Justin Coulston

Building real relationships with customer engineering teams (Detroit supply chain) If you sell into the Detroit automotive supply chain, you already know this truth: Engineering doesn’t “support” the sale. Engineering is the sale. The strongest Account Managers and Sales Engineers I interview don’t win because they’re louder. They win because customer engineers trust them. What strong looks like You’re not only calling Purchasing and Program Management You know who owns the print, the validation plan, and the change process You can talk tradeoffs (cost, timing, performance, manufacturability) without hand-waving When a problem hits, Engineering picks up the phone 7 practical ways to earn credibility with customer engineers Show up before the RFQ Don’t wait for a sourcing event to “introduce yourself.” Build relationships during calm periods, not just during fires. Learn their language (and respect their constraints) DVP&R, PPAP, APQP, DV/PV, change control, validation timing, test capacity. You don’t need to be the engineer. You need to be conversant. Bring options, not opinions Engineers don’t want hype. They want: Two or three viable paths The risks and assumptions What you can test quickly Make it easy to say yes Provide clean, engineer-friendly inputs: A one-page summary Clear drawings and revision history What changed, why it changed, and impact Protect their time If you book a meeting, have an agenda and a decision needed. If you need “alignment,” define what alignment means. Close the loop fast If they ask a technical question, don’t disappear for a week. Even a same-day update like “I’m working it, here’s the owner and ETA” builds trust. Be the person who reduces friction Great AMs don’t create extra work. They remove blockers: Internal escalation Faster sample turns Cleaner documentation Better issue triage The payoff When Engineering trusts you: You hear about changes earlier You get pulled into the real conversations You stop competing only on price You become the “safe choice” when timelines get tight

2

Chariot Automotive Group is strengthening Indiana’s talent pipeline through upskilling. By leveraging state workforce programs and partnerships with Ivy Tech Community College and the U.S. Department of Labor, Chariot is creating clear pathways from education to employment through registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship programs. This investment in talent development is helping grow wages, improve retention, and build a skilled workforce to support long-term business and economic growth. Thank you, Rex Gingerich and Jim Wolfe, for your focus and investments in Indiana's future. Indiana employers interested in growing talent, increasing wages, and building a competitive workforce can learn more through Power Up Indiana, https://lnkd.in/eXrNEu9m. 👉 Read the full Power Up IN story below to see how investing in people drives long-term success. Grateful to Mellisa Leaming, Gerry Vasquez, Tecumseh Area Partnership, Inc., the West Central WorkOne team, and the Indiana Workforce Alliance for their ongoing support and collaboration. #PowerUpIN #WorkforceDevelopment #SkilledTrades #Upskilling #Indiana

28

1 Comment

I program key fobs for a living. And I'm teaching myself to build software. For the past 3 years I've worked as an automotive locksmith in Springfield, MO. Every day I show up, diagnose electronic systems, figure out why a vehicle won't start, and solve the problem on-site with a customer watching. I've gotten pretty good at it. But recently I realized I was ready for something more. Not because the work isn't valuable — it is. But because I want to keep growing. I want to build things that affect people's lives, even in small ways. And I knew if I didn't make a move now, I'd wake up in 10 years wishing I had. So I started learning. After work. On weekends. Whenever I could find the time. My first project happened because we had an old Microsoft Surface sitting around the house. I thought — what if I turned this into a smart calendar for our home? I'm sure something like that already exists. But I wanted to build it myself. Using AI tools like Claude, I described what I wanted and started shaping it into something real. Was the AI doing most of the heavy lifting on that first project? Honestly, yes. But I was the one with the idea. I was the guiding force. And when it actually worked — when I saw this thing I'd imagined running on that old Surface — something clicked. I realized that if I wanted a new feature, I could just make it happen. That feeling changed everything for me. Since then I've been going deeper. I'm learning JavaScript, React, and how to review and improve AI-generated code. I'm building a tool that identifies the right key fob for any vehicle from the VIN — a real problem I deal with every day at work. Is it hard? Yeah. Finding time to learn while working full-time is no joke. And I know some people with CS degrees look down on using AI to write code. But here's what I think about that: modern programming languages are already massively easier than what came before them. Nobody's writing in binary anymore. Nobody's hand-coding assembly for a web app. Every generation of tools makes development more accessible and more powerful. AI is just the next step in what a compiler can do. The people who learn to use it effectively right now are going to have a serious edge. I don't have a degree. I don't have a traditional background. But I solve complex technical problems every single day, I learn fast, and I'm building real things. If you're thinking about making a change like this — whether it's into tech or anything else — just start. The tools to learn are mostly free. The AI tools to build are better than ever. And nobody's going to give you permission. You just have to go. #CareerChange #WebDevelopment #AI #BuildInPublic #VibeCoding #SelfTaught #LearningInPublic

1

Several Detroit automakers are scaling back EV investments, canceling projects, and redirecting production. So, what does this look like for dealers on the... https://ow.ly/7HZ650YrMYx

2

Major Industry Update: Subaru Ends Legacy Production in Indiana After 36 Remarkable Years! The automotive world marks the end of an era as Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA) officially ceased production of the iconic Legacy model on September 19, 2025. This milestone concludes a 36-year run that began in 1989 when SIA opened its doors in Lafayette, Indiana. The Legacy, a symbol of Subaru’s commitment to all-wheel-drive innovation and reliability, rolled off the line for the last time, with over 4.5 million units produced at the plant since its inception. The decision reflects Subaru’s strategic shift toward electrification and newer models like the Outback and Ascent, which will continue to be manufactured at SIA. The facility, a joint venture with Toyota, has been a cornerstone of the local economy, employing over 6,500 workers and contributing billions to Indiana’s GDP. Since 1989, SIA has produced more than 6.2 million vehicles, including the popular Camry for Toyota, showcasing its versatility and global impact. This closure comes as Subaru invests in future technologies, with plans to expand EV production and modernize the Lafayette plant. The final Legacy, a 2025 model, was celebrated by SIA employees with a heartfelt assembly line send-off, highlighting the model’s legacy of safety and adventure that resonated with millions of drivers worldwide. #Subaru #LegacyEnd #AutomotiveIndustry #Manufacturing #IndianaEconomy #EVInnovation #BusinessNews #IndustryTrends #SIA #ToyotaPartnership

45

3 Comments

The collision and calibration industry is changing faster than most shops can keep up with. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are no longer a specialty—they are a liability if misunderstood. That is why ICON’s first official launch is the ADAS Fast Track. This is not another generic online course. It is a structured, technician-driven certification path designed to close the real knowledge gaps that are causing missed procedures, improper calibrations, and unnecessary risk in modern repairs. The ADAS Fast Track focuses on: • Understanding OEM intent—not shortcuts • Proper diagnostics, pre- and post-scan strategy • Calibration fundamentals across makes and models • Real-world decision-making technicians face every day • Building confidence, consistency, and accountability in ADAS work Our goal is simple: Create better-trained technicians, safer repairs, and a higher standard across the industry. This is just the beginning for ICON. ADAS Fast Track is our foundation. If you work in collision repair, diagnostics, calibration, or manage teams responsible for modern vehicle safety systems—this was built for you. Correct repairs begin here. — ICON

5

1 Comment

Columbus has no shortage of capable IT firms. Strong engineers. Reliable service teams. Deep technical skill. But capability doesn’t automatically translate into consistent growth. Across central Ohio, I see a recurring issue: Positioning is too broad. When an IT company can’t clearly define: • The specific type of business it serves • The operational risk it eliminates • The financial consequence of that risk Marketing becomes noise. Outbound feels cold. Inbound feels unpredictable. Referrals depend on who you happened to meet last month. The firms that scale here don’t shout louder. They narrow sharper. Defined buyer. Defined problem. Defined economic impact. Then authority compounds. Columbus is competitive but it’s not saturated. The companies that win are structured.

13

3 Comments

Automotive owes me 2,920 days of my life back. And honestly, the industry will never pay that debt. But those years did one thing for me: they made the root causes of automotive software failure painfully clear. Here are the 10 truths nobody wants to say out loud: 1. Most OEMs don’t build software. They assemble politics. Every feature is a negotiation, not an engineering decision. 2. Toolchains aren’t “integrated.” They’re duct-taped by humans. Engineers act as APIs between DOORS, Jira, Git, Excel, and whatever else someone bought in 2012. 3. Compliance is a theatrical performance. Evidence is generated after the work, not during it. That’s why every audit week feels like a crime scene cleanup. 4. Architecture isn’t designed. It evolves accidentally. Half the ECUs exist because nobody could agree who should own what. 5. Requirements don’t describe reality. They describe what the process wants to hear. The real requirements live in Slack, meetings, and tribal memory. 6. Integration hell is not an event. It’s the default operating model. Missing ECUs, outdated binaries, and year-long delays are treated like “normal.” 7. Leadership thinks software is linear. Add people → go faster. Add suppliers → reduce risk. It does the opposite. 8. Testing is a graveyard of contradictions. Nobody knows what the “current truth” is. Half the tests contradict the requirements. The other half test ghosts. 9. Most delays aren’t technical. They’re alignment tax. Weeks lost to meetings where nobody has the same information. 10. Continuous compliance is the only way out. AI agents that collect evidence as work happens. Auto-traceability. No more reverse-engineering documentation. No more “surprise” findings six months later. After 2,920 days inside this system, one conclusion is unavoidable: Automotive doesn’t have a software problem. It has a reality problem. And until that’s fixed, nothing changes. What’s your journey enduring automotive taught you?

991

92 Comments

I'm not a developer. I've spent years in IT-adjacent roles — close enough to understand what software does, far enough that writing it was never really on the table. That changed recently. I built a full web application. A real one. An RV power system designer with solar sizing, wiring diagrams, component recommendations, regional pricing, weather simulation, and a 30-day weather model pulled from a live API. Single-file HTML. Hosted on GitHub Pages. No framework, no build tools, no backend. I didn't write the code. I directed it. That distinction matters. Vibe coding isn't about pretending you're a developer. It's about being clear enough about what you want — the logic, the edge cases, the user experience — that an AI can translate that thinking into working code. The domain knowledge still has to come from you. What surprised me: → How fast it moved. Features that would have taken a developer days were done in an afternoon. → The quality of what came out. Not prototype quality. Actually polished. → That I could steer it without knowing the syntax. I understood the problem. That was enough. I won't oversell it. There's a real cognitive load — you have to think carefully about what you're asking for, catch things that don't work right, and push back when the output misses the intent. It's not passive. But it's also not coding. What it feels like is product management at speed. You're the one with the vision, the domain context, and the judgment. The AI handles execution. If you're in a technical-adjacent role and you've been watching this space from a distance — it's worth a closer look. The barrier isn't what it was six months ago. The app, if you're curious: https://lnkd.in/gbvpMXv2 #VibeCoding #AI #NoCode #ProductThinking #Claude

Flexible Specialization as Best Practice for Future Human Development (in contrast to one product - no diversification). Think about why Detroit died due to over-reliance on the automobile industry. I was curious and I researched a better way to prevent this from happening again. Flexible specialization means anchoring a city around broad capabilities—such as advanced manufacturing, logistics, digital infrastructure, or skilled labor—rather than a single product or narrow industry. This approach allows a city to attract and support a variety of industries that share those underlying capabilities, making the economy more resilient and adaptable to change.[brookings +2] Key Features • Mixed-use and adaptable spaces: Urban planning emphasizes flexible buildings and zones that can be repurposed as industries evolve, rather than rigid, single-use districts.[geospatialworld +2] • Networks and clusters: Cities foster networks of firms, suppliers, and institutions that collaborate, innovate, and quickly respond to new market demands.[sfu +1] • Upskilling and workforce development: Focus is placed on developing transferable skills (e.g., robotics, data analytics, quality control) that workers can apply across multiple sectors.[digicoll.lib.berkeley +1] • Open master plans: Development strategies are designed to be revised and modified over time, allowing the city to adapt to shifting economic, social, and environmental conditions.[urbannext +1] Benefits • Economic resilience: Cities can pivot when a particular industry declines or technology shifts, avoiding the collapse seen in classic company towns.[brookings +1] • Attractiveness to diverse industries: By investing in capabilities rather than products, cities become attractive to a broader range of firms, fostering innovation and competition.[repub.eur +1] • Sustainable growth: This approach supports inclusive growth by creating good jobs, supporting entrepreneurship, and building institutional foundations that benefit both workers and businesses.[lse +1] Flexible specialization is increasingly seen as a best practice for future urban development, balancing efficiency with adaptability and long-term sustainability. Cities around the world leading or planning toward flexible specialization include Singapore, Berlin, Dubai, Tokyo, Sydney, London, Mumbai, Toronto, and Austin, which are known for business-friendly policies, strong infrastructure, and vibrant international communities that support remote work, innovation, and workforce mobility.

3