As I write this, I’m still in recovery mode from a week at The SEMA Show and AAPEX in Las Vegas. If you’ve ever experienced these events, you know that even a full work week isn’t enough to take it all in. It’s a mass convergence of a broad spectrum of people, parts, tools, equipment, cars—and more cars. It’s a place where the automotive aftermarket is king, and its impact on American culture is emphasized. Where else can you chat with Neil Young (it was actually our associate editor, Bryce Evans, who got to do that after Young’s speech about his electric Lincoln at SEMA) and get a sneak peek at some of the newest cloud-based shop management systems in the same day?
We exhibited R+W at AAPEX for the first time this year, and I have to say, among all of the experiences last week, my biggest takeaway was the praise we received for the magazine from shop operators and fellow exhibitors. There are folks who have really taken what we write to heart, and used it for the betterment of their businesses. That has always been our goal, and it felt great to get some in-person validation that we’re accomplishing what we set out to do.
