Leadership 2.0 Brings Hustle & Heart
Leadership 2.0 Brings 'Hustle and Heart' - aftermarketNews - by Emma Henderson - the Managing Editor of aftermarketNews and Counterman
This week, aftermarket leaders are attending the University of the Aftermarket Leadership 2.0 course in Midland, Michigan. Each day one person shares their perspective on the courses they attended.
Day two’s perspective is from Matt Hellman, director of category management at Clore Automotive.
“Day 2 at Leadership 2.0 was jam-packed from sunup to sundown! We heard from multiple industry experts and met so many wonderful people. If the rest of the week is anything like today, this Leadership 2.0 class is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the aftermarket!
James O’Dell set the stage perfectly in the morning followed by a fantastic overview from John Washbish of the opportunities in the aftermarket past, present and future. Networking and leaving a good impression is the key to success. ‘If it’s important, don’t be late’ is what John left us with.
Tammy Tecklenburg knocked it out of park with her one-two punch of topics covering organizational culture and emotional intelligence as it pertains to influencing of others. ‘Hustle & heart will set you apart.” But the key quote I was left with was ‘your energy is contagious.’ Approach every day with a positive attitude because your positivity will set the tone for you and your peers.
Jacki Lutz followed Tammy’s inspirational topics with a self-reflection topic surrounding building your personal brand. Her quote ‘self-branding requires self-belief, self-belief leads to self-promotion, self-promotion builds your brand, and brand builds your career’ is a great reminder to believe in yourself. If you do not believe in yourself, how can others believe in you? An effective leader leads with confidence and builds a team around them they can trust. Self-promotion is not being arrogant; it is an acknowledgement of your hard work & dedication.
Ted Hughes dove into the latest trends in independent distribution. Evolving the terminology from traditional distribution to independent distribution. The term Independent is cutting edge, and proactive whereas Traditional is old, and non-innovative. No matter what step of the aftermarket supply chain we play in, the most important piece in the aftermarket is the technician – the individual that buys the product, throws the box away, and installs the product.
Todd Campau brought it home as the last presenter of day by diving into the data around the aftermarket. Todd stated, ‘we all swim in a sea of data in our world today, even if you don’t think you are an expert your thoughts and unique perspective matter and are a valuable addition to the conversation.‘
The day ended with the YANG Regional Meet Up that evening. It was a great networking event with the Leadership 2.0 class, Northwood University undergraduates, and other YANG members in the Michigan area. The future is bright for the automotive aftermarket. Thank you, APSG The Group, for hosting the YANG Regional Meet-Up here at Northwood University in Midland, MI.
Looking forward to what Leadership 2.0 has in store the rest of the week for the class of 2025-2026. Continuing to learn, network and hear from others will only make us stronger leaders. A quote I read years ago is ‘to be a great leader, don’t be a genius; be a sponge and a stone.’ You never know what you may learn from someone, absorb as much information as you can , be open minded, you don’t have to be the smartest in the room, approach the day by working as hard as you can, and build a strong network around you.”
The next course is INFUSION, September 21-25, 2025. You still have time to REGISTER or support your team members to attend. Visit the Course Calendar for more upcoming events and contact University of the Aftermarket for more information.