What separates a good leader from a great one? My guest today says it comes down to how well you communicate—and how deeply you understand the people you're leading.

Dr. Dana Ñkaña is a business strategist, trainer, and columnist for Aftermarket Business World who has spent decades helping aftermarket suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors build stronger leaders and healthier organizations.

Dr. Ñkaña breaks down what emotionally intelligent leadership actually looks like in practice, and why the ability to communicate with clarity and empathy isn't a soft skill—it's the skill that determines whether a leader succeeds or fails.

He built 14 stores. Then he sold 10 of them—one by one—during one of the toughest economic downturns in modern history.

In Fearless to Courageous, James Baxter reveals the sleepless nights, payroll fears, and hard leadership decisions that reshaped his company—and why focusing on four strong stores made him more profitable than ever before.

If you’re an entrepreneur navigating growth, succession, or tough calls about the future of your business, this episode delivers real-world insight on vision, culture, and the courage it takes to right the ship.

Imagine collecting 828 used batteries in four hours — from a drive-thru. My guest today helped make that happen. Joel Brady is vice president of marketing and communications at East Penn Manufacturing, one of the most recognized names in lead battery production and recycling.

On April 25, East Penn held its first-ever Power2Recycle drive-thru battery return event in Lyon Station, Pennsylvania — and the response blew away every expectation. Joel talks about what it took to pull off a community event of that scale, why lead battery recycling matters more than most people realize, and what East Penn is doing to make responsible disposal easier for everyday consumers.

Imagine being handed the job of introducing a brand with more than 100 years of history to a generation that's never heard of it — and pulling it off. That's exactly what my guest today has done.

Paul Montopoli is head of marketing for U.S. aftermarket at MANN+HUMMEL, the global filtration leader behind iconic American brand Purolator.

Paul's team walked away from Auto Care Connect in Atlanta in May with two Auto Care Association Marketing and Communications Awards — Best Use of Influencer Marketing and Outreach to Female Audience — both earned by reimagining how a legacy brand speaks to today's DIY driver. Paul joins me to break down what made those campaigns work and what it really takes to build marketing that connects with a new generation of consumers.

A technician crashes two vehicles and causes $14,000 in damage. What would you do? My guest today chose to skip the punishment — and made an investment instead.

Louie Sharp of Sharp Auto Body joins hosts Chris Messer, VP of Transportation Group at EndeavorB2B, and Mike Jones, founder of Discover Leadership Training, for a conversation about one of the most counterintuitive ideas in leadership: that the thing holding you back might not be what you need to add, but what you need to let go. Today, Louie shares how releasing the instinct for revenge and leaning into leadership transformed a costly mistake into a career—and why giving up anger, fear, control, and even past success might be the most powerful move any leader can make.

What if the real barrier to your success isn't the goal itself—but how you're thinking about it?

On this episode of Aftermarket All-Access, Chris Messer, vice president of transportation at Endeavor Business Media, and Mike Jones, president of Discover Leadership, join editorial director Chris Jones to explore a mindset shift that's reshaping how supply chain leaders and distributors approach growth. They discuss why focusing on what you want to achieve—rather than what you're trying to avoid—creates measurable improvements in business performance, team culture, and your ability to lead through change.

Whether you're managing operations, building your team, or navigating industry disruption, this conversation offers practical insights for driving real results.

In this episode, Dr. Kent MacDonald, president of Northwood University, sat down to talk about educating the next generation of automotive and aftermarket professionals. But first, he shared what it was like interviewing Wayne Gretzky — and how the hockey legend's philosophy of "skating to where the puck is going" applies directly to the automotive industry's future.

Northwood isn't your typical university. It's America's automotive, mobility, and aftermarket university. MacDonald explains ways the aftermarket industry can support Northwood — from scholarships and mentorship to employee benefit programs — and the ROI data that proves investing in Northwood education pays off for families and employers alike.

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What drives innovation in the automotive aftermarket? For Anuj Gupta, business line digital North America at ZF Aftermarket, it starts with curiosity and a willingness to spend time in the field discovering real problems.

In this episode, Anuj Gupta, business line digital North America at ZF Aftermarket, shares ZF's approach to innovation—grounded in customer research, diverse perspectives, and the philosophy that innovation isn't optional in today's fast-moving industry.

Gupta explains why companies need people with different backgrounds bringing fresh perspectives to the table, the role curiosity plays in solving compelling problems, and how ZF is expanding beyond parts to become a full-ecosystem partner for shops.