The NOLN Podcast

Getting Everyone on Track: Keys for Building Staff Alignment Within Your Shop (with Sara Welch and Mike Mooney)

Modern Tire Dealer managing editor Sara Welch and Mike Mooney, a speaker, coach, author, and strategist, discuss strategies for motivating teams, aligning personal and company goals, and tips for building commitment from your employees. 
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>> Submit a nomination for NOLN Operator of the Year

Fearless to Courageous (with Chris Messer, Mike Jones, James Baxter, and Hunter Barton)

In this installment of the Endeavor to Discover series, Chris Messer and Mike Jones welcome president/founder James Baxter and store manager Hunter Barton of Neighborhood Tire Pros in Atlanta. By 2008, Neighborhood Tire Pros had grown to 14 locations before the nation’s economic downturn put a strain on the business that led to the sale of 10 stores.
Baxter and Barton discuss the climb back, putting a focus on the remaining four core stores with an emphasis on growth, people, financial transparency, and clear vision-setting to reach a level of profitability that is triple what Neighborhood Tire Pros achieved with 14 shops. The conversation underscores the difference between fearlessness and courage, as well as the power of intentional, people-centered leadership.
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>> Click here to take the 2026 NOLN Operator Survey

Feature Read: 2025 Operator of the Year Brian Morrison

As a skilled leader who is known for lifting up those around him, Brian Morrison has thrived as the operator of 19 quick lube facilities. Once an executive in the food service industry, Morrison now oversees a burgeoning network of franchise locations for FullSpeed Automotive’s SpeeDee Oil Change & Automotive Service and Grease Monkey brands. A skilled business leader, a charitable boss, and a proud family man, Morrison is the NOLN Operator of the Year for 2025.
This article originally appeared on NOLN.net on Sept. 2, 2025.Read by Brittany Duncan 
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Do you know a quick lube operator who excels in all aspects of shop ownership—from business performance to staff leadership to community involvement? Nominate them for the 2026 NOLN Operator of the Year Award.
>> Click here to submit a nomination today
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Inside the Move of iFLEX to AAPEX (with Jenn Bochnowski and Mark Bogdansky)

With iFLEX shifting to AAPEX this year, Jenn Bochnowski, vice president of PAMA’s board of directors, and Mark Bogdansky, vice president of trade shows and community engagement for the Auto Care Association, visit the NOLN Podcast to discuss the move. Bochnowski and Bogdansky explain why the move was made, what will look familiar to past AAPEX and iFLEX attendees, and the ways in which the two parties aim to create a better overall experience for those in the quick lube industry.
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Small-Scale Businesses Riding Long-Term Success

Peter Esposito, owner of Mountain Lakes Autowash and Quaker State Express Oil Change in Hewitt, New Jersey,  and Kevin Shaw, who operates Ken's Fast Lube in Mexico, Missouri, share what it takes to keep their quick lube operations running strong despite having small teams.
 
This article originally appeared on NOLN.net on April 23, 2025.
 
Read by Brittany Duncan
 
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Take 5 Charts Path Toward Going Fully National (with Tim Austin, Take 5 President)

After recently celebrating the opening of the company’s 500th franchise location, Take 5 President Tim Austin joins the NOLN Podcast to discuss the fast lube chain’s rapid growth. He also breaks down the factors Take 5 considers when evaluating new markets, the traits the company looks for in ideal franchisees, and the ways in which Take 5 will define success in 2026 and beyond.
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Evolving Oils, Evolving Challenges

National Oil and Lube News recently spoke with representatives from two national distributors that serve the automotive aftermarket, who pointed to gains in market share for synthetic oils versus their conventional counterparts, as well as a growing demand for lighter viscosity motor oils. The representatives say new motor oil formulations offer improved efficiency and longer drain intervals, but come with potential pitfalls. 
This article originally appeared on NOLN.net on Nov. 28, 2025.
 
Read by Brittany Duncan 
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Fight Forward (with Chris Messer, Mike Jones, and Chris Jones)

In this episode of the Endeavor to Discover series, Chris Messer and Mike Jones are joined by Chris Jones, editorial director for Endeavor Business Media’s Vehicle Service Repair Group, to discuss the concept of “fighting forward” at the start of a new year. The conversation centers on the idea that people and organizations often focus on what they don’t want, which creates negative mental pictures, emotions, and behaviors. The group discusses how words shape pictures, pictures shape emotions, and actions follow thought—meaning outcomes are created by intentional thinking and behavior.
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Acquisitions, Honors, and Marketing Matters: Catching Up on NOLN Headlines

With quick lube operators getting settled into the new year, the NOLN Podcast is catching up on industry headlines you may have missed over the past few weeks. Here are the stories discussed in this episode:
Shop Marketing Pros Reports Google Ads Breach
Castrol Sold by BP to Stonepeak in $10.1 Billion Deal
Sayle Oil Company Acquires Car Care Clinic/Jet Lube of Central Mississippi
Real Estate Investment Firm Acquires 15-Location Take 5 Oil Change Portfolio
SEMA Now Accepting Applications for 2026 SEMA Show Speakers
Strickland Brothers, Take 5 Recognized Among Smart-Growing Franchise Companies
Quick Lube Brands Among Honorees in Franchise 500 Rankings
FullSpeed Automotive President Departs for Role in New Industry
Valvoline Raises $1.8 Million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
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Dollars in the Details

From utilities and shop supplies to staffing and labor, little inefficiencies can quickly add up to big expenditures for quick lube operators. Victory Lane Executive Vice President Jim Harrington, who has worked in the industry for 30 years and been with Victory Lane since 2014, has become an ace in finding opportunities to fine-tune quick lube operations to keep costs in check.
 
This article originally appeared on NOLN.net on June 11, 2025.
Read by Brittany Duncan 
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