To strengthen communication and minimize issues, Sales Pro of the Year Parker Lopez said salespeople should understand the basics of installation and always ask for help when needed. Words by Rosa Sophia Parker Lopez grew up around the industry, watching his father work. His dad, he said, has always been an employee of Toledo, Ohio-based Car Stereo One—the shop Parker ...

KnowledgeFest Las Vegas continues to demonstrate the industry’s determination to grow and thrive. Words by Rosa Sophia The 2026 Industry Awards took place in the Horseshoe Hotel at KnowledgeFest Las Vegas, where Chris Cook, president of Mobile Electronics Association, offered words of advice to retailers who might be struggling. He recommended choosing three things to focus on post-KnowledgeFest. “Think about ...

Overcoming integration challenges. Words by Cabe Sipes When I started in the car audio industry, things were much simpler. It wasn’t uncommon to go to an audio shop and find one or two installers who weren’t there for a career—just a normal job like fast food or retail while attending school. That’s because car audio was straight-forward when it came ...

Michael Betts—one of this year’s Top 5 Vendor Support Techs—says it’s best to know your strengths and focus on honing them. Words by Jamie Sorcher Before Michael Betts could talk, he was into cars. “My mother told me that when I was a toddler, if there was a car scene on TV, like a high-speed chase, I would stop, look ...

At KnowledgeFest Las Vegas, Kevin Hallinan challenged attendees to think differently about sales by staging roleplays and remembering that when the client wins, so does the business. Words by Rosa Sophia According to Kevin Hallinan of WINNING, Inc., role playing continues to be an essential way of strengthening team strategy and working on weaknesses. “You’ve got to insist that your ...

Words by Rosa Sophia This year’s Installer of the Year, T.J. Carlson, works at Portland, Ore.-based Musicar Northwest and he’s been in the industry for about 20 years. His love of music was sparked early on, he said, and he started playing the drums in seventh grade. “Music has always been important to me. Cars have always been fun and ...

At KnowledgeFest Las Vegas, 2025 Retailer of the Year Traffic Jams Motorsports shared lessons learned in growing the business. Words by Rosa Sophia When it came time to open the show floor at KnowledgeFest Las Vegas this past February, Mobile Electronics Association President Chris Cook invited Yamil Widy of Buford, Ga.-based Traffic Jams Motorsports to cut the ribbon. Widy and ...

Asking questions is part of the journey, according to Trusted Tech Fernando Lopez, who encourages others to share knowledge and grow through connection. Words by Rosa Sophia This year’s Trusted Tech, Fernando “Nando” Lopez, worked various jobs before entering the mobile electronics industry. Lopez never finished school, he said. Although he hadn’t intended to get into 12-volt, he always enjoyed ...