Retail News – May 2026
Words by Rosa Sophia
For an Industry Perspective, Check Out “Car Stereo Talk With Brian and Dean”
In 2023 at KnowledgeFest Las Vegas, Brian Mitchell was named Installer of the Year, while Dean Beyett won Trusted Tech. It was that year, Mitchell said, that he and Beyett began to consider sharing their thoughts with the industry on a podcast. Listeners can check out “Car Stereo Talk with Brian and Dean” at fivestarcarstereo.podbean.com.
Originally, Beyett started a podcast with coworker Fernando Lopez—this year’s Trusted Tech—but the two stopped recording episodes. However, previous episodes are still available.
At Clearwater, Fla.-based Five Star Car Stereo, Beyett said he’s noticing a trend: Plenty of clients are still coming in for basic speaker and radio installation, or an inexpensive subwoofer, but he’s seeing less big-ticket items. “This is a time when your sales skills are really being put to the test. Your ability to show the value of what you’re doing is really taking hold right now,” he said. “People will spend the money, but they want to understand the value of what they’re getting. They’re looking harder at what you’re trying to do. Even a couple of years ago, it wasn’t as much like that. I’m noticing that people are being way more responsible with their money right now.”
At the Industry Awards in 2023, Brian Mitchell was named Installer of the Year and Dean Beyett won Trusted Tech. From left to right: Fernando Lopez, 2026 Trusted Tech; Ata Ehdaivand of Rockville, Md.-based Absolute Electronix; Brian Mitchell; Dean Beyett; and Marty Adamschek, 2022 Installer of the Year.
The audience, Beyett said, is anyone in the industry who’s had the feeling, “Am I the only one?” Retailers, salespeople or techs might feel lonely in their experiences, wondering if anyone else has gone through something similar, he explained. “We wanted to share how we’re all thinking the same thing. It’s a different perspective on the same headaches. No topic is off the table.”
Some weeks, an episode might be positive—other weeks, negative. “Some weeks, it’s like an episode of Seinfeld where we talk about nothing. Other times, it’s more specific and somewhat serious.” Most importantly, Beyett said he and Mitchell want to show that “no matter where you are, where you’re at, or what you’re doing, you can listen and get something out of it. Episodes are about a half an hour long. We try to keep it light.”
Beyett envisions it this way: “I talk out of one side of the car, and Brian talks out of the other side. I’m in the driver’s side, he’s in the passenger side. We did that to be fun. We wanted it to feel like you’re sitting between us for the conversation.”
Together, the two friends hope to steer industry professionals in the right direction by sharing what they’ve learned. Of all the subjects available for discussion, Mitchell feels training is the most important.
“It has been for years, and still is,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re getting training—whether it’s KnowledgeFest, MasterTech, or a local training where someone comes to your shop—continuing education is important because cars are changing so fast. You have to keep up with it all the time.”
CAPTIONS
KFest Dallas 2023.jpg – At the Industry Awards in 2023, Brian Mitchell was named Installer of the Year and Dean Beyett won Trusted Tech. From left to right: Fernando Lopez, 2026 Trusted Tech; Ata Ehdaivand of Rockville, Md.-based Absolute Electronix; Brian Mitchell; Dean Beyett; and Marty Adamschek, 2022 Installer of the Year.
“It doesn’t matter where you’re getting training—whether it’s KnowledgeFest, MasterTech, or a local training where someone comes to your shop—continuing education is important because cars are changing so fast. You have to keep up with it all the time.” – Brian Mitchell
