At SEMA With Seth Glauberman, Jim Ring, Justin Rae, Brock Swentzel, Mike Graber, and Sonny McDonald

Episode 155

Seth Glauberman, Jim Ring, Justin Rae, Brock Swentzel, Mike Graber, Sonny McDonald

2024 SEMA Roundup Series - Episode 3/3

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Seth Glauberman is the President of Malco Tools. A fourth-generation member of the family company specializing in automotive detailing products, Seth has been with Malco Tools for 20 years. The company focuses on professional-grade products, while also venturing into products for discerning do-it-yourselfers.

Jim Ring is the Owner and Partner at Ringbrothers, a company known for creating custom car parts and restoring and modifying cars. Jim and his brother began their company because they had difficulty finding high-quality, unique car parts. Their passion for cars led them from restoring cars to modifying them and eventually to creating the parts they needed.

Justin Rae is the CEO and Co-founder of Cinch, a company that provides data science and automation tools for the automotive service and repair industry. Cinch’s software helps shops send service reminders, predict needed services, and understand customer value. Justin has attended SEMA five times, and believes it is an important show for anyone in the automotive space.

Brock Swentzel is the President of Wholesale at S&S Tire, a company celebrating its 50th anniversary. Brock comes from a family with a long history in the industry, as his grandfather started the company in 1974. S&S Tire is aiming to expand its business in the Southeast region of the United States.

Mike Graber is the President and CEO of Toyo Tires. His experience spans across the industry from sales to product development. In addition to a passionate commitment to product quality and customer engagement, Mike believes genuine relationships and people play a significant role in the success of the tire industry.

Sonny McDonald is Sr. National Training Manager at Toyo Tires Corp USA. He has held that position for over 22 years, after working for a decade as a sales representative for The Tire Rack.

In this episode…

The automotive industry is a dynamic landscape where innovation and collaboration are essential for success. How can industry leaders leverage their experiences to foster growth and adaptability in this competitive environment?

According to Seth Glauberman from Malco Tools, Jim Ring from Ringbrothers, Justin Rae from Cinch, Brock Swentzel from S&S Tire, and Mike Graber and Sonny McDonald from Toyo Tire, building strong relationships and embracing innovation are critical to thriving in the automotive sector. They emphasize the importance of networking at events like SEMA, where connections with customers, partners, and suppliers can lead to new opportunities. Additionally, they note the value of adapting to market changes through innovative products and data-driven strategies that enhance customer engagement and service.

On this episode of Gain Traction, join host Mike Edge at SEMA, where he talks to Seth, Jim, Justin, Brock, Mike, and Sonny about the significance of networking and collaboration in the automotive industry. The guests share insights on innovative products, custom parts manufacturing, data-driven customer service tools, and strategies for distributor growth. Their conversations highlight how fostering relationships and embracing change can drive success in a rapidly evolving marketplace.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

[03:24] How Malco Tools is reaching new customers
[05:00] The unique innovations Ringbrothers uses to reinvent car parts
[09:24] How Cinch uses data science
[08:29] Why SEMA is crucial for automotive networking
[15:20] The way S&S Tire celebrated its 50th anniversary
[21:32] Why Toyo Tire partners with the LA Dodgers
[24:07] The new products Toyo Tire is launching

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

“For us, the thing about SEMA is we can meet our customers, future customers, and really, it’s about building relationships.” – Seth Glauberman
“SEMA is by far the best place to show off your products and vehicles; it’s always been really good to us out here.” – Jim Ring
“Cinch is a data science and automation tool specifically designed for the automotive service repair space to help with service reminders.” – Justin Rae
“We’re a growing company looking to continue to expand across the southeast as a distributor.” – Brock Swentzel
“It’s an homage to all the builders that are out there that want to feature Toyo and that’s what we’re all about.” – Mike Graber

Action Steps:

Build strong relationships in the industry: Networking with current and potential customers is crucial for growth.
Innovate and diversify product offerings: By continuously innovating and diversifying offerings, companies can cater to niche markets and adapt to changing consumer preferences.
Leverage data and automation: Businesses can provide personalized customer experiences, improve retention, and optimize operations.
Explore new opportunities for expansion: Companies can increase their market presence and capitalize on emerging trends in the industry by actively seeking expansion.
Showcase products at key industry events: Engage with enthusiasts, highlight products, and strengthen brand recognition, capturing the attention of potential clients and partners.

Transcript

Announcer:

Welcome to the Gain Traction Podcast, where we feature top automotive entrepreneurs and experts, and share their inspiring stories. Now let’s get started with the show.

Mike:

Hello, folks. Welcome to the Gain Traction Podcast. I am Mike Edge, your host. You all know Tire Business, the leading publication in the industry. Well, now they are the exclusive media partner for Gain Traction. We have teamed up, and you can now find Gain traction on tirebusiness.com. Today’s podcast is the third and final podcast of the 2024 SEMA series where I interviewed 15 industry leaders at SEMA. We segmented them into three-part series with five interviews in each. Today’s is the final version of the series and I hope you enjoy it.

But before we begin, let me give you our sponsorship here. This podcast is brought to you by Tread Partners, the leading digital marketing agency for tire and auto repair operations that have five to hundreds of locations. Multi-location shops face an entirely unique set of challenges. Tread Partners gets it. If you own or operate five or more locations, or you are part of private equity, don’t waste time and money with marketing agencies that don’t specialize in this space. Get with Tread Partners today and make your marketing predictable and profitable with clear reporting. To learn more, visit treadpartners.com.

So let’s get this podcast started. So today, you guys are going to be listening to five people that I had a great time getting to know, and it starts with Seth Glauberman. He’s the president of Malco Products. The second interview will be with Jim Ring, owner and partner of Ringbrothers. Justin Ray, founder of Cinch. Brock Swentzel, president of wholesale at S&S Tire out of Lexington, Kentucky. Mike Graber, president of Toyo Tire USA, along with Sonny McDonald, national director of training at Toyo Tire USA. So I hope you guys enjoy this podcast. Sit back, relax, and I’ll be back shortly.

Hey folks, Mike Edge here at the SEMA Show. We’re in the West Hall. I’m with Malco Products’ president, Seth Glauberman. Seth, welcome to the Gain Traction Podcast.

Seth:

Mike, thanks. I’m super excited to be here, and have an opportunity to talk with you for a little bit.

Mike:

All right, so this is your first time on our podcast. So tell us a little bit about Malco Products.

Seth:

Sure. So Malco is actually a family company.

Mike:

I love it.

Seth:

And what’s really cool … I’m fourth generation.

Mike:

Oh, that’s awesome.

Seth:

So third generation to run it, but I like to say fourth, because you know what they say about third generations.

Mike:

Don’t say it.

Seth:

I’m not going to. But, no, been around for 71 years.

Mike:

That is awesome.

Seth:

My grandfather actually started the company. And what’s really kind of a fun fact is the name Malco is actually Murray, Abe and Lionel, which Murray is my grandfather, Abe is my great-grandfather and Lionel is my great uncle.

Mike:

Gosh, that’s so cool, man. All right. So what kind of products do you guys sell, because we’re not doing a video here?

Seth:

No. So we actually do automotive detailing products and we focus on the professional. And then we’re also venturing into what I’d call the pro consumer who it’s the do-it-yourself-er that really wants the aspirational product that the pro uses.

Mike:

Nice. Where can people find your products?

Seth:

So we have exclusive distributors all over the country. So you can go on our website and actually find where they are. Distributor locator. You can go on Summit Racing, our website, or Amazon, as well.

Mike:

And that’s awesome. Amazon’s always the go-to these days. What brings you to SEMA? How many years have you been coming to SEMA?

Seth:

So I’ve been with the company 20 years, and I’ve been coming to SEMA for 20 years.

Mike:

Wow. So, obviously, it’s … like everybody tells me, I mean, you meet all your customers here, right?

Seth:

Yeah. So, for us, really the thing about SEMA is we can meet our customers, future customers, and really it’s about building relationships.

Mike:

Is there any particular product that you want to highlight for 2024 SEMA right now?

Seth:

So, for us, we have a new product that’s actually coming out next year, January 1st, which is called Slik. And it’s a wet/dry ceramic spray wax, 60-day protection, but what’s awesome is you can use it as a drying agent. So you wash your car, you spray it on, dry it down, and it’s going to give you this really Slik finish.

Mike:

Nice.

Seth:

Or you can use it dry.

Mike:

And it’s called Slik.

Seth:

And it’s called Slik. S-L-I-K.

Mike:

What a great name. All right, man. Well, thanks for being on the Gain Traction Podcast, Seth.

Seth:

Hey, well, Mike, thanks for having me. And, really, thanks for joining us in our booth today.

Mike:

Absolutely. Have a great show. Hey, folks, I am with Jim Ring with Ringbrothers products. Jim is co-founder. This is his first time on the podcast. Welcome to the Gain Traction Podcast, Jim.

Jim:

Thank you for having me.

Mike:

So I’m excited that we got put together with Con Media. Tell me a little bit about your products, anything stand out to you this SEMA show that you want to highlight?

Jim:

Mike and I, we’ve been in automotive our whole life, basically. Our passion was cars and we started building cars. We started restoring cars first, and then we got kind of bored with that, so we started modifying cars. And with modifying cars, we could never find parts that we thought were cool or even made well enough or anything else. So that, in turn, started our parts business, which, if we wanted a different hood hinge or a different mirror, and really tired of coming to have the same thing everybody else did, so we just started making this stuff. And that turned into a whole different business from our collision shop and our car business.

Mike:

That’s awesome. And you guys have grown, exponentially. Where can people find your products if they want to [inaudible 00:05:53]?

Jim:

Ringbrothers.com. We have a lot of different vendors that sell our products, the JEGS, the Summits. But it’s been a really good sideline business for us. And I got to tell you, SEMA is, by far, the best place to come and show off these products, and obviously our vehicles and our finished products. We save everything. If we’re building a car for people, we save that car to come to SEMA to debut it before anybody else gets to see it. It’s the world stage here. I don’t think you can ask for a better place to show off your products, and your vehicles, and it’s always been really good to us out here.

Mike:

That’s awesome. Well, you guys have a great name in the industry. You have a great name. Like your history, I went online and read about it before I interviewed you. I just wanted to know a little bit more, but I can’t say enough. I greatly appreciate you being part of the podcast.

Jim:

I really appreciate you having me on this, and what a great place to meet people.

Mike:

It is. All right, well, I’ll see you next time.

Jim:

All right, thank you.

Mike:

All right, folks. I’m with Justin Ray, co-founder and CEO of Cinch. Justin, it’s your first time on the podcast. Welcome.

Justin:

Thank you. It’s good to be here.

Mike:

Yeah. So tell us a little bit about Cinch.

Justin:

So Cinch is a data science and automation tool, specifically designed and functioning in the automotive service repair space to help do service reminders, help people do appointment reminders, and run data science, understanding the value of customers, and who should come back, when, for specific services.

Mike:

And when you say data, let’s talk about that real quick. You’re collecting data for who?

Justin:

So we’ll collect data from a shop management system, point of sales, web, online scheduling tools, wherever the data is being collected on the customer, and we’ll bring that in. And then, from the shop management system, we’re collecting a lot of the information on their specific vehicles, how many miles they’re driving in a day, what services they’ve had done. We use that information to predict what services should be due next for a customer and what you should communicate with them about.

Mike:

And so, briefly, tell the audience how that impacts the dealers, the tire dealers and auto repair shops.

Justin:

So what really creates the value there is when you’re sending communication out to your customers, you can highlight exactly what’s more relevant for them instead of just being a batch and blast when you’re trying to communicate. So you can call out a specific vehicle and say, “Hey, your Honda Accord is due for this oil change, and this flush,” et cetera.

Mike:

Because you know.

Justin:

Because we know.

Mike:

Right.

Justin:

Exactly.

Mike:

And you’re not guessing, at this point.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mike:

Well, that’s awesome. So how does SEMA fit into this picture? How does it help you guys?

Justin:

I mean, this is a great show where there’s a ton of people in the automotive space that are coming to network, and coming to learn about new products and opportunities, and so it gives us a chance to meet new shop owners, as well as meet new partners. There’s just a ton of great people. Really, if you’re in the automotive space, this is where you need to be for this time of year.

Mike:

How often do you guys come to SEMA or how long have you guys been coming, that is?

Justin:

This is my fifth time coming, and I think it’s our third time with a booth, maybe it’s our fourth, but yeah.

Mike:

Okay, awesome. Well, congratulations. Is there anything that you want to highlight, before I let you go, that Cinch has got coming in maybe 2025?

Justin:

So, in 2025, we’re doing a lot in addition to multi-unit locations. And right now, we do a really great job there, but we’re adding things to help you manage listings and aspects to work with all your location data, and so not just the customers and their vehicle data. And we have a lot of this already today, but we’re adding a lot of highlights on that. And then, we’ll also be adding features that allow natural language processing, or people call it AI these days, to help you understand better your data, and how to use it in Cinch.

Mike:

Awesome stuff. Well, Justin, thanks for being on the podcast.

Justin:

Definitely. Thank you.

Mike:

Good luck. Take care. Hey, folks. Mike Edge here. I’m still at SEMA. I’m with Brock Swentzel out of Lexington, Kentucky, with S&S Tire. He is the president of the wholesale division. Brock, welcome to the Gain Traction Podcast.

Brock:

Thanks for having me, Mike.

Mike:

Listen, I was going to save this part, but look, we’re both UK fans. How are we going to do in basketball this year?

Brock:

I hope better than we’ve been. We’re excited to have a fresh face in Lexington, and I think-

Mike:

Mark Pope.

Brock:

Mark Pope. I think the whole city is ready to, state is ready to [inaudible 00:10:17]-

Mike:

Well, it’s kind of like, it’s just fresh, turn the page, let’s move on, and we’re optimistic. Right?

Brock:

That’s right. That’s right. Never thought Rick Pitino would be welcomed back so warmly in Lexington, but he has been. So we’ll all roll with it.

Mike:

That’s right. Well, let’s talk about what you’re doing out here. What’s S&S Tire doing out here at SEMA?

Brock:

It’s great to come out SEMA and see all the stuff going on in the industry. And we have a lot of meetings with our manufacturing partners and future manufacturing partners, perhaps. And things are changing all the time, so we’re always keeping our options open. And a couple of meetings, as well, with some of the large retailers that are growing and growing, and how we can partner with those guys to sell them some tires.

Mike:

Anything exciting coming up in 2025 for S&S Tire that you guys are working on?

Brock:

Not much. We’re wrapping up our 50th anniversary though, so that’s been a great year.

Mike:

I was there. I got to see the stacked tires.

Brock:

That’s right.

Mike:

You’re on the Guinness Book of World Records now.

Brock:

Guinness Book of World Records now, so that’s pretty cool.

Mike:

I love it. It’s in Kentucky.

Brock:

It is, yeah. I get pictures, and all kinds of good stuff come with that. And so, we had a lot of events and things with our customers celebrating 50 years. And my grandfather started the company in ’74, so to kind of see a come full circle, it’s been a lot of fun to celebrate.

Mike:

You got a lot of good people there that I know. And I got to see some of the old guys, Terry [inaudible 00:11:28] being one of them. But anyway, SEMA, what’s it do for you guys? Why do you come out SEMA every year, and what’s the benefit?

Brock:

We’re always looking for ways to grow our business, and maybe that’s a different segment, maybe that’s a new partner. We’re a growing company looking to continue to expand across the Southeast as a distributor, and it’s nice to have a bunch of new-

Mike:

Do you see yourself staying in the Southeast?

Brock:

We’re always looking to expand, and that’s kind of where our footprint is, so we like to kind of fill the spaces. We got some gaps that would be nice to fill and maybe expand a … go continuously to where we’ve been, and grow from there. But to have the meetings with all the manufacturing partners, and get plans for 2025, and see what everybody’s thinking is important.

Mike:

Awesome. Well, one of these days we will get you on the podcast for our full program.

Brock:

Yeah. Great. [inaudible 00:12:16] come down.

Mike:

All right. Well, hey, thanks for being here.

Brock:

Yeah, thanks for having me. Appreciate it.

Mike:

All right. Good luck at SEMA.

Brock:

Yeah, man. Thanks.

Mike:

Hey, folks. Mike Edge here. I’m sitting at Toyo Treadpass with Sonny McDonald and Mike Graber. Welcome back to the podcast, guys.

Sonny:

Hey, great to have you, Mike. Great to be here.

Mike:

Good to see you, Mike. Good to see you in person. I haven’t met you before, but-

Mike:

And we did a great podcast together before.

Mike:

You did a great podcast. You were a good host. I hope I didn’t let you down, but.

Mike:

It’s been a lot of fun. I’m glad to be here. So tell us a little about what Toyo is doing here at SEMA. Why do you guys come to SEMA? What does SEMA bring to you guys?

Mike:

Well, our customer base is here. It’s the enthusiast market, it’s the upfitters, it’s the people who love cars and trucks, and this is the place to be.

Mike:

Oh, you’re right.

Mike:

This is our 11th year here at Treadpass, which is in between the South and Central Hall.

Mike:

This place is awesome, man. I mean, I wouldn’t ever … I know you guys have it every year, but this is distinguished. You know it’s here.

Mike:

It’s really a signature spot here at the show. And Stan Chen, our marketing guy, does a great job. These are all world premiere builds. They can’t be shown anywhere else. It’s disqualifying to have shown the car anywhere else.

Mike:

How many cars do you have out here?

Speaker X:

26.

Mike:

26 vehicles.

Mike:

26 cars. Yeah.

Mike:

With beautiful Toyo tires on them.

Mike:

That’s right. That’s a prerequisite is they have to have Toyos on there.

Mike:

No, I mean these things are unbelievable. And it’s hard to describe them. I mean, pictures don’t even do it justice unless you get up next to some of these cars.

Mike:

No, it’s really breathtaking. These builders do a great job on … they have passion for it, their vehicle builds are incredible, the tires look great on them, and it’s a great showcase for both them and us. And we’re proud to be part of it. We’re a big believer in SEMA. We really think these are our people, the enthusiast market.

Mike:

Yeah, absolutely.

Mike:

Proud to be here.

Mike:

I see it. Well, something we were talking about right before the podcast. LA Dodgers winning the World Series and you all’s iconic-

Mike:

Yeah, Freddie Freeman had a nice home run right under our LED signs, so good timing on our part.

Mike:

Sonny sent that to me. I’m like, “Man, you can’t even dream that it’s going to happen that way.”

Mike:

No, that was great timing for us. Freddie Freeman’s grand slam in game one, and right under the Toyo sign, and it’s an iconic picture, at this point, for us.

Mike:

Oh, yeah. Absolutely. It’s wonderful [inaudible 00:14:52].

Mike:

We had good brand awareness, I think, from the World Series and the playoffs. The Dodgers winning helped us, and this is our first year with the Dodgers. They’re great partners. Happy to be associated with them and-

Mike:

That’s awesome.

Mike:

… proud that they won the World Series this year.

Mike:

Good deal. Well, Sonny, tell us about some of the products you guys have this year that you’re highlighting.

Sonny:

So we’re highlighting … I mean, the reason why I like SEMA is, the reason is because it showcases the diversity of our product line and how depth it is. So no matter what you’re going to build, we’re going to have a product for it. So whether it’s our Open Country line, whether it’s our Proxes line, whether it’s just our Extensa line, I mean, our product line is depth. We have the sizes, we have the exciting products that people want to put our products on. So it’s just exciting.

I mean, that’s what it is, and we’re showcasing it here, and that’s what we want. So it’s great. So a couple of big products we’ve got coming. We’re showcasing our new Proxes Sport 2, which is our UHP summer tire, which we’ll be launching in February. So, again, going after that enthusiast market. 75 sizes, better wet traction performance, better drive just overall to keep up with the changes in demand of these newer vehicles. And we’re really excited to launch our new R/T Pro, which will be premiering in 2025, as well.

Mike:

Awesome.

Sonny:

So we’re excited. I mean, we just keep coming out. We love it. We see our products here, the enthusiasm. That’s what SEMA [inaudible 00:16:16].

Mike:

I feel it. I feel it, right through this Treadpass. This is an awesome spot to be in.

Sonny:

Yeah, I mean, this is, like Mike said, it’s an enthusiast showcase, and it’s an homage to all the builders that are out there that want to feature Toyo. And that’s what we’re all about.

Mike:

I can’t say enough, guys. Thanks for being back on the Gain Traction Podcast.

Sonny:

Thank you.

Mike:

Yeah, good luck at SEMA.

Sonny:

All right.

Mike:

Okay, folks. I hope you enjoyed part three, the final segment of our 2024 SEMA Roundup series. To all our listeners, thank you for being part of our podcast. We are grateful for you. If you would like to recommend a guest to me, please email me at [email protected]. See you next time on Gain Traction. Thank you for listening.

Announcer:

Thanks for listening to the Gain Traction Podcast. We’ll see you again next time, and be sure to click subscribe to get future episodes.

Contents hide

1 In this episode…

1.1 Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

1.2 Resources mentioned in this episode:

1.2.1 Quotable Moments:

1.2.2 Action Steps: