel good about my job.
When I think about my library work, and what I learned there, I think of my manager. Lynn knew how to talk to people. If there was a problem, she handled it with delicacy and compassion. This approach to management made me feel like a valued member of the team. How do you view management in your store? If you’re an employee, would you like to see improvements, and how might this come to fruition? If you’re an owner or a manager, how might you nurture the work environment to make it even better?
SHOW YOUR TEAM THAT YOU CARE
These principles remain the same across all industries. In this month’s What’s Happening feature, Mike Hungerford of KarTele Mobile Electronics in Waterbury, Conn. recalled his past experience leading a landscaping team. A manager or owner should always be willing to do the same work their employees are doing, he said—and other retailers agree. This goes a long way toward demonstrating a high level of respect through action.
To make the most positive changes in our personal and professional lives, we must start by looking within. “ ”
We’ve probably all experienced the opposite. Long before I came to the library, I worked for a company wherein the owners never entered our various departments. Resentment grew among myself and my fellow employees, especially when the owners came into our department and instructed us on procedures—things they themselves never did and had no experience doing. This kind of distant management, peppered with judgments and criticism, made for a toxic work environment. Retailers agree it’s best to keep things on a level playing field. Showing a willingness to “get your hands dirty”— to do the same work your employees are doing—has the capacity to increase morale and inspires employees to contribute to the growth of the company.
HOW MIGHT YOU HONE YOUR OWN APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP?
The future of the industry continues to be an important topic of conversation. It’s my personal opinion that any business can grow, evolve, diversify its offerings and be ready for the future as long as it’s built upon a solid, positive foundation. If your workplace has a positive culture—much like my experience at the library—then it’s likely you’re already inspiring your employees to grow on a daily basis. This growth will only benefit the business in the long-term. To make the most positive changes in our personal and professional lives, we must start by looking within. I would love to hear your thoughts on this. If you’re an owner or a manager, how do you lead your team? What do you see as the key traits of a good manager, and why? If something’s not right in your business, how might you repair it?
GET INVOLVED
Industry professionals discuss the importance of learning new technologies and knowing when to ask for help.
“To other retailers just getting started: Get involved in events like KnowledgeFest. Partner up with peers in our industry. It may seem intimidating to ask the big guys for help or guidance, but almost everyone has a few minutes to spare, and no one has ever said no when we’ve asked. Ever since our first KnowledgeFest, we have seen improvements in the store and the attitudes of our employees. Re tail store owners who are not technicians or installers should listen to their qualified technicians in terms of equipment and installation accessories. They have more experience in the field and they can give you information that will help suppor t and grow your business.”
- Jesh Jesty, Sound Evolution, Houston, Texas
“Because you’re learning cutting-edge technologies, your client satisfaction will improve. You’re learning from people who’ve failed, like me. You’re learning from everyone in our industry.
You can’t get me anywhere else, and you can’t buy the Columbus Car Audio product [brand] anywhere else. Clients can only get you at your shop. Make sure it’s worth it. Make sure you’re the best and make sure you’re offering the best.”
- Jayson Cook, Columbus Car Audio & Accessories, Columbus, Ohio
“ You should have an organizational chart of the team—who sits in what seat, who holds what responsibility. [The chain of command.] That will give you a really good outline so you know what’s what. In my opinion, it’s imperative to share this with employees when you’re onboarding your team, so they understand the overall structure of the company—rather than having them bounce around for three months and then say, ‘Oh, I thought so-and-so did that.’ We can eliminate that miscommunication on day one.”
- Tomas Keenan, Step it Up Academy
Mobile Electronics Industry Retail Sales Report
Industry Retail Sales Report
The Mobile Electronics Association reports on specialty retailer performance for the second quarter of 2025 as compared to 2024. Here are the findings.
SECOND QUARTER (Q2) 2025 VS. 2024
FIRST QUARTER (Q1) 2025 VS. 2024
2025 VS. 2024 BY MONTH
Key Observations from the First Half of 2025
• The average dollars per location have decreased 8% from the first half of 2025 as compared to the first half of 2024.
• The number of transactions per location has decreased 8% from the first half of 2025 as compared to the first half of 2024.
• The average dollar per transaction remains flat.
• The first six (6) mont hs of the year saw decreases year over year every month.
WHAT TO READ
Sales Magicians: The Fastest Way to Kill a Company
BY ANONYMOUS
There’s one sure way to kill a business—and it’s not bad ideas, lack of funding, or fierce competition. It’s about not generating enough revenue. This book is a must-read if you’re launching a business or trying to get a new product to market. Told through the fictionalized but based-on-actual-events story of Filbert, a founder with passion, dreams and credentials that investors drool over, this book offers real insight—everything from revenue engineering and brand gravity to building a sales team at the right time. Written anonymously to protect the Filberts who inspired it, Sales Magicians is a must-read for founders, execs, venture capitalists and MBA students. “Don’t be Filbert. Learn from Filbert.” Once you start reading, you will learn why market gravity and brand gravity are the secret weapons to pull in customers, what future pacing is, who to hire and when, and what the differences are between CROs, CSOs and VPs of Sales.
WHAT TO LISTEN TO
This series focuses on conversations with retailers and their suppliers that highlights the positives of retail. You can get tips about how to stay competitive in a brick-and-mortar landscape, find out about resources for training, and learn ways to make your operations run more smoothly. The most recent episode, “Finding Ways to Say Yes Always,” features five conversations with retail entrepreneurs and experts who’ve built successful businesses by focusing on customer relationships, finding creative solutions and staying true to their mission. Episodes run about 30 minutes and are released twice
Through December 31, 2025, all eligible dealers will receive a $10 spiff for
QUICK TIP: Have your customer activate their unit before they leave your store so you can collect your spiff even faster (siriusxm.com/activatenow).
WHAT TO SEE
The Retail Doctor
WWW.RETAILDOC.COM
Is there a doctor in the store? If someone has the prescription for revolutionizing brick-and-mortar retail, it’s Bob Phibbs. This self-proclaimed Retail Doctor, a dynamic speaker, author and retail strategy mastermind, has more than 30 years of hands-on experience, infectious enthusiasm and practical wisdom. His specialty is energizing businesses and helping stores to increase sales while creating exceptional shopping experiences. His programs include customized on-site sales training workshops using small group exercises, role-plays and other interactive segments to drive observable and measurable changes in sales behavior. Phibbs is also available as a motivational speaker and business consultant.
WHAT TO SEE
Bring a Trailer
WWW.BRINGATRAILER.COM
Looking to buy your dream car or sell a vehicle? Or just curious about what’s hot? Founded by Randy Nonnenberg in 2007, this community-based auction marketplace is designed to offer the best experience for buyers and sellers. Initially, it was just a blog where Nonnenberg took the best classified ad he found each day and did a short write-up on it. Here’s how it works today: An auction, which typically runs seven days, starts with sellers submitting cars through the website. The most interesting cars are chosen and curated by a team who then coordinates with the seller to compile a thorough listing for the vehicle. Each auction has a comment thread where the community can discuss and ask questions. Potential bidders can contact the seller, schedule a viewing or set up a test drive. All bids are verified by a credit card hold to ensure commitment.
THE KEYS TO EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT
What makes a good manager? Industry professionals share how they apply leadership methods in their retail locations, and what they’ve learned.
WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA
In an article published this year by CNBC, entrepreneur Barbara Corcoran said it’s essential for an employer to prioritize the success of his or her team members. Her rule, she said, is “I work for you, you
don’t work for me.” Flexibility and empathy are important components of this approach to management.
An effective manager should make employees feel valued, said John Schwartz, CEO of Perfectionist Auto Sound & Security. “It’s our job to create
an environment of growth,” he said, adding that some bosses work hard and grow their own success, without encouraging the growth of their own employees.
Any business that hopes to weather current economic and technological changes—and remain relevant into the
future—must nurture the growth of their employees.
GOOD MANAGERS HELP EMPLOYEES GROW AND EVOLVE
Retailers agree it’s getting harder to find employees. To make matters more complicated, manufacturers are getting better at building cars. Although things like Bluetooth and remote starts from the factory continue to improve, Schwartz said he feels the aftermarket industry will still have plenty of opportunity to offer customization to those who want it.
The mobile electronics industry continues to be driven by the passion of those who found their path early in life. Schwartz, himself, began working with electronics at only 14 years of age.
“My manager started with me when he was 17. He’s going to be 36 this year. I’m proud of him,” he said. “After we were working together for a year, he started telling me his goals. I would ask him, where do you see yourself? What do you want to do? He wanted to get into real estate and he wanted to buy a property every five years. Last year, he bought his fourth property.”
In the past, Schwartz has had several employees head off to open their own businesses. He noted that he’ll still go and check on them, offering encouragement and advice. “You can be the kind of employer who’s secretive and doesn’t want any competition. Or you can invite competition because that makes everyone better,” he said. Perfectionist has won multiple awards over the years, including the Best of Alaska award.
“That tells me I’m doing it right. To have employees buy real estate, invest, open their own businesses—I’m proud of that.”
A business owner or manager not only has the opportunity to lead, but to also be a source of inspiration for others.
Some people, Schwartz said, don’t have a father’s influence in their life. “You end up becoming a father figure,” he explained, adding that he makes himself available to help his employees consider their futures.
Employees at Perfectionist have the opportunity to save money through their paychecks: The company will pull a certain amount from their checks and create a savings account for them.
“You have to pay yourself first. If you don’t automate it, you’ll never be able to save. We’ve saved $10,000 for some people and they didn’t even realize they were saving so much. Let’s say when they move on, I hand them a check and say, ‘Here’s what you saved.’ And they’ve forgotten all about it. That’s the point. That’s why it’s automated.”
There are two types of employers, he said. “There’s an employer who communicates and shares all the numbers. And then there’s an employer who never wants to share numbers with anyone. If you’re sharing the numbers, you’re making it a team sport. If I’m not sharing that, how can I push my staff to get better? They’ll say, ‘How much better?’ And if I say, ‘Just do better,’ that doesn’t make sense. We have professionals working for us and we have to treat them like professionals.”
Additionally, all of us need to consider retirement at some point, Schwartz said, adding that he discusses financial planning with his employees—what their
Pittsburgh, Pa.-based Team Nutz ensures equity in the shop, according to owner Ed Nuttall, who said any project the business handles, he’s tried it himself first—whether it’s installing a stereo or detailing a car.
expenses are, and how they intend to reach their financial goals.
He advises being fully aware of one’s monthly expenses and encourages people to buy stocks and invest. “You need multiple streams of income,” he said, adding that if an employee wants a pay raise, they have to be willing to put forward the effort to help the company succeed. “You have to add value to the team. People might say I’m hard to work for. But what’s the name of the shop? ‘Perfectionist.’”
BE WILLING TO DO THE WORK
An owner or manager should get involved and work with the team. “If you’re just sitting up front and not
doing anything, and they’re in the back sweating and rushing, they won’t have any respect for you,” Schwartz said. “You can’t buy respect. You have to earn it. Even if you go back there and just pick up garbage or help someone put an interior back together, they will respect that.”
Some might not want to learn to install, but he added that it isn’t the point. “The point is, we’re a team. And if they’re struggling and you’re going back there and just asking, ‘When’s the car going to be done?’—help clean up or tune or do something. If someone says, ‘Hey, John, we need help with the box,’ I can go in the woodshop and build a box. I can tune a
DSP, wire an amp, install a remote start. I believe when the guys see that, the morale goes up because they know I’m not above them.”
Ed Nuttall of Pittsburgh, Pa.-based Team Nutz agreed. “Anything we’ve done, I’ve tried it myself first—whether it’s detailing a car, a boat or installing stereos.” Part of this, he said, is being proficient enough to train employees at the same task. “I can’t expect them to take on something I don’t understand. I won’t be an effective partner at that point. I’m not always the first person in the building, but there’s a good chance I’m the last to leave. Last night, I was here until one-thirty in the morning.”
Working side-by-side with employees, he said, is simply better leadership. Before he owned KarTele Mobile Electronics in Waterbury, Conn., Mike Hungerford said he worked as a manager of a landscaping team. Hungerford said he never told his team to do anything he wasn’t prepared to do himself, adding that the same thing applies to any industry. “I would never ask them to do something I haven’t done or that I’m not willing to jump in and do myself,” he said. In any business, this could apply to anything from cleaning toilets to
sweeping or taking out the garbage. “In the landscaping world, I wasn’t going to stand there and watch the guys spread mulch. I’m going to grab a rake and help them,” he explained.
Schwartz said that anything we do is everything we do, adding, “When you carry yourself a certain way at work, you can’t be different out of work. Personally, I’m always trying to be the best person I can be. If my shop is nice and clean, then my car is nice and clean, and my house is nice and clean. If I have good manners at a restaurant, I have to have really good
manners elsewhere, too. We represent our businesses everywhere we go.”
If an owner or manager expects their employees to act a certain way, they have to lead by example, he explained. “Years ago, I was heavy, and I was drinking a gallon of Mountain Dew a day,” Schwartz recalled. “My boss looked at me one day and said, ‘How can you manage my company if you can’t manage yourself?’ It hurt, but he was 100 percent right. If I can’t be disciplined enough to not drink a gallon of Mountain Dew a day, how can I manage a million dollars?”
He said he chose to take it in a positive way because he felt his boss believed in him to push himself to be better. “The other day, I heard an interview with Gordon Ramsey, and he was asked, ‘Is there anything you would tell your younger self?’ And he said, ‘When you get critiqued or yelled at, take it professionally. Don’t take it personally.’”
The business, he continued, isn’t about just one person. “It’s about Perfectionist. We have to take care of her
and she’ll keep taking care of us.” This year, the shop will have been open for 26 years and since its inception, it’s cultivated its own energy.
“I don’t want to do seven days a week. Sometimes the shop just needs a break. We need to turn everything off and let the shop take a break because it puts out so much energy all the time.”
Nurturing the growth of employees will lift up the whole industry and increase a business’s longevity, according
to Schwartz, who said, “I truly believe employees are the life-blood of the company. They’re constantly representing the owner or management.” To that end, everything comes back to the importance of an owner knowing their team and understanding their goals. “If they feel you truly care, they’ll continue to work hard. In turn, you’ll have long-lasting employees,” he said, adding, “If they reach their goals and they’re happy, why would they ever leave?”
HOW TO KEEP THEM COMING BACK
KarTele Mobile Electronics, this year's winner for Best Customer Retention Program, shares a few simple keys to retaining customers and attracting referrals.
WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA
Customer Retention
This year at KnowledgeFest Atlantic City, Waterbury, Conn.-based KarTele
Mobile Electronics was given the award for Best Customer Retention Program. When he was growing up, shop owner Mike Hungerford worked with his father, who was a mechanic. Although his dad passed away last year, the lessons Hungerford learned from him continue to be the bedrock of his business. “I watched how he talked to people, how he took care of everyone. If something was wrong, he’d make it right,” Hungerford said, adding that he applied those same lessons to his business.
“You don’t need a special program. You don’t need incentives.” If the customer loved their experience, they will come back, he said. “If they were treated
fairly and honestly, they’ll not only come back, but they’ll also tell their friends and their family.”
In the past, Hungerford has been advised to send email blasts and use text messages for marketing. “They go to spam. We don’t have a specific program in place. We’re just honest and fair and we treat people with respect. We do a professional job on their vehicles,” he said, adding, “When you’ve earned that trust, you’ve earned it for life.”
GROWING AS THE LOCAL EXPERT
As a teenager, Hungerford studied electronics at a local technical high school and recalled earning extra credit for completing his installations. “The teacher would come by and look at the cars and if everything was nice and
neat, we’d earn a few extra points,” he said. After high school, he worked at a few other shops. Then, in 2016, the owner of KarTele offered him a job. He worked there for a mere five months before the shop owner decided to sell, and Hungerford seized the opportunity. He has owned the business since 2017. Today, he works in the back while Christina Wearne manages the front, handling calls and interfacing with potential clients. In the future, the shop hopes to hire additional employees, but for now, it’s just the two of them.
In the beginning, KarTele handled basic radio installations. Today, the shop also produces high-end audio and high-end fabrication builds, along with installing remote starters and alarms. The shop also features lasers, 3D printers and 3D scanners, along
with a big router and a second router table to make fabrications easier. “We can handle pretty much anything now,” Hungerford said, adding that KarTele is the local expert in the area. The only other 12-volt shops are anywhere from an hour to 45 minutes away.
Being able to print and make speaker rings, he said, is extremely valuable to the shop’s efficiency. “I got the 3D printer and scanner to start doing these things. I can make tweeter pods, which is a lot better than just cutting a hole and putting a tweeter in it.” Not only do they look better, he said, but they sound better, too. “It takes a long time to learn, though.”
KarTele also installs window tint and minor PPF. While the shop doesn’t have the facilities to do an entire vehicle in PPF, Hungerford said, they will do small areas of a vehicle—such as door sills, to
protect the area when a person is climbing in and out.
“We will also do B and C pillars on SUVs and cars, so when you’re opening and closing the doors, you’re not scratching the paint. We also do gas flaps. It just makes the car look nicer and stay nice for longer,” he explained. “That goes a long way. We’ve made a lot of money adding
that to the car in the bay. It’s easy to do, the material is cheap and you’re protecting someone’s vehicle.”
Hungerford feels that the remodel of the showroom by Jody Culbertson and the team at 5 Axis Innovations helped to increase revenue. “We do really well every year, and we’re a little bit ahead right now. The remodel was a big factor
because it created a more welcoming atmosphere.” Clients enjoy spending money at a shop that’s clean and looks nice, he said. “I have plans for continued improvements, but I don’t know when they’ll happen.” KarTele will need more space, he added, and will have to expand its footprint in the near future. “Right now, I have a hard time getting larger
vehicles in because I have a short bay door.” Sprinters won’t fit and neither will large boats. “I have a 24-foot boat being dropped off. If it’s raining, I can’t work on it.”
Despite needing more space and hoping to hire additional installers, Hungerford said, “I’m able to do everything we’re asked to do. We’re busy to the point where it’s not overwhelming. We’re very steady. I like where we are right now.”
SET EXPECTATIONS, DELIVER ON PROMISES
Retaining customers is as simple as being upfront and honest, Hungerford said, even if it’s accidentally breaking
something the customer might never even see. “But we know we broke it, so we let them know. It might be something like the backside of a panel broke.” At the time of the interview, he said a Chevy Colorado was sitting in the bay. “When we looked at the truck, I didn’t see any Bose badging. Now that it’s in the bay, I discover it has Bose. I had to call the client. This is my mistake, but it’s going to cost more money. We had a discussion and he said, ‘Just do it.’ We worked it out. It was an oversight on our part. We’re doing all Maestro, but that doesn’t handle the Bose in his truck, so now we have to get a Metra piece to install alongside it. Always be upfront and honest with clients.”
Hungerford recalled scratching a vehicle by accident once. “We sent the truck out for a full detail,” he said. “He was thrilled. At minimum, take care of the problem.” He acknowledged he could’ve just had the vehicle spot-buffed, “but then the rest of the truck wouldn’t look good. We go above and beyond to make sure the client is happy.”
Hungerford said Wearne is very welcoming and personable—something clients always remember. “We both use the same approach when it comes to taking care of people. I bring people into the bay all the time, too. It’s beautiful and clean. People can see what we’re working on,” he said. “We also offer everyone a lifetime warranty on our labor. Instead of going somewhere else to have it fixed, if something happens, they’ll come here. And hopefully they’ll upgrade or buy something else while they’re here.”
When it comes to retaining customers, Hungerford said a business is doing something wrong if it’s losing customers to its competition. “How are you handling situations? How are you talking to people, even during the sales process? Do you have staff who are short with people, or overly aggressive?” Examine
Customer Retention
everything and everyone who has any type of customer interaction, he advised.
He also suggested hiring female staff. “People don’t expect to see a woman behind the counter. They expect to see a guy talking about cars. When they start talking to Chrissi and realize how knowledgeable she is, it brings their guard down,” he explained. “If she ever needs me for anything, I come up and we coordinate. They’ll see I’m saying the same thing as she is. It usually ends up with a closed sale.”
Because of Wearne’s welcoming presence, Hungerford said women are
more comfortable in the shop. “They’re much more comfortable talking to her. It changes the whole atmosphere.”
Recently, the shop completed a build in a Range Rover, installing lights and making it look OEM. “The guy was blown away. He let us use his truck at one of our shows we had here at the shop. He just came back in and wants to add to it. He wants to add Arc Audio Nighthawk. We’re going to do a false floor and some nice lighting.”
With so many happy customers, Hungerford said referrals are a natural result. Anyone who keeps returning for
more will undoubtedly tell people about their experience. “If you go to a good restaurant, you’ll recommend it to all your friends,” Hungerford said. “It all starts with the first impression. But if you want someone to come back again and again, it doesn’t end there.”
A business should continue to deliver on promises and be professional, he noted. “That means a proper installation with the correct parts. That also means having a discussion with your client about appropriate timelines on larger jobs. If you promise three days and it takes a week, you’re the bad guy. But if
At the Industry Awards at KnowledgeFest Las Vegas, Mike Hungerford (pictured on the far right, page 27) shared his personal philosophy for customer retention: Always be honest and upfront.
you say it could be up to two weeks and you finish in a week, now you’re a hero.”
It’s essential for a business to set proper expectations and then deliver on every aspect from start to finish. By doing this, a shop will earn a client for life. “When someone decides to do business with you, make sure they feel appreciated. We let them know how important they are to us and to our success. We push ourselves to ensure we’ve met all their needs and exceeded their expectations,” he said, adding, “Leave them with zero reason to even consider going elsewhere.”
Team Nutz Diversifies Offerings, Expands Fleet Work On Emergency Vehicles
WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA
Ed Nuttall is the owner of Pittsburgh, Pa.-based Team Nutz, a one-stop-shop for most aftermarket installations and accessories. Nuttall started doing installations out of his house in the late 1990s and opened the shop in 2003.
In 2007, he said, the business opened a second location at a marina which remained for 11 years. While it opened doors for Team Nutz in terms of boat electronics and building a name in the marine audio category, Nuttall eventually closed the location and moved the entire staff back to the main store.
“Then, our existing business went up 20 percent just by eliminating that second store. We became much more efficient,” he said. Today, the shop has 21 employees. “When we first opened, we were strictly 12-volt. Over the years, we’ve diversified into other areas.” The company still does marine audio as well as RVs, lift kits, suspension, air ride,
lowering kits and vinyl graphics. “Now we have a security alarm division. I have three employees on the road installing alarms, camera systems and audio at houses and commercial businesses. We’ve had to expand into different things in order to maintain the business and keep the growth going.”
Now, Team Nutz has three garages, according to Nuttall, who said, “Our main office has two floors, six bays and a showroom. We’ve had this location since 2009. We also rent a garage around the corner that can hold six more cars, and we have a third building that can hold about eight cars. That’s where we work on police cars.”
This category of the business, he said, helps to sustain revenue when other categories are slow. The company had been working on police cars under the Team Nutz name for seven to 10 years, but growth was slow because the business itself is hard to get into: “We were
advertising and going to events to meet police officers and trying to promote that side of the business, but aftermarket shops were always frowned on. You know, ‘They’re just stereo guys.’”
But this past January, Nuttall acquired a company called Rally Specialist—an existing business which had been building police cars for 20 years. “The purchase allowed us to take over the existing customer base and get better pricing with vendors. We do lighting, center consoles, prisoner transports, gun rack storage in the back and vinyl graphics. We can be a one-stop-shop for them after they buy a car from the dealership. The doors are open for us now.”
While fleet work can be very lucrative, it can also be difficult to get into when it comes to emergency vehicles. “Police chiefs are very particular about who they work with,” Nuttall said. “These cars have to be 100 percent perfect. They’re in life and death situations all the time.”
When it comes to growing a business, Nuttall’s biggest piece of advice is to get involved in the community. “A year ago, we decided we needed to get back to that. There are still a lot of people out there at events with cars, and if we’re not interacting with them, they won’t know who we are,” he said, adding, “People buy from people they trust. If you can earn their trust, it will help the business grow.”
FIT FOR THE FUTURE
In continued coverage of KnowledgeFest Atlantic City, vendors present everything from integration kits to new amplifiers and lighting options.
WATTSTAR LED STARLIGHT HEADLINER KIT
The LED Starlight Headliner kit is one of Wattstar’s latest products, which was on display at KnowledgeFest Atlantic City. Features an app with remote control and RGBW color.
WATTSTAR OFFERS LINE OF OFF-ROAD LIGHTING
At KnowledgeFest Atlantic City, Wattstar presented its line of off-road lighting for trucks and fleet vehicles.
KICKER MWE PREMIUM MARINE SUBWOOFERS FOR ENCLOSURES
The premium marine subwoofer by Kicker is intended to complement the company’s line of premium marine coaxial speakers. The subwoofers are available in 10- and 12-inch sizes. They offer RGBW lighting and acoustic bass reference for the marine environment. A charcoal grille is included. A white grille is available separately.
TRULLI AUDIO BASS 50 WIRELESS SUBWOOFER
Trulli Audio has partnered with Soundboks, a top wireless speaker company, to present Trulli’s Bass 50. This is a versatile wireless subwoofer which can be used in many applications, including in a car, on a camping trip outside a vehicle or on an overlanding trip. The subwoofer uses Trulli’s 10-inch driver technology and can operate anywhere from eight to 10 hours at full power, which is 600 watts RMS. It pairs with any Bluetooth speaker and features a USBC connection. Check availability with a Trulli Audio representative.
HERTZ DISPLAYS NEW AMPLIFIER FAMILIES AT KNOWLEDGEFEST ATLANTIC CITY
At KnowledgeFest, Hertz shared information on a number of newer products with attendees. Product lines included Venezia and Cento lines. The Cento power amplifiers are small, high-performance and Class D, according to representative Ken Ward. The Venezia amplifiers are designed for the marine environment and have been available for about a year. Meanwhile, the Capri is the company’s award-winning flagship marine head unit. This model features a larger high-resolution screen with a Class D amplifier. It’s also Hertz’s first radio to work on National Marine Electrical Association Networking (NMEA). In other words, users can add the Capri to their network of devices for information sharing purposes.
MECP PROGRAM CONTINUES TO OFFER CERTIFICATION TO THE INDUSTRY
The Mobile Electronics Certified Professional (MECP) Program is the only internationally recognized credential that certifies mobile technology installation technicians and salespeople on automotive information technology, entertainment, navigation, safety and security systems. Learn more by visiting www.mecp.com.
MODUS MZA-8M 8-CHANNEL MARINE AUDIO AMPLIFIER
One of the products on display from Modus Audio at KnowledgeFest Atlantic City was the Modus MZA-8M 8-channel marine audio amplifier. This amp features two patented technologies. It generates a lot of output, according to the company, but doesn’t draw much current from the vehicle. It relies on its own internal power source. The amplifier also has the ability to monitor input and output audio signals and automatically adjust the output to avoid any damage to the speakers. This amplifier does well in both traditional cars as well as electrical vehicles. Modus offers both marine and automotive applications, available in 6-channel, 8-channel and mono configurations.
RETRO MAZDA TURNS HEADS AT KNOWLEDGEFEST ATLANTIC CITY
This 1988 Mazda B2200 was on display at KnowledgeFest Atlantic City, featuring a Nemesis Audio system. Kaufman, Texas-based Shane’s Custom Audio was responsible for the box design, while All Out Audio handled the door panels. Installation and Tuning was completed by NTX Audio. The build features Nemesis Audio products made in Korea, including two Nemesis NA-K500X4D amplifiers; and eight NEO-6.5COL 6.5-inch midranges, among others.
THE SOUND TRACK TO YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE
The JBL Rallybar XL delivers 300W RMS of Hi-Res Certified JBL Pro Sound for those who demand serious audio on every adventure. IP66-rated water & dust resistant durability, dynamic LED lighting,10 high-output drivers (8 woofers, 2 tweeters) ensures rich, distortion-free sound that cuts through wind, engine noise, and chaos.
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ZZ2 PRESENTS INTEGRATION KIT TO BRING WIRELESS CARPLAY AND ANDROID AUTO TO TESLA
Tesla doesn’t offer Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The closed system offers limited apps to the driver. The new ZZTSL from ZZ2 is a plug-and-play hardwarebased solution, which intercepts the video signal from the MCU to the screen, providing a solution to this problem. No hotspot is required, and there’s no interference with the OE Tesla APP environment. It also retains factory safety display features and comes with a three-year warranty. Works on Model 3 (20172024) and Model Y (2020-2024/25). The ZZTSL offers customers the experience they’ve been wanting for their Tesla vehicles.
The new display program, available to VOXX dealers, was unveiled at KnowledgeFest Atlantic City. Retailers should reach out to their VOXX sales representative for more information.
Motorcycle Kit
The SXMKR97 is the smallest and most compact SiriusXM® Satellite Radio motorcycle kit on the market. The Commander Touch system features a beautiful full-color touch screen display controller that allows you to pause and rewind capability SiriusXM® programming. The display controller dimensions are 4.1" W x 1.7" H x .5" D. Perfect for a discrete and clean installation into any motorcycle dash or console.
•Touch Screen Display
•Water Resistant Case
•Hide-away Tuner
•3 Mounting Options
•Universal Audio Adapters
•Advanced SiriusXM®
FULL CIRCLE
Cabe Sipes overcame countless obstacles, joining the cast of MTV’s Pimp My Ride. Today, he’s driven by a love of car audio and a passion for teaching as he shares his knowledge with the industry.
WORDS BY JAMIE SORCHER
Cabe Sipes, owner of Custom Audio Reimagined in Rossville, Ind., shared a story full of twists and turns, beginning in his hometown and leading all the way back to where he first started. Sipes has been in the industry for almost three decades, and he said the best days of his career as an installer took place at Best Buy due to the comradery he found with other installers. This led him to become a regular on the dB drag competition circuit. Then he stepped onto the television screen on OLN’s Rock the Boat, followed by joining the cast of MTV’s Pimp My Ride. None of it, he said, was for money or fame. He did it because it was fun and exciting. Without his wife and kids, he added, he never would’ve reached the point where he is today. “They’re the reason I stay sober and constantly push to be the best,” he said. In 2023, Sipes accepted the Mobile Electronics
During the 2023 Industry Awards at KnowledgeFest, Jason Ewing, Michael “Mad Mike” Martin and Cabe Sipes were given the Career Achievement Award. To any installer who wishes to grow, Sipes said, “You have to love learning.”
Career Achievement Award along with his Pimp My Ride co-stars, Jason Ewing and Michael “Mad Mike” Martin.
At KnowledgeFest Atlantic City, Sipes presented along with a panel on “Gorilla Fabrication: Making Magic Without the Machines.” Teaching, he said, is what he loves to do the most: “It’s one of the only times I leave my shop.”
Evolve into the Best Version of Yourself
At 15 years old in the early 90s, Sipes went to a shop where his friend was having an amplifier installed in his car. When the friend got the bill for $150, Sipes balked. “I said it was a rip-off,” he said. “Well, the guy ringing him out was the installer and he was very offended, so he went out to the parking lot, yanked out the amp, threw it on the seat and said put it in yourself.”
Sipes went ahead and did it. “I had the installer wondering how I knew how to do it. When he asked, I said it was self-explanatory. We started talking at that point. I found out that this installer, Ed Yoder, was from the same town as me.”
This surprised Sipes because Rossville—15 miles east of Lafayette, where Purdue University is located—was a town of 1,200 at the time. “It’s where my shop is today. I want to mention Ed and give him credit because I was a juvenile delinquent and a troublemaker. When he heard my name, he knew exactly who I was, and he could have very easily blown me off.” Instead, Yoder gave him an opportunity. “He invited me to his house because he did side installs in his garage.”
At the time, Sipes said, Yoder was working on installing four eight-inch Crunch subwoofers and amplifiers into a Monte Carlo. “He asked me if what he was doing made sense to me. It did,” Sipes recalled. “That’s when I realized I knew how electronics worked without having had any education.”
Sipes knew how everything should be wired, he said. “It just clicked.”
He was arrested at 17 after authorities wrongly connected him with a robbery that took place at the school, and he didn’t graduate. Although he’d hoped for probation because it was his first offense, Sipes went to prison for three years. “I got out when I was 21, went to a bar and became an alcoholic,” he said. But then, he got a job as an installer at the Lafayette Best Buy. “I still loved car audio. I worked there for five years and became a district manager, a regional trainer and an MECP proctor. I started doing custom fiberglass work. But I was still an alcoholic.”
After a second arrest, Sipes chose to turn things around for his young daughter. After he quit drinking, he approached the manager at Best Buy and told him he wanted to be in the store from open to close. “I wanted to work non-stop,” he said. “I didn’t want to start drinking again.” Best Buy became a place where he felt comfortable enough to grow and free enough to be creative. It opened the door to the next opportunity and gave him the chance to mentor other installers. In 2004, he went for Top 12 Installer.
“I was still at Best Buy and being among the Top 12 was unheard of at that time for someone working at a big box store,” he said. But because he was making so much money for the company, Best Buy corporate approached him, giving him his own fabrication area so he could do even more. His store became the test location for the only custom install bay for Best Buy in the entire country. It also gave him more opportunities to share his knowledge, which is something he’s always enjoyed.
“I would go to other stores to do trainings, observe their bays and see if I could find other installers who could do what I was doing, or people I could teach. I taught how to do A-pillars with tweeters using CA glue so there was no mixing of resin.” He also taught installers how to
make their own custom speaker adapters, and how to make plates. “We didn’t have 3D printers at that time,” he added.
Today, Sipes loves teaching and mentoring, adding that he enjoys getting someone to think differently. “If I can introduce some new tool or new material to an installer, but not tell them what to do with it—just give them that opportunity and let them learn something new—that’s special to me.” At that point, he added, he’s not even teaching, “it’s rewiring their brain. They’re teaching themselves how to use something new or try something different. That’s so much better than just telling someone how to do it.”
From SEMA to Pimp My Ride and Right Back Home Again
Sipes found direction and inspiration in Car Audio & Electronics magazine. The work of well-known installers stood out to him, among them Dave “Fishman”
Rivera and Gary Biggs. This led him to experimenting with fiberglass. “I looked at images and tried to decipher what had been done and how. I was amazed. That’s how I found Select Products.”
According to Sipes, this was the first company to sell anything for custom installations, and that’s where custom shops purchased fiberglass resin and mold fabric. Sipes still owns the full set of Rob Garza’s recordings on how to carbon fiber and work with custom acrylic, lighting and motorization.
“He was ahead of his time,” Sipes said, adding that Garza set him on an unexpected adventure. “He’d heard about me and found out I was at Best Buy with a custom bay and I was buying his stuff.” Garza went out of his way, he said, to elevate Sipes’s name in the industry. “He even helped me get some of my cars featured in Mobile Electronics magazine.”
In 2005, he invited Sipes to be on Team East Coast for an installer challenge in Las
Vegas at SEMA—his first major opportunity. The build took place over 48 hours with five installers from the east coast and five from the west coast. At first, his fellow teammates didn’t like him because he came from a big box store, he said. But by the middle of the day, they were impressed. “I wound up becoming friends with all of them and we’re still friends to this day.”
During the challenge, Sipes met John West, who owned a company called Ultra Custom Boats. “The boats were on Fear Factor, giant half-million-dollar cigarette-style speed boats with lavish custom designs.” West saw Sipes’s fiberglass work, he said, and told him he wanted him to do the same thing to his boats.
“He wanted to know if I would relocate to California. I was stuck in this black hole in Indiana, but this could be a big break, so I told him I would do it. I talked Jason Ewing into coming with me even though I’d only just met him and knew him for a total of 48 hours.”
When they worked on a boat for Jesse James, host of Monster Garage, another door opened. “A production crew showed up and said they were there to shoot a
pilot. OLN bought the pilot, which was called Rock the Boat, and gave us TV contracts. Me and Jason were the sound boys. Before the end of the season, I got a call from Viacom. They needed a fabricator for Pimp My Ride. I went to Los Angeles to meet with the producers.” Once a contract was agreed upon, Sipes and Ewing moved to Los Angeles and Sipes was on the show for two years.
Afterward, he returned to Indiana where his family has lived on the same farm since the 1840s. “I built a house right behind my mom and dad’s place. My sister lives across the field from me.” The big barn where he first began his installation work—where he built cars as a teenager— is where his shop is now. “I’m right back where I started 33 years ago,” he said.
Emulate Those You Respect, and Learn to Love Learning
Sipes named two people he respects and admires: Loyd Ivey and Alma Gates. He hopes to carry on their tradition of treating people with kindness, he said, adding that he went to SEMA as a nobody. “But there was a guy in a wheelchair at the MTX booth who started talking to me,
and I found out later it was Loyd Ivey, the owner of MiTek. I had no idea who I was talking to. When I introduced myself, he realized I was the guy he heard about from Best Buy.”
When Sipes saw him again a year later, he said, “‘Hey, Cabe,’ and the fact that he remembered my name and went out of his way to talk to me meant so much to me. At any event after that, he always went out of his way to talk to me. He was just a nice guy who was genuinely interested in what I thought of his equipment and what I thought about the industry.”
That’s exactly who Alma Gates was, too, Sipes said. “She was the grandmother of car audio. Ask anybody in the industry and they’ll tell you that.”
Her Bronco, dubbed “The Beast,” shattered many SPL records before she retired from competition in 2006. At 70 years old, she was a respected competitor in sound off contests. When Sipes met her, he said, “she was so kind to me. Those two showed me that car audio is like a family.”
This is how Sipes intends to mentor others whenever he has the opportunity. “Now, I’m on the other side of the
fence,” he said, adding that when he’s on the show floor, installers don’t always want to approach him. “Maybe they think I won’t acknowledge them. But if an installer comes up to me, I will go out of my way to talk to them for 20 or 30 minutes. I will have a real conversation. If I see them again at another show, I will go up to them and talk to them. I want to do the same thing for them that others did for me.”
For those coming up in the industry today—those who want to find a mentor, advance their career or start their own venture—he offered some advice. Cars, he said, have become smarter than installers. “As soon as CAN Bus hit the scene, that was it. As soon as cars had a networking system and required installers to flash modules, understand laptops and understand programming, that’s when things changed.”
If you want to be an installer, he said, “You have to love learning. You must love being a nerd. You can’t just know DC voltage. That’s nothing new. You need to have some kind of drive to want to know how things work, instead of just doing something to get paid. If you’re in it for the money, this will never work for you.
POSITIVE PLANNING
A salesperson must work on themselves to finetune their professional life. Sales trainer Kevin Hallinan recommends positive affirmations to shift the mindset.
WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA
Kevin Hallinan of WINNING, Inc. said that while helping to develop sales teams for small businesses, many difficulties crop up in relation to pricing, handling objections, finding new prospects and retaining customers. One thing he’s found, he said, is that many people don’t take enough time to step away from the business long enough to plan. He recommends at least an hour a month.
“That takes determination,” he said. “This is a challenging time.” Proper
planning, he noted, takes healthy mindsets and good behaviors. “If I don’t have enough clients, what can I do?” He suggested attending car shows and other similar events.
In order to grow, a business owner or manager must be interactive, honest and willing to discuss weaknesses. “Be willing to look at things differently. We are emotional beings, which means we’re subject to excitement and disappointment.” When it comes to dealing with objections,
he said, “We have to leave our emotions aside even though it’s difficult.”
SHIFTING TO A POSITIVE MINDSET
It’s important to know the business’s closing ratio, Hallinan said. From there, retailers can analyze their sales processes to see what needs improvement. Objections should be anticipated, he said, adding, “If they have zero questions, they’re walking out. Asking prospects to make a decision requires
emotional strength. We might be a little nervous if we’re dealing with objections, so mental and emotional toughness is less about what we say—and more about how we feel about what we say.”
A person’s mindset won’t evolve unless they nurture it themselves, and Hallinan suggested that—perhaps—a person’s heart and soul isn’t really invested in that evolution. “Have you ever sold from a place of neediness?” he asked. “Have you ever bought from someone who was needy? If you’re needy, it comes across. How can you change that?”
A person might really need to make that sale, but he said it’s crucial to avoid showing it. “You have to change your mindset to one of empowerment. Never
become emotionally involved in a sales conversation.” These negative mindsets, he said, are often rooted in our personal pasts and we must do the inner work to uncover those issues and face them. “Some of us didn’t grow up with the best of situations. It is what it is. If someone yells at you and leaves your shop, or hangs up the phone, they aren’t really yelling at you,” he said, indicating the psychology of the situation. “They’re yelling at the situation. We have to shake that off and build mental toughness.”
To grow takes determination, and a lack of confidence is damaging. “In what area do you feel like you could have more confidence?” Hallinan asked. “What about handling the conversation around tariffs? It’s a stressful situation. What’s another stressful conversation? Maybe it’s dealing with your competitor down the road who’s cheaper.”
Employees who lack confidence, he added, tend to sell from their own wallets. “If you’re selling something that you know you can afford, instead of considering what the customer might be able to afford, you’re losing money.”
UTILIZING POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS TO BUILD CONFIDENCE
He recommended creating positive affirmations and writing them down consistently every single day: “I am mentally and emotionally tough. I am grounded, poised and highly prepared. Brainwashing doesn’t have to be negative. Write things like this down on a regular basis. It’s very empowering.”
While building up one’s own level of confidence, salespeople must also adjust their approach for each and every person they deal with.
“What if you believed you were financially independent and didn’t need every sale? How would you behave differently?” Hallinan said. “You’d be willing to let people go.”
Once a salesperson has harnessed a positive mindset, they can learn to apply the negative reverse. “This is a sales tactic [where you’re] suggesting people don’t want or need to buy from you,” he said. “This requires a ton of confidence because you’re suggesting they leave,
although not in those words. I’ll give you an example: ‘Are you sure you want those speakers? Those are the most expensive ones.’ That’s an example of a negative reverse. What will happen is you’ll get the truth. You can’t do that without confidence because it sounds risky.”
To get there, he added, it’s important to decide on some positive affirmations to help build one’s confidence. “Write these things down every morning—five, six days a week. Create a habit.”
He recommended reading a book called Atomic Habits by James Clear, and examining one’s own personal habits. “If the first thing you do is check your emails in the morning, give yourself permission to do that after you journal [your affirmations].” He said all that’s needed is three to five minutes to “build yourself up to make more money.”
He cautioned that if a person doesn’t believe they’re worth it, they’ll never attain their goal. In the journal, he suggested writing down an amount. “How much are you worth per year? Write down a number that makes you uncomfortable. ‘I’m worth X dollars per year.’ Make it more than what you’re earning now. You’ll start to condition your brain. The single most important factor to believing that you can [achieve something] is self-esteem. If you lose a deal, shake it off, take the next lead. Shake that off, talk to the next customer. Do we believe good things are going to happen, or not?”
If a person exudes confidence, he added, that person will be viewed as confident—even if they begin by faking that confidence. Through confidence, a salesperson can learn to harness strategies such as negative reverse selling.
MOVING BEYOND THE “MAYBE” AND LEARNING TO STRATEGIZE
If a salesperson doesn’t get a yes or a no, but they get a maybe, Hallinan said it’s important to follow up. “Selling is a skill. Be confident, be firm, but don’t be a jerk. Don’t pressure anybody. Believe in what you’re selling. The more pain someone has, the more they want something. So, the more money they’ll pay for it. It’s not usually a money issue. It’s often a desire issue.”
“WRITE
DOWN [YOUR GOALS]. THAT WAY, YOU CAN STRATEGIZE AND PLAN AND MEASURE YOUR PROGRESS. THE BEST WAY TO CREATE A DISCIPLINE IS TO USE YOUR CALENDAR. SET AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOURSELF. MOST OF US DON’T DO THAT, AND SO WE’RE REALLY DEVALUING OURSELVES.”
A salesperson must discover the customer’s “why,” he said. “Why do they want window tint? Why do they want new speakers? Why do they need a backup camera? Let me understand what’s going on. The more compelling their ‘why,’ the more they’ll spend.”
As the salesperson works on their own inner growth, learning to stretch beyond their comfort zone, he advised always asking for referrals. “How many should you ask for on a daily basis? Don’t leave money on the table. Every customer should be able to give you another customer, but we don’t ask. That’s a habit.”
Create goals, Hallinan said, adding that as many as 95 percent of people don’t have their goals in writing. “Write them down. That way, you can strategize and plan and measure your progress. Pull yourself away from your business for a few minutes and put things in writing.”
Whatever the goal—whether it’s to physically expand the store or attract more customers—he said it’s essential to plan and strategize. Often, he added, people will say they don’t have enough time. “But how much more will you accomplish by running around?” he asked. “The best way to create a discipline is to use your calendar. Set an appointment with yourself. Most of us don’t do that, and so we’re really devaluing ourselves. We’re saying that everybody else’s problems are more important than our success. Small businesses are notorious for that.”
Imposter syndrome is common, he said. “You can’t change a belief by attending a workshop at KnowledgeFest. You can develop awareness of it, but what you really need to do is commit to some of those affirmations,” to writing them down. “Commit to new behavior.” It takes
time to build these new behaviors, but eventually, he added, “You’ll be thinking differently.”
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CENTER STAGE
The sound upgrade in this Tesla Cybertruck presents a concert-like experience while retaining an OEM appearance.
COOK, COLUMBUS CAR AUDIO & ACCESSORIES, COLUMBUS, OHIO
JAYSON
According to Jayson Cook of Columbus Car Audio & Accessories, the owner of this Tesla Cybertruck wanted sound that would mimic a concert experience. She also wanted the build to look as if it could’ve come from the factory. “We’ve worked on all of her vehicles for decades and she wanted this to be the best system she’s ever had,” Cook said. “She wanted to be engulfed by the audio system and have plenty of volume so she can get lost in the music. Tyler Schrader took this install to the next level while still keeping it subtle enough that if someone didn’t know, they’d assume it came that way.”
The amp rack was basic, he added, but it was a tight fit. “We ran into several hurdles due to tight tolerances and angles.” Additionally, all the wiring had to be hidden and clean-looking, easy to service at a future date.
Morel Elate Carbon Pro 93A woofers were installed in the front doors and tweeters installed into custom 3D-printed pods for the pillars. Morel Elate Carbon MM3 mids went into the dash; Morel Hybrid Integra 62 were installed in the rear doors with a custom plate. The build also features Audison APX4 for the rear surround speakers; Hertz MPS250S2 subwoofers;
an Audison Forza AFM12.14BIT with the F4IN extension card for the front stage and processing the system; Audison AFM4D for the rear doors and rear satellite speakers; and Audison AFM1D amplifiers for the subwoofers. Finally, the wheels are from Unplugged Performance, with red accents to match the red wrap applied by the team at Columbus Car Audio.
Cook noted the accent lights on the sides of the amp rack: “They’re subtle, but very attractive and it catches your eye right away,” he said, adding, “The best part of the amp rack is that everyone who sees it thinks it’s factory.”
FROM THE PRESIDENT
“
In 2024, over 85 percent of attendees reported that the education sessions had a direct positive impact on their business, and more than 90 percent said they implemented at least one strategy learned at the event within 30 days of returning home.
FORT WORTH TO HOST KNOWLEDGEFEST 2025, THE PREMIER EVENT FOR MOBILE ELECTRONICS
PROFESSIONALS
Join us for two days of education, networking and industry celebration at the Fort Worth Convention Center.
KnowledgeFest is moving from downtown Dallas to downtown Fort Worth for 2025 and will take place August 24-25, 2025. We’ll be at the Fort Worth Convention Center, with the Omni Fort Worth right next door. The move makes it easier and more affordable for attendees to arrive and stay connected to the action. You’ll also find more reasonable hotel room rates, dining and parking options. The change helps retailers and manufacturers save on lodging while enjoying the convenience of a central location.
Fresh Perspectives Aid Attendees in Professional Growth
As always, the education and training sessions have been developed specifically for the mobile electronics industry and led by seasoned professionals, product experts and top retailers. They’ll share their experience to help every attendee strengthen their business and expand their skillsets. Installers will benefit from courses covering listening sessions for tuning, integration techniques and high-end system design, while salespeople and managers can sharpen their skills in customer engagement, marketing strategy and profitability management.
The value of KnowledgeFest education is proven year after year. In 2024, over 85 percent of attendees reported that the education sessions had a direct positive impact on their business, and more than 90 percent said they implemented at least one strategy learned at the event within 30 days of returning home.
As one longtime retailer put it, “Every time we attend, we come back with fresh ideas that immediately boost our sales and improve our customer experience.”
An installer said, “The technical sessions are worth the trip alone. The advanced DSP tuning
classes completely changed the way we approach system design and tuning.”
Beyond the classroom, the expo will feature interactive booths, technology demonstrations and countless opportunities to connect with top brands. Additionally, MEA is offering free membership and event registration to those coming to KnowledgeFest for the first time, along with a special badge flag and access to exclusive exhibitor offers designed to help them make the most of their experience.
Announcing Inductees to the Mobile Electronics Hall of Fame
One of the most anticipated moments of the event will take place on Monday night with the Mobile Electronics Industry Hall of Fame Awards. This special ceremony will celebrate the Class of 2025, honoring the innovators and leaders whose vision, passion and dedication have shaped the mobile electronics industry.
Congratulations to the 2025 inductees:
• David Black
• Richard Coe
• Richard Clark
• David Navone
• Lucio Proni
• Laura Puente
• George Reed
• Mark Rutledge
• John Shalam
• Rick Snelson
Registration is open, and with the new venue, expanded schedule, Hall of Fame Awards, and an industry-leading education program backed by proven results, this year’s KnowledgeFest promises to deliver more than ever before.
Never Before Eyes on Your Car Like
