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
Hair Spray and Hootchie Coo: The 80s Are Back at FADRA's 50th
The automotive recycling industry thrives on connection, collaboration, and community – three elements perfectly embodied in the Florida Auto Dismantlers & Recyclers Association's upcoming 50th anniversary celebration. This milestone event, taking place July 17-20 at Clearwater's beautiful Sheraton Sand Key Resort, promises to deliver extraordinary value for recyclers seeking growth opportunities and industry insights.
What began in 1975 as a gathering of forward-thinking salvage yard operators has evolved into one of the nation's most respected state associations. The founders, who recognized the power of a unified voice, created a framework that continues to deliver tangible benefits to Florida's auto recyclers. Remarkably, several original founding members – now industry legends – will attend this historic gathering, creating a rare opportunity to connect with those who shaped the industry's development.
The conference agenda balances education with celebration, kicking off with a stunning sunset dinner cruise and culminating in a decades-themed concert featuring Majesty of Rock performing Journey and Styx classics. Between these memorable events, attendees will gain invaluable knowledge from industry leaders like keynote speaker Tom Andred from Everett's Auto Parts, alongside other renowned experts including Rob Rainwater and Mike Kunkle.
FADRA's legislative advocacy represents perhaps its most crucial function. The association actively shapes policy affecting recyclers, from successfully implementing catalytic converter theft prevention measures to navigating the complex territory of electric vehicle disposal regulations. This work exemplifies how collective action produces results that individual businesses could never achieve alone.
For yard owners considering which team members to bring, FADRA's president Phil offers clear guidance: focus on those with leadership potential. With many recycling operations lacking clear succession plans, the conference provides an ideal environment for developing future leaders across sales, production, and U-Pull-It operations. Most attendees identify two or three implementable ideas that deliver immediate business impact.
Don't miss this historic gathering of the industry's brightest minds and most innovative problem-solvers. Whether you're seeking practical business solutions, legislative updates, or meaningful connections with fellow recyclers, FADRA's 50th anniversary celebration delivers exceptional value in a spectacular beachside setting. Register now at FADRA.org or contact Kim O'Dell at 407-614-8354 to secure your place at this landmark industry event.
Welcome one and all to URG On the Go podcast. You're there and we are here. This is the URG podcast, the true voice of the automotive recycling industry. It is created for the pros that have a need to know that are on the go. I'm DJ Harrington, your co-host, better known as the cardiologist, and the other co-host is the talented Amanda Morrison, the director of member and vendor relations for URG. Amanda, how are you this great day?
Speaker 2:I'm doing great. It's definitely getting warmer out here in Texas. I'm in town for a while definitely getting warmer out here in Texas. I'm in town for a while. So it's about 92 degrees. So we're getting into the summer months. How are you doing, dj?
Speaker 1:Very good, and of course, in Georgia we've had rain 25 days in a row. So the frogs are taking hiding and all of a sudden, the beautiful sun is out today. It's really, really nice. It's like all those people that down in florida for their 50th anniversary that's coming up, so this will be a good one. You got phil, the president of fadra, on, so this will be a good one, so I'll turn it over to you am.
Speaker 2:Thank you, dj. Yes, we've got Phil from Paul County Pick and Pay down in Florida and, like DJ said, he's the FADRA president. We wanted to get some hype going around the 50th anniversary conference, so thank you so much for being on today, phil.
Speaker 4:It's my pleasure.
Speaker 2:Awesome. So can you tell me a little bit about how you got started? I want to get a little background on how you got involved in the automotive recycling industry and also then became involved in FADRA. Can you give us a little backstory?
Speaker 4:Sure. So I started out with a company that was brand new to the industry, auto Star Industries, which later became Ameriparts International. They were based originally in Lakeland Florida and kind of within three years they went from Lakeland Florida, had a location in Atlanta and up into North Carolina. So after leaving there, when they abruptly shut down due to financial reasons, I worked for LKQ for a year and then I started my trying to just decided that I wanted to be my own boss and kind of partnered up with a couple guys, and that's when we started All Pro back in 2005.
Speaker 4:And from there, that's when we started All Pro back in 2005. And from there, working at All Pro as an owner, brad Rutherford from Budget Auto Parts was retiring from the board and invited one of us, one of the owners at All Pro, to join the board, and my partners designated me to be the better choice of the partners, and so I've been on ever since. And I'm trying to remember the year when I started on the board. I want to say it was back in 08, maybe 09. Okay, but I may be a little bit. It may have been a little bit after that, or before that that's awesome.
Speaker 2:So when did you start getting involved in automotive recycling? Was that when you were quite a bit younger, or um how? How did you get started in it all?
Speaker 4:so, I believe it or not, I used to work for a pet boys when I in my teens and in my younger 20s and while working there.
Speaker 4:We, we had a commercial, we had a commercial sales and I was dealing with a salvage yard in lakeland, florida, and that gentleman introduced me to the guys at AutoStar slash Merit Parts. And that's when I actually started and I was selling parts and worked my way up just from being a salesman and then deciding later, after working with LKQ, that hey, this is something I kind of wanted to take on my own or partner with somebody, and I started to partner up with a couple guys.
Speaker 2:Very cool, I've been doing it ever since. That's amazing. Yeah, I feel like this industry is so unique and the different ways people have gotten into it is so interesting, and the way you're able to get involved with the state association is very unique as well. So we want to kind of dig into the conference when and when is the FADRA?
Speaker 4:conference this year. So FADRA is in Clearwater at the Sheridan Sand Key and it is July 17th through the 20th. We kind of kick it off on the 17th with a dinner cruise right there in the intercoastal Bay Area and then the conference kicks off from there. It's celebration and celebrating this 50th anniversary.
Speaker 4:And one of the great things about this conference is, you know, this association has been around since 1975, and there are a couple of the members that are still around that actually formed this association 50 years ago and they are actually going to be in attendance. They haven't been in attendance for many of years. Vision way back then, the power of putting the memberships together or the salvage arts together to represent ourselves at the state level.
Speaker 5:That's one of the benefits of going to these conferences being able to pick their brains People that have been in the industry for a long period of time, or whether they're new, it doesn't really matter. I think it's just a great way for automotive recyclers to get together and really learn from each other and it's just a great networking event. And, you know, I think everyone's going to learn a lot at FADRA and I think it's just such an important place for people to go to and really earn some valuable key information to implement at their yard.
Speaker 4:I was going to say I agree. They you know when they were, when they were doing what we were doing, they didn't have computers or email or texting or any of that kind of stuff. What they see us doing now is probably mine. They were at the forefront of a lot of that stuff too, that technology that was coming into the industry.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm sure they'll be able to learn some new things about stuff that's going on that they had no idea about right.
Speaker 4:Very much so.
Speaker 2:Yeah, very cool. So can you tell us? You gave us a little bit of a brief history, but can you tell us so it started in 1975. What got the Florida Auto Recyclers to get together and create this association?
Speaker 4:Well, to my knowledge it was just a bunch of these guys that were part of these different networks. They had long lines that they used to chat and hoot and holler against back and forth and looking for parts, and they also had trucking systems small trucking systems, where they had a courier and they were all moving parts amongst themselves, kind of like a PRP or a crosstalk in that sense, but a lot smaller and more localized and centralized, and I believe they were different regions and those things went away after time. But I think those guys just needed to get together to discuss whatever, whatever things that were going on in their, in their little little uh programs that they had. And then also, and then also, a lot of the legend, what. What I know now is we do a lot with the legislative side of things, making sure that that we are not getting regulations and things assigned and put on us by other industries unknowingly to the legislators and stuff like that.
Speaker 4:So we, you know, that's some of the stuff I think, because I wasn't obviously wasn't around when this all got started and I didn't know very many of those people.
Speaker 4:I didn't know very many of those people, so do you guys work with legislators then on those different policies that they're trying to pass to try to, you know, either work against them or for them. Yes, currently, yes, very much. So. We've had the past couple years. We've had some pretty big bills that we're going through. A couple of them we actually helped write those bills. We put together some coalitions and stuff with some companies to help write a catalytic converter law in the state of Florida.
Speaker 4:And then this year we were working really hard on electric vehicle disposal and custody and so on and so so forth, and that was too. Unfortunately, this session was really tough and we weren't able to to write a bill that everybody felt comfortable with, so they had. We had to push it off and probably this year we'll be back at it again, attacking it to try and figure out where custody or where liability lies in some of this stuff. And recycling proper recycling and you know it's a commodity for the recycler. So when we lose custody of that, we don't want to lose custody of that commodity. So we're trying to protect our interests there too.
Speaker 2:Right, no, that makes total sense and just with all the different technology that's in the vehicles, and having you guys there in the forefront and being a part of those bills is so key, especially with all the different, you know, components of the vehicle that are going to be, you know, advancing in the future as well. For the 50th, I know you said that there's a dinner cruise. Is there anything that we want to let the listeners know of that they should prepare for or bring, or any outfits that they need to be prepared with? What can we?
Speaker 4:look forward to Yep. So so obviously, thursday night is our dinner cruise and we're going to see the sunset and all that good stuff. Friday night we open up our vendor, our vendor showcase, and that is catered as well, where everybody can meet and visit with all the vendors. And then Friday and Saturday is obviously sessions with different speakers that we have already lined up. And then Saturday night we end the night with we have what we're calling a concert with our final winner.
Speaker 4:And it's by Majesty of Rock, who performs Journey in Sticks. They're a tribute band for Journey in Sticks, so they'll be playing a lot of those songs that most of us remember from many years ago.
Speaker 2:And it's decades. Right, Are we doing decades as the theme? So dress up in any decade. I was seeing Shan's post on Facebook. It looked like there was a theme to dress up in any decade. I was seeing Shan's post on Facebook.
Speaker 4:It looked like there was a theme. So we are definitely going to be looking at around an 80s theme party, but I don't think it's specific for just one decade, so it could be 70s, 80s. So I would say, get your hairnet out and get your hairspray in and get your hair all big like it used to be in the 80s, and I think that's probably where we're going to be.
Speaker 2:I love it.
Speaker 4:I may have to let mine grow out to get back to what I was wearing and how I was wearing in the 80s.
Speaker 2:There you go Get a permanent.
Speaker 4:There's a few that will be in the audience. That has that already.
Speaker 2:We'll just let them rock it. I love it. I can hear DJ's chuckle in the background. Oh yeah, I love it. All right, DJ, is it time to take a quick break?
Speaker 1:Yeah, we can take a break and we'll be right back folks.
Speaker 3: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 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:We're back and of course, you know you're listening to URG On the Go podcast, the number one program in the auto recycling industry Now with DJ and Amanda and, of course, phil, the president of FADRA. I got to remind all of you and I can't thank you enough for listening. But every week you can listen to U't. Thank you enough for listening, but every week you can listen to URG on the go podcast. We're available on Spotify, itunes, pandora, stitcher, iheartmedia or wherever you get your podcast and I want to remind all of you, phil's doing a great job. Mark down July 17th through the 20th At the beautiful Sheraton Sand Key Resort In Clearwater. You'll love it. But I have to tell you I've been around a long time.
Speaker 1:The first time I spoke at FADRA I had brown hair and I had hair. I want to tell all of you they have some of the finest speakers Speaking at the 50th conference. Rob Rainwater, tom Tom Andre, mike Conkle are all going to be there, along with many, many other great speakers. I want to remind all of you, this is the very first FADRA golf tournament on Thursday and it's at the Cove Cave Golf Course, which is a great golf course, if there's any listeners and you want to learn more about this program and this conference. 50th Anniversary of FADRA. Call Kim O'Dell, which is at 407-614-8354. Now, how's that for a little plug from the old man himself, the cardiologist. All right, amanda, I'll pass it over to you because Phil's doing a great job.
Speaker 2:Yes, dj, you mentioned a ton of really great speakers, and that was actually leading into my next question, phil. Who is speaking at FADRA, and why do you think it's important for auto recyclers to attend, and what sessions can they look forward to?
Speaker 4:Well, we have a lot of even our own members that are speaking in this convention this year. So we have our own, shan Latham, who is on the board, chris Sauls and Heather Sauls, miranda Roten, we have Craig from LKQ and several others that are planning on speaking on key issues and things that are going to help us. Maybe they're going to share some of their own secrets about what they do on a daily basis and hopefully give us some insight and some tricks of their own that are going to help us all work in our own businesses of their own that were going to help us all work in our own businesses.
Speaker 2:Yep, I think that's part of the key thing too is, you know the sessions are important, but also being able to talk to these speakers even after the show and really get their input on what they even spoke on during the session and get them to elaborate even further. So I think that's a really cool feature about going to these shows as well.
Speaker 4:Yeah, because there's a lot of people that are way smarter than all of us and they there's a lot of people that love to speak on their their successes and really talk about how it would help them grow and and and and it's. It's great to be able to hear those stories from other other yard owners that have some that have really struggled and some that have just that. Have some that have really struggled and some that have just that have just come out of there and and just just launched out of the gate and just just really are leading, leading the industry.
Speaker 5:I completely agree. You know, I think the lineup of speakers that you guys have Miranda is just so intelligent and she's, you know, done so much for the industry already, and and being able to learn from her and and learn from these key people like rob rainwater and all the great speakers that you guys have that are coming to fadra to put on these sessions and and help the recyclers really with their day-to-day processes is going to be key. And and also, you know, make sure to visit your vendors. Uh, the vendors will be there as well and and I'll be there URG will be there.
Speaker 5:So if you have any questions on URG member benefits, you know we can set up a call as well so that we can go through all the different benefits we offer so many things that we want to make sure that you're aware of what we're doing, and same goes for all the other vendors that are coming to FADRA. You know you want to make sure that you're up to date with all the latest tips and tricks that you want to learn and profit from. You know it's just a great way to be able to network with everyone, whether it's an automotive recycler or a vendor. And I think you know. If you're in the Florida area, definitely come to FADRA. It's going to be a great show and I think this will be a great learning opportunity for you and whoever you're deciding to bring along.
Speaker 4:And one thing I'll even say on top of the vendors. What you were talking about about vendors is, you know, without these vendors that attend our conferences and sponsor some of the things that we have going on at these conferences, they wouldn't be as good as they are. So, you know, I'd like to personally thank all of the vendors that show up to our convention and even URG and the ARA conventions and even the other state associations around the country. Without those vendors, you know, we would all struggle to put these events on, to bring these recyclers together.
Speaker 2:So I want to definitely thank them for their support. Yeah, thank you for that. Yeah, I think that's one thing you know. It helps the vendors to be able to get in touch with people that are currently utilizing them, and then also people that are interested in potentially signing up, so it's just a great way for us to get out there in front of you guys and teach you some things that you may not know. That's awesome.
Speaker 5:Let me ask you what resources and tools do you provide to members of FADRA? So if they become a FADRA member and we discussed the legislative part, which is so key, but what are some key benefits of becoming a FADRA member and how can they utilize that through their membership?
Speaker 4:Well, FADRA has a few programs that just being able to network with everybody is. The one main thing is that you know there is somebody you can call and then when somebody has an issue even I can remember a few years back there was a salvage yard in Miami that was having an issue with the road that goes into their place, their potholes out front, and FADRA went down there to help represent that salvage yard in their county commissioners meeting and met with county commissioners at that site and was like you know, we have customers and things that come through here and I don't know that anything ever took place if they repaired the roads better at this time because there's a lot of there's a lot of things that go on down there. But but you know, as an association coming down, you know in the need of a fellow recycler to represent you as a statewide association instead of just an individual trying to get something done even at the local level it.
Speaker 4:We are there to support all the recyclers in the state of Florida in whatever, whatever's coming up in their businesses and whatever regulations and code enforcement things that they have.
Speaker 4:One of the other benefits and this is kind of a legislative thing as well. But you know we have, we've worked. We worked several years to work on being able to process our own titles and derelicts and we got half of that done. But it was like a seven or eight year project, working with the DMV in the state of Florida, trying to get to make it easier for recyclers to buy cars without titles and be able to report those titles and cancel those titles and VIN numbers in the system without having to take them down to the state. So it was many years and it was something that all the legislators said that they wish we. It was definitely something we needed to have and it took several years just to get that up and running. And without Auto Data Direct locally or in the state helping us and working with those legislators I mean this is a vendor that's actually part of our board- that is actually helping legislate to make things easier for everybody.
Speaker 4:So everything we try to do is just is just the programs and things that we try to help get implemented in the state, whether it's a legislative deal or just something in the state. It's just really just the power of numbers and being able to represent the whole state of Florida in whatever we're trying to help even one individual in their area. So I would say that's one of the biggest benefits and a lot of the members even in Florida don't realize how powerful it is by being a member of FADRA to be able to say I'm a member of FADRA and by being a member of FADRA we have that strength in numbers to be able to help push things along.
Speaker 2:Right Makes complete sense. That's great, and in turn, my next question was how does attending FADRA help recyclers grow? I mean, just the network itself, it sounds like, and just the legislative factor would help with that. What else do you think that they can learn by attending FADRA?
Speaker 4:Well, believe it or not, it's the things that are the the up and coming and the latest technologies that are that are driving this industry in the forefront of the auto parts, um, you know, with supply chain issues and things that have happened in the past. You know a lot of, a lot of main. A lot of customers have had to go other sources and us being that source to source our parts to be able to get their customers back on the road. So the benefit of attending these is to get out in front of those type of issues, whether it's supply chain issues or, you know, networking to figure out the best way to sell to certain customers, networking to figure out the best way to sell to certain customers, or, um, you know, and and the technology comes in there in the in the form of a vendor that brings things that are going to make our life easier.
Speaker 4:So at FADRA, just not even just the sessions- we learned from the sessions, but we learned from those vendors that are obviously visiting different states around the country and they they gather information and they build technology. You know everybody's trying to figure out AI right now and that's and that's something that I'm in, that I'm interested in. I don't understand it at all you know, but there are some, even in the state that, that understand it very well and you know, they'll bring something, they'll bring something up, and usually it's at these meetings.
Speaker 4:So, where something comes out and then it's like you know, a light bulb goes off and man, I can do that.
Speaker 5:Oh yeah, I had a light bulb moment the other day when I realized I needed to have a note taker during my team's meetings and I've been talking to a few other people that have been having the same issues with documentation and they started doing the AI note taker and that was just a game changer for me. And being able to have that network of people to talk with and just discuss different processes and how to make life a little bit easier is so important and the ways to implement those is just so key and you know AI is going to take over one day, probably. You know, just by the way, it's kind of taking us by storm at this point, so I completely agree with that.
Speaker 2:So DJ did mention the golf tournament. Are you going to be golfing in the golf tournament on Thursday?
Speaker 4:Yep, I absolutely will be there golfing.
Speaker 2:Okay, I look forward to it.
Speaker 4:I'm not a very good golfer, so I'm looking for a good teammate.
Speaker 2:I was going to say, because I'm not a very good golfer, so I'm looking for a good teammate. I was gonna say, because I'm not a good golfer, I would be. People would be sad to be paired with me. I don't know, I is any level of experience with golf. Okay, whenever you sign up for that yeah, I think no experience is necessary.
Speaker 4:So we're, we'll, uh, we'll, let anybody go out there, even if they all they bring is a putter let anybody go out there, even if they only bring is a putter, okay, perfect, I love it.
Speaker 2:I love it.
Speaker 1:Amanda, I want you to know they play best ball, so you only need one good player. That's the reason why Don Porter always brings uh, you know somebody with them. That's a bagger who actually comes in and he's never been in recycling his life, but he plays golf that day, because you need one good person and you play best ball back in his team.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love it. I love it, but if you don't, find it.
Speaker 4:Amanda. If you don't find a teammate, I'll do your team. I'll do, your team and we will do. I mean, we get to keep our own score at this as well. So it really is, we may win the tournament.
Speaker 2:Hey listen.
Speaker 1:Paul D'Amato does the same thing. He brings up, you know, for Raz, he puts a Raz shirt on him. And Phil, he actually brings a guy with him and puts a Raz shirt on him, and if you ever even asked him what a carburetor was, he would say a what, what is it? A what?
Speaker 2:Love. It All right, so we take another break, dj.
Speaker 3:Yeah, let's take a break and we'll wrap it up 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. I want to thank you so much. We are so close to 10,000 weekly listeners. Please do us a favor and tell other industry experts to listen to URG on the go podcast. We have a hotline number here in the podcast center. If you want another industry expert, like Phil, president of FADRA, by all means. Seven oh six, four oh nine, five, six oh three. And Amanda Morrison will do her very best to get that industry expert on the next podcast. So, but I can I tell all our listeners off by.
Speaker 1:We were playing the last commercial. I told Phil and Amanda I think their keynote speaker at FADRA is worth all the money of going to FADRA. Tom Andre from Everett's is a phenomenal. He's co-owner is a phenomenal. He's co-owner. It is fantastic speaker. He gives all the secrets when people say how can some one company, everett's Auto Parts, how can they be so successful in such a short period of time? And it's because of Tom Andre's leadership style of business and he tells you everything and things that you don't realize. And so that's the reason why he's the new secretary treasurer of ARA and will, four years from now, become president of ARA, just like Shannon Nordstrom is coming into the presidency in Birmingham this coming year. So you've got a great keynote speaker, phil, and I wanted to tip the hat to you and Kim Liddell and your board for getting him All right. Amanda, pass it over to you.
Speaker 2:I agree. Thank you, dj. Yeah, I think you've got a great lineup of speakers and I think it's just going to be a great, you know, 50th anniversary for FADRA. I kind of wanted to ask you a little bit about who the recyclers should bring to FADRA conference. Should they bring their salespeople, their dismantlers? Who's the target audience for FADRA?
Speaker 4:Well, a lot of our for members themselves or the people that they're bringing to the conference. We try to gear we usually always gear toward like sales and we try to have some sessions for the U-Pullets and we also try to have some sessions for our production. But we'd love to see more of those people attend our conferences because at some point us that are owners in these salvage yards, somebody else needs to be ready to take over.
Speaker 4:And either we're retiring or trying to sell or whatever we need. I know that a lot of people that have owned salvage yards and I was looking at a list of the original members, the founding members of FADRA back in the beginning there was there's so many people and so many salvage yards that are on that list that are not in existence anymore or some of them I've never even heard of.
Speaker 4:as you know, this this association is about the same age as I am and I'm not getting into it until a little over 20 years ago. So you know, you look at all these yards that were up and running and some of them were the best of the best and they're not even around anymore. So I would definitely say that somebody that needs to attend these conferences I would definitely say that somebody that needs to attend these conferences say with, with myself, or owners in general are pop sales guys that are that one day can can take over the business, or key just key employees that are that are ready to learn and and need to learn this stuff, because you know we're all busy and to try and teach them everything it it takes a long time.
Speaker 4:So this is just it just gives them a different perspective hearing it from somebody else, and some of the, especially somebody as as good as Tom is, that's going to be our keynote speaker, I mean lots of people need to hear his message because, I'm expecting to learn something and and hear something from him that maybe I don't know or haven't considered in the time that I've been in the industry, but I would say most of your key management, good long-term employees that you feel are you know it's worth the investment to bring our guys here.
Speaker 5:Right and it creates that loyalty for employees.
Speaker 5:You know you're investing in your employees, continued education and making sure they're a well-rounded employee and by bringing them to these different shows, it just can really show that you're investing in them and their education and having them have longevity in this industry.
Speaker 5:And being able to go and talk to the vendors you know the owner might talk to a vendor about one thing, but then a salesperson might need something else and they might learn something else that they need from that vendor. So it's just a great opportunity to be able to have them speak to the people that they're working with daily and to network and really create that loyalty as well. As you know, I think a lot of Ubercyclers don don't have a succession plan in place and there's a lot of family owned businesses that don't necessarily either have the family that are wanting to come up and own it or, you know, there's people that they're needing to find in order to replace them once they do decide to retire. So finding those key employees and bringing them to these conferences like FADRA, like URG, like ARA, is just so important and so key to the process and making sure your business has longevity over time.
Speaker 2:So what is the best way to implement? So you've gone to a lot of conferences and retained a lot of knowledge and, you know, been able to bring back a lot of information. How is it? How do you implement that in your day-to-day once you come back from that conference? What does that look like?
Speaker 4:Well, a lot of times when I come back, there's so much that I learn every time. You know at most conferences that I go to, but my goal every time I go to the conference is to try and pick up two, maybe three things that I've learned from whether it's a conversation with another instructor, whether it's sitting in a session or talking to a vendor and try to take that information and then meet with my team of guys, my management team or even the department, and just say, hey, how can we make this better and implement this into our business to make it better. So that is my goal. You know there's so much to learn, but to try and take all of it and implement it. It would just, you'd probably- get nothing done.
Speaker 4:But if you just ask you to go to the conference and you look over your notes and you say you know what, there's two items right here that I think. And you want to go to the conference and you look over your notes and you say you know what, there's two items right here that I think, and you want to go with the easiest, but you also want to go with the thing that's going to be the most beneficial to your business and that's what I look at.
Speaker 2:For sure, yep, and you could have two action items, and then whoever else is going with you you know if it's a salesperson making sure that they come back with action items as well is also key, because then you know that they've retained something and are going to be able to implement something they learned at the conference. So what else do you think the supercyclers should know about the FADRA show coming up? Is there anything else that we missed?
Speaker 4:um, I would say the fact that you know the fadra show is really just.
Speaker 4:It definitely is a place to to kind of let your guard down and just have a good time and really, if you're sharing something with somebody, you know what we share back and forth.
Speaker 4:Uh, I've said it, you know I've had've had very, very good success with, as All Pro used auto parts years ago and you know some of the stuff that we did at All Pro don't work. At my other business that I have in Georgia, the same exact way I don't get the same result that I had in Florida. So I'm just going to say that you know, because it works for somebody else, don't be afraid to change it because somebody else had a good experience, and just make it your own and then figure out how it's going to benefit and make you more successful as a recycler. Other benefits at FADRA is, you know, just try to network with everybody and try to get in a place where you're comfortable having a conversation and being able to share things back and forth. That's what I do and that's what I like to take away from these meetings. I mean, I really like to hear it from other recyclers and really be able to talk to these people even after the conference Yep, Yep.
Speaker 2:Staying connected and keeping that network open is key as well. For sure, DJ. Did you have anything else you wanted to ask, though?
Speaker 1:No, phil, he did a great job, and myself. I think if you want to grow your business, the only way you can do it is by sharing information. The speakers are fantastic but, just like on the cruise on Thursday night or on the golf course Thursday, you learn from each other. You learn by having a drink out in the lobby. You learn about just getting along from each other. You learn by having a drink out in the lobby. You learn about just getting along with each other and how you pay different people. And does the dismantling department get a different incentive than another department?
Speaker 1:It's all kind of tips that you pick up, that you learn from each other and networking. Fadra is one of the best state associations in the whole world and that's the reason why FADRA has been so successful all these years.
Speaker 2:I completely agree. It's one of my favorite shows. I'll say that I also love going to Clearwater. That hotel is amazing. The pool is amazing, right next to the beach. It's a beautiful spot. I know I'm happy to go there every year. Kristen and I have to kind of fight over it every once in a while because we both want to go, so it's a great show.
Speaker 1:Even the board of directors of FADRA. Every one of those people are just gifted people that really do a good job as a recycler and you can learn from everybody. You learn the right things to do and you go back.
Speaker 4:I agree, I agree 100%.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just Phil. Fadra is one of the. You know I spoke at most of the state associations and FADRA has always been the kindest, the nicest group of people. When Lanny Dameron was around, the generosity of that whole FADRA group for the Scholarship Foundation and everything they are just gifted people that share with each other. It's like a family reunion when you go to FADRA. It's a family reunion so.
Speaker 3:Phil, I can't thank you enough.
Speaker 1:On behalf of URG On the Go podcast. I can't thank you enough for being on the podcast. You did a great job.
Speaker 4:Well, thank you very much, and I appreciate the opportunity to have been able to do this.
Speaker 5:Yes, thank you, and I do want to shout out Kim O'Dell. She does such a phenomenal job putting on the FADRA conference and coordinating that, and DJ gave out her phone number earlier here in the show, so definitely reach out and if you have any questions or if you're wanting to get registered for FADRA, go do so now and we hope to see you there.
Speaker 4:And people can also go to FADRAorg, o-r-g, fadra, f-a-d-r-aorg to get their registration for the conference and everything that it takes. So if you can't get through to Kim or Bobby, that's another way that they can register for the conference and everything the golfing or the Thursday night event and then we'd love to see you there. We hope to see everybody there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and there's another guy, bobby.
Speaker 2:What a wonderful guy, bobby. I was going to say he's so sweet.
Speaker 1:He's a wonderful, wonderful guy.
Speaker 2:Perfect, all right. Well, thank you all for listening. This is a great podcast. Please make sure to get registered for FADRA if you haven't yet, and we will see you on the next podcast.