U-R-G On the Go
An informative podcast for the United Recyclers Group. Each week we will feature an entertaining guest that will share their knowledge and information with you, providing you with tips and tools to help you become a more profitable business.
U-R-G On the Go
Exploring Unity in the Recycling Industry
Discover the insider secrets of the automotive recycling industry with our special guest, Mike Kunkle, as he shares invaluable insights on the upcoming ARA convention in Reno. Together with my co-host Amanda Morrison, we dissect the power of collaboration between organizations like URG and ARA, and how this unity can steer the industry through economic hurdles. Mike provides an intriguing glimpse into his and Jer Banta's sessions, focusing on crucial topics like selling extended warranties and creative inventory strategies. With the auto recycling landscape rapidly evolving due to consolidation and enhanced trade networking, this episode promises a treasure trove of knowledge for recyclers facing an unpredictable future.
Our conversation takes a heartfelt turn as we highlight the spirit of generosity and teamwork within the automotive recycling community. Amanda expresses her gratitude for the supportive network that empowers success through collaboration and resource sharing. We cast a spotlight on the commendable efforts of PRP and URG in aiding communities devastated by natural disasters in North Carolina and Georgia, and emphasize the importance of industry conferences like those by ARA and URG for staying ahead of the curve. Join us in supporting charitable efforts such as Tunnel to Towers by considering a monthly donation, and tune in for an episode rich with inspiration and opportunities to make a meaningful impact.
Welcome one and all to the URG On the Go podcast, the number one podcast, the true voice, the number one podcast in the recycling industry, the true voice of the automotive recycling industry. The automotive recycling industry. We do every week. We try to create a program for the pros that are on the go and have a need to know. I'm DJ Harrington, better known as the cardiologist, but the real host of the program today is the very talented Amanda Morrison, who is director of member and vendor relations for URG. Amanda, how are you today?
Speaker 2:I'm doing great, DJ. How are you doing?
Speaker 1:I'm doing fine A little bit of an upper respiratory infection. That gets all 76-year-old people periodically, so I'm taking my meds and I'm whittling through it. You're sounding great. Hey, Amanda, do we have a great guest? He has been a friend before, he's a dear friend of mine, a great friend of yours and a phenomenal friend to the industry the one and only Mike Conkle.
Speaker 3:Mike, how are you? Oh, I'm doing great DJ. Every time I get to spend any amount of time with you is always a highlight of my day.
Speaker 1:Amanda, I'll owe him $5 for that one. At least a drink. At least a drink, Amanda. I'm going to turn it over to you because I know you want to ask him something about the upcoming convention in Reno, because our dear friend will be speaking.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, we're so excited about the new about ARA coming up in Reno and Mike, you're going to be speaking there. Can you talk a little bit about what you're going to be speaking about and get us excited for the upcoming conference?
Speaker 3:Well, first off, it is really exciting, right, we have two major industry events annually in the URG conference and the ARA annual convention. And, historically speaking, there's been some politics involved in this and that and the organizations haven't necessarily enacted the way that the industry would maybe prefer them to see. And in the last couple of years the two organizations have really become aligned and it's a very dynamic time. To be an auto recycler, the pandemic was really good for most of us. The economy's not in the best of shape and costs are high, vehicle availability is poor, cost of vehicles is high, lots of components going on that everybody is feeling the crunch. So if there was ever a time for everybody to kind of be working together for the benefit of everybody, it would be now. So, with that being said, ara is coming up in just a couple of short weeks. Profit team with myself and Jer Banta will be there. We're doing a couple of sessions, kind of going in reverse order. Jer is doing a session Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock about selling extended warranties Really important thing, because everybody talks about warranties being an add-on and making the part cost more, but there's a tremendous value proposition, especially when money's tight. Everybody is really struggling and there's some certain ways to spin that. So Jer's going to be taking us through a presentation on how to maximize that, how to work on some compensation things to make it more advantageous. So pretty excited about that.
Speaker 3:And then me I'm going Friday at 11 o'clock and I'm not sure how much trouble that I'm in. But my particular topic is advertised as inventory deep dive quantity on hand versus price versus inventory, and when it was all said and done I wrote a presentation that's completely different than that. So I had all of the best intentions. It didn't quite work out that way. But the truth of the matter is price doesn't have a direct correlation to demand in a multitude of instances and the presentation kind of dives into understanding of cost how to look at how do we unlock more of a car at a price point that can't afford to be unlocked and whatnot there. So let's get a little bit off topic for what the advertised topic is, but really excited about kind of looking at this and kind of digging down in.
Speaker 3:Because as an auto recycler, the world is different now than it was five and ten years ago. The number of recyclers is paring down. The consolidation has had a big impact, the trade networking that has come around has had some big impacts on things. The overall impact OE is starting to have on what's going on, some of the things that have happened as far as you know, look URG and PRP working together, supplementing with what ARA is doing, is changing the way information is being distributed amongst the independent auto recycler, and that is how we make everything better ultimately. So, to kind of get back to answer your question, with ARA coming, if you go down through the session list, there's a lot of really important things going on to help everybody understand how we're going to navigate what, by all appearances, is going to be a rocky, rocky road to hoe for the next couple of years, while while things restabilize back into whatever the new normal is going to be for everybody definitely.
Speaker 2:I completely agree with that.
Speaker 2:That sounds like an awesome topic.
Speaker 2:Just to you know.
Speaker 2:It may not be exactly what you had said, but I'm sure you know having that kind of be the the topic of discussion, um, and then having what you're bringing in, I'm sure you know having that kind of be the topic of discussion and then having what you're bringing in, I'm sure people will come in with lots of different questions and be able to really get some resources from you.
Speaker 2:I feel like that's something you're really good at is just providing those resources and that information and making sure it's out there for recyclers.
Speaker 2:And I agree with you, you know, and having all that information, you know, even just having that in the heading of what you guys are going to be talking about, having those questions being brought forth by those recyclers I feel like you guys are. You know everyone at profit team is so knowledgeable and has all those resources that you know bringing in questions that maybe necessarily aren't on the topic list for for these people that have all this information for independent recyclers is just so important for these conferences and you know working together with ARA and PRP has been vital, I feel like, to this industry and that's something Christy has been really focused on as well, and I think that's been a really good thing for everyone, and it's great that you guys are going to be bringing in all different kinds of topics and really being able to talk with the recyclers and network with them too. I feel like that's such a huge thing for you guys too.
Speaker 1:Hey, amanda, can I ask you and Mike a special question? This Reno Convention so all our listeners know we're talking about October 23rd through the 26th in Reno, nevada. It'll be the 81st annual ARA convention and expo. Amanda, well, you had a very special guest on our podcast a couple weeks back. Amber from Peaks will be one of the keynote speakers.
Speaker 1:They have over 100 vendors that are going to be in this. I call it the aisle of assistance. There'll be over 100 exhibitors. But the nice thing and Mike, you know Tom Andrea he is going to be nominated as secretary treasurer for the next committee executive committee, a couple of years from now. He then will be president of ARA. How do they get such quality people like a Shannon Nordstrom and the Nick and all these people? It's phenomenal what they do.
Speaker 2:I agree with you, Mike. I'll maybe hand that to you.
Speaker 3:Well, look, I think probably you hang out outside of a 12-step program for habitual volunteers is where you really look for them, because it takes a rare breed of person to be able to do what they do, because they're sacrificing time away from their business. They're putting forth the greater good and, at various points in time, letting their own personal lives or their own businesses sacrifice for that. Look guys, our industry is made up of some of the nicest, kindest individuals that you will ever meet throughout any walk of life. There's a number of these people that are financially very well off, but you would never know it to look at them or talk to them or see they're not presumptuous, they're not anything but boy if somebody's in trouble we rally the troops like there is no tomorrow, because we protect our own, and some of that is in the form of finances.
Speaker 3:I mean, you talk about some of the tragedies with the latest hurricane and what PRP has managed to amass a tremendous amount of money in a matter of 48 hours to help benefit for that.
Speaker 3:And that is all going into where? Sometimes it's the money, sometimes it's the time, sometimes it's volunteering of the delivery trucks. Dj, you have a history in your family of volunteering trucks to clean up in the 9-11 that not a lot of people are aware of. The things that we do, and some of this manifests itself into people willing to give of themselves and their time to come to and volunteer for an ARA leadership position, which is a 10-year commitment, by the way, five years up the ladder, five years down the ladder to a URG commitment, which in certain instances it can be up to a lifetime appointment for some people in certain instances a lot of longevity and things that are going in. So there's lots of ways to give back to what's going on. And, DJ, I certainly feel like I'm lecturing to the choir on that one, because you personally have spearheaded a number of things that most people aren't aware of. So does that kind of open the door for me to ask you a question about Tunnel for Towers?
Speaker 1:Well, how about we do this? How about we take a break and when we come back, I will be more than happy to share with our listeners a little bit about Tunnel for Towers. We'll take a fast break and we'll be right back.
Speaker 4:URG can help you streamline your business for maximum efficiency and increased profits. Access powerful software and unique tools. Receive top-level training with industry experts. Network with hundreds of recyclers. Employ e-commerce solutions to boost business. Receive support, resources and discounts Starting at just $150 a month. It's the smartest investment you will make for your business this year. Go to u-r-gcom and click on Become a Member. Your path to a profitable future is just a click away. That's u-r-gcom.
Speaker 1:Welcome back listeners. You know you're listening to the number one podcast in the automotive industry, urg On the Go podcast. And just before the break, I want to remind everyone though, we're available on Spotify, itunes, pandora, stitcher, iheartmedia, which is the number one podcast in the whole United States, amazon or wherever you get your podcasts. We are there. And before the break, mike Conker was so sweet and so kind. They asked about Tunnel to Towers. So, mike, I am proud to tell you, amanda and I and all the team at URG now this is a URG PRP effort and eventually, by April, we're tying in the entire industry Back. I'm going to say maybe two months ago, huh, amanda.
Speaker 1:When we had Bill Weaver down in Florida, bo Woden, myself, paul D'Adamo, his wife, jc Cahill. We were all at the service and I said what if we donated a car to Tunnel to Towers? And JC said, oh, I'm in. Paul said I'm in, bo, I'm in. So then I contacted Christy, the executive director. Christy Werner, executive director of URG, asked permission and then I went and sought out the people from Tunnel to Towers, andington. If URG and PRP would be kind enough to find us an 18, you know, a 14 to 18 person van, we would be very interested. And of course they opened a center in Houston and they're taking. They want to eradicate veteran homelessness, want to eradicate veteran homelessness, so they're taking veterans off the street in Houston.
Speaker 1:They're taking them off the street in Atlanta. They're taking them off the street in Memphis, tennessee. They just redid a building in Memphis, tennessee. They're building ones all across the country, little by little, and the foundation is doing all this. So all of a sudden there will be one in Denver, colorado, charleston, south Carolina, buffalo, new York, harrisburg, pennsylvania just to name some of the locations where they bought hotels and on the first floor they're having services for veterans and on the second, third and fourth floor will actually be residences for the homeless veterans.
Speaker 1:And so already now, mark down on your calendar, and you don't want to really push this until after Reno, but on April, the 11th, at the URG PRP Conference in Orlando, florida, we will be giving away two to three vans, because we've already had two vans donated, and this past weekend my conch was so kind. This past weekend we were looking for someone to install wheelchair ramps in the back, and we were looking for someone to install wheelchair ramps in the back, and Amanda, a man out of Michigan, is more than willing to help us because it's Tunnel to Towers, urg and PRP, so we've been really blessed.
Speaker 2:That's incredible. Yeah, I think this is going to be such a huge thing for the industry and being able to donate to those veterans and really get an active relationship going with Tunnel to Towers. I think it's going to be huge. And thank you so much for that connection, DJ. Incredible what you're able to do when you get together with some of these generous industry people.
Speaker 1:They sure are. And the one man is's a jewish gentleman. Hey, mike, it was so funny. He said all right, dj, I will give you a van. I'll donate it a brand new mercedes 2022 van. But I don't want a cheap wheelchair ramp installed. You tell your family, I want a good wrap installed. You'll get a good wrap installed in your Mercedes van. It's funny how God has helped us out, and URG and PRP. Now, if you would be kind of, mike, can you share with our listeners a little bit about what PRP is doing right now for the tornado and how they're trying to raise money for generators and Jared himself was one of the first people and, of course, our good, very good friends out in Texas are the very first group. I donated 4,000 dollars.
Speaker 3:Well, you know, there's always every. Every time you ask a question, dj, there's always a back story with me, right? But the last time the hurricane went through that area, a church group asked to borrow a truck and and Marty Meyers from that area let him borrow a truck and filled it up with water, and one thing led to another and prp ended up finding an organization that that the prp could get behind. So fast forward to the next time a hurricane. Uh came in and prp just picked up the phone and called that same organization and said what do you need? And they said that they have a relationship with a generator company and that a truckload of generators was $125,000. And they ordered the truckload of generators with no money involved to pay for the generators.
Speaker 3:So I said, in a matter of 48 hours, led by, like you said, jared Hahn and Dan Snyder and a large group of auto recyclers even some folks that have sold their facilities to the consolidators and are, technically speaking, no longer part of the industry have all banded together and last I had looked, early this morning, they had raised $75,000 of the $125,000 that was targeted in there. So once again, a quick call to action, using that overall kind-heartedness of the auto recycler that when people are in trouble, we tend to do whatever we can to protect the local community, because those are our friends, our peers, our customers and, truthfully, that's our family.
Speaker 1:Well, Amanda, I don't know how you feel about all this, but give me your view. And then I want to get two resources for people. We want to name three of them all together. We want to name PRP, and then I want to give information on the Red Cross and Samaritan's Purse. So tell us your view.
Speaker 2:For sure. Yeah, I think I mean that's one of the reasons why I've stayed in this industry. To be honest, you know, it's just the generosity and the kindness of all the people that are involved in the business and in this industry. I feel like they're always willing to give a helping hand to anyone that's in need and you know whether it's for money or through, you know, just talking to each other and networking and giving different ideas. I feel like that's what really made this, you know, industry successful and these independent recyclers successful is working together and just being being there for each other and having each other's backs. So, yeah, I think it's incredible what we can all do together when we get together.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I would out of our recyclers. By all means, if you're a member of PRP or URG, please contact PRP and see if you can help participate in getting those generators out to people. I also want to remember the Red Cross, redcrossorg and Samaritan's Purse. Elaine has torn through western North Carolina and has dumped extreme rainfall over two feet in some areas because somebody mud sliced. So, as of the starting of this podcast, we have over 200 deaths just in that area. Asheville, north Carolina, is the worst, but here in Georgia I'm a Georgia resident and we have devastation in Savannah, augusta, augusta National, and so there's a lot of chainsaws out, a lot of people, that trees have come down. Even Chuck Camp, the producer of this podcast, lost a tree in his backyard, his two sons and he spent one full day taking a tree off his house oh man and Chuck Camp and his family are safe.
Speaker 2:but the tree after the storm the tree just came back because we have pine trees, and just came right down on Chuck Camp's home and he's the producer of the podcast are just kind of running through and I agree, I feel like we all kind of band together and help each other out and it's amazing what PRP has been able to do. And being able to get these generators for people is definitely going to make an impact on people that don't have insurance, don't have any kind of savings that can help them out. So it's incredible what we can do.
Speaker 1:All right, how about if we take a break, amanda, and when we come back we can do the final wrap-up of how do we get people to Reno and how do we get them to get involved with what's happening today with URG, prp and our industry?
Speaker 4:So hold tight folks, we'll be right back. The URG Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2014 in honor of individuals who give their talent, time and, very often, their own finances to ensure the growth and success of the automotive recycling industry. We understand college is not for everyone, so each year the foundation offers substantial financial scholarships to auto recycling employees and the children of employees that are attending four-year and technical or trade schools, to assist with their education. Don't leave money on the table. If you have a child or if you're interested in attending continuing education, this money is available to you. Go to u-r-gcom and click on the Scholarship Foundation tab. Urg keeping our industry strong through education.
Speaker 1:Welcome back listeners. You know you're listening to the number one podcast in the automotive industry, the URG On the Go podcast with Amanda Morrison, our great friend Mike Puckle and I'm DJ Arrington, the cardiologist. Remember to like and review everywhere. We're always available. If you want to hear another industry expert, just call our hotline right here at the podcast center, 706-409-5603, and we'll be happy. Amanda will use her influence with URG and PRP to get the key people on the line, just like a couple of weeks ago we had Junior on, who was phenomenal. So I want all of you to know this has been good. Jc Cahill's been on, rainwater's been on Paul D'Adamo.
Speaker 1:We have the best of the best on this podcast. So what I'd like to do is could I go to Amanda first, then I'll go second and Mike, you'll be the wrap-up guy. And Amanda, what would you like to?
Speaker 2:tell our listeners about coming to Reno.
Speaker 2:You know, dj, I think just these conferences in general are incredible for learning experiences, for networking.
Speaker 2:Both ARA and URG conferences are vital for your business and being able to keep up with all the industry news and everything new. That's exciting. Coming out for vendors. You know we talk about the generosity of our recyclers, but we also have very generous vendors that are willing to come out and see you guys and really educate you on what they have and potentially help you with your processes. So you know these conferences are vital to growth in your business and keeping up with today's latest and greatest new technology and all the different services that everyone offers, as well as you know, like Mike being there, all these consultants that are willing to help you and really help you grow your business. So you know you're missing out if you're not heading to Reno here in the next couple of weeks and if you guys, you know, keep your eye out for all the different conferences in your area as well state associations too. You know all of those different conferences are going to help you take your business into the future.
Speaker 1:All right, perfecto. Now I will tell you. If you would like to help get a band for Tunnel to Towers for those of you that are listening and you just want to give $11 a month at Tunnel to Towers, just go to t2torg and it's as simple as that and you sign up on a monthly basis. They ACH it out of your bank account or out of a credit card, whatever is good for you. But I want to give my phone number. I have a cell phone number. If any of you have a band in your place of business that we could use at one of the centers, just dial 770-301-4122, which is my cell, or my email is dj at djsayscom.
Speaker 1:Now I'm going to turn to my dear friend Mike, because, mike, I believe in conferences. I believe that if you want to improve your business, the best assets that we all have are the people that work within our business. That's our best asset. So when we educate them, we educate the whole business and we grow the business. So if someone was sitting on the fence saying, well, should I go, we're going to have a lot of people not there because they're involved in the storm, the hurricane, so a lot of people that were coming are going to be held up. So ask if you would be kind enough to do a little plea for some of our listeners of why they need to be in Reno on October 23rd through the 26th to be in Reno on October 23rd through the 26th Well DJ.
Speaker 3:In the history of the auto recycling industry, this has always been a bit of a follow the leader thing. Somebody stumbles across something, whether they openly share it, like what we talked about, or it takes a little bit of time, but the auto recycler eventually figures out what they're doing and starts to imitate it, replicate it, duplicate it, however you want to go about doing it. So, in the end of the day, there's a handful of folks, a couple of hundred people, that are kind of more or less pushing the industry well past where our forefathers ever dreamed it would be. They will all be in Reno. They will all be talking about how we're not going to make the world as flat as it currently be. They will all be in Reno. They will all be talking about how we're not going to make the world as flat as it currently seems.
Speaker 3:Everybody's going to be talking about the latest and greatest and how you turn back things around, and, whether it be a lack of time, a lack of money, a lack of whatever, you have to work on yourself. Whether it be personally work on your business. You have to work on yourself. Whether it be personally work on your business. There's a certain amount of investment in yourself, in your people, that is required and if you're not doing that, then they are getting that information elsewhere.
Speaker 3:That may not necessarily be the information that you need and while in certain ways what we do is very simple buy car, inventory car, take car parts, self car parts we replicate process. That in and of itself, never changes and is very simple, but there's about a million to come off of that and a different way to go from. How many parts per car do you sell? How deep do you go? How deep do you must? What is the oe looking for? What is going to happen with the electrification of what's going on engines and transmissions? What would be expected? There's a million different cannibals, that the hallways will be abuzz with conversation and you will be with the movers and shakers to hear it firsthand, instead of some diluted, half correct version, half-correct version from your buddy who was there.
Speaker 1:Now, Mike, Amanda and I are so honored that you're our guest on this podcast. I want you to tell everybody I know. Last year, at the annual ARA convention, you were named the Consultant of the Year. What was the title they actually gave you? Well, Consultant of the Year would be a bit of the year. What was the title they actually gave you?
Speaker 3:Well, the consultant of the year would be a bit of a stretch, keeping in mind that I'm one of a very small number in a very specialized field, but last year I was given the ARA President's Award, so that's a very, very exclusive club there's only been in 81 years. There's only been about 62 of them, if I'm not mistaken. That have been passed out and the truth of the matter is DJ. I have a very interesting backstory, as you well know, of how I got to the salvage industry, but it has absolutely had a profound impact on my life. So I am very much committed to giving back and really pushing the independent entrepreneur to newfound heights of success. It's a tremendous amount of fun. I find it very, very personally rewarding and I look at people like you as an example of you know what a lifespan inspiring people by doing the right thing can do. So for that I'm always grateful to you, sir.
Speaker 1:You are very kind, but I want to tell you. When I told Amanda, I said, amanda, you know you and I always talk about asking Mike Conkle to be back on the podcast. Oh, she goes, dj. That would be phenomenal because she loves you and she recognizes you. And I want to tell our listeners this is a gentleman, you're listening to, mike Conkle, who, if you walk over to him and just say, mike, could I ask you about this? Could I ask you about paying our dismantlers? Could I ask you about here's the problem I have in our place of business with empathy, or here's the problem I have with payroll, or here's the problem I have with this? Mike and Uncle will sit with you in between sessions at a meal, whatever it takes to help you learn and get better.
Speaker 2:Yep, and I've heard that from so many different people in this industry. You know they've been so grateful for all of your tips and consulting work that you've done for them and just made incredible steps and strides for their businesses. So you know, having you on the podcast is an awesome add and we're always grateful to have you on here.
Speaker 3:Well, look, I really do appreciate it, although my wife is holding up the sign of. You really have buffaloed. Well, what a salesman you are.
Speaker 1:Your poor wife is a sweetheart.
Speaker 2:Good God.
Speaker 1:Well, amanda, I'm going to let you say goodbye to everybody. Mike Conkle, I cannot thank you enough for being a guest on URG on the Go podcast. I will see you in Reno, but, amanda, you can take us home.
Speaker 2:All right. Yes, thank you guys so much for listening today. We had such a great time talking to Mike. Thank you again, mike, for being on, and thank you, dj, for always being such a upbeat personality on the show, and we love having everyone on. So, like DJ said, if you guys want to hear anyone else on this podcast, let us know and we'll get you. We'll get them on here and get them interviewed. Thanks everyone again for listening.