Episode #187- SEMA 2024 Wrap-up!

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All right , now that I've been back home for a week in the good old Eastern Standard Time , got some much-needed sleep , caught up on my emails , returned a bunch of messages and let my liver air out , I've had a little time to reflect on my nonstop week in Vegas . It's time for my SEMA Wrap-up 2024 .

And once again I gotta say , oh my god , what a show , what a week , and why would anyone in our industry want to miss this ? Now , before I get rolling , I'm going to pre-apologize for my voice might be a little squeaky or a little off today , but not sure what's going on , but we'll get through it .

This year was a little different for me than the last couple years . I have a totally different perspective than before . I'm grateful for being able to see it through a fresh set of lenses .

So , instead of attending with my media credentials no real agenda , no schedule , no place I had to be and all the time in the world to do whatever the hell I wanted to . This year , I was fortunate enough to attend as an exhibitor with my company , garmat USA .

We had a very packed agenda for each day a display booth and I do mean booth multiple meetings with customers , prospects and our distribution network , multiple meetings with customers , prospects and our distribution network , and some special events planned with invited guests , as well as some very specific goals and expectations for our time spent there .

Although we didn't have the freedom to just roam around aimlessly throughout the show , we were able to accomplish so many very impactful actions in an incredibly short amount of time , and I still had some free time to check out the show , although I'll admit most of my time was spent in the south upper hall , which really should just be called Collision Central .

The months and months of careful planning and attention to detail allowed for us to have a very productive , very successful week and still squeeze in some fun . This unique perspective for me allowed me to really see how much prep work goes into planning for this event by every single exhibitor there .

I had no idea how much real work that was , and my hat is off to our VP of Marketing , debbie Teeter , who pulls all that together . Nice job , Debbie . So let's get to some of the highlights of the SEMA experience and why . I feel , if you're any way connected to this automotive industry , attending this event should be a must on your to-do list for 2025 .

So , number one it's all under one roof .

That Las Vegas Convention Center has over 2 million square feet of display space largest in the US and you can find everything from companies that produce , sell or support tires to tools , accessories to ADAS equipment , protective films to paint products , motors to measuring systems , cutting-edge software solutions powered by AI and everything in between . You may be in .

There's so much to see and so much to do , and if you're a veteran technician or someone fresh out of a technical program eager to get into a great business , it's like being a kid in a candy store . Whether you're a custom car builder , a gearhead , a tuner , a four-wheeler , a restoration shop , repair or owner , there's something here for you .

There's something here for everybody . Number two education and learning opportunities . There are literally dozens of classes to choose from every single day , from organizations like SCRS and ICAR , just to name a few , as well as live hands-on training available from many equipment and tool manufacturers and running .

Concurrent with CIMA was CIC , which is the Collision Industry Conference . At Collision Industry Conference , who had more selections of educational presentations and panel discussions that addressed our current concerns and coming trends in collision repair , with some of the most influential leaders , the movers , the shakers that have devoted themselves to improving our industry .

Professionals from all aspects of collision repair working to identify and fix problems within our industry . Looking not to go where the puck is , but rather where the puck is going in business . Looking to learn more about EVs and the challenges and opportunities they present for your shop , or the latest in ADAS calibration , the tools and rapidly evolving technology .

Or even how AI is changing the repair process . In short , if you're a shop owner or leader , you have the opportunity to learn more about any subject that would help move the ball forward in your business .

If you're looking for a competitive edge for your business or a more effective jumpstart to your personal development in 2024 , I'll make your first step super simple .

It is a fact that an incredible number of the most successful business owners , nearly half of the Fortune 500 companies , top-running professional athletes , entertainers and industry leaders like Microsoft's Bill Gates , former President Bill Clinton , richard Branson , amazon's Jeff Bezos and Salesforce's Mark Benioff all have one thing in common they all have at least one coach

and some have several that they work with on a consistent basis , someone that helps guide , mentor and support them , challenge them , help them set and achieve goals that move them forward and then hold them accountable to follow through , driving personal and professional growth . Working with a coach has many substantial benefits .

Just for an example , 80% of coaching clients report improved self-esteem or self-confidence thanks to coaching , 99% of individuals and companies that hire a coach report being very satisfied and 96% would do it again If , deep down , you know it's time to make those improvements in your business , your personal life , that you've kicked down the road year after year .

If you're tired of knowing there's a better version of you waiting to shine , but unsure of how to bring that version to light . If you're tired of wanting to enjoy a more successful business but not sure how to start . And if you don't want to go another 12 months without better results but you don't want to go it alone , then take the first step .

It's super simple . Sometimes talking to the right person can make all the difference . Go to wwwrixelovercom , slash contact and I'll set you up with a free consultation . Call with me to see if one-on-one coaching is right for you . Number three networking everywhere .

Even if there was no products to see , no live demos , no training opportunities or educational offerings to attend , I absolutely would still go .

The networking , our ability and opportunity to connect with not only your peers in whatever particular niche of the automotive world you're in , but the key people and leadership from each company , the think leaders , the movers and shakers involved with new technologies , next-level tooling and equipment , software solutions and the latest and advanced repair processes that every

shop will face if they expect to stay in business in the future , is not to be missed . If you're a shop owner , connecting with other successful shops is so beneficial , but if you're a little shy and you're unsure of approaching others , making connections with the equipment or materials manufacturers can be helpful in making those introductions .

Making connections with the equipment or materials manufacturers can be helpful in making those introductions . Looking to change careers or add on a new service or just have friends in high places . This is the best event in our industry to connect . 4 . One-stop shopping .

Whether you're looking at just one piece of equipment , like a new spray booth , the latest and advanced frame machines , a new welder that can handle the complex metals used in today's vehicles , or maybe just looking to outfit a complete shop , there's absolutely no better opportunity than SEMA to comparison shop , explore all the options , the pros , the cons and talk

directly with the manufacturers and ask all the questions you need to ask to make a great buying decision . Every single tool , piece of equipment , material and technology is represented there and most have some type of show special discounting available as well .

It's also the best chance to look at all the other bolt-on businesses you may want to add to an existing repair shop .

There are countless ceramic coating companies , protection films , wraps , glass treatments , spray-on bed liners , detailing products and hundreds of various accessories for both interior and exterior applications , and that's not even factoring in all the tire and wheel and performance products and businesses .

It's literally one-stop shopping for all things automotive nestled under one big-ass roof and at number five .

The adrenaline rush I'm telling you just during the short walk from the monorail station to the action-packed parking lots directly in front of the Las Vegas Convention Center display halls , your adrenaline will start pumping from the loud , high-energy drift cars doing figure eights in a parking lot engulfed in a cloud of tire smoke so thick you almost can't see the

cars . Or maybe it's those crazy high-flying motocross bikes in the Nitro Circus doing backflips off these big inflatable ramps in another section of the parking lot .

Whether it's the big-name acts performing at SEMA Fest , the excitement of the industry awards , red carpet awards , or the infamous car crews leaving the show on Friday night , there is no shortage of heart-pounding excitement to be had , no matter what level of car junkie you may be everywhere you look .

Okay , that would be my top five reasons to attend SEMA next year . Put it in your calendar and start planning now . Before I go . I wanted to share a couple highlights from my trip this year . It really was the icing on the cake , or the blower on the hemi .

The weather varied from the low 40s at night to upper 60s during the day , and having the right blend of layers could make all the difference . On my first trip there , I froze my ass off and my feet were killing me every night . So it's the small victories in life that are the sweetest .

This was also my first opportunity and I was fortunate enough to attend the MSO Symposium on Monday ahead of the show starting on Tuesday . Record-breaking attendance and the great subjects covered and content that was shared was off the charts .

They even had an outstanding NASDAQ analyst covering future investment and business trends , as well as the latest reports on private equity consolidation outlook , ccc industry trends , ev versus ICE repair trends and much , much more . Absolutely a great day of learning and connecting . Also , one of the coolest things was at the annual SEMA Industry Awards Banquet .

A good friend of mine , a former teammate during my time as an instructor at a local post-secondary collision program and recent podcast guest , colby McLaughlin , was awarded the prestigious SEMA Person of the Year Award . That's like winning the Best Leading Actor at the Academy Awards category , anyway .

So I went and saw my buddy Colby the next day , and Colby , who's the president of Trim Illusions and is also the chair of the SEMA Professional Re-Stylers Organization , or PRO , saw him the next day and he was still floating on air after that award and I was truly happy for my friend . It couldn't have happened to a nicer guy .

Lastly , I had the opportunity to catch up with many of my industry friends at various events and on the show floors , many whom I've just met by simply getting out of my comfort zone and attending these types of events and expanding my network , and some I've known for years or even decades .

But these are the people that make this for me the greatest industry event to be at . I can't wait for next year's SEMA to see what exciting things it holds for me and I hope to see you there . Well , that's all I had for you today . Thanks again for tuning in . I really appreciate your support and I hope you have a great week .

I can always be reached at wwwrixelovercom , where you can find all my social media links podcast episodes , blog posts and much more . Bye .