I sit here planning to leave for AAPEX and SEMA on Sunday and I can’t help but reflect back on the excitement at NACE. The shops that attended were engaged and truly committed to growing their businesses and staying out in front. It was, to say the least, refreshing to see this level of interest in the future of the collision market.

The MSO Symposium continued to be an incredible venue to learn and share ideas about what the future could be and ideas on how to get there. Multiple-location shops are certainly on the rise and definitely a positive strategy for moving forward in this business.

Speaking of multiple-location shops, I had the pleasure of dining with Joe Carubba, the 2013 BodyShop Business Collision Repair Shop Executive of the Year. Carubba’s shops are in the Buffalo, N.Y., area, and it was refreshing to spend time with a person who has grown his family-owned shop so successfully. If you have someone you would like to nominate for the 2014 Collision Repair Shop Executive of the Year, please fill out the entry form on pg. 87. Thanks, Joe!

Speaking of the future, Detroit in 2014 is going to be great. I cannot tell you the number of companies I talked with that are planning on exhibiting at the 2014 NACE. Many big players who have been absent in recent years are planning to attend and spend floor time with shops. When you combine that with all the great automotive opportunities in the Motor City, it’s going to be the place to be in July. I hope to see each of you there.

This year’s SEMA exhibit is going to be the biggest yet. By the time you read this, we’ll probably already have seen each other. I know you’ll have seen many great new products and will be back at your shops figuring out how to integrate them into your businesses to make them more efficient.

All of this activity is a good thing for our segment of the business. Activity means people are interested in our segment – and that means it has a future. Sure, it will spell change, but as I’ve said before, you should make sure you have a plan to navigate the changes and work that plan until you need to alter it. Don’t let outside distractions break your focus from moving your business forward. This is an exciting time in the collision market, and now is the time to carve out your space in it!