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The BodyShop Leaders Podcast

The BodyShop Leaders Podcast

By: Daniel Burkholder
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About this listen

The BodyShop Leaders Podcast brings you real conversations with the people shaping the future of collision repair — shop owners, vendors, and innovators who lead with purpose.


Hosted by Daniel Burkholder of BodyShop Marketing, each episode dives into the lessons, mindsets, and breakthroughs that drive top-performing shops and the leaders behind them.


No fluff. Just authentic stories and practical insights to help you grow, lead, and build a smarter, stronger shop.


Powered by BodyShop Marketing — where the best shops come to grow.

© 2026 The BodyShop Leaders Podcast
Economics Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • From Tech to $29M: Kenny Davis On Culture, Mentorship, And Doing It Right
    Jan 31 2026

    In Episode 8 of BodyShop Leaders, Daniel Burkholder sits down with Kenny Davis, co-owner of Bob Maloney Collision Group in Northwest Arkansas, an operation built on people-first leadership, certified repairs, and deep community roots.

    Kenny’s story is the definition of earned leadership. He started in the automotive world chasing a love for cars, worked his way into collision repair, and eventually helped carry the business through a major turning point. When the Ford dealership side closed in 2009 and the team made a bold decision to keep the body shop alive. What started as a shop doing under $1M a year grew into a multi-location group on track to close around $29M.

    But this episode isn’t just about growth—it’s about how you grow without losing your soul.

    Kenny opens up about his early leadership mistakes, how he once believed he had to be tough to earn respect, and the life-changing moment that forced him to rethink how he shows up for people. From mentorship to culture-building, Kenny shares what actually works when you’re trying to keep great technicians, develop young talent, and build a team that stays.

    You’ll hear practical insights on:

    • How Kenny and his partners protect culture while scaling to multiple locations
    • Why they invest heavily in leadership development (including a powerful 4-day program for teammates)
    • The real-world systems they use to retain talent—work-life balance, benefits, and intentional hiring
    • Why OEM procedures and certified repairs aren’t optional—and how to start the transition if you’re behind
    • The mindset shift that changed Kenny’s leadership forever: you don’t have to be a jerk to lead

    If you’re a shop owner, manager, or future leader in collision repair, this episode is a masterclass in building a business where people thrive and quality wins.

    The BodyShop Leaders Podcast is powered by BodyShop Marketing, the agency helping collision industry leaders grow smarter and lead stronger.

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    34 mins
  • The Leadership Mistake Killing Collision Shops With Rod Cahoy
    Jan 17 2026

    Most collision shops don’t fail because of bad technicians; they fail because of a leadership mistake.

    In this episode of BodyShop Leaders, host Daniel Burkholder sits down with Rod Cahoy, Business Development Manager at PPG Industries and a 40-year veteran of the collision repair industry, to break down what great leadership actually looks like inside a modern body shop.

    Rod shares hard-earned lessons from decades on the shop floor, in sales, and in business development. Including the number one leadership mistake that’s holding collision shops back: expecting results before providing the right time, tools, training, and processes.

    You’ll learn:

    • Why “we don’t have time to train” is costing shops more than they realize
    • How strong processes create better people, not the other way around
    • What high-performing shops do differently the moment you walk in
    • How leadership has evolved in collision repair over the last 40 years
    • Why technology and automation should support your team, not replace it

    Whether you’re a shop owner, manager, or future leader, this conversation will challenge how you think about leadership, culture, and growth. And give you a practical framework you can apply immediately.

    🎧 If your shop feels busy but stuck, this episode is for you.

    The BodyShop Leaders Podcast is powered by BodyShop Marketing, the agency helping collision industry leaders grow smarter and lead stronger.

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    42 mins
  • Leading Through Change: Scaling a Family Collision Business the Right Way with Jordan Beshears
    Jan 3 2026

    What does it really take to scale a collision repair business without losing your culture, or your people?

    In this episode of BodyShop Leaders, Daniel Burkholder sits down with Jordan Beshears, Vice President of Steve’s Auto Body, to unpack the real journey from working on the shop floor to helping lead a growing, multi-location operation.

    Jordan shares how hands-on experience shaped his leadership philosophy, why technicians are the soul of the business, and how Steve’s Auto Body used lean thinking and process—not chaos—to fuel sustainable growth. From navigating family-business dynamics to building replicable systems, managing change, and becoming a Tesla-approved collision center, this conversation goes deep into what modern leadership really looks like in collision repair.

    If you’re a shop owner or leader thinking about growth, struggling with culture, or trying to lead better from the front—not the office—this episode is packed with insights you can apply immediately.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:
    •Why leading from the shop floor creates stronger teams and better results
    •How lean processes helped Steve’s Auto Body scale with intention
    •What most shop owners get wrong about growth and complacency
    •How to support technicians while improving production and profitability
    •What it truly means to be a BodyShop Leader

    The BodyShop Leaders Podcast is powered by BodyShop Marketing, the agency helping collision industry leaders grow smarter and lead stronger.

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    37 mins
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