Shows / OTSS Podcast
OTSS Podcast
This is the guiding principal behind most new businesses, the entrepreneurial "eat or be eaten" ethos that drives the builders, the doers and the risk-takers responsible for history's greatest brands and companies.
www.otsspodcast.com
Episodes
OTSS PodcastMelanie White - CEO of Hellwig Products
SEMA Board Chair Melanie White on “Only The Strong Survive”When Melanie White stepped into the role of chair of the SEMA Board of Directors, she brought a…
OTSS PodcastDan Kahn, CEO of Kahn Media and Tread Agency
On the latest episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, host Dan Kahn takes a different approach with a solo episode reflecting on the experiences that…
OTSS PodcastOTSS Rewind: Norris Marshall, CEO of BluePrint Engines
As we revisit some of our favorite conversations from the Only The Strong Survive archives, we’re going back to Episode 25 with Norris Marshall, CEO of…
OTSS PodcastOTSS Rewind: The Larry Chen Episode
Originally released in February 2024, our conversation with Larry Chen has remained one of our favorite episodes of Only The Strong Survive. Now, in September…
OTSS PodcastBob Wheeler, President & CEO of Airstream
On the latest episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, host Dan Kahn sits down with Bob Wheeler, the visionary president and CEO behind the modern…
OTSS PodcastOTSS Podcast - Bruce Meyer
On the latest episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, host Dan Kahn sits down with Bruce Meyer, a true legend in the car collector world. As the…
OTSS PodcastVince Finaldi, President of Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
Automotive passion isn’t just a career for Vince Finaldi. It is built into his DNA. His story began nearly a century ago when his grandfather worked for…
OTSS PodcastMatt Stevenson, President and CEO of Holley Performance Brands
Welcome to another episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, where host Dan Kahn sits down with leaders and entrepreneurs from some of the most dynamic…
OTSS PodcastGordon McCall, CEO/President of McCall Motorsports and Co-Founder of The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering
Monterey Car Week stands as the ultimate mecca for automotive enthusiasts worldwide, but few events capture its spirit quite like The Quail, A Motorsports…
OTSS PodcastNick Haywood, SVP, Automotive at CI&T
As the senior vice president of automotive at CI&T, Nick Haywood helps clients navigate the digital landscape and build high-impact solutions for it. From…
OTSS PodcastOTSS Podcast - Dan Kahn
When Dan Kahn isn’t hosting “The Only The Strong Survive” podcast, he serves as CEO of Kahn Media and the outdoor-focused TREAD Agency. Both agencies offer a…
OTSS PodcastDave Cole, Co-Founder of King of the Hammers & President/CEO of Hammerking Productions
In the world of motorsports, some races test your outright speed, and then some test the absolute limits of mechanical and human endurance. Falling squarely…
OTSS PodcastOTSS Podcast X The Garage Agency
Brett Caslow followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps, joining the family business of selling automotive paint to jobbers. After learning the…
OTSS PodcastMike Spagnola, CEO of SEMA & PRI
The automotive aftermarket is a massive economic force, generating $53 billion in annual sales and a total economic impact of $337 billion. At the helm of its…
OTSS PodcastOTSS Podcast X Growth Garage: How Video is Driving Modern Marketing
Attention is harder to earn than ever, and video is becoming the tool brands rely on to break through. At the latest Growth Garage Lunch and Learn, Kahn Media…
OTSS PodcastDanny Combs, Director of the Colorado Disability Opportunity Office
Danny Combs didn’t set out to be the head of a non-profit that makes a huge difference in the lives of neurodivergent individuals. In fact, he spent most of…
OTSS PodcastJohannes Crepon, Co-Founder and CEO of PDM Automotive
Johannes Crepon of Paramount Data Management (PDM) knows a lot about product data. That might sound boring to some business founders who are more focused on…
OTSS PodcastTom Maxwell, CRO of Velocity Restorations & Classic Recreations
Velocity’s Tom Maxwell on “Only The Strong Survive”Initially, Tom Maxwell wanted to be an actor and got a degree in creative writing while attending university…
OTSS PodcastMark Neifeld, Commissioner & CEO of Sport Fishing Championship (SFC)
From a young age, Mark Neifeld knew he wanted to be involved in sports. However, unlike most kids who dream of being a star quarterback or center, Mark wanted…
OTSS PodcastJason Noel, CEO of Fat Fender Garage
Jason Noel’s path to success, like many entrepreneurs, has been long and hard-fought. In high school, he discovered a love of woodworking and carpentry and…
OTSS PodcastCorky Coker Reflects on a Life in the Automotive Industry
Corky Coker originally had no plans to enter the family business. His father had originally started Coker Tire in 1958 as a small shop that sold tires…
OTSS PodcastBest Advice of 2025 - OTSS Podcast
2025 has been an amazing year for the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast. Throughout the year, we recorded 25 episodes, bringing our total to 55 installments of…
OTSS PodcastPeter Nam, Founder of Gunther Werks and Vorsteiner
Peter Nam is unique for starting not just one successful brand but two. After graduating from Boston University with a degree in finance, he struggled to find…
OTSS PodcastLauryn Menard of GOB on “Only The Strong Survive”
Growing up in the Adirondack Mountains, Lauryn Menard always had a love of the outdoors. Eventually, the big city and her interest in fashion design called her…
OTSS PodcastJoe Molina, Founder and President of JMPR
Joe Molina built one of the most respected public relations agencies in the automotive world from the ground up. While serving in the U.S. Army and writing for…
OTSS PodcastRJ de Vera, Vice President, Marketing at SEMA
RJ de Vera has had an amazing career arc. Like many Southern California kids, he had childhood dreams of Ferraris and muscle cars. However, his automotive…
OTSS PodcastHow AI is Reshaping Business with Seema Alexander, Alex Maier and Daniel Manary (Recorded LIVE)
On this special episode of the “Only the Strong Survive” podcast, host Dan Kahn is joined by three experts in artificial intelligence. Seema Alexander is the…
OTSS PodcastMaurice Merrick, Creator and Host of Horsepower Heritage (LIVE from Monterey Car Week)
Maurice Merrick from the “Horsepower Heritage” Podcast on “Only The Strong Survive” Maurice Merrick has turned his passion for all things automotive into the…
OTSS PodcastKrishan Udvadia, Head of Digital Marketing at Kahn Media
Krishan Udvadia on “Only The Strong Survive” Krishan Udvadia is Kahn Media’s head of digital marketing with a unique background. Originally an electrical…
OTSS PodcastEarthCruiser’s Lance Gillies on OTSS
Lance Gillies might be a familiar name to “Only The Strong Survive” regulars. In April of 2024, he joined host Dan Kahn to discuss EarthCruiser. Founded in…
OTSS PodcastStephanie Nivinskus, AI Expert & CEO of SizzleForce Marketing
On this episode of “Only The Strong Survive,” host Dan Kahn and AI expert Stephanie Nivinskus discuss AI and its impact on businesses. Stephanie has spent the…
OTSS PodcastDavid Brands, CEO of COAST Products
On this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, Coast Products CEO David Brands joins host Dan Kahn to discuss being a third-generation family…
OTSS PodcastMark Schaefer, Author and Executive Director of Schaefer Marketing Solutions
Mark Schaefer’s first experiences with marketing and sales were selling flower seeds, Christmas cards and whatever else he could when he was 10 years old…
OTSS PodcastJason Swenk, Founder of Agency Mastery and Host of the Smart Agency Podcast
Jason Swenk’s story is remarkable. After he built a website for fun, friends began to ask him to build theirs. He then started to make a living constructing…
OTSS PodcastJim and Mike Ring of Ringbrothers on “Only The Strong Survive”
Jim and Mike Ring are an amazing success story from the heart of America. The youngest of seven kids, the brothers grew up in the small town of Plain…
OTSS PodcastMarco Gerace, Owner of TLG Auto
TLG Auto’s Marco Gerace on “Only The Strong Survive” Air-cooled Porsches have always been a huge part of Marco Gerace’s life. His father founded TLG Auto in…
OTSS PodcastJeff O’Neill on “Only The Strong Survive”
Jeff O’Neill’s life has always revolved around great wines and ideas. In 1980, he joined the family wine business that his grandfather had initially started…
OTSS PodcastAmi Kassar on “Only The Strong Survive”
Ami Kassar wears many hats as a columnist for 21 Hats, a former advisor to the White House, the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve, and the author of…
OTSS PodcastJulie McQueen, President and CEO of CarbonTV
Julie McQueen’s journey to the head of CarbonTV started behind the camera. Initially, she documented others' outdoor adventures as a camerawoman and producer…
OTSS PodcastNatalie and John Radzwilla, Co-Founders of Hook & Barrel Magazine
Natalie and John Radzwilla of Hook & Barrel Magazine on “Only The Strong Survive” Natalie and John Radzwilla have a fascinating story of entrepreneurship…
OTSS PodcastTim Parkhurst of the Marine Scout Sniper Heritage Foundation on “Only The Strong Survive”
Tim Parkhurst's love for the U.S. Marine Corps started early in life. After some difficulties in public school, he was enrolled in a private military high…
OTSS PodcastDavid Borla, Seth Glauberman and Melanie Hellwig White on Multi-Generational Businesses
Some entrepreneurs who started their own businesses can envy those who run their families’ companies. After all, many of these multi-generational leaders…
OTSS PodcastMario Iannantuono with Quantum Leap Partners
Operational excellence and process improvements are significant parts of Mario Iannantuono’s life. After getting an engineering degree, he worked as a process…
OTSS PodcastHilary Hutcheson
Hilary Hutcheson on “Only The Strong Survive”Hilary Hutcheson’s love of the outdoors started early in life as the child of parents who worked for the National…
OTSS PodcastSHOT Show
The SHOT Show (an acronym for the Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show) has come a long way since its first show in 1979, held in St. Louis, Missouri…
OTSS PodcastCory Burns, Sr. VP of Accounts at Kahn Media
Cory Burns from Kahn Media on “Only The Strong Survive” Growing up as a car-crazed kid in Southern California, Cory Burns’ life has always revolved around…
OTSS PodcastCraig Underwood, Founder of Underwood Farms
Most of Craig Underwood’s life has revolved around farming in Moorpark, California. As a second-generation farmer, Craig built his career working alongside his…
OTSS PodcastDylan Tomine, Author and Creative Director of Patagonia Provisions
Dylan Tomine is an avid lover of the outdoors, an author and a fly fisherman. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Tomine learned his love of fishing and…
OTSS PodcastMike Good, President of PRI
Mike Good’s path to his current role as president of the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) is an interesting one. As the son of a long-time General Motors…
OTSS PodcastStephanie Stuckey, Chairman of Stuckey's
The Stuckey’s brand was familiar to many in the Southeast and Midwest as convenience stores with pecan candies and kitschy souvenirs. Started by Stephanie…
OTSS PodcastSteve Dinan, Founder/CEO of CarBahn
CarBahn’s Steve Dinan on “Only The Strong Survive” On this episode of the “Only The Strong Survive” podcast, Steve Dinan discusses his remarkable…
OTSS PodcastTim Kennedy
Tim Kennedy on “Only The Strong Survive”For many, Tim Kennedy needs little introduction. However, for those unfamiliar with the name, Kennedy is a former UFC…
OTSS PodcastNorris Marshall, CEO of BluePrint Engines
BluePrint Engines CEO Norris Marshall on “Only The Strong Survive” BluePrint Engines CEO Norris Marshall is an amazing example of a true American…
OTSS PodcastOil & Whiskey X OTSS Podcast
The Roadster Shop’s Josh Henning, Jeremy Gerber and Phil Gerber on “Only The Strong Survive” Josh Henning, Jeremy Gerber and Phil Gerber are the team behind…
OTSS PodcastTodd Taylor, Trails Offroad
Todd Taylor is one of the lucky people who have turned their passion into a successful business. After growing up in the Midwest, he eventually moved to…
OTSS PodcastMelanie Hellwig-White, Hellwig Products
Melanie Hellwig White is the CEO of Hellwig Suspension Products. Founded in 1946 by her great-grandfather and grandfather, the duo went door to door selling…
OTSS PodcastTerry Karges with Petersen Automotive Museum at Monterey Car Week 2024
Terry L. Karges of the Petersen Automotive Museum on “Only The Strong Survive” On this episode of “Only The Strong Survive,” host Dan Kahn talks with Terry L…
OTSS PodcastPrivate Equity Part Two: Brendan Ballou
Brendan Ballou Discusses Private Equity on “Only The Strong Survive” In the second part of our two-part series on private equity, “Only The Strong Survive”…
OTSS PodcastPrivate Equity Part One: Alex Rawlings with "The Private Equity Podcast"
Alex Rawlings on Only The Strong Survive In this first episode of a two-part “Only The Strong Survive” series, host Dan Kahn talks with Alex Rawlings about…
OTSS PodcastBrian Gilman with Warriors & Quiet Waters
Brian Gilman of Warriors & Quiet Waters on “Only The Strong Survive” A former Marine Colonel, Brian Gilman has a 27-year history in the U.S. military…