Learning Without Scars
As a third-generation educator, it is easy to say that teaching and training are in the blood for Ron Slee. From his beginnings as a coach, through his time at McGill University, Ron developed a foundation for the work he does today. From working within dealerships, to operating a consulting company, creating a training business and running twenty groups, Ron has been directly involved in this Industry since 1969. Ron has been known as the industry expert for years, and has brought this expertise to bear through his training programs. Today, Ron provides specialized, job function based internet based subject specific classes, job function skills assessments, as well virtual seminars and webinars. These courses are designed for manufacturers and their dealers, as well as independent businesses in the construction equipment, light industrial, on-highway, engine, and agricultural industries through Learning Without Scars (www.LearningWithoutScars.com). This platform is a continuation of the work begun by Quest, Learning Centers which was established in 1996. This training is aimed at improving dealer parts and service operations through qualified people that are knowledgeable in using operational metrics and current market and operational best practice methods.
Episodes
168 episodes
How Fractional HR Helps Founder-Led Firms Avoid Landmines And Build Better Teams
Ever wonder why hiring costs keep rising while performance stalls? We sit down with HR leader turned fractional consultant Seth McColley to unpack how founder-led companies in construction, manufacturing, and distribution can get senior HR capa...
If Best Doesn’t Mean What You Think, What Does It Mean
What if your dealership stopped reacting to problems and started predicting opportunity? We sat down with Mets and Nick, the team behind a from-scratch dealer management platform, to trace how a human-centered CRM evolved into a scalable DMS an...
Old Tools, New Minds
Two veterans compare notes across decades and land on a surprising culprit: speed. We’ve made decks faster, calls shorter, and data denser—yet clear thinking, discovery, and trust are harder to find. So we unpack how to win in a world that move...
What If The Normal Distribution Is The Biggest Lie In Your Business
If 3 percent of your customers drive 60 percent of your revenue, how much of your budget do they actually get? We open the hood on the equipment industry’s quiet math—where rental term length dictates margin, customer concentration drives fragi...
How Concentration, Clean Data, And Customer Choice Beat Giants
What if the fastest path to growth isn’t “more leads,” but fewer, better customers you serve so well they never leave? We dive into the uncomfortable truth most teams avoid: value is concentrated, churn is predictable, and the difference betwee...
Finding Joy in the 9-to-5: How Comedy Transforms Corporate Culture
What if the key to workplace productivity isn't another productivity app or time management system, but something far more elemental – laughter? Kevin Hubschmann, founder of laugh.events, reveals how strategic comedy breaks are revolutionizing ...
Data Before Decision: How AI Enhances Dealer Operations
What happens when you combine 40 years of dealership experience with cutting-edge artificial intelligence? Troy Ottmer returns to share how he's becoming "an augmented individual with an expanded toolbox," using AI to amplify his industry knowl...
Business Value and the Human Connection
What happens when you strip commerce down to its essence? In this thought-provoking conversation between industry veterans, we explore the fundamental truth that all business boils down to two people exchanging value—and everything else is just...
Value First, Technology Second: The AI Implementation Playbook
Technological revolutions come and go, but the fourth industrial revolution – powered by artificial intelligence – promises to transform business in ways we're only beginning to comprehend. In this thought-provoking conversation, we explore how...
Human Intelligence in the AI Era: The Future of Recruitment and Leadership
The talent crisis in heavy equipment has reached a critical point. In this eye-opening conversation, recruiting veteran Jay Lucas reveals why technicians remain the industry's Achilles heel and how leadership failures are exacerbating the probl...
Two People, One Transaction: The Naked Truth About Money
The economic revolution we've been waiting for isn't just coming—it's already here. In this eye-opening conversation, Steve Clegg brings decades of financial expertise to explain how artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency are fundamentally ...
From Conventional Dealership to AI-Driven Operations: A Conversation with Troy Ottmer
Troy Ottmer brings forty years of dealership experience to a forward-looking conversation about artificial intelligence and its profound impact on the equipment industry. Drawing from his unconventional career path—spanning automotive, medium-d...
The Fourth Industrial Revolution: Navigating Change
Are you prepared for the unprecedented transformation sweeping through the equipment dealer and rental landscape? In this eye-opening conversation with industry veteran Nick Mavrick, we dive deep into how technological advancement, market conso...
AI is not your competition—it's your most powerful ally in business.
The artificial intelligence revolution isn't coming—it's already here. For equipment dealerships caught in the crossfire of technological disruption, adaptation isn't just recommended; it's essential for survival.When Ron Wilson attende...
Growing From Within
Are you constantly searching for new growth opportunities while overlooking gold mines within your existing business? In this eye-opening conversation with industry veteran Ron Wilson, we explore how equipment dealerships and service-oriented b...
The Profitable Path: Transforming Service From Cost Center to Profit Engine
What if everything you thought about running a service department was backward? That's the provocative question at the heart of this eye-opening conversation with John Dowling, author of "Service by the Boxes" and decorated Marine.The f...
Breaking Down Dealer Reviews
Dealership operational excellence has never been more critical than in today's consolidated market. Troy Ottmer, a seasoned dealership executive turned consultant, dives deep into the often-overlooked opportunity of departmental reviews and the...
Breaking Down Service By The Boxes: A Marine's Methodology
What separates thriving heavy equipment dealerships from struggling ones? The answer might surprise you. It's not their sales volume or brand lineup—it's how they manage their service departments.Marine Corps veteran John Dowling transf...
From Black Books to Watchlists: The Evolution of Modern Sales
What if the key to sales success isn't working harder, but targeting smarter? Nick Mavrick of Built Data joins Ron for a candid exploration of how construction equipment dealers can revolutionize their sales approach by embracing the Pareto Pri...
The Vanishing Distribution Channel: A Candid Look at Dealer Challenges
Troy Ottmer brings a unique perspective to the equipment and commercial truck industry that few consultants can match. Having started as an automotive technician in 1987, Troy deliberately worked across every dealership department, developing a...
Your Business Is Already a Target, Whether You Know It or Not
Every dealership has fallen victim to a cybersecurity incident – they just might not know it yet. In this eye-opening conversation with Kevin Landers, IT veteran and cybersecurity expert at RocketWise, we pull back the curtain on the digital th...
Listen More, Talk Less: A Business Leader's Secret Weapon
David Griffith takes us on a fascinating journey through his multi-faceted career, revealing timeless leadership principles that transcend industries and decades. Starting as IBM's top salesman in the late 1970s, Griffith rose through corporate...
Transforming Sales with Smart Data Strategies
Join us for an engaging episode as we dive into the transformative power of data in the sales environment with Nick Mavrick from Built Data. In this conversation, we explore how a new approach to data can unlock the potential of sales teams see...
Ron Wilson's Insights on the Future of Machinery
What if you could unlock four decades of industry secrets from a heavy machinery veteran? Join us for an eye-opening conversation with Ron Wilson as he takes us through his 40-year journey in the heavy machinery industry. From his humble beginn...
Rethinking Business Systems: Innovation and Adaptation for Success
Revolutionize your understanding of business systems with insights from Mets Kramer, a leading innovator in the capital goods industries. We challenge the status quo by questioning if traditional transactional systems are holding us back from t...
