Built to Last: How Strategic Partners Power a Legacy Shop

Welcome back to The Collision Vision, driven by Autobody News. I'm your host, Cole Strandberg. Today's episode is about something every operator wants but very few truly achieve — building a business that lasts, not just for a few years but across generations.   I'm joined by Mike Schoonover of Schoonover Bodyworks, a third-generation business that's been serving its community for over 85 years. What's remarkable isn't just the longevity. It's how the business has continued to evolve. From integrating collision, mechanical, and glass into a true one-stop model, to staying on the leading edge of training and technology, to building deep, strategic partnerships that actually move the business forward.   And that's really where we're going to spend time today: partnerships. Not just vendors, not just suppliers, but true partners like AkzoNobel who contribute to training, process improvement, and growth.   What should you expect from your partners? And just as importantly, are you actually leveraging them the way top operators do? This is a conversation about legacy, evolution, and the idea that great businesses aren't built alone. Let's dive in.   Connect with Mike: https://schoonoverbodyworks.com/ https://www.facebook.com/schoonoverbodyworks