12// What’s Happening: Working Together to Make it Better
The Todd Ramsey Scholarship Foundation and others aim to deepen connections and encourage the next generation of mobile electronics professionals.
22// Most Improved Store: More Than a Dream
Flourishing in its newly-renovated facility, Sudbury Car Audio aims for daily improvements, transforming the dream into reality.
38// On the Show Floor: Cultivating Alliances in the New Year
The show floor presented manufacturer collaborations and countless options for mobile electronics professionals to better serve their clients.
48// Model Mentor: That’s What Friends Are For
Dalton Trainer places high importance on connections he’s made, strengthening relationships and gaining daily inspiration from industry peers.
54// Strategy and Tactics: Building a Better Team
Jayson Cook and Dan Wilson teamed up at KnowledgeFest to speak with attendees about improving communication between salespeople and technicians.
ARTICLES
EDITOR’SFORUMROSASOPHIA• EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION
Through education and networking, we encourage the next wave of skilled craftspeople.
On the show floor at KnowledgeFest Las Vegas, Judy Ramsey represented The Todd Ramsey Memorial Scholarship Foundation. The Foundation seeks to invest in the future of car audio, Ramsey said. Students in technical schools and those who’ve just graduated high school may apply. The money can go toward training events like KnowledgeFest, Master Tech Expo, or even tools. It felt especially poignant to see the Foundation beside the MECP booth—represented by Sarah and Kris Bulla—given that Todd Ramsey once served as a subject matter expert and contributing writer for the certification program. After Todd passed away, I had the honor of writing a cover story about his work for Mobile Electronics magazine. I felt his influence in Las Vegas this year. While you follow in the footsteps of those who’ve come before you, consider how you might make a difference, too.
HOW CAN YOU CONTRIBUTE?
In this month’s Real World Retail cover feature, Conrad Leduc of Sudbury Car Audio in Canada discusses the co-op program available in his local area for high school students. So far, the shop’s had 11 students interning in its facility— learning everything from business management to wiring and fabrication. Leduc said it’s a winwin for both parties. While he gets additional help, the students learn a trade. In the U.S., other shops have either worked with local technical schools or reached out to school districts in the hopes of raising awareness about the industry to students who might be thinking about their future careers. While it’s a lot of work to train someone who’s completely unfamiliar with the industry, those who’ve done it say it’s worth it. Is it better to train someone who’s totally unexperienced, than to bring on a new team member who fosters bad habits? Many would say yes.
While you follow in the footsteps of those who’ve come before you, consider how you might make a difference, too. “ ”
Finding employees continues to be a challenge. During the Industry Awards ceremony, when Buford, Ga.-based Traffic Jams Motorsports was given the award for Best Store Culture, team member Ron Venable made a point to let the audience know that without a good owner who cares about the team, a healthy store culture isn’t possible. So, how might you contribute to the growth of the industry? If you’re a store owner or manager seeking employees, it might be helpful to reach out to local technical schools. When I was in high school, we had an automotive technology program. Some of those kids might want to trade their time at a repair shop for an opportunity to learn about the mobile electronics industry. You never know until you try.
BUILDING AN INSPIRING FUTURE
As editor-in-chief of this magazine, I very much enjoy talking with all of you—people who continue to be excited about their work. People who wish to give back and invest their time in something they care about. While at KnowledgeFest Las Vegas, I had a chance to catch up with Chris Jack of the SkillsUSA Mobile Electronics Division. If you wish to support his efforts, or the efforts of The Todd Ramsey Memorial Scholarship Foundation, please check out this month’s What’s Happening feature for more information. Also while at KnowledgeFest, I checked out Trulli Audio’s fun and informative education sessions. I also had a chance to chat with Jason Kranitz of Major League Fab. (Next month in our continued show coverage, we’ll talk about their presence on the show floor and upcoming classes.) This year’s Industry Awards ceremony, like all those previously, proved inspiring. As we move forward, I encourage all of us to consider how we might give back, inspire the next generation, and continue to grow both personally and professionally.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO WALK AWAY
Industry Awards nominees share how they’ve learned from experiences, applying their new knowledge to their careers.
“Not knowing where working at Traffic Jams would take me, I decided to go for it. At first, I felt nervous about being surrounded by so many knowledgeable people, and all men, not knowing whe ther they would take my job seriously. The truth is, they were the most respectful and patient coworkers. Everyone at Traffic Jams welcomed me with open arms, which made my learning process a success. Sometimes, customers didn’t trust me to help. Despite all the stress of not being able to help as much in the beginning, not knowing about the product and how the sales floor was handled, I managed to pull through and here I am four years later, demonstrating that I remain committed to my learning despite any obstacles encountered.”
“In the past, I tried to do too much at once and lost focus on important things. I wasn’t paying attention to one of our largest clients at the time. I assumed the team had it covered, and we ended up losing
the client and in turn it cost us $250K. I tried to get the client back, but it didn’t work out. I learned to refocus and communicate better with the team. We got into a new category to make up for the loss and it was a lot of work, but we figured it out.”
- John Schwartz, Perfectionist Auto Sound and Security, Anchorage, Alaska
“I had a client I’d already talked to [whose wife] got him a sub installed for Christmas at another shop, and they made a mess of his new truck. Our sales staff asked me to take a look, and I listened to it. If he wanted to enjoy his new car, we had to upgrade the speakers and amplify them. In order to customize the sound to his liking, we needed to add a DSP. He was excited and ready to make his truck sound the way he wanted. We wrote an estimate for a full system with DSP, speakers and a new subwoofer. Don’t be afraid to walk away if you know you cannot deliver what the client wants.”
- Dean Beyett, Five Star Car Audio, Clearwater, Fla.
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Mobile Electronics INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE
The Mobile Electronics Association reports specialty retailer performance and the forecast for 2025.
While 2024 was down over 2023 as our industry struggled with inflationary pressures affecting discretionary spending.
Average transactions per location in 2024 were down 9% as compared to 2023.
WHAT TO READ
Source Code: My Beginnings
BY BILL GATES
Technologist, business leader and philanthropist Bill Gates cofounded Microsoft with his childhood friend Paul Allen in 1975. Gates is chair of the Gates Foundation and founder of Breakthrough Energy, an effort to commercialize clean energy and other climate-related technologies, and TerraPower, invested in developing groundbreaking nuclear technologies. This is the personal story of Bill Gates’s childhood, early passions and pursuits. It’s about his principled grandmother and ambitious parents, his first friendships and the sudden death of his best friend. The book shares his struggles to fit in and his discovery of a world of coding and computers in the dawn of a new era—of embarking in his early teens on a path that took him from midnight escapades at a nearby computer center to his college dorm room, where he sparked a revolution that would change the world.
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR
Formula 1
Ready, set, mark your calendars for the highly anticipated summer blockbuster from Apple Original Films. Formula 1, starring Brad Pitt, is set for global release in theaters in partnership with Warner Bros. on June 27, 2025. If you have any doubt about the massive scope of this film, just look down the lists for cast and crew. The story revolves around Pitt, a former driver who returns to Formula 1, alongside Damson Idris as his teammate at APXGP, a fictional team on the grid. The film was shot during actual Grand Prix weekends as the team competed against the titans of the sport. According to reports, the movie theater release will include IMAX cinemas that along with powerful audio and the unique environment will make audiences feel like they are right along there for all the action. Buckle up for this one!
WHAT TO READ
Inevitable: Inside the Messy, Unstoppable Transition to Electric Vehicles
BY MIKE COLIAS
It’s just a matter of time before electric vehicles are the norm. Automotive reporter Mike Colias, veteran of the national automotive beat, has covered General Motors for 14 years. Five years ago, he added Ford to his duties. In this thorough profile, Colias details how a trillion industry is undergoing the biggest change in its 120-year history—a change that’s already sending ripples across the entire global economy. Read about what’s happening in the board rooms as executives battle over EV strategies to take on Tesla and, more recently, emerging Chinese powerhouses such as BYD. Colias talks to power-train engineers whose skills were once the beating heart of the automotive industry but who now find themselves being replaced by coders. The story stretches from Detroit to Japan to Germany to China, and from factories in Illinois and Tennessee, to a burgeoning mining operation along the shores of California’s Salton Sea. Settle in for this masterful read on the transition to electric vehicles and the seismic effects it’s bound to bring.
WHAT TO WATCH
What’s Next? The Future With Bill Gates
In this five-episode Netflix series released in late 2024, Bill Gates tackles far-reaching topics from artificial intelligence to income inequality with curiosity and an open mind. “I have always loved learning,” he told Netflix. “Whether at school, Microsoft, or now as a philanthropist, I consider myself a student.” With insights and commentary from some of the world’s most renowned scientists, politicians, journalists, medical professionals and artists, Gates considers the climate crisis, the eradication of deadly diseases, and misinformation in the age of social media. Episodes run about 45 minutes with special guests including Lady Gaga and James Cameron.
Working Together to Make it BETTER
The Todd Ramsey Scholarship Foundation, RealTruck, Trulli Audio, SkillsUSA and many others aim to deepen connections and encourage the next generation of mobile electronics professionals.
WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA
This year in Las Vegas, KnowledgeFest celebrated its 30th year. The event has been to Dallas, Orlando, Indianapolis, Long Beach, Nashville and Louisville. This summer, June 6-8, the show will be in Atlantic City. At the keynote address in Las Vegas, Mobile Electronics Association president Chris Cook took time to thank the families and individuals honored during last year’s inaugural Mobile Electronics Industry Hall of Fame event.
Trulli Audio hosted a number of interactive classes, including a panel with industry veterans and a Q & A session.
The recipients of the awards, he said, were “innovators in our industry,” paving the way for the future, and for today.
Cook announced expanded fabrication classes sponsored by Trulli Audio and MEA, held on the show floor. “We tested some of this out in Dallas,” he said, adding, “We’ve never done anything to this scale.” Speakers from Peel 3D, Gately Audio and JK Automotive Designs, to name a few, were on hand to share skills and strategies.
During the keynote, Todd Lindblade—director of dealer programs at RealTruck—addressed the crowd, encouraging shops to get involved in truck accessories if they haven’t already. “This is a way to diversify what you sell,” Lindblade said, adding, “to open the door to more opportunities.”
Cook underscored how truck accessories have the potential to expand a business’s customer base. “You’re bringing in people who might not have been interested in car audio. You’re getting a new customer, and you’re getting a less price-conscious customer,” he said, noting that truck owners tend to spend more on vehicle upgrades.
“KnowledgeFest is a time when we can connect with everyone,” he added. “If you have a problem that needs to be solved,
Judy Ramsey is one of the founders of The Todd Ramsey Scholarship Foundation, which aims to invest in the future of car audio. Donate or apply to the fund by visiting www.toddramseyscholarship.com.
ask someone. Chances are, they’ve had that problem, too. Let’s all work together to make each other better.”
EXPANDING INDUSTRY-WIDE SUPPORT FOR EDUCATING YOUTH
The MECP booth on the show floor was positioned beside a newcomer— Judy Ramsey representing The Todd Ramsey Scholarship Foundation. Ramsey co-founded the organization with Bill Jackson, an industry veteran and former Rockford Fosgate CEO.
“I’d like to continue the work Todd was doing,” Ramsey said. “We want to invest in the future of car audio. We want to give people a leg up. We are focusing mostly on high school seniors, recent graduates or GED holders. Maybe they’re shop apprentices and they’re doing work on the side. I want to lift those people up, give them a mentor and give them some free education so they can see what the industry has to offer in terms of a lifetime career.” Ramsey sees these students evolving into shop owners or even product designers. “I want to get them that higher level of education and training to become better professionals.”
In the booth next to the Foundation, MECP spoke with attendees about new courses, course updates, an admin platform for company owners and improvements to the verification page. Meanwhile, the representative for the Skills USA Mobile Electronics Division, Chris Jack, took the opportunity to connect with manufacturers and vendors who might be willing to support the division’s efforts.
Jack noted that five new states have begun participating, and fourteen new judges have joined the efforts. The 2025 competition will take place June 23-27 in Atlanta, Ga. at the National Leadership and Skills Conference. Students solder, work with relays, measure electrical components, troubleshoot circuits and install equipment in vehicles, along with
“This is how you take care of dealers: Be humble. Solve their problems. Help them in their day-to-day businesses. And help them make money.”
– RICK KOJAN, SONY CAR AUDIO
completing a written exam based on MECP Apprentice Installation Technician Certification. Jack is seeking donations and support. Those interested in assisting should reach out to him via email: cnjacklausd@aol.com
“Last year, our Skills USA winners received scholarships to attend Master Tech Expo at Mobile Solutions,” Jack said, adding that students will be presented to attendees on stage to congratulate them for their efforts. Additionally, students have applied for scholarships with The Todd Ramsey Scholarship Foundation.
The Todd Ramsey Scholarship Foundation reviews applications from recent high school graduates or students enrolled in vocational technical schools, according to Judy Ramsey. Students are asked to show their work. “I’ve seen some really interesting pictures of junior-level work, which is exactly what we’re looking for,” she said. “The first round of applicants is whittled down, and we’re going to award the first group of applicants at MasterTech Expo in the spring. The second group will receive awards at SEMA in the fall.”
Twice a year, scholarships are awarded to students to help facilitate travel to KnowledgeFest, MasterTech Expo and Mobile Solutions and SEMA. Ramsey said she looks forward to attending the Skills USA contest in Atlanta in June. “We can all work together to the same end to publicize that anyone with interest
Chris Jack of the SkillsUSA Mobile Electronics Division attended KnowledgeFest to seek support for the 12-volt competition in June. Those interested in assisting or donating should reach out to him via email: cnjacklausd@aol.com
During the KnowledgeFest keynote address, Todd Lindblade of RealTruck invited retailers to diversify their offerings, opening the door to greater opportunities.
and aptitude can go far and have a good career,” she added.
MEA continues to be a partner to the Foundation, and MECP is a longstanding friend of the Ramsey family. “We want to continue to get partnerships like that,” Ramsey said, adding that the Foundation is also seeking additional board members. Anyone can donate to the fund or find the link to apply to the scholarship by visiting www.toddramseyscholarship.com.
GROWING THE VISION FOR CONTINUED TRAINING
Sales and marketing classes at KnowledgeFest aimed to help business owners, managers and salespeople learn how to tell their own story, too. “You need to tell your story because it’s what you’re passionate about,” Cook said during the keynote address. “When the customer hears your passion for what you do, it will draw them in, and that’s how you get a customer for life.”
He advised attendees to pick just three things they’d like to implement back at
their stores. “Then, focus on one idea that you feel has the best potential to provide the greatest benefit,” he said. “It’s these little nuggets that help you grow your business.”
Expanded education offered by Trulli
Audio’s partnership with MEA took place on the show floor all weekend. Trulli
Audio also brought eight demo vehicles to the show, each one demonstrating something different.
According to Jordan Neuhauser, chief experience and marketing officer at Trulli, the vision for the workshops emerged while listening to feedback from the
mobile electronics community. A series of workshops focused on designing an enclosure based on the client’s experience, hopes and dreams. The company wanted to focus on integration: “How can we integrate this in a way that keeps you loving your car and gives you that experience you’re looking for?” Demo vehicles showed attendees what was possible. Trulli has learned through interacting with the community that modern fabrication techniques haven’t been very well-adopted yet. “There’s a learning curve and a cost. We want to help inform people,” Neuhauser said. “KnowledgeFest
our industry.”
When Lucas Lighting accepted the Top Vendor: Lighting award, National Sales Manager Steve Rogers said, “Give…It will build the future of
Several well-attended classes were held in Spanish at KnowledgeFest Las Vegas, hosted by both manafacturers and retailers.
INSTALLER OF THE YEAR
Nicholas Frazier
iNNovative Concepts Wilbraham, Mass.
RETAILER OF THE YEAR – SINGLE-STORE
Traffic Jams Motorsports Buford, Ga.
SALES PRO AWARD WINNER
Kimberly Trainer Car-Tunes, Inc. Greenville, Miss.
TRUSTED TECH AWARD WINNER
Ray West
Titan Motoring Nashville, Tenn.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Isaac Schertzer
Devine Concepts Automotive Design Naples, Fla.
MOST IMPROVED STORE OR CHAIN
Sudbury Car Audio
Val Therese, ON
BEST ONLINE PRESENCE
Traffic Jams Motorsports Buford, Ga.
BEST CUSTOMER RETENTION PROGRAM
KarTele Mobile Electronics Waterbury, Conn.
BEST CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
JC Audio Jackson, Tenn.
BEST STORE CULTURE
Traffic Jams Motorsports Buford, Ga.
CUSTOMER CHOICE AWARD – INSTALLER
Austin Moore
Titan Motoring Nashville, Tenn.
CUSTOMER CHOICE AWARD – SALES
Jeremy “Taco” Patterson
Speakerbox Autosound and Accessories Huntsville, Ala.
Dallas was our first time trying this and now we’ve added more to the presentation.”
One thing surprised Neuhauser, he said, adding, “I expected a lot of the attendees in the classes to be fabricators. I was surprised how many owners sat in to help become better leaders. A shop owner came up to me after class and said, ‘My son is starting to take over the business, and if we’re going to expand the team, I want to be informed about what we’re getting into.’”
As a result, Neuhauser began to consider how the classes might reach more and more people and help more shops as a result. “I want to bring people together. For me, the thread is music. It puts a smile on your face,” he said, adding, “We want to work and be inspired by others. If we want to grow, we have to do it together.”
HONORING THE FUTURE OF MOBILE ELECTRONICS AT THE INDUSTRY AWARDS
At the start of the Industry Awards ceremony on Sunday evening, Chris Cook underscored some of the traits of award recipients. “You’re recognizing your talents. You’re making the most of your day.
Many of you don’t take no for an answer. You made time for your family and friends. And you’re not afraid to ask for help when you need it,” he said, adding, “And you show up every day to make things happen. That’s what drives this industry, and you are the winners who accomplish that.”
The emotion and excitement felt palpable as award recipients took to the stage. During the delivery of the Top Vendor awards, SONY was given the Autosound & Processing and Infotainment & Multimedia awards. Rick Kojan of SONY Car Audio thanked the team and congratulated other award winners.
“I’m going to give you a key to success,” Kojan said. “Which is simply this: Relationships and taking care of them.” He paused, continuing, “It’s not the lowest price. It’s not the race to zero. It’s not the latest technology. It’s not about programs or shoving a product down the throats of dealers who don’t even want them. That’s bull. This is how you take care of dealers: Be humble. Solve their problems. Help them in their day-to-day businesses. And help them make money.”
JC Audio in Jackson, Tenn. took home the Best Customer Experience award. Store
Kris and Sarah Bulla of MECP continue to promote the importance of education and training in the industry.
CUSTOMER CHOICE AWARD – RETAILER
Speakerbox Autosound and Accessories
Huntsville, Ala.
CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Robert Cox
EXPEDITOR OF THE YEAR
Titan Motoring Distributor of the Year
Davis Distribution Systems
REP FIRM OF THE YEAR
The Progressive Group
SALES REP OF THE YEAR
Jason Mcarty
DOW Technologies
TOP VENDOR SUPPORT TECH
Chris Reavis ALPSAlpine
VENDOR OF THE YEAR
Firstech
TOP VENDOR: AUTOSOUND & PROCESSING SONY
TOP VENDOR: SECURITY, SAFETY AND DRIVER ASSISTANCE
Firstech (Compustar, Drone Mobile. Momento)
TOP VENDOR: ACCESSORIES AND MATERIALS
Metra Electronics
TOP VENDOR: INFOTAINMENT & MULTIMEDIA
SONY
TOP VENDOR: MARINE
JL Audio
TOP VENDOR: MOTORCYCLE & POWERSPORTS
Cicada Audio
TOP VENDOR: OEM INTEGRATION ADS (iDatalink Maestro)
TOP VENDOR: LIGHTING
Lucas Lighting
Yamil Widy and his team at Traffic Jams Motorsports stressed the importance of mutual respect in store culture when they accepted the award for Best Store Culture.
owner Jeff Cantrell stressed the importance of creating a good experience for customers. “That’s why they keep coming back. We have to make the customers feel valued. I’m grateful to be part of an industry that believes in that same concept.”
Retailers everywhere agree that creating a good experience for customers goes hand-in-hand with nurturing a positive store culture. This year, Traffic Jams Motorsports in Buford, Ga. was given the award for Best Store Culture. Store owner Yamil Widy and his team went up on stage to accept the award. Widy noted that his goal has always been to ensure Traffic Jams is one of the best places to work.
“Without the store culture we have, I don’t think anything we do would work,” he said. “Earlier today, we were talking about how important store culture is and how it affects everything. We make sure we’re respectful to each other. We try to make each other proud.”
Widy turned and indicated his team, acknowledging long-time employees Ron Venable and Michael Bischoff. Then he indicated the female members of his team, adding, “These three ladies have softened us, and it’s helped us go a long way toward being more respectful and caring for one another. Thank you.”
Venable took to the microphone to add his own comments. “The biggest thing about store culture is the owner,” he said, adding, “and if you don’t have a great owner who leads by example, then you don’t have the best store culture.”
When Lucas Lighting was recognized as the Top Vendor in Lighting, National Sales Manager Steve Rogers recounted a story of an early-morning conversation with a young dealer. “He had a long list of technical questions. I thought, ‘I want to go to bed.’ But I looked at that young man and I thought, ‘He’s part of the future of our industry. I’m going to give him 100 percent.’ We talked for over two hours and I answered his questions. It was well worth it.” He paused, adding, “Give. No matter how much it hurts. It will build the future of our industry.”
Finally, the 2025 Installer of the Year stepped on stage. Nicholas Frazier of iNNovative Concepts in Wilbraham, Mass. noted how surreal the experience felt. “Every one of you in the Top 12 could’ve taken this home. I look up to you and I appreciate your work. You inspire me,” Frazier said, adding, “Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I hope I can help you sometime in the future, as well.”
Most Improved Store
MORE THAN A DREAM
As it flourishes in its newly-renovated facility, Sudbury Car Audio aims for daily improvements, transforming the dream into a fully-realized reality.
WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA
This year at KnowledgeFest in Las Vegas, Sudbury, Ontario-based Sudbury Car Audio was given the Most Improved Store Award. According to owner Conrad Leduc—whose store also won the award in 2024—much of this has to do with continued growth as the business settles into its new location, which was acquired in October of 2023. The growth hasn’t stopped. “We’re in our tenth year,” Leduc said, “and we’ve had nine years of consistent growth. We’ve taken small steps and never jumped in too deep at one time.”
Like many in the industry, Leduc began 25 years ago as a hobbyist, then got a job as a salesperson in a big-box retailer. At another shop in Canada, he became a top salesperson and earned a free trip to Miami. However, he said, he left the industry for a while and worked in a local mine.
“I did that for years and installed on the side,” he said, adding that he kept in touch with clients. When the mine closed, and after the 2008 recession, Leduc felt it was time for him to start his own business.
The business began at Leduc’s home and then moved to a rented commercial location six years ago in an industrial park. Now, it’s expanded again: “In the short time I’ve been pursuing the Industry Awards, I went from a small at-home shop to a commercial location, and I just purchased a million dollar building. We tripled our space, and we have a 2,500-square-foot area on the property that we’re renting out to a tenant.” The rent will cover his business’s mortgage. Additionally, he said, he’s finally able to hire another employee.
LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL CO-OP PROGRAM HELPS BUILD STAFF
Currently, the business consists of only Leduc and one other employee. Brendan Gagne came to Sudbury Car Audio when he was 17 in 2020, through a co-op program in which high school students have the opportunity to earn credits by studying a trade. He went to work at another local business but returned to Sudbury Car Audio because he preferred Leduc’s methods of installation.
The program also gives Sudbury Car Audio a chance to interact with the community, helping to build the next generation of mobile electronics technicians.
“There are co-ops in almost every aspect of business here in our high schools,” he said. “We have one person per semester. They get to solder, use a saw, a router— tools they’ve never used before. They’re doing hands-on fabrication, installation and wiring. We’ve used the program to bring someone into the industry, and Brendan is a shining example of that.”
Leduc acknowledged that it takes a lot of time and energy to train someone new: “It’s a balance. You’re showing them how to do things while you’re selling and installing,” he explained, adding that a co-op student will shadow him and learn management, how to order product, manage inventory, work with tools and properly care for clients’ vehicles. “They learn so much, but it is demanding.”
He noted that he views the process as an investment in future employees. Participating in the co-op program, or bringing on employees from a local technical school, is “100 percent worth it. I don’t think there’s any better situation than taking on a co-op kid and having them fall in love with the work, then hiring them as an employee. That’s the goal.”
The shop has had a total of 11 co-op students working with the business throughout its involvement in the program. “Kids will fight over the chance to work here,” he said. “They’re excited. On the first day, they might get to work on a boat or a side-by-side, while their friends might have to go to a mechanic’s shop and sweep all day. They want to work here because it’s fun.”
While some business owners may see it as too time-consuming to work with someone who’s so new to the industry, Leduc encouraged them to rethink it. “For eight months out of the year, I have someone installing headlights for free. They’re getting experience and school credits, they’re enjoying it and they don’t want to leave.”
He noted that 90 percent of the students he’s worked with return to the store on a regular basis just to visit.
It’s also good for the community. “If you can partner with a school, everyone knows you care. It’s free advertising because your name is all over the school. If we can turn these students into actual employees, it’s perfect.”
FACEBOOK MARKETING ATTEMPTS LEAD TO LESSONS LEARNED
In the past, Sudbury Car Audio tried to attract leads via Facebook advertisements, which Leduc said had very little impact. He takes part in regular Zoom sales calls with Tony Denke and others, during which salespeople, managers and owners discuss ways of attracting more business to their stores.
“One day, someone came up with an idea for Valentine’s Day,” Leduc said. “I tried it, and it flopped.” One of the product focuses, he added, were cell phone mounts. “Maybe people don’t think of those types of things for Valentine’s Day.”
Another effort focused on Christmas: “I wrapped products as gifts under our Christmas tree, decorated in our store colors, and the idea was you could come in and buy a gift that’s already wrapped. That didn’t do well, either. I think I only sold two items from under the tree.”
Leduc theorized that the items he was trying to sell—such as cell phone mounts and light bars— might be products people tend to buy off Amazon instead of brickand-mortar businesses. “My goal now is to get people to think of us for that stuff,” he added, noting that he wants to create more of a personal connection.
“We sponsor local sports teams, we take part in the co-op, we support the community and we thank the community whenever we can for supporting us. We let them know on social media,” he said. “Every time we have a better year or we do something well, we thank the community for their support.”
Most Improved Store
FAST FACTS
LOCATION: Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
NUMBER OF LOCATIONS: 1
SQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,300
TYPE: Traditional Retail
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 2
MAIN FOCUS
30% Car Audio
25% Fleet Work (Toolboxes, GPS Tracking, Lighting, Van Shelving, Power Invertors, and More)
5% Accessories (Heated Seats, Parking Sensors, Bluetooth Speakers, Cameras, and More)
KEY STAFF
OWNERS: Conrad Leduc
TECHNICIAN: Brendan Gagne
Recently, the shop added car starters to its list of offerings, a move which required facing another set of challenges. Gagne had to secure a 310K Ontario remote starter certification, per local regulations. People are often surprised that the shop had yet to install a single car starter—until now.
Gagne is now the business’s official car starter technician. “We’re adding extra revenue to our numbers. We’re up 15 percent over last year’s sales,” Leduc said. “We own the building now, so we can expand when we want. There’s no limit.”
“WHEN SOMEONE GIVES YOU THEIR MONEY, IT’S ABOUT TRUST.”
Despite being unable to install car starters until this year, Leduc said business remained steady year-round in other categories. On a busy day, the shop might have six or seven cars to work on. Also,
he added, clients may come from as far as seven-and-a-half or eight hours away. Often, they’ll will walk in and say, “‘My friend got something here, my cousin….’ They come in knowing they want us to work on their vehicle. Because we’ve built this into our brand, they know they’ll be happy.” Others will arrive just to check things out. Still others find the business online and message them, Leduc added. “Some who message us are familiar with us, and others are shopping around.”
Leduc will collect their information, noting that he still writes things down in a sales book. “I have a poor memory, so I live off sticky notes. They’re just reminders for me.”
When it comes to the sales process, Leduc will tell a client, “I don’t sell speakers. I let you buy them.” If, during an audio demo, the client really likes a
set of $200 speakers, “we can build an entry-level system from there. If they want those speakers, they probably aren’t looking for a high-end system.”
The sales strategy is to let the client choose. “It’s our way of getting to know them. If they pick a $1,000 set of speakers, we can build that fully active DSP system. I don’t do top-down selling. People might say I’m crazy, but that’s okay. Of course the most expensive product is going to sound the best, but they may not have that budget.”
During the sales process, Leduc sits down with the client to go over the entire project. An itemized quote is generated. “We explain why we do things, we show them a demonstration and we explain pros and cons,” he said. “We go over every aspect of the job, and this can take 45 minutes to an hour. Then we have a list of everything that will go into the
A BALANCED APPROACH ON SOCIAL MEDIA CONTINUES TO DRAW NEW CLIENTS
Sudbury Car Audio had the opportunity to advertise on a billboard for less than the usual cost, said owner Conrad Leduc, due to the fact that he knows the individual who owns the land. People do come into the store and mention it, he said, adding, “It’s orange and white and very noticeable. It does its job.”
The business continues to maintain its social media presence, and Leduc said Facebook is most effective. “We have an Instagram, and it’s slowly growing. People will message us on Facebook more.”
Last year, the business created a page on Tik Tok. Leduc manages all the social media himself. Currently, he said, the online audience is enjoying updates on building renovations.
“If I do a post on side-by-sides, I’ll attract those customers. We try to keep the flow of the content moving,” making it different each time. “One post a week is about lighting. One post will be about a work truck or a beacon light, meant to keep workers safe on the job.”
Leduc has found that the most effective posts are “feel-good stories,” such as a post about a new co-op student. “We’ll say, ‘He’ll be with us for four months, you’ll see him around,’ and people really like that. They like that we’re doing community-driven work.”
BUILDING TRUST THROUGH CAREFUL EDUCATION
According to owner Conrad Leduc, Sudbury Car Audio is a “huge audio place.” The business offers high-end audio options. Many clients come looking for CarPlay or Android Auto for older vehicles, as well as headlights. Leduc uses an example of a projector headlight on the sales floor to explain how it works. Because he’s willing to explain it, he said, clients trust the business.
“Other stores just ask, ‘What truck do you have?’ and sell you a box. Customer service goes a long way.” Through careful education, the client learns why a particular bulb may or may not work for their vehicle. They learn why it’s important to “spend the extra money on the proper bulb instead of wasting money on the wrong one. Explaining it leads the client to trust you because you took the time to show that you care.”
Most Improved Store
“I ASK MYSELF, ‘HOW CAN I BE BETTER?’”
Sudbury Car Audio also continues to attract clients through personal care and attention. The business hosts an event at its location, during which free product is given away. Leduc remembered a woman who won a prize. “She said, ‘I never win anything.’ All this time later, she still likes and shares our posts. We want to build relationships with everyone, regardless of what they spend.”
In one particular instance, he said, a man came into the store and shared that he had cancer and only six months to live. He bought four cell phone mounts for his wife and his kids, according
to Leduc, who felt overwhelmed. “It made me cry. He was trying to set them up because he knew he wouldn’t be around,” he said. “Then he came back and brought me laseretched coasters he made for us, with our logo on slate rock. It was the coolest thing ever.”
It’s about building relationships and making people happy, Leduc said again. “I have mentors and now I have people looking up to me. I want to push others in the industry to be better and to improve their stores. I want to give back,” he said, adding, “When I go into a store, I want to be treated well. If I don’t get that, it hurts my heart. Then I come back into my own store and I ask myself, ‘How can I be better?’”
vehicle and they leave with an understanding of why they’re getting it, what it does and the benefits.”
When it comes to a successful sale, Leduc said it’s important to demonstrate the product and help the client understand why certain things are necessary for a quality result.
“When someone gives you their money, it’s about trust. Not every client
is a $10,000 client and that’s okay. You’re building trust. Once you’ve done that, they’ll come back and refer people to you,” he said, estimating that about 80 percent of Sudbury Car Audio’s clients come from referrals.
Sometimes a customer has a quote from another shop, he added, and the quote is missing some important elements. “If you’re not getting certain
items, you’re not really getting the value of what this speaker, amplifier or subwoofer is capable of doing. It’s a great way of comparing quotes and not just a dollar value. If we’re more expensive and they don’t know why, they won’t choose us,” he said, adding, “But if we’re more expensive and they understand why, they can justify the cost.”
BRINGING THE DREAM TO LIFE
Today, Leduc said the showroom at Sudbury Car Audio is “exactly what I pictured. We made our dream come alive.” The wall above the sales counter even features a just-completed mural with high-end photos from Morel’s catalog, which the company gave Leduc’s business permission to use.
The shop continues to grow its multiple categories—including vehicle accessories for both work and person trucks, ladder racks and lighting, WeatherTech and fleet work. They’ve even obtained a contract to work on local ambulances. These emergency vehicles, he explained, have laptops that need to be charged all the time, something that isn’t happening through the manufacturer’s system.
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Most Improved Store
“We wired them so they can charge both ways,” he said. “It’s not a lot of money, but every ambulance needs it.”
Recently, Leduc completed a contract for a local cable company: “They had some electronic systems to install in their vehicles and they contacted us because they know our good reputation for wiring.” The goal, he said, is to always “make a work truck look just as pristine as a nice car.”
He noted that companies want to work with them because the wiring looks good and won’t break down: “I’ve called these companies back and spoken to their fleet managers to find out if they’ve had any breakdowns to their beacon lights in the last 12 months. They’ll say, ‘No,’ and they’ll sound shocked. And I’ll say, ‘That’s all I wanted to know.’ I’m proving that if we wire it correctly and do it the way we want to do it, they no longer need a breakdown budget. They don’t have to keep going back to the cheaper option. This keeps our repeat business going.
We’re more expensive, but we’ll be able to save them money in the long run.”
Sudbury Car Audio handles a lot of work trucks, Leduc said. “A lot of contractors are required to have backup beepers and lights at mining sites, and we know how to outfit those vehicles,” he explained. We’ll do a minimum $3,000 package just to get them on-site. When you do wiring, you can do anything.”
The shop installs a lot of lighting, headlights and light bars, catering to a large off-roading community. “We built a dedicated powersports demo board,” Leduc said. “We went from 1,200 to 3,300 square feet when we moved. We have a lot of room to expand here. We built a lighting board, powersport marine board and a cell phone accessory board.”
Sudbury Car Audio finally has the necessary space to display and demonstrate its many offerings. The total overhaul and a continued commitment to daily improvement eventually led to the two-time Most Improved Store Award. In the future, Leduc hopes to
have five or more employees and an expanded building. “We’re on an acre of land, so there’s potential to grow.”
He said industry legends like Keith McCumber gave him a push: “I credit him because he believed in me and knew who I was before I knew.” Reflecting back on the Industry Awards, he added, “It’s not about winning. It’s about what the awards can do for a business. We have flourished.”
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Vernon’s Signature Audio Aims for Further Expansion of Facility and Staff
WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA
Lubbock, Texas-based Vernon’s Signature Audio—owned by Steve Vernon and Leon Winchester—was named a Top 12 Retailer for 2025.
Vernon said the business is currently housed in an 8,000-square-foot building, and he hopes to purchase a 15,000-square-foot space. “We’re trying to move toward a one-stop-shop [kind of business] where you can get truck accessories, rims and tires, vehicle wraps, windshield repair, window tinting, car audio—just about anything you’d want,” he explained.
Vernon added that he anticipates moving everything into the new space within the next 90 days to four months. Once the move is complete, he hopes to expand all the above-mentioned categories and hire four or five additional employees. While the shop has been involved in vehicle wraps previously, Vernon noted they’ve been subcontracting the work out to other companies. “I think it’s time for us to start offering all of those options ourselves,” he said.
CULTIVATING ALLIANCES IN THE NEW YEAR
The show floor at KnowledgeFest Las Vegas presented manufacturer collaborations and countless options for mobile electronics professionals to better serve their clients.
THINKWARE U1000 PLUS DEALER-EXCLUSIVE DASH CAM
The dealer-exclusive Thinkware U1000 Plus offers front 4K UHD with HDR and rear 1080p FHD with HDR. It uses Sony STARVIS and also it has Thinkware connected. Additionally, it allows for up to 5-channel recording with a multiplexer solution where the user can have a frontview camera as well as four additional cameras. They can choose from side cameras, exterior infrared cameras, interior infrared or a rear view camera. Options can be customized depending on the situation, such as in the case of a rideshare or fleet driver.
RYDEEN INTRODUCES TEZSPEX LINE OF PREMIUM TESLA ACCESSORIES
Rydeen Mobile has introduced TEZspex, a new line of Tesla accessories. The company is offering everything from ambient lighting kits to automatic door handles, soft closing door locks, car play units, swivel mounts, sunshades and more. Rydeen also continues to introduce new products, including dash cameras and mirror mount replacements.
SNAP FINANCE AIMS TO DEEPEN CONNECTIONS WITH DEALERS AND MANUFACTURERS
LUCAS LIGHTING UPGRADES L3 SERIES BULB
The fifth version of the L3 Series bulb from Lucas Lighting was made to be versatile in a high-beam configuration, according to the company. The L3 is only made in H11 and 9005/6 styles. All other bulb styles will continue to run in version four. It is 38 percent more efficient than version four, running on about 22 watts versus 35 watts on the previous version. The bulb runs down to six volts to accommodate high beam and daytime running light combinations. In six-volt (DRL) mode it runs down to 20 percent brightness for a soft DRL. Since many manufacturers combine the high beam and the daytime running light, Lucas Lighting aims to provide a bulb that can perform well on the high-output side, as well as running at a lower output for the daytime running lights. The L3 Series bulb accomplishes this goal, and it’s also more efficient and will last longer.
Snap Finance continues to be a supportive presence at KnowledgeFest events. According to company representative Carlos Lizarraga, Snap has received very positive feedback about how its services are assisting retailers in serving their customers. This year, Lizarraga said he hopes to connect with more manufacturers to find additional retailers “who might be a good fit for us to partner with.” The hope, he said, is to continue to strengthen connections with dealers and be of the most help. “I think there’s a lot of untapped opportunity,” he said, adding, “[so we want to be] more strategical with finding dealers, and then [learn] how can we help them continue to grow in sales.”
DOW TECHNOLOGIES LAUNCHES CONSUMER-FACING “INSIDE THE RIDE” PROJECT SHOWCASE
At KnowledgeFest Las Vegas, DOW Technologies launched Inside the Ride, a consumer-facing website and Instagram page to help connect consumers with retailers. A QR code is placed on the show vehicle, encouraging people to follow the link to find out more.
“That QR code takes them to our website, www.insidetheride.pro, where they can see an entire gallery of vehicles,” said Dave Elkin, senior vice president of sales and product management at DOW Technologies. Viewers are able to learn more about the vehicle as well as all modifications, including 12-volt. DOW then points the customer back to the vehicle owner’s Instagram and the shop that completed the work. “It’s not about DOW equipment,” he said.
“It’s about getting consumers connected with our dealers. As you scroll through, a message says, ‘find a custom shop in your area.’
That’s a lead generator. We get the consumer’s information and point them to a dealer in their area.” While at KnowledgeFest, Elkin and his team focused on getting retailers excited about the website. They also worked to gather more content, with the end result of pushing more leads to mobile electronics shops.
MAESTRO IDATALINK APX DASH KITS IN COLLABORATION WITH JVCKENWOOD
In collaboration with JVCKenwood, Maestro iDatalink presents 11 kits for JVCKenwood Direct Replacement head units that will cover Ford, GM, Chrysler, Infiniti and Nissan. The goal is to make it easier for installers to replace a head unit with a screen that’s the same size as the factory model. For example, if a vehicle comes from the factory with an eight-inch screen, it can be replaced by a JVCKenwood model of the same size using the Maestro iDatalink APX dash kits. The user is able to benefit from all the features of an aftermarket unit while retaining the factory appearance. The kits will be available in April, and the JVCKenwood units will be released at the same time.
DS18 PRESENTS SMD AMPLIFIERS THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH STEVE MEADE DESIGNS
DS18 has collaborated with Steve Meade Designs to present a series of collectible amplifiers. The company integrated Meade’s signature voltmeter into the amplifiers, creating a plexiglass seethrough design with RGB lighting. The amps were first introduced at SEMA 2024, at which point the stock immediately sold out. Several models are available including SMD-2000.1D, SMD-200.4AB and SMD-2800.5. The amplifiers have been featured in a number of high-end builds, especially Teslas, according to a company representative. Steve Meade’s autograph is featured on the amplifiers, and he also signed the display at SEMA. The display and amplifiers were featured at the DS18 booth at KnowledgeFest Las Vegas.
GLADEN SIGMA AND ZETA SERIES OF SPEAKERS
This year, Gladen is releasing two new loudspeaker lines: SIGMA and ZETA, which the company stated have wideband drivers, like an extended frequency mid-range. These lines are a direct replacement for all domestic and Japanese vehicles which come with a wideband speaker on the dash. The SIGMA line offers a 6.5-inch driver and a 20-millimeter tweeter, while the ZETA line is made in Germany with a 6.5-inch mid-bass driver, two-and-threequarter-inch wideband and a 30-millimeter tweeter. Both kits can be run as a two-way with a mid-bass and a tweeter, or with a mid-bass and a wideband.
ATOTO OFFERS DEALER-SPECIFIC PRODUCTS THROUGH VINLAND BRAND
ATOTO products have long been available online, and when dealers expressed concern about this, the company responded by creating dealer-specific brand VINLAND. The brand offers custom-fit vehicle-specific models—dash kits, t-harnesses and more—based on iDatalink Maestro. These plug-andplay products come in one kit, easy for retailers to sell and install. Most importantly, VINLAND brand products will not be available online, allowing dealers to protect their pricing.
AMERICAN HARD BAG MOTORCYCLE SPEAKER ADAPTERS AND WIRING HARNESSES
American Hard Bag offers speaker adapters and wiring harnesses for motorcycles, designed for easy install without a lot of fabrication. Often, installers and fabricators must do a lot of recreating on each bike project, but American Hard Bag seeks to make it easier through specially designed speaker adapters and wiring harnesses for the specific year and model of the motorcycle.
The M-Series subwoofers from Sundown Audio are entry-level subs in the company’s Mega platform, featuring a big basket and big surround, 1,750 watts RMS-rated. Offered in a more affordable price range, this series features about 35 millimeters of oneway excursion and works in a variety of enclosures, including infinite baffle enclosures. The series will include four sizes—M10, M12, M15 and M18—and should be available by early March 2025.
XS POWER DEBUTS THE FIRST IN A SERIES: SS30 SODIUM SAFE BATTERY
The SS30 Sodium Safe Battery from XS Power is the first in the Sodium Safe line, packing 50 amp hours into a 30 Series housing. The battery offers the highest capacity on the market in the 30 Series. It comes with a four-year warranty and easy installation. The battery doesn’t require any special charger, but it can be charged up to 15.8 volts.
ESB AUDIO DEBUTS 4000 SERIES SPEAKERS AT KNOWLEDGEFEST LAS VEGAS
The new 4000 Series speakers from ESB Audio offer high-quality sound at aggressive price points. The goal was to push the limits of cost versus performance, according to the company website. The 4000 Series’ matte black steel grilles offer a more refined aesthetic on par with more expensive speaker systems, while blending with just about any car interior.
VOXX ELECTRONICS LEATHER CRAFT HELPS RETAILERS ENTER AUTOMOTIVE UPHOLSTERY BUSINESS
Through Leather Craft (see more at www.leathercraft. pro) VOXX Electronics is offering a program to help retailers get into the automotive upholstery category. “We have training program available in regional zones, Monday through Friday. We’re supplying the tools an installer would need to be able to do automotive seat upholstery installations. You leave the training with a starter toolkit of the actual tools you’d need to perform the installations. We can help you get fully into the business,” said company representative Seth Halstead. The company also offers six different mini demo seats to help customers visualize how it will look in their vehicle. Upholstery options include traditional black leather, traditional stitching, customized logos, baseball stitching, diamond inserts and more. Leather Craft also offers various kits, including Collector’s Edition kits, all of which are fully customizable.
TURY FAST PRESENTS MAGIC KEY AND SAFE BOX UPGRADES
After listening to feedback from dealers, TURY Fast improved upon the MAGIC KEY design, presenting a new model that’s easier to carry and features a longer battery life. While the first incarnation of the product had a battery life of a few months, the new MAGIC KEY is rated at a year to two years, according to company representatives. The SAFE BOX is a carbon steel security enclosure developed to provide maximum security to the FAST MAX Module. The upgrade is more compact, smaller and more install-friendly.
PIONEER TELLS THE STORY OF “WHY” WITH 1990 MAZDA B2600I
Built by Shawn Marsh of Terrell, Texas-based NTX Audio Innovations, this 1990 Mazda B2600i was on display at the Pioneer booth at KnowledgeFest Las Vegas. According to a Pioneer representative, the company aims to improve its ability of telling the story of “why,” adding, “What does it mean if it’s high-end? What does this mean for the average consumer? This is something Pioneer is trying to work on. We want to educate people [and show] the differences.” If a customer wants to be budgetconscious, he explained, they won’t necessarily know what’s right for them.
The build features four high-end Pioneer Z-Series speakers, four D-Series 6-by-9s and six 12-inch D-Series subwoofers. With the build, the company rep noted they hoped to show how the experience changes with different types of subwoofers. Regardless of the customer’s goals, he said, they can obtain high-end sound quality. Overall, Pioneer’s goal is to educate—so that customers can find what’s right for them and their vehicle, contributing to a positive retail experience.
12V DASHBOARD LAUNCHES NEW E-COMMERCE TOOL AT KNOWLEDGEFEST LAS VEGAS
During the show, 12V Dashboard presented a new e-commerce tool which integrates BigCommerce and Shopify. Clients can use an in-store display version of this tool to look up their vehicle and search products. A company representative for 12V Dashboard said this kiosk can act as a “silent salesperson,” and can be integrated into an existing display or built into a new display. The company is currently working with Jody Culbertson at 5 Axis to integrate the touchscreen kiosk into some of his company’s new displays.
MEMPHIS AUDIO PRESENTS ALL-NEW MOJO 60MJP1244
SUBWOOFER
The 60th Anniversary MOJO Pro limited-edition subwoofer features a gold and diamond-encrusted Memphis logo on the dust cap, with a laser-etched 60th Anniversary logo on the gold-dipped magnet, gold terminals, and gold and diamond-encrusted badges on the basket. The subwoofer—with its rigid gloss carbon fiber dust cap and paper cone—is able to hold a lot of power, according to the company. It has a four-inch aluminum voice coil to handle the 1,500 watts RMS power of its 300-ounce magnet, as well as patented flex technology, and can be easily changed from one-ohm to two-ohm.
The 2016 Mazda 6 on display at KnowledgeFest Las Vegas has been fully equipped with JL Audio flagship products. The build was completed by James Davidson, Phil Cantu and Jeffrey Hald. Davidson and Hald currently work at Mobile Toys, and Hald is the owner of the vehicle. The build features two JL Audio VXI 600/6, one VXI 1000/5 and two RD1500/1 amplifiers. The car has two JL Audio C7 100ct, one C6 100ct, one C7 650cw, four C7 350cm and two ZR 800cw speakers. It also has one 10w6v3 and two 12w7AE-3 subwoofers. The source unit is Kenwood, and the sound treatment is Second Skin / Resonix with wiring and electrical equipment from XS Power, SMD and KnuKoncepts. The car was a threetime IASCA Triple Crown winner in 2021, 2022 and 2023. In 2024, the vehicle won the IASCA Pro 3 Class and the IASCA Expert Class in the kick-off event.
ORCA 3D PRINTING PROGRAM OFFERS FREE 3D PRINTER FOR QUALIFYING ORDERS
According to a company representative, when buyers purchase a certain number of speakers or make a qualifying order, they receive a 3D printer and access to Orca’s database, enabling them to visit the company’s portal and download the specific speaker adapter for the vehicle they’re working on. The spacer can be downloaded, printed and applied to the project so there’s no need to purchase a speaker adapter. Currently, about 150 dealers are participating in the program. About 130 spacers are available for download. Orca also has the ability to design an adapter based on a dealer’s need: The retailer can ship them the speaker, the company will design an adapter and ship it back.
BOSS AUDIO REVEALS REBRAND OF ELITE LINE AT KNOWLEDGEFEST LAS VEGAS
While at KnowledgeFest Las Vegas, BOSS Audio debuted a rebrand and update to its Elite line of products. According to company representatives, BOSS Audio decided to launch a rebrand when dealers asked, “What’s the difference between BOSS and BOSS ELITE?” Select head units will now feature an updated GUI, expanded DSP customization as well as Maestro iDatalink compatibility. The Elite line will also feature brand new amplifiers in the auto and marine categories, according to the company. Additionally, new speakers, amplifiers and subwoofers are coming soon. A demo car in the booth demonstrated BOSS ELITE in action.
THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR
Dalton Trainer places high importance on connections he’s made at industry events, continuing to strengthen these relationships and gain daily inspiration and encouragement f rom industry peers.
WORDS BY JAMIE SORCHER
not many people step into their professional line of work at age 13, but Dalton Trainer did. Now he’s the lead technician and fabricator at his family’s business, CarTunes Inc., in Greenville, Miss. The shop was named Mobile Electronics Retailer of the Year in 2020. Trainer began as a parttime employee, first learning to do basic installs. “A year later, I started doing amplifiers and built from there.”
Initially, though, he had no concrete plans to stay in the family business and left for college to pursue a degree in electrical engineering. “I knew I wanted to go to college. I wanted to have the experience,” he said. “As a teenager, I didn’t know if car audio would be my career or not, so I wanted to have a fallback plan.”
After earning his degree in electrical engineering, though, he realized it wasn’t for him. “I liked the process of
doing complex relays and using computerized systems for that, but there’s not much creativity in it. It was just repetitive,” he explained.
Then, he went back to Car-Tunes and started to buckle down. “I attended training events, fab schools and industry programs to develop new techniques and become more skilled.”
Trainer’s love of learning and passion to advance his knowledge ultimately led him to meet others in the industry who are now his most valued friends and mentors. In this year’s awards ceremony at KnowledgeFest Las Vegas, he earned a place among the Top 12 Installers and the Top 5 Technicians of the industry.
Know Where to Go to Find Support
When Trainer returned to the family business around 2012, there was a crew at the shop doing old-school installs,
but Trainer noticed technology had become more advanced.
“We started getting into audio systems with all-pass filtering and other things like dynamic EQ, and our installers were running into issues when they tried to connect things the way they used to,” he explained. “When you’d cut up certain volumes, things were missing like subwoofer bass or the mid-range of the vocals because of the EQ curves causing issues.”
As this transition occurred, it prompted Trainer to seek out more knowledge so he’d be more prepared. “I reached out to friends in the industry. I asked them where they were going wrong with their installations, and what challenges they were having. Then I also talked with the MESA group we’re part of, and they recommended training schools.”
At the time, Car-Tunes was a Rockford Fosgate dealer and had been since the early 80s. “I think we might be one of the oldest Rockford dealers in Mississippi,” Trainer added. This connection turned out to be a catalyst for him.
“Greg Cobbs, now Rockford’s Director of Training, was our sales representative,” he said. “He came in to show us some new products.” If the store did a certain buy-in, Trainer added, Rockford Fosgate would pay for a technician to attend training at Tempe, Ariz.-based Mobile Solutions and tour the Rockford factory.
The opportunity was a turning point for him. “Once I’d been exposed to that level of professionalism, it made me want to dig deeper,” he said, adding that he met other industry professionals at the training event who mentioned KnowledgeFest. “I started going there, as well.”
Trainer encouraged anyone new to the industry to attend KnowledgeFest. “There’s always something you can learn if you pay attention. For me, it’s like another day at work,” he said, adding that an attendee can bring what they’ve learned back to the shop. “KnowledgeFest does a great job of having classes for everyone.”
Seek Out Sources of Inspiration
Trainer’s greatest source of inspiration and guidance is his mother, Kimberly Trainer, owner of Car-Tunes. As he became more involved in the industry, he started
searching out installers who did the kind of work that he admired. One such individual is Matt Schaeffer, now the lead technician at Musaic Design/Sound FX Home Theater & Car Audio in Lewes, Del., and 2006 Installer of the Year.
“I always loved the stuff he did. He’s inspirational,” Trainer said. “And I thought, ‘One day I’m going to meet him.’ I caught up with him at an event and said, ‘I just wanted to say hi.’ He was the most humble, nice guy. And sure enough, three months after meeting him, I ended up attending a training course where he was the speaker. He remembered me. He came up to me and said hello. Since then, we’ve been friends.”
The initial meet-up happened after the conclusion of one of the Schaeffer’s trainings. “I like to absorb everything I can,” Trainer said. “Lots of times at these training facilities, you have days to do your work, but when it’s time to go, everyone leaves and there’s just a mess. It’s typically guest speakers, presenters, or the guys at the shop who are there to do the clean-up.” Trainer said he couldn’t just walk out. “I helped pick up stuff. I swept the floors. I just wanted to be around these guys who were the leaders in the industry. I looked up to them.”
About three years ago, Trainer said the tables flipped. “I taught my first class at KnowledgeFest with Chris McNulty, elettromedia’s Director of Technical Support and Training.” The class, he said, was on custom speaker adapter design
What’s Next for the Mobile Electronics Industry?
The integration of new technologies is changing things, said Trainer, who noted that the average Honda Accord “has a system with all-pass filtering which requires a certain level of knowledge” in how to set up a DSP.
“In an older run of that same vehicle, you’d just change the radio. In new vehicles, you can’t do that. You have to retain factory functions and make them work with the aftermarket,” he said. “That’s one of the biggest things the industry continues to face and has been facing the last three or four years. You need to know how to use a DSP.”
Shops that continue to attend trainings and learn how to integrate will come out on top, he added. “At KnowledgeFest, Ray West recently taught a class on coding on nodes in a vehicle—how to use software to code different programs into the vehicle. Fords, for instance, have four different audio systems that come factory, and they have all different equalization settings.”
The FORScan software can be used to code the vehicle, he said, adding, “It will give you a flat variable output that you can use with an aftermarket audio system to give you good sound output. But the guy doing it like he did in 2000— if he thinks he can just connect it to the rear speaker wires of the doors, that’s not going to work right.”
So, what does all this mean for the future of the industry? “Advancements in new vehicles are what will keep specialty car audio shops alive,” Trainer said. “The audio shops who are doing the same stuff they were doing since the early 2000s will start seeing vehicles [that they won’t know how to work on]. They just won’t be able to make the car sound decent.”
and using CNC laser or automated tools like 3D printing or other software to create speaker adapters or baffles. All of a sudden, Trainer was in a position to make an impression on someone else—to become a mentor.
Mentorship and Friendship Go Hand-in-Hand
By his own admission, Trainer pushes himself and stays motivated to learn different skills. “If I see something that’s cool, I want to try it until I get it right,” he said. Training courses are great ways to master new skills. Another way is to learn from your friends.
“Now that I have multiple industry friends, I can call any of them and ask, ‘Hey, I want to do this. What’s your process? How would you handle it?’ Having friends like this is a big deal. For example, my friend Carlos Parra has a shop called Audio Addiction in Temecula, Calif. I talk to him every day, and if not that, then every other day.”
Trainer and Parra met at Mobile Solutions at a training. “It was one of those
things where you start talking to someone and you relate right away,” he said. “Within five minutes, it was like we had been friends for years. That was in 2015.” Even though they’re on opposite sides of the country, Trainer said both he and Parra are living the same life with their careers. “Early in the morning, Carlos might send me some pictures of what he’s working on,” he said. “It might be a car that’s all torn apart. I send him stuff I’m working on.” When they’re working on custom projects, the two will bounce ideas off one another.
“If I design a sub enclosure for a vehicle, I’ll call or Facetime Carlos and ask, ‘What if I did this? What do you think?’ He does the same thing with me. We help each other to make better decisions.”
Joe Giallombardo, a 2019 Top 12 Installer, is another technician Trainer met at an industry event. “We’re likeminded and you tend to stay in touch when you make that connection,” Trainer said. “Joe has helped me a ton. He’s savvy with the laser so anytime I have a question related to that, I reach
out to him. He reaches out to me for advice, as well.”
Giallombardo works for Sinewave Car Stereo in the northern Chicago suburbs. Recently, Trainer said, he had a Ram truck in the bay at Sinewave. He was attempting integration strategies, but facing challenges.
“In his area, they do more high-end exotic cars,” Trainer noted. “They don’t see the everyday trucks as much as we do in the south. Whenever I have something like a Tesla or a Maserati, I call Joe. This was a chance for me to advise him.”
While the processes are similar, he added, “If I’ve done 100 trucks and he’s done 100 super-cars, you have a better feeling about what works with your experience. When you can share your knowledge or receive that knowledge, it saves you the time of having to dig for information. It makes the job a lot easier.”
Stay Positive and Hungry for Knowledge
For those who want to forge a career in the mobile electronics industry, there are plenty of opportunities, according to Trainer, but the work demands dedication and genuine interest and appreciation. What’s most important is a passion to continue to grow and learn.
“When there are presentations at KnowledgeFest, after the Q&A at a training, or once a class is finished, the instructors usually stay to meet with attendees,” Trainer said. “We’re there to meet if you want to talk one-on-one. It allows us to give you that next level of personalization.” Taking advantage of those moments can be transformative.
“If you don’t love cars, this industry probably isn’t for you,” he added, noting that the kind of car doesn’t matter. “When you’re in that vehicle, you don’t just want to hear the engine running the whole time. You want speakers.”
Trainer said he’s intrigued by the fact that everyone has a different vision of car audio. “When you can sketch up a project or design it on your iPad or laptop, and then show a client what you can do, and then when you deliver the car to them and it’s better than what you originally
drew—that’s the satisfaction I get,” he said. “I enjoy the client’s reaction more than anything.”
For both veterans and newbies alike, Trainer advised staying positive. He stressed that it’s not possible to find fulfillment if all you care about is a
paycheck. “I’ve seen it,” he said, adding, “Those kinds of folks don’t progress. They’d rather get paid and go home.”
Instead, he said, “Stay hungry. Learn new procedures and techniques. If you find someone who’s willing to teach you, then you can go as far as you want.”
BUILDING A BETTER TEAM
Jayson Cook and Dan Wilson teamed up at KnowledgeFest Las Vegas to speak with attendees about improving communication between salespeople and technicians.
WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA
At KnowledgeFest Las Vegas, industry veterans Jayson Cook and Dan Wilson of Columbus Car Audio and Accessories in Columbus, Ohio teamed up to lead a class entitled “Bridging the Gap Between Sales and Technical Staff.” Cook was named Sales Pro of the Year in 2019, and Wilson was among the Top 5 Technicians for the same year, as well as a Top 12 Installer in 2024. Both men said they’d worked together for a long time, and through these
experiences, learned a lot about how to overcome difficulties in communication. During their presentation, they touched on communication with clients and communication between salespeople and technicians. According to Cook, the average person walking into a mobile electronics shop doesn’t necessarily know what the business can do for them. “We might miss the mark just by assuming a client knows what we do,” he said. In their
presentation, they shared these essential aspects of good communication in-store.
START BY FOSTERING MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT
Communication within a store can be challenging when a team has multiple people working together who all have different personalities and communication styles. “This can create tension,” Wilson said, adding, “especially when you’re in
a shop where everyone’s on commission. If you’re working in the back and you feel like there are failures up front, you might think, ‘Man, this is affecting my pockets.’”
Cook challenged attendees to consider what communication looks like in their own stores, and how they might improve upon it. “It takes both sides. You have to know how to balance each other’s strengths and weaknesses.” A larger staff might have more difficulty maintaining strong communication, simply because there are more people involved. Cross-training is also a valuable aspect of fostering mutual understanding.
Cook said it’s important for salespeople to recognize when they don’t know enough about a particular car. “Know when to reach out to the tech for help,”
he said. “But make sure you’ve done everything you can up until that point so you aren’t just leaning on someone else to do the work.”
Many salespeople don’t have the technical ability, he added. In some situations, a salesperson might not be doing their part to better understand what goes on in the back of the store.
“Cross-training is important to increase understanding,” he said. “[The salesperson might ask] ‘Why do we do it this way? Explain it to me.’ If I can explain that to a customer, it helps. We’re all on the same team. We have a common goal.
Present in the audience was Jeremy “Taco” Patterson, a 2025 Top 5 Sales Pro and the winner of this year’s Customer Choice Award. He shared how a technician at his store is brought into the conversation to take measurements and give the salesperson an idea of what’s needed. While the salesperson “sells the dream,” he said, the technician lets them know what’s possible and what’s not possible.
“That’s something I’ve had to learn, and that helped me establish where
those boundaries are,” Patterson told workshop leaders.
A side-discussion took place as audience members and instructors discussed the importance of complimenting staff— letting team members know their work is appreciated. “Praise goes far,” Cook agreed. “For me, though, I work better when someone tells me about something I should work on. Now, I have a game plan and I can use that. Some people prefer to hear the compliment first.”
Each owner and manager should understand what their team members need as individuals, he added, suggesting the audience consider, “What kind of feedback will help them grow personally?”
Ata Ehdaivand of Absolute Electronix in Rockville, Md., also present in the audience, added his own advice to the conversation: “Choose your battles. Say the right thing at the right time.”
Instructors and audience members agreed. Yamil Widy of Traffic Jams Motorsports in Buford, Ga., contributed by stressing the importance of shop morale, which he said resolves these issues. “When you have great shop morale, you
have a great team who can get along and communicate,” he said. “It starts with shop morale.”
After murmurs of agreement, another audience member noted, “I learned how much an attitude can affect your shop. If you have someone with a bad attitude— it’s really bad.”
Invest in your team to raise that morale, Widy said, adding, “Communication starts happening. Attitudes start changing. You begin seeing profit lines start to go up.”
He stressed that it won’t happen overnight. “It starts with ownership. If you aren’t providing avenues for your company to have that better shop morale, then you have a recipe for disaster.”
Cook agreed, adding, “Morale is hard to build, and even harder to maintain. You have to develop empathy in order to relate to one another. We all have struggles that we can help each other fix.”
Wilson agreed, adding, “It’s very important to have respect for the other person’s role.”
ENSURE ALL PARTIES ARE ON THE SAME PAGE DURING PROJECTS
Word of mouth is an important way of attracting new clients, but when there’s miscommunication with a client, Cook said, “It can take to the
Internet. Problems can be magnified by bad reviews. This comes back to good communication between the front and the back of the store, and also with the client. It’s really bad for something to come up after you’ve already taken their money.”
The goal is to deliver a solution to satisfy the client, but issues come up if the salesperson leaves information out of the initial discussion, or if there are unrealistic expectations or deadlines.
Knowing when to bring the technician
into the conversation is important. “I feel like some salespeople [are too vague]. They might [tell the technician], ‘Do whatever you want,’ and I don’t like that. I need something to go on,” Wilson said. “I need some kind of outline, some kind of framework, some fine details.”
He stressed the importance of listening to the customer, understanding what they need, setting an expectation and making sure to cover everything during the sales process. Finally, “make sure whatever you discussed has been relayed to the
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installer,” Cook said, adding that the same strategy should be applied the other way around, as well.
The challenge, he noted, is that everyone thinks differently: “Everyone has to know what the expectation is. When I talk to a client, I might think I know what he needs. I relay that to Dan, and then the outcome is exactly what I said, but not what the customer wanted. Who failed in that? We all did. We lost revenue and the client might not come back. Worse yet, he might tell people all about how bad his experience was.”
LEARN TO WORK TOGETHER TO FIND SOLUTIONS
Cook and Wilson discussed providing real solutions on-staff, and the audience shared their own perspectives. “If someone comes to you and says, ‘We need to talk about retirement benefits for our employees,’ for example, take those things seriously,” said an attendee. “Take them to heart. Listen to your employees and their needs.”
Cook agreed. “Understand the four walls of the business you’re in,” he said, while Wilson noted that cross-training can help each person understand the
other person’s role and the problems they might face.
He and Cook noted that standardizing terminology throughout the store can also go a long way in reducing any communication issues. “If you’re in sales and you don’t understand the technical lingo, find out. Technicians, explain it. This will only benefit you both. Collaborate to solve problems.”
Many businesses hold weekly meetings. “I’ve done team huddles. I think that helps.” If a team meeting is scheduled, Cook said, “Make sure you have topics to fit the timeframe. Talk about both your wins and your losses.”
An audience member added, “Share the wins and own the losses.” Some meetings might be overly positive, with a reluctance to discuss anything that’s gone wrong. Then, the audience member said, employees may complain about the situation outside the meeting. Therefore, he said, it’s important to talk about what needs to be changed, too.
Cook and Wilson advised attendees to find solutions as a team, “so you don’t repeat the same issues.” Communication, they said, is the foundation of successful collaborations.
“Sometimes we aren’t very good at communicating,” Widy said. “We need to look at that. Sometimes we might need to realize that we are the issue. How do we make it better? This doesn’t just apply in the shop. It works at home, too. When you learn to communicate with your peers, it helps your home life.”
Cook underscored how important it is to keep one another from getting complacent. If there’s tension among the staff, clients will notice it. “Pull people out of their comfort zone,” he said, adding, “It’s very important and it helps us all grow.”
OFFERING AN EXPERIENCE
By using this Tesla Model Y as an in-store demo vehicle, Laketown Speed and Sound is able to focus on selling an experience rather than a brand.
This 2024 Tesla Model Y is the demo vehicle for Laketown Speed and Sound in Draper, Utah. It features products from Focal and Mosconi, including a front stage consisting of a three-way Focal Utopia install. Also in the build are three-inch Utopia custom A-pillars and Utopia tweeters on custom dash pods; eight-inch Utopia midbass in the doors; a Mosconi Pro 8/30 DSP amplifier running mid and high drivers; and two Mosconi Pro 1/10s handling two Utopia Series 10-inch subwoofers. The rear of the vehicle was completed using a set of three-inch Utopia mids. Finally, a Titan 8 lithium battery was installed.
Angel Rivera, Sr. said that since in-store speaker displays don’t paint an accurate picture of the experience, he wanted to offer a real-time demonstration to clients. “Potential clients tend to listen to a wall of speakers and say, ‘I like that one better.’ But this isn’t
a real representation of what the gear will sound like in a car,” he explained. “Some people might say, ‘Well, putting a client in a car with expensive gear may not be accurate either.’ I say we’re not selling the gear, but we’re selling the experience. I can build my clients an experience with any budget.”
Rivera added that the shop doesn’t sell “low, medium and high-end systems”—they sell the experience, and deliver that experience within their budget. “Even the lowest budget set-up that we sell and execute in a vehicle will out-perform the experience of speakers three to four times as expensive that might play on a display board,” he said. “We sit them in the car.”
The main challenge he faced was time, as the car was built in between daily tasks. “I take on a full schedule. As installation manager and store manager, I had to find time to design
and execute the installation,” he said, adding, “This is where having a good team comes into play. Isai Hernandez is my right hand man. He helped with designing and executing the door mounts for the eight-inch drivers and the interior lighting modifications.”
FROM THE PRESIDENT MAXIMIZING YOUR MEA MEMBERSHIP
“ Each time you pay for a business-related expense, you should ask yourself, “Is this necessary? Is this the lowest cost, highest value solution and is there a way that I can save on this expense?”
The Mobile Electronics Association has partnered with the Member Savings Program and offers numerous opportunities to save on everyday purchases for your business. Let’s take a closer look at some of the details.
Cost savings for your business is an important part of your bottom line. For example, cost savings of $100 is equal in most cases to a $1,000 sale. Each time you pay for a business-related expense, you should ask yourself, “Is this necessary? Is this the lowest cost, highest value solution and is there a way that I can save on this expense?” At least once per quarter, review all recurring expenses and make sure they meet this criteria.
To help you control your expenses, the Mobile Electronics Association (MEA) has partnered with the Member Savings Program to offer many opportunities to save on things you use every day in your business. This program will save you and your company significant time and money. MEA Member Savings offers collective buying power through its 150,000-member business group alliance.
Suppliers include National Suppliers, FEDEX, Staples, ADP Payroll, Office Depot, Exxon/ Mobil, LOWE’S, WEX, Unifirst Uniforms and over 20 additional companies. These programs were developed in response to MEA member feedback and offer outstanding value for members with the opportunity to save significant money on products and services you may already buy. Let’s look at some of the details regarding cost saving benefits you receive as a member of MEA.
MEA Insurance Center: Business, Health and Life Insurance
This new service takes advantage of the buying power of large numbers for many insurance products. An array of insurance plans, such as garage keepers, are available to you with great savings or unique benefits.
Shipping Program
Use a leading provider for shipping solutions—including small package, LTL freight and tradeshow shipping. The MEA-endorsed shipping management provider works with nationally known carriers to provide unparalleled customer service and significant savings on every shipment you send and receive. This program is available
to all MEA members with no obligations and no minimum shipping requirements.
Consumer Finance Program
MEA has a great solution for consumer financing with Snap Finance. You can sell more with flexible financing for everyone. Snap gives individuals with imperfect credit access to flexible financing. Boost sales quickly by serving this neglected customer base. Increase average order value with high approval rates and amounts, and get funded two business days after delivery. No transaction fees for MEA members.
Professional Digital Marketing Solutions
MEA partners can build and maintain a website for their business. Provide the best in Digital Signage with ME-TV by MOTOTV for your store, your brands and your content. This is a great service for showrooms. You can also obtain social media management from Social Media Doctor.
KnowledgeFest Education, Training and Trade Events
KnowledgeFest—a three-day trade show and conference—is free for MEA members. The event focuses on the experience of learning and connecting with others in the mobile electronics industry. You can also obtain personalized professional Sales Training and Business Coaching through WINNING, Inc./Sandler Training.
Point-of Sale and Scheduling (TSS)
Our point-of-sale and scheduling system is the industry standard tool for managing a mobile electronics retail store. Used by hundreds of dealers nationwide, TSS is a complete business solution for managing products, sales, installations and customer activity. This is a complete business management system custom-designed for the mobile electronics retailer and includes online updates, detailed inventory control, layaways and warranty, and much more.
Our goal is to provide MEA members with benefits that either save you money or assist you in making money. Please take a moment and discover all we have to offer at Join-MEA.com.
