What are the trends and themes of the car wash industry as we look toward 2024? What has 2023 shown us about the current market and landscape for car wash owners? As we wrap up our 2023 episodes, we're taking a reflective glance at the insightful discussions that have shaped this year's narrative in the car wash industry. Your host Lanese Barnett reflects on several key conversations she had this year with guests on the podcast. Lanese looks back at episodes with Amplify founding partner Jeff Pa...
Dec 28, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 20
In this episode of Car Wash M&A, host Lanese Barnett chats candidly with Matt DeWolf, chief marketing officer of the International Carwash Association and host of CAR WASH, the podcast, before a re-broadcast of an interview Matt had recently with Amplify Founding Partner Jeff Pavone. Jeff, who now proudly bears the honor of ‘most featured guest’ on Matt’s show, reviewed notable highlights and trends that emerged in the car wash industry during 2023 and shared predictions for the year ahead. ...
Nov 30, 2023•57 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Do you know how your customer really feels about your business? What keeps them loyal to your brand? Or what’s contributing to membership churn? As the car wash space continues to experience a tech boom, it’s important for car wash operators to know what resources are available and identify the specific technology solutions providers that might be a right fit for their business to boost operational efficiencies and enhance the customer experience. This episode examines how one company is capturi...
Aug 31, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Here at Car Wash M&A, The Podcast, we're taking a short break for summer. Until our next episode in August, we want to remind you that you can find all of our episodes wherever you like to listen to podcasts, or you can listen at amplifywash.com/podcast . As Lanese shares in today's recording, we want to leave you with these questions to consider: How you are collecting data about your customer and your operations, and more importantly, are you weaponizing that data with actionable insights ...
Jul 27, 2023•4 min•Season 1Ep. 18
The prompt on the gas pump to buy a car wash isn’t new. In-bay automatic car washes have been a regular add-on to many gas station chains for years, though usually as an intended customer convenience and not a core focus. But things are starting to change, and big-name gas/c-store companies are actively participating in more car wash M&A transactions. Earlier in 2023, we saw the parent company of Circle K acquire True Blue, and recently QuickTrip bought Bubble Bath, both with intentions to k...
Jun 29, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Want to know the Amplify team’s key takeaways and market insights gleaned from The Car Wash Show 2023? In this episode, Lanese talks with Amplify COO Chris Jenks about themes and sentiments that emerged from this year’s show in Las Vegas. With the cost of capital high, mergers and acquisitions activity is picking back up as many platforms are adjusting their path to growth. This is good news for car wash owners considering an exit, with inventory currently lower than demand. But as buyers return...
May 25, 2023•33 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Well, folks, The Car Wash Show is just around the corner, taking place May 8-10 in Las Vegas! If you’re attending, be sure to listen to this episode for a sneak peek of the timely and highly relevant car wash market insights members of the Amplify Car Wash Advisors leadership team will share during various sessions and speaking times during TCWS. Hear Chris Jenks on Monday, May 8 at 1pm in a Pitch 20 Session talk about “Optimizing Operations by Partnering with Technology Solutions Providers.” At...
Apr 27, 2023•23 min•Season 1Ep. 15
With Q1 closing out, where is the car wash market today, and is now a good time to sell your car wash? In this episode, Lanese Barnett and Jeff Pavone discuss lingering negative headwinds like bank failures, rising interest rates, and increasing competition, but they also highlight how the car wash industry remains an attractive investment space, and the list of interested buyers continues to grow. As a matter of fact, there are currently more car wash buyers than there are car wash sellers. And...
Mar 30, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Have you considered how a customer experience platform could strengthen your car wash business? Guests Dennis Dreeszen and Adam Trien talk with your host Lanese Barnett about AMP Memberships, a powerful platform specifically designed to support car wash business owners and their customers. In the episode, Dennis and Adam share how AMP works and how it can benefit car wash owners. AMP offers a highly customizable white label mobile solution that interacts with customers and members on and off sit...
Feb 23, 2023•43 min•Season 1Ep. 13
What can car wash owners do today to facilitate their business’s continued growth and success amid changing market conditions? How do the current headwinds impact access to capital? As Paul Sigfusson, this month’s guest on Car Wash M&A, The Podcast, shares with host Lanese Barnett, it is not all bad news for operators looking to grow. In fact, the very conditions that are causing some current market instability are also offering some unique opportunities to car wash owners looking to scale or se...
Jan 26, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 12
With so many changes in the car wash M&A space this past year, getting advice from industry experts is more important than ever. As we wrap up 2022 and prepare for 2023, we’re taking a look back at some of the vital insights we heard on Car Wash M&A, The Podcast this past year. In this episode, your host Lanese Barnett looks back at her conversations with Bill Martin, Chris Jenks, and Derrick Merchant and Michael Murry. Be sure to tune in the last Thursday of each month to hear the latest from L...
Dec 29, 2022•35 min•Season 1Ep. 11
What does the car wash M&A space look like as we head toward the end of 2022? In this episode, we share Amplify Car Wash Advisors Partner Jeff Pavone’s recent interview with Matt DeWolf on CAR WASH The Podcast. Jeff and Matt discuss how the market has changed, what remains the same, and what predictions Jeff has for the future in the car wash industry. Be sure to listen in to hear Jeff’s tips about what car wash owners can do today to succeed in the current industry landscape. For more from Matt...
Nov 23, 2022•48 min•Season 1Ep. 10
For business owners, recognizing that you can’t - and shouldn’t - do it all can be a humbling process. Bringing in other talented people to lead departments within your organization, and intentionally developing your team from the executive level down, positions your company for meaningful growth. In this episode Lanese talks with Derrick Merchant and Michael Murry of Champion Xpress Car Wash about why they prioritize developing their team as an integral part of their path to scalability and lon...
Oct 27, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 9
“It began as a mistake." This is the quote on Andrew Goldberger's iPhone background screen taken from the opening line of a Bukowski novel. In this episode, Lanese and Andrew talk about his journey into the car wash industry where he reveals that, like many entrepreneurs, what started as a well-laid business plan on paper turned out to be incongruent in practice. And, how that’s okay. Recognizing the need to adjust the original plan, pivoting, staying humble, and developing key relationships can...
Sep 29, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Ready to grow your car wash chain and wondering about your financing options? There may be more available than you think. In this episode, guest Bill Koenig, a seasoned investment banker, shares with host Lanese Barnett various financing options to facilitate meaningful growth or fund capital improvements on existing sites, many without going to the local bank and signing another personal guarantee. Bill and Lanese also talk about how firms like Amplify Car Wash Advisors support and advocate on ...
Aug 25, 2022•32 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Midway through 2022, the second half of the year looks a little different from the first, for the car wash space and just about every other. While the year began guns blazing, the red-hot car wash market has tempered a bit due to current headwinds like inflation, rising interest rates, and a general decreased consumer spending sentiment. Luckily though, it’s not all bad. Despite these short-term headwinds, Jeff shares his long-term thesis for the car wash industry (spoiler alert, it’s still favo...
Jul 28, 2022•36 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Are you thinking about ways to strengthen your car wash by addressing customer service issues? Have you been looking for solutions to lower your churn and keep members happy? Check out this episode with Retention Express CEO and founder Bobby Thomson. Bobby shares with Lanese about the service Retention Express offers car wash owners, which focuses on addressing customer concerns through a white label call service that documents and addresses customer concerns. Listen in to hear how this kind of...
Jun 30, 2022•47 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Want to know the latest in car wash M&A trends and predictions following the wrap-up of The Car Wash Show in Nashville earlier this month? In this episode, your host Lanese Barnett shares feedback on current mergers and acquisitions activity in the car wash space and what may be in store for valuations looking ahead. Lanese also expands on two exciting announcements made live at the trade show – the launch of Amplify Ventures, a new vertical bringing innovative solutions to the car wash industry...
May 26, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Are you looking for ways to streamline your processes and to improve your relationship with your employees in order to grow your car wash chain? In today’s Car Wash M&A, The Podcast episode, your host Lanese Barnett talks with car wash legend Bill Martin who has been in the business since 1969. Listen in to hear expert advice as Bill shares tried-and-true strategies and attitudes that have helped him succeed in the car wash space. For more about Bill, a full transcript of the interview, and more...
Apr 28, 2022•35 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Are you wondering about the potential impact of rising inflation and changing global dynamics on your car wash? Learn practical strategies you can deploy now to protect your business in an inflationary environment amidst global uncertainty. Listen to Chris Jenks share his perspective on what the latest economic changes mean for car wash owners. Chris and Lanese discuss specific actions you can take today to successfully navigate these challenging times. For more about Chris, a full transcript of...
Mar 31, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Want to know what's going on with car wash mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and how it may impact you as an owner? Tune in to Episode 1 of Car Wash M&A, The Podcast where your host Lanese Barnett talks with M&A expert Jeff Pavone about current trends and what he predicts for 2022 in the car wash space. Catch the insiders’ information that Jeff and Lanese of Amplify Car Wash Advisors share, and listen for tips to stay competitive in today’s rapidly changing landscape. For the full transcript and mo...
Feb 24, 2022•31 min•Season 1Ep. 1
Listen to the brand new podcast, Car Wash M&A, hosted by Lanese Barnett of Amplify Car Wash Advisors. Check out this podcast trailer to find out exactly what the brand new Car Wash M&A Podcast is all about and what you can learn from listening! Subscribe today and be on the lookout for episode 1 coming your way on February 24th!
Feb 09, 2022•3 min
