For a CEO running 650 locations, every decision has to make sense on paper. Except this one.

Running 650 collision repair locations would seem to leave little time for hosting a podcast, especially one whose return Matt Ebert can’t put on a spreadsheet.

The Crash Champions leader explained why podcasting has become part of how he builds relationships with customers and potential employees.

“Unless you have an accident, you don’t care about us,” Ebert says. “Then if you do have an accident, then you wish you knew us.”

That creates a difficult marketing challenge. A customer might need the company only once every 10 years. Through PodCrash with Matt Ebert, he gives people a chance to hear from him before that moment arrives.

“It’s a business where trust really matters,” Ebert says. “So the way to build trust is to get to know somebody.”

Ebert started by seeking invitations to other podcasts. Launching his own show gave him a way to host conversations about leadership, entrepreneurship and blue-collar trades. Guests with larger audiences could introduce new people to the business, even if only a handful followed after each interview.

After about 35 episodes, Ebert still couldn’t put a precise return on a spreadsheet. But he could point to an unexpected benefit: recruiting.

“The people interviewing with us feel like they know me,” he says.

Those conversations also let Ebert challenge perceptions of collision repair work. He says the company’s technicians earn an average of more than $100,000 annually, and today’s advanced vehicles mean they’re as likely to hold a tablet as a welder or paint gun.

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