SEMA News - August 2009

By Bob Moore
Illustration Colby Martin

Bringing the Possible Into the Real World

	”I can dream about a SEMA data pool loaded with complete, standardized and accurate data that gets updated into my system automatically every night,” said Bob Moore.

Yesterday, when I unlocked the door to my store, there was a line of people waiting. Fortunately, my two counter people were on time and waiting behind the counter. One was at a point-of-sale terminal, and the other was at the Internet order pick-up desk. Six customers came through the door, and four cued up for Internet pick-up. Nathan, my lead counterman, immediately approached the attractive female and asked if he could help (typical) while I waited on the male customer.

The male said that he was interested in finding a basic running board for his F-150. I asked him what color it was, and he pointed to a black pickup in my parking lot. I stroked a few keys on my computer and then turned the monitor so that my customer could see an image of his black F-150 equipped with an opening-price-point running board.

He leaned in to study the image and said, “Cool.” Before he could ask how much, I said, “If you like that, check this out.”

Again I stroked the keys and showed him a totally tricked out running board with a brushed-gunmetal finish and running lights.

His eyes lit up and he said, “Sweet.” I took this as a buy signal.

A couple of more key strokes, and I let him know that a really great installer down the street had a 3:30 slot open and could install the part on his truck that afternoon. I didn’t bother to tell him that I didn’t have the item in stock, because I knew from my system that our WD could deliver it to the shop by 2:00 p.m.

After I sent the kid on his way with the product ordered and en route to the installer who was holding the appointment, I asked the others how they had done. Nathan had sold the pretty woman a bike rack for her Prius. He told me, “She was impressed when I showed her the installation instructions to illustrate how easily she could install it herself, and the additional information detailing how environmentally friendly the manufacturing process is sealed the deal and she bought right away.”

Eric told me that he had no problems with the Internet-order pick-ups and added, “I was able to sell a kit with that carburetor. The manufacturer’s demo videos and related product tools make it easy to show why using the kit makes the installation easier.”

I did the math in my head. More than $7,500, and I hadn’t even been open an hour yet.

That’s when I woke up and quickly realized that I had to face another day of begging and pleading with my suppliers to get me some product data in a format that I might use to sell their products.

All those things I was dreaming about are so doable, but not without vendors providing me with usable data.

As I sat on the edge of the bed, elbows on knees, shaking my head, I wondered why in the world it is so hard to get suppliers to understand how important this information is. But what frustrates me the most is they have it but keep giving it to me in ways that are unusable. I feel like the shipwrecked guy dying of thirst: Data, data everywhere, and not a byte to use.

Do I have to beat them over the head with a 2x4 to get them to understand? Sending me a PDF with lots of pictures and snappy marketing doublespeak is not data. Giving me an Excel spreadsheet with application information in the description field doesn’t cut it. Why don’t they understand that calling it a Chevy in one place, a Chevrolet in another and a GM in a third only makes my life miserable?

I lay back down on the bed and thought to myself: “Maybe if I go back to sleep, I can dream about a SEMA data pool loaded with complete, standardized and accurate data that gets updated into my system automatically every night.”

Well, I can dream, can’t I?

Bob Moore is the president of Bob Moore & Partners, a consulting company that specializes in the automotive aftermarket. He is also a member of the SEMA Board of Directors and a monthly columnist in Aftermarket Business magazine. He can be reached at bob@aftermarkethink.com.

SEMA News - August 2009

By Bob Moore
Illustration Colby Martin

Bringing the Possible Into the Real World

	”I can dream about a SEMA data pool loaded with complete, standardized and accurate data that gets updated into my system automatically every night,” said Bob Moore.

Yesterday, when I unlocked the door to my store, there was a line of people waiting. Fortunately, my two counter people were on time and waiting behind the counter. One was at a point-of-sale terminal, and the other was at the Internet order pick-up desk. Six customers came through the door, and four cued up for Internet pick-up. Nathan, my lead counterman, immediately approached the attractive female and asked if he could help (typical) while I waited on the male customer.

The male said that he was interested in finding a basic running board for his F-150. I asked him what color it was, and he pointed to a black pickup in my parking lot. I stroked a few keys on my computer and then turned the monitor so that my customer could see an image of his black F-150 equipped with an opening-price-point running board.

He leaned in to study the image and said, “Cool.” Before he could ask how much, I said, “If you like that, check this out.”

Again I stroked the keys and showed him a totally tricked out running board with a brushed-gunmetal finish and running lights.

His eyes lit up and he said, “Sweet.” I took this as a buy signal.

A couple of more key strokes, and I let him know that a really great installer down the street had a 3:30 slot open and could install the part on his truck that afternoon. I didn’t bother to tell him that I didn’t have the item in stock, because I knew from my system that our WD could deliver it to the shop by 2:00 p.m.

After I sent the kid on his way with the product ordered and en route to the installer who was holding the appointment, I asked the others how they had done. Nathan had sold the pretty woman a bike rack for her Prius. He told me, “She was impressed when I showed her the installation instructions to illustrate how easily she could install it herself, and the additional information detailing how environmentally friendly the manufacturing process is sealed the deal and she bought right away.”

Eric told me that he had no problems with the Internet-order pick-ups and added, “I was able to sell a kit with that carburetor. The manufacturer’s demo videos and related product tools make it easy to show why using the kit makes the installation easier.”

I did the math in my head. More than $7,500, and I hadn’t even been open an hour yet.

That’s when I woke up and quickly realized that I had to face another day of begging and pleading with my suppliers to get me some product data in a format that I might use to sell their products.

All those things I was dreaming about are so doable, but not without vendors providing me with usable data.

As I sat on the edge of the bed, elbows on knees, shaking my head, I wondered why in the world it is so hard to get suppliers to understand how important this information is. But what frustrates me the most is they have it but keep giving it to me in ways that are unusable. I feel like the shipwrecked guy dying of thirst: Data, data everywhere, and not a byte to use.

Do I have to beat them over the head with a 2x4 to get them to understand? Sending me a PDF with lots of pictures and snappy marketing doublespeak is not data. Giving me an Excel spreadsheet with application information in the description field doesn’t cut it. Why don’t they understand that calling it a Chevy in one place, a Chevrolet in another and a GM in a third only makes my life miserable?

I lay back down on the bed and thought to myself: “Maybe if I go back to sleep, I can dream about a SEMA data pool loaded with complete, standardized and accurate data that gets updated into my system automatically every night.”

Well, I can dream, can’t I?

Bob Moore is the president of Bob Moore & Partners, a consulting company that specializes in the automotive aftermarket. He is also a member of the SEMA Board of Directors and a monthly columnist in Aftermarket Business magazine. He can be reached at bob@aftermarkethink.com.

SEMA News - August 2009

By Bob Moore
Illustration Colby Martin

Bringing the Possible Into the Real World

	”I can dream about a SEMA data pool loaded with complete, standardized and accurate data that gets updated into my system automatically every night,” said Bob Moore.

Yesterday, when I unlocked the door to my store, there was a line of people waiting. Fortunately, my two counter people were on time and waiting behind the counter. One was at a point-of-sale terminal, and the other was at the Internet order pick-up desk. Six customers came through the door, and four cued up for Internet pick-up. Nathan, my lead counterman, immediately approached the attractive female and asked if he could help (typical) while I waited on the male customer.

The male said that he was interested in finding a basic running board for his F-150. I asked him what color it was, and he pointed to a black pickup in my parking lot. I stroked a few keys on my computer and then turned the monitor so that my customer could see an image of his black F-150 equipped with an opening-price-point running board.

He leaned in to study the image and said, “Cool.” Before he could ask how much, I said, “If you like that, check this out.”

Again I stroked the keys and showed him a totally tricked out running board with a brushed-gunmetal finish and running lights.

His eyes lit up and he said, “Sweet.” I took this as a buy signal.

A couple of more key strokes, and I let him know that a really great installer down the street had a 3:30 slot open and could install the part on his truck that afternoon. I didn’t bother to tell him that I didn’t have the item in stock, because I knew from my system that our WD could deliver it to the shop by 2:00 p.m.

After I sent the kid on his way with the product ordered and en route to the installer who was holding the appointment, I asked the others how they had done. Nathan had sold the pretty woman a bike rack for her Prius. He told me, “She was impressed when I showed her the installation instructions to illustrate how easily she could install it herself, and the additional information detailing how environmentally friendly the manufacturing process is sealed the deal and she bought right away.”

Eric told me that he had no problems with the Internet-order pick-ups and added, “I was able to sell a kit with that carburetor. The manufacturer’s demo videos and related product tools make it easy to show why using the kit makes the installation easier.”

I did the math in my head. More than $7,500, and I hadn’t even been open an hour yet.

That’s when I woke up and quickly realized that I had to face another day of begging and pleading with my suppliers to get me some product data in a format that I might use to sell their products.

All those things I was dreaming about are so doable, but not without vendors providing me with usable data.

As I sat on the edge of the bed, elbows on knees, shaking my head, I wondered why in the world it is so hard to get suppliers to understand how important this information is. But what frustrates me the most is they have it but keep giving it to me in ways that are unusable. I feel like the shipwrecked guy dying of thirst: Data, data everywhere, and not a byte to use.

Do I have to beat them over the head with a 2x4 to get them to understand? Sending me a PDF with lots of pictures and snappy marketing doublespeak is not data. Giving me an Excel spreadsheet with application information in the description field doesn’t cut it. Why don’t they understand that calling it a Chevy in one place, a Chevrolet in another and a GM in a third only makes my life miserable?

I lay back down on the bed and thought to myself: “Maybe if I go back to sleep, I can dream about a SEMA data pool loaded with complete, standardized and accurate data that gets updated into my system automatically every night.”

Well, I can dream, can’t I?

Bob Moore is the president of Bob Moore & Partners, a consulting company that specializes in the automotive aftermarket. He is also a member of the SEMA Board of Directors and a monthly columnist in Aftermarket Business magazine. He can be reached at bob@aftermarkethink.com.

SEMA News - August 2009

By Annie Kang

Cultivating Professional and Personal Relationships Within the Specialty-Equipment Industry

Mentor Jason Bruce and mentee Dan Biezonsky are the perfect success story for the SEMA Mentoring Program, powered by the SEMA Businesswoman’s Network (SBN). Not only do they fulfill the program’s goal to connect an experienced SEMA member with a SEMA mentee to cultivate the talents of the mentee, but they have also developed a lasting friendship that will continue to connect and benefit them throughout their careers in the specialty-equipment industry.

“The reason why I was interested in joining the SEMA Mentoring Program was to look for the fastest way to succeed; to start my own business within the specialty-equipment market,” said Biezonsky. “Having a mentor like Jason has made the utmost impact in every single aspect of my business–successfully, always successfully.”

Biezonsky credited Bruce for sharing the knowledge that can only be gained through years of industry experience. He explained how Bruce reviewed and revised the plans for his startup business.

“Thanks to Jason’s advice, I was able to start up my company a lot quicker,” said Biezonsky. “His advice was very tangible. He literally read my entire business plan and told me where he thought I should start out and how I should proceed. I have literally followed his plan to a ‘T’ and it has made my business take off.”

Bruce acknowledged that the relationship has been mutually rewarding.

“I think more than anything what I have gotten out of the SEMA Mentoring Program is the fact that I have another contact in the industry who has turned into a nice friend as well as the satisfaction of helping someone who needed assistance,” said Bruce, director of national sales for Advanced Flow Engineering. “I was able to get him in touch with some of my contacts and provide him with some networking opportunities that he wouldn’t have been able to get on his own.”

The SEMA Mentoring Program was established to create structured, confidential and trusting relationships between SEMA mentors who offer their industry experience, guidance and support to mentees interested in further developing their professional careers in the specialty-equipment industry.

“We’ve got CEOs, SEMA board members and many industry leaders with vast expertise in many different areas signed up as mentors willing to share their knowledge,” said Kellie Colf, SBN select committee member.

“Sometimes the mentee is an individual who is new to the industry and is looking to get more involved; other times it is someone who has been in the industry for a long time but is looking for help and guidance in something,” said Trina Wilson, SBN mentoring task force lead. “We also get students who are pursuing an aftermarket career and getting a degree somehow related to the specialty-equipment industry. We help literally anyone.”

The process of matching a mentor with a mentee begins with both parties filling out a questionnaire. The mentor and mentee are then selected based on their areas of interest and expertise within the industry as well as their duties, education and proximity.

The program is available to all SEMA-member company employees and is administered by the SEMA Businesswoman’s Network.

“I think the SEMA Mentoring Program is important because, frankly, this industry is built on tribal knowledge,” said Bruce. “If knowledge is not passed down to the younger generation and put on the fast track, it can inevitably be lost. This industry can be kind of guarded, and if there is an opportunity to find open doors and gain contacts to get into the industry, that is valuable.”

“I wouldn’t have the type of access to someone like Jason if he weren’t my mentor,” said Biezonsky. “Building a relationship with a mentor like Jason is much more valuable than trying to get information from someone you would just come across within the industry.”

Sign up to be a SEMA mentor. Sign up to be a SEMA mentee. For more details on the SEMA Mentoring Program, contact Trina Wilson at 763/295-2085 or via e-mail.

There are three ways to benefit from the SEMA Mentoring Program:

Ask the Mentor: A mentee submits a question though the SEMA website. The question is matched to the most qualified mentor, and the mentor contacts the individual directly with the answer. Submit a question now.

Short-Term Mentoring: The mentee is paired with a mentor to assist in a situation or project that may not require a lot of time from either party. The duration for short-term mentoring is typically up to 12 months.

Long-Term Mentoring: The mentee is paired with someone who will guide the individual in all aspects of potential business growth and ongoing career development. The duration for long-term mentoring is meant to last for more than one year.

SEMA News - August 2009

By Annie Kang

Cultivating Professional and Personal Relationships Within the Specialty-Equipment Industry

Mentor Jason Bruce and mentee Dan Biezonsky are the perfect success story for the SEMA Mentoring Program, powered by the SEMA Businesswoman’s Network (SBN). Not only do they fulfill the program’s goal to connect an experienced SEMA member with a SEMA mentee to cultivate the talents of the mentee, but they have also developed a lasting friendship that will continue to connect and benefit them throughout their careers in the specialty-equipment industry.

“The reason why I was interested in joining the SEMA Mentoring Program was to look for the fastest way to succeed; to start my own business within the specialty-equipment market,” said Biezonsky. “Having a mentor like Jason has made the utmost impact in every single aspect of my business–successfully, always successfully.”

Biezonsky credited Bruce for sharing the knowledge that can only be gained through years of industry experience. He explained how Bruce reviewed and revised the plans for his startup business.

“Thanks to Jason’s advice, I was able to start up my company a lot quicker,” said Biezonsky. “His advice was very tangible. He literally read my entire business plan and told me where he thought I should start out and how I should proceed. I have literally followed his plan to a ‘T’ and it has made my business take off.”

Bruce acknowledged that the relationship has been mutually rewarding.

“I think more than anything what I have gotten out of the SEMA Mentoring Program is the fact that I have another contact in the industry who has turned into a nice friend as well as the satisfaction of helping someone who needed assistance,” said Bruce, director of national sales for Advanced Flow Engineering. “I was able to get him in touch with some of my contacts and provide him with some networking opportunities that he wouldn’t have been able to get on his own.”

The SEMA Mentoring Program was established to create structured, confidential and trusting relationships between SEMA mentors who offer their industry experience, guidance and support to mentees interested in further developing their professional careers in the specialty-equipment industry.

“We’ve got CEOs, SEMA board members and many industry leaders with vast expertise in many different areas signed up as mentors willing to share their knowledge,” said Kellie Colf, SBN select committee member.

“Sometimes the mentee is an individual who is new to the industry and is looking to get more involved; other times it is someone who has been in the industry for a long time but is looking for help and guidance in something,” said Trina Wilson, SBN mentoring task force lead. “We also get students who are pursuing an aftermarket career and getting a degree somehow related to the specialty-equipment industry. We help literally anyone.”

The process of matching a mentor with a mentee begins with both parties filling out a questionnaire. The mentor and mentee are then selected based on their areas of interest and expertise within the industry as well as their duties, education and proximity.

The program is available to all SEMA-member company employees and is administered by the SEMA Businesswoman’s Network.

“I think the SEMA Mentoring Program is important because, frankly, this industry is built on tribal knowledge,” said Bruce. “If knowledge is not passed down to the younger generation and put on the fast track, it can inevitably be lost. This industry can be kind of guarded, and if there is an opportunity to find open doors and gain contacts to get into the industry, that is valuable.”

“I wouldn’t have the type of access to someone like Jason if he weren’t my mentor,” said Biezonsky. “Building a relationship with a mentor like Jason is much more valuable than trying to get information from someone you would just come across within the industry.”

Sign up to be a SEMA mentor. Sign up to be a SEMA mentee. For more details on the SEMA Mentoring Program, contact Trina Wilson at 763/295-2085 or via e-mail.

There are three ways to benefit from the SEMA Mentoring Program:

Ask the Mentor: A mentee submits a question though the SEMA website. The question is matched to the most qualified mentor, and the mentor contacts the individual directly with the answer. Submit a question now.

Short-Term Mentoring: The mentee is paired with a mentor to assist in a situation or project that may not require a lot of time from either party. The duration for short-term mentoring is typically up to 12 months.

Long-Term Mentoring: The mentee is paired with someone who will guide the individual in all aspects of potential business growth and ongoing career development. The duration for long-term mentoring is meant to last for more than one year.

SEMA News - August 2009

By Annie Kang

Cultivating Professional and Personal Relationships Within the Specialty-Equipment Industry

Mentor Jason Bruce and mentee Dan Biezonsky are the perfect success story for the SEMA Mentoring Program, powered by the SEMA Businesswoman’s Network (SBN). Not only do they fulfill the program’s goal to connect an experienced SEMA member with a SEMA mentee to cultivate the talents of the mentee, but they have also developed a lasting friendship that will continue to connect and benefit them throughout their careers in the specialty-equipment industry.

“The reason why I was interested in joining the SEMA Mentoring Program was to look for the fastest way to succeed; to start my own business within the specialty-equipment market,” said Biezonsky. “Having a mentor like Jason has made the utmost impact in every single aspect of my business–successfully, always successfully.”

Biezonsky credited Bruce for sharing the knowledge that can only be gained through years of industry experience. He explained how Bruce reviewed and revised the plans for his startup business.

“Thanks to Jason’s advice, I was able to start up my company a lot quicker,” said Biezonsky. “His advice was very tangible. He literally read my entire business plan and told me where he thought I should start out and how I should proceed. I have literally followed his plan to a ‘T’ and it has made my business take off.”

Bruce acknowledged that the relationship has been mutually rewarding.

“I think more than anything what I have gotten out of the SEMA Mentoring Program is the fact that I have another contact in the industry who has turned into a nice friend as well as the satisfaction of helping someone who needed assistance,” said Bruce, director of national sales for Advanced Flow Engineering. “I was able to get him in touch with some of my contacts and provide him with some networking opportunities that he wouldn’t have been able to get on his own.”

The SEMA Mentoring Program was established to create structured, confidential and trusting relationships between SEMA mentors who offer their industry experience, guidance and support to mentees interested in further developing their professional careers in the specialty-equipment industry.

“We’ve got CEOs, SEMA board members and many industry leaders with vast expertise in many different areas signed up as mentors willing to share their knowledge,” said Kellie Colf, SBN select committee member.

“Sometimes the mentee is an individual who is new to the industry and is looking to get more involved; other times it is someone who has been in the industry for a long time but is looking for help and guidance in something,” said Trina Wilson, SBN mentoring task force lead. “We also get students who are pursuing an aftermarket career and getting a degree somehow related to the specialty-equipment industry. We help literally anyone.”

The process of matching a mentor with a mentee begins with both parties filling out a questionnaire. The mentor and mentee are then selected based on their areas of interest and expertise within the industry as well as their duties, education and proximity.

The program is available to all SEMA-member company employees and is administered by the SEMA Businesswoman’s Network.

“I think the SEMA Mentoring Program is important because, frankly, this industry is built on tribal knowledge,” said Bruce. “If knowledge is not passed down to the younger generation and put on the fast track, it can inevitably be lost. This industry can be kind of guarded, and if there is an opportunity to find open doors and gain contacts to get into the industry, that is valuable.”

“I wouldn’t have the type of access to someone like Jason if he weren’t my mentor,” said Biezonsky. “Building a relationship with a mentor like Jason is much more valuable than trying to get information from someone you would just come across within the industry.”

Sign up to be a SEMA mentor. Sign up to be a SEMA mentee. For more details on the SEMA Mentoring Program, contact Trina Wilson at 763/295-2085 or via e-mail.

There are three ways to benefit from the SEMA Mentoring Program:

Ask the Mentor: A mentee submits a question though the SEMA website. The question is matched to the most qualified mentor, and the mentor contacts the individual directly with the answer. Submit a question now.

Short-Term Mentoring: The mentee is paired with a mentor to assist in a situation or project that may not require a lot of time from either party. The duration for short-term mentoring is typically up to 12 months.

Long-Term Mentoring: The mentee is paired with someone who will guide the individual in all aspects of potential business growth and ongoing career development. The duration for long-term mentoring is meant to last for more than one year.

SEMA News - August 2009

By Annie Kang

Cultivating Professional and Personal Relationships Within the Specialty-Equipment Industry

Mentor Jason Bruce and mentee Dan Biezonsky are the perfect success story for the SEMA Mentoring Program, powered by the SEMA Businesswoman’s Network (SBN). Not only do they fulfill the program’s goal to connect an experienced SEMA member with a SEMA mentee to cultivate the talents of the mentee, but they have also developed a lasting friendship that will continue to connect and benefit them throughout their careers in the specialty-equipment industry.

“The reason why I was interested in joining the SEMA Mentoring Program was to look for the fastest way to succeed; to start my own business within the specialty-equipment market,” said Biezonsky. “Having a mentor like Jason has made the utmost impact in every single aspect of my business–successfully, always successfully.”

Biezonsky credited Bruce for sharing the knowledge that can only be gained through years of industry experience. He explained how Bruce reviewed and revised the plans for his startup business.

“Thanks to Jason’s advice, I was able to start up my company a lot quicker,” said Biezonsky. “His advice was very tangible. He literally read my entire business plan and told me where he thought I should start out and how I should proceed. I have literally followed his plan to a ‘T’ and it has made my business take off.”

Bruce acknowledged that the relationship has been mutually rewarding.

“I think more than anything what I have gotten out of the SEMA Mentoring Program is the fact that I have another contact in the industry who has turned into a nice friend as well as the satisfaction of helping someone who needed assistance,” said Bruce, director of national sales for Advanced Flow Engineering. “I was able to get him in touch with some of my contacts and provide him with some networking opportunities that he wouldn’t have been able to get on his own.”

The SEMA Mentoring Program was established to create structured, confidential and trusting relationships between SEMA mentors who offer their industry experience, guidance and support to mentees interested in further developing their professional careers in the specialty-equipment industry.

“We’ve got CEOs, SEMA board members and many industry leaders with vast expertise in many different areas signed up as mentors willing to share their knowledge,” said Kellie Colf, SBN select committee member.

“Sometimes the mentee is an individual who is new to the industry and is looking to get more involved; other times it is someone who has been in the industry for a long time but is looking for help and guidance in something,” said Trina Wilson, SBN mentoring task force lead. “We also get students who are pursuing an aftermarket career and getting a degree somehow related to the specialty-equipment industry. We help literally anyone.”

The process of matching a mentor with a mentee begins with both parties filling out a questionnaire. The mentor and mentee are then selected based on their areas of interest and expertise within the industry as well as their duties, education and proximity.

The program is available to all SEMA-member company employees and is administered by the SEMA Businesswoman’s Network.

“I think the SEMA Mentoring Program is important because, frankly, this industry is built on tribal knowledge,” said Bruce. “If knowledge is not passed down to the younger generation and put on the fast track, it can inevitably be lost. This industry can be kind of guarded, and if there is an opportunity to find open doors and gain contacts to get into the industry, that is valuable.”

“I wouldn’t have the type of access to someone like Jason if he weren’t my mentor,” said Biezonsky. “Building a relationship with a mentor like Jason is much more valuable than trying to get information from someone you would just come across within the industry.”

Sign up to be a SEMA mentor. Sign up to be a SEMA mentee. For more details on the SEMA Mentoring Program, contact Trina Wilson at 763/295-2085 or via e-mail.

There are three ways to benefit from the SEMA Mentoring Program:

Ask the Mentor: A mentee submits a question though the SEMA website. The question is matched to the most qualified mentor, and the mentor contacts the individual directly with the answer. Submit a question now.

Short-Term Mentoring: The mentee is paired with a mentor to assist in a situation or project that may not require a lot of time from either party. The duration for short-term mentoring is typically up to 12 months.

Long-Term Mentoring: The mentee is paired with someone who will guide the individual in all aspects of potential business growth and ongoing career development. The duration for long-term mentoring is meant to last for more than one year.

SEMA News - August 2009

By Steve Campbell

Private-Sector-Sponsored Projects Join Students and the Real World

What if your company had access to some of the brightest minds in your field? What if those minds, students at a major university, were allowed to focus on the creation and development of a product to which your company might eventually have marketing rights? What if the result was bottom-line revenue?

In most cases, university students learn theory and perhaps gain laboratory experience yet are rarely immersed in complete real-world problems and solutions until they leave academia and start earning a paycheck. Until a few years ago, Texas A&M University followed that model. But then a team within the school’s Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering Technology department reconsidered their approach.

“We had the typical engineering course in the final semester, where each student was tasked with an open-ended Senior Design Project,” said Dr. Joe Morgan, one of the department’s professors and a main supporter of the change. “I refer to those as ‘trashcan projects.’ You do them, you hand them in to your faculty member, and he promptly throws them in the trashcan because they have no residual value.”

Morgan and his colleagues felt that there had to be a better way, and they began to transition from the one-semester course to a two-semester track that is now referred to as the Capstone Design Experience. The concept is to get students involved in outside projects that can be taken to the marketplace, allowing them to learn not only about their core subject but also about business practices.

“Within Capstone, a group of three or four students begins a simulated start-up company,” Morgan explained. “They have to come up with an idea and transition it to a fully functional working prototype for test, evaluation and consideration for commercialization. But as we began doing this, the student teams created more and more intellectual property each semester. The capabilities of the teams and their ability to produce something of value kept increasing.”

One of the E4 projects resulted in a Painless Performance product—Diesel MD, a module for diesel-powered vehicles that allows performance adjustments to either increase torque or fuel efficiency.

Dennis Overholser, one of the founders of Painless Performance, said that four projects have now been sponsored by his company. One of the E4 projects has already been converted into a Painless Performance product—Diesel MD, a module for diesel-powered vehicles that allows performance adjustments to either increase torque or fuel efficiency. A second product is in the final stages of testing, and a third is going to be developed by the student team that created it. The students will form their own company and sell the product through Painless Performance.

“Each team has a student who knows his stuff about a particular facet,” Overholser said. “One may know hardware, another knows telecommunications, another knows software programming, and one may know about building circuit boards. These teams choose a project based on something they’re interested in or a suggestion by an outside source like Painless or a faculty idea. They take it from concept to working prototype. If they don’t finish the product, they don’t graduate.”

Student teams have developed a wide array of prototypes for different industries. One Texas A&M pseudo company, P.W.L.S. Innovations, developed a product called ExacTrak for first responders such as firefighters or military personnel. It allows people’s movements to be tracked within buildings—previously impossible even with GPS, which is blocked by solid obstacles—to monitor their whereabouts and help ensure their safety. Another team, known as Dynamic Design, developed a device for air sampling of CO2 within large structures, both for hazardous levels and for compliance with EPA regulations.

“We don’t just talk about and theorize about things,” explained Chris Landry of the P.W.L.S. Innovations group. “We put things together and really make things function. Taking away that experience will help make us better people in the workplace.”

The Capstone/E4 program at Texas A&M University allows students to become involved in outside projects that can be taken to the marketplace. They learn not only about their core subject but also aspects of real-world business.

“Being able to plan is probably the most difficult part,” said Julian Coleman, a member of the Dynamic Design team. “We have to be able to detail how much time we’re going to spend on working on a program, creating the printed circuit board and testing. They’re all rough approximations, but we’re held to them.”

The students also learn the benefits—and hazards—of selecting appropriate personnel for their companies. Just as in a working business, the interplay of personalities and the ethics of the employees can make or break a project.

“We’re not going to choose people who don’t want to work,” said Brad Sutter, the “S” in P.W.L.S. Innovations. “We choose our own team, and we have to trust that they’re not going to fail us.”

The student entrepreneurs are also taught to manage the expectations of their sponsoring companies and advisors—an element that is stressed hard by Dr. Morgan. Many entrepreneurs have undergone the disquieting experience of being unable to deliver on promises made when a development project seems to be going well.

“We had to see our capabilities and look at time versus cost, which is a whole other aspect of what we learned in this experience,” said Kosta Papasideris, another member of the P.W.L.S. Innovations group. “Dr. Morgan used to say, ‘Manage your customer,’ which meant being able to deliver something that would be acceptable and also manageable not just by us as a team but as students. We met weekly to discuss our progress and what was being done, what was late, what was in, and we realized that those meetings mirrored industry. Meetings like that happen all the time. Managing our customer came into play when we were ahead of schedule and our customer wanted something new or better or improved. That is something I will take into the business world.”

Professor George Wright, a senior lecturer and the main point of contact for Painless Performance at Texas A&M, said that working through real problems is the primary benefit of the Capstone/E4 program at the university. He pointed out that, while every faculty member strives to instill seriousness and professionalism in students, there are limits to what can be done in a classroom. In addition to creating a working prototype that may offer commercial possibilities, graduates who have gone through the E4 program have demonstrated how they will function as employees.

“Twenty or 30 years ago, people would interview, and a company would hire someone,” Wright said. “But they might make mistakes about the compatibility of employees with the company. Ultimately, you’re going to have some false selections, some people who leave either because they’re not happy or you’re not happy with them. The Capstone Experience gives you the ability to see an individual working in a team environment, much like an internship. In this program, the students face real problems and have to produce real results.”

The benefits for industry will be immeasurable as more colleges and universities delve into these types of programs. Get additional information about the Texas A&M Capstone Experience and E4 here.

SEMA News - August 2009

By Steve Campbell

Private-Sector-Sponsored Projects Join Students and the Real World

What if your company had access to some of the brightest minds in your field? What if those minds, students at a major university, were allowed to focus on the creation and development of a product to which your company might eventually have marketing rights? What if the result was bottom-line revenue?

In most cases, university students learn theory and perhaps gain laboratory experience yet are rarely immersed in complete real-world problems and solutions until they leave academia and start earning a paycheck. Until a few years ago, Texas A&M University followed that model. But then a team within the school’s Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering Technology department reconsidered their approach.

“We had the typical engineering course in the final semester, where each student was tasked with an open-ended Senior Design Project,” said Dr. Joe Morgan, one of the department’s professors and a main supporter of the change. “I refer to those as ‘trashcan projects.’ You do them, you hand them in to your faculty member, and he promptly throws them in the trashcan because they have no residual value.”

Morgan and his colleagues felt that there had to be a better way, and they began to transition from the one-semester course to a two-semester track that is now referred to as the Capstone Design Experience. The concept is to get students involved in outside projects that can be taken to the marketplace, allowing them to learn not only about their core subject but also about business practices.

“Within Capstone, a group of three or four students begins a simulated start-up company,” Morgan explained. “They have to come up with an idea and transition it to a fully functional working prototype for test, evaluation and consideration for commercialization. But as we began doing this, the student teams created more and more intellectual property each semester. The capabilities of the teams and their ability to produce something of value kept increasing.”

One of the E4 projects resulted in a Painless Performance product—Diesel MD, a module for diesel-powered vehicles that allows performance adjustments to either increase torque or fuel efficiency.

Dennis Overholser, one of the founders of Painless Performance, said that four projects have now been sponsored by his company. One of the E4 projects has already been converted into a Painless Performance product—Diesel MD, a module for diesel-powered vehicles that allows performance adjustments to either increase torque or fuel efficiency. A second product is in the final stages of testing, and a third is going to be developed by the student team that created it. The students will form their own company and sell the product through Painless Performance.

“Each team has a student who knows his stuff about a particular facet,” Overholser said. “One may know hardware, another knows telecommunications, another knows software programming, and one may know about building circuit boards. These teams choose a project based on something they’re interested in or a suggestion by an outside source like Painless or a faculty idea. They take it from concept to working prototype. If they don’t finish the product, they don’t graduate.”

Student teams have developed a wide array of prototypes for different industries. One Texas A&M pseudo company, P.W.L.S. Innovations, developed a product called ExacTrak for first responders such as firefighters or military personnel. It allows people’s movements to be tracked within buildings—previously impossible even with GPS, which is blocked by solid obstacles—to monitor their whereabouts and help ensure their safety. Another team, known as Dynamic Design, developed a device for air sampling of CO2 within large structures, both for hazardous levels and for compliance with EPA regulations.

“We don’t just talk about and theorize about things,” explained Chris Landry of the P.W.L.S. Innovations group. “We put things together and really make things function. Taking away that experience will help make us better people in the workplace.”

The Capstone/E4 program at Texas A&M University allows students to become involved in outside projects that can be taken to the marketplace. They learn not only about their core subject but also aspects of real-world business.

“Being able to plan is probably the most difficult part,” said Julian Coleman, a member of the Dynamic Design team. “We have to be able to detail how much time we’re going to spend on working on a program, creating the printed circuit board and testing. They’re all rough approximations, but we’re held to them.”

The students also learn the benefits—and hazards—of selecting appropriate personnel for their companies. Just as in a working business, the interplay of personalities and the ethics of the employees can make or break a project.

“We’re not going to choose people who don’t want to work,” said Brad Sutter, the “S” in P.W.L.S. Innovations. “We choose our own team, and we have to trust that they’re not going to fail us.”

The student entrepreneurs are also taught to manage the expectations of their sponsoring companies and advisors—an element that is stressed hard by Dr. Morgan. Many entrepreneurs have undergone the disquieting experience of being unable to deliver on promises made when a development project seems to be going well.

“We had to see our capabilities and look at time versus cost, which is a whole other aspect of what we learned in this experience,” said Kosta Papasideris, another member of the P.W.L.S. Innovations group. “Dr. Morgan used to say, ‘Manage your customer,’ which meant being able to deliver something that would be acceptable and also manageable not just by us as a team but as students. We met weekly to discuss our progress and what was being done, what was late, what was in, and we realized that those meetings mirrored industry. Meetings like that happen all the time. Managing our customer came into play when we were ahead of schedule and our customer wanted something new or better or improved. That is something I will take into the business world.”

Professor George Wright, a senior lecturer and the main point of contact for Painless Performance at Texas A&M, said that working through real problems is the primary benefit of the Capstone/E4 program at the university. He pointed out that, while every faculty member strives to instill seriousness and professionalism in students, there are limits to what can be done in a classroom. In addition to creating a working prototype that may offer commercial possibilities, graduates who have gone through the E4 program have demonstrated how they will function as employees.

“Twenty or 30 years ago, people would interview, and a company would hire someone,” Wright said. “But they might make mistakes about the compatibility of employees with the company. Ultimately, you’re going to have some false selections, some people who leave either because they’re not happy or you’re not happy with them. The Capstone Experience gives you the ability to see an individual working in a team environment, much like an internship. In this program, the students face real problems and have to produce real results.”

The benefits for industry will be immeasurable as more colleges and universities delve into these types of programs. Get additional information about the Texas A&M Capstone Experience and E4 here.

SEMA News - August 2009

By Steve Campbell

Private-Sector-Sponsored Projects Join Students and the Real World

What if your company had access to some of the brightest minds in your field? What if those minds, students at a major university, were allowed to focus on the creation and development of a product to which your company might eventually have marketing rights? What if the result was bottom-line revenue?

In most cases, university students learn theory and perhaps gain laboratory experience yet are rarely immersed in complete real-world problems and solutions until they leave academia and start earning a paycheck. Until a few years ago, Texas A&M University followed that model. But then a team within the school’s Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering Technology department reconsidered their approach.

“We had the typical engineering course in the final semester, where each student was tasked with an open-ended Senior Design Project,” said Dr. Joe Morgan, one of the department’s professors and a main supporter of the change. “I refer to those as ‘trashcan projects.’ You do them, you hand them in to your faculty member, and he promptly throws them in the trashcan because they have no residual value.”

Morgan and his colleagues felt that there had to be a better way, and they began to transition from the one-semester course to a two-semester track that is now referred to as the Capstone Design Experience. The concept is to get students involved in outside projects that can be taken to the marketplace, allowing them to learn not only about their core subject but also about business practices.

“Within Capstone, a group of three or four students begins a simulated start-up company,” Morgan explained. “They have to come up with an idea and transition it to a fully functional working prototype for test, evaluation and consideration for commercialization. But as we began doing this, the student teams created more and more intellectual property each semester. The capabilities of the teams and their ability to produce something of value kept increasing.”

One of the E4 projects resulted in a Painless Performance product—Diesel MD, a module for diesel-powered vehicles that allows performance adjustments to either increase torque or fuel efficiency.

Dennis Overholser, one of the founders of Painless Performance, said that four projects have now been sponsored by his company. One of the E4 projects has already been converted into a Painless Performance product—Diesel MD, a module for diesel-powered vehicles that allows performance adjustments to either increase torque or fuel efficiency. A second product is in the final stages of testing, and a third is going to be developed by the student team that created it. The students will form their own company and sell the product through Painless Performance.

“Each team has a student who knows his stuff about a particular facet,” Overholser said. “One may know hardware, another knows telecommunications, another knows software programming, and one may know about building circuit boards. These teams choose a project based on something they’re interested in or a suggestion by an outside source like Painless or a faculty idea. They take it from concept to working prototype. If they don’t finish the product, they don’t graduate.”

Student teams have developed a wide array of prototypes for different industries. One Texas A&M pseudo company, P.W.L.S. Innovations, developed a product called ExacTrak for first responders such as firefighters or military personnel. It allows people’s movements to be tracked within buildings—previously impossible even with GPS, which is blocked by solid obstacles—to monitor their whereabouts and help ensure their safety. Another team, known as Dynamic Design, developed a device for air sampling of CO2 within large structures, both for hazardous levels and for compliance with EPA regulations.

“We don’t just talk about and theorize about things,” explained Chris Landry of the P.W.L.S. Innovations group. “We put things together and really make things function. Taking away that experience will help make us better people in the workplace.”

The Capstone/E4 program at Texas A&M University allows students to become involved in outside projects that can be taken to the marketplace. They learn not only about their core subject but also aspects of real-world business.

“Being able to plan is probably the most difficult part,” said Julian Coleman, a member of the Dynamic Design team. “We have to be able to detail how much time we’re going to spend on working on a program, creating the printed circuit board and testing. They’re all rough approximations, but we’re held to them.”

The students also learn the benefits—and hazards—of selecting appropriate personnel for their companies. Just as in a working business, the interplay of personalities and the ethics of the employees can make or break a project.

“We’re not going to choose people who don’t want to work,” said Brad Sutter, the “S” in P.W.L.S. Innovations. “We choose our own team, and we have to trust that they’re not going to fail us.”

The student entrepreneurs are also taught to manage the expectations of their sponsoring companies and advisors—an element that is stressed hard by Dr. Morgan. Many entrepreneurs have undergone the disquieting experience of being unable to deliver on promises made when a development project seems to be going well.

“We had to see our capabilities and look at time versus cost, which is a whole other aspect of what we learned in this experience,” said Kosta Papasideris, another member of the P.W.L.S. Innovations group. “Dr. Morgan used to say, ‘Manage your customer,’ which meant being able to deliver something that would be acceptable and also manageable not just by us as a team but as students. We met weekly to discuss our progress and what was being done, what was late, what was in, and we realized that those meetings mirrored industry. Meetings like that happen all the time. Managing our customer came into play when we were ahead of schedule and our customer wanted something new or better or improved. That is something I will take into the business world.”

Professor George Wright, a senior lecturer and the main point of contact for Painless Performance at Texas A&M, said that working through real problems is the primary benefit of the Capstone/E4 program at the university. He pointed out that, while every faculty member strives to instill seriousness and professionalism in students, there are limits to what can be done in a classroom. In addition to creating a working prototype that may offer commercial possibilities, graduates who have gone through the E4 program have demonstrated how they will function as employees.

“Twenty or 30 years ago, people would interview, and a company would hire someone,” Wright said. “But they might make mistakes about the compatibility of employees with the company. Ultimately, you’re going to have some false selections, some people who leave either because they’re not happy or you’re not happy with them. The Capstone Experience gives you the ability to see an individual working in a team environment, much like an internship. In this program, the students face real problems and have to produce real results.”

The benefits for industry will be immeasurable as more colleges and universities delve into these types of programs. Get additional information about the Texas A&M Capstone Experience and E4 here.