TL;DR: Not all conferences are worth your time and money. Here are the list actually deliver: Vision (#1) for personal development and world-class training, ASTA Expo (#2) for tight-knit community networking, STX (#3) for massive education with potential cost subsidies, AAPEX + SEMA (#4) where you go to SEMA for fun but AAPEX to make money, and TOOLS (#5) as the rising star with family reunion vibes. Stop treating conferences like vacations. Approach them strategically with clear goals, take real notes, and implement what you learn within 30 days.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most shop owners pick conferences the same way they pick vacation spots.
They drop $3,000-$5,000 on travel, hotels, and registration fees, then come back with a bag full of vendor swag and maybe one decent idea they’ll never implement. Meanwhile, their shop stays the same with the same problems, same revenue, and same frustrations.
But here’s the thing: the right conferences can be game-changers for your business. I’m talking about real, measurable growth in your technical skills, your team’s performance, and your bottom line. The keyword here is “right.”
I’ve been to more industry conferences than I care to count. I’ve seen shops transform after attending the right events, and I’ve watched others waste thousands chasing the wrong ones.
After years of helping shop owners with their auto repair shop marketing and growth strategies, I know which conferences deliver real value and which ones are just overpriced networking happy hours.
So let me save you some time, money, and disappointment. Here are the 5 conferences that actually move the needle for auto repair shops, ranked in order of impact.
1: VISION Hi-Tech Training & Expo (Kansas City, KS)
Where: Kansas City, KS
When: Early March (annual)
Attendees: ~3,000
Host: Midwest Auto Care Alliance (MWACA)
Website: https://visionkc.com/
VISION isn’t just my top pick; it’s in a league of its own, and here’s why.
Yes, they have world-class technical training. Yes, they cover management, sales, and marketing for auto repair shops. But what sets VISION apart from every other conference is something most industry events completely miss: personal development.
I’m talking about keynote speakers like Ed Mylett, Leif Babin (co-author of Extreme Ownership), Marcus Lemonis from The Profit, and even Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell. These aren’t your typical industry talking heads. These are people who’ve built empires, led teams through impossible situations, and know what it takes to win at the highest level.
When you hear Leif Babin talk about taking extreme ownership of your business outcomes, or Ed Mylett break down the mindset of champions, something clicks. You stop making excuses for why your shop isn’t where you want it to be, and you start taking responsibility for changing it.
That’s the difference between VISION and every other conference I attend. You don’t just learn new technical skills, you become a better leader, a stronger business owner, and someone your team actually wants to follow.
The training quality is exceptional across all areas, including some of the best auto repair shop marketing needs you’ll find anywhere. But it’s that personal development component that makes VISION worth every penny.
If you only attend one conference this year, make it VISION. Your business, and honestly, your life, will thank you for it.
2: ASTA Expo (Raleigh, NC)
Where: Raleigh, NC
When: Annual
Attendees: ~2,000
Vibe: Family reunion
Host: Automotive Service and Tire Alliance
Website: https://astausa.org/Â
ASTA Expo is what we call one of the “family reunions” of the industry, and I mean that in the best possible way.
This is where you spend a 4-day weekend connecting with some of the most generous, helpful shop owners you’ll ever meet. The North Carolina group that puts this on? They’re on a different level when it comes to supporting each other. I’ve never seen another group of shop owners who help each other out like they do.
The training covers everything you need: technical, management, sales, and auto repair marketing. They have an awesome pre-party (which we happen to sponsor most years), awards ceremony, and silent auction. But what you’ll remember most is the relationships you build.
Here’s what makes ASTA Expo special: it’s small enough that you actually get to know people, but big enough to offer serious value. You’re not lost in a crowd of 4,000 people. You’re part of a tight-knit community that genuinely wants to see you succeed.
The only thing ASTA Expo is missing compared to VISION is those big-name keynote speakers. But honestly? Sometimes the best insights come from sitting around a table with fellow shop owners who’ve been exactly where you are and figured out how to get where you want to go.
3: STX (Various Locations)
Where: Various locations
When: Every other year, in years ending in even numbers
Attendees: ~4,000
Classes: 400+
Requirement: Must be a WorldPac customer
Host: WorldPac Training Institute (WTI)
Website: https://my.worldpac.comÂ
STX is massive. We’re talking 4,000 attendees from all over the world and 400 different classes. The training quality is top-notch, and here’s the kicker: if you hit your parts spending goals with WorldPac throughout the year, they’ll subsidize your attendance. Do enough business with them, and you and your team can attend for basically nothing.
What I love about STX is that it attracts a different crowd than the other conferences. These are shop owners who might not be plugged into the broader industry community, but they’re connected through WorldPac. Some of them don’t even know the other conferences exist.
It’s like finding a master technician who’s been working in isolation for 20 years. They’ve developed incredible skills, but they’ve never shared notes with anyone else. When you finally connect with them, you both learn something valuable.
This creates an interesting dynamic. You meet shop owners who are doing incredible things but operating in their own little bubble. The networking opportunities are huge because you’re connecting with people you’d never encounter at VISION or ASTA.
The training spans every aspect of shop operations, including solid coverage of auto repair shop marketing companies and strategies. With 400 classes to choose from, you can dive deep into whatever your shop needs most.
The downside? It only happens every other year, so you can’t count on it for annual development. But when it does happen, it’s worth clearing your calendar.
4: AAPEX + SEMA (Las Vegas, NV)
Where: Las Vegas, NV (APEX at Venetian Expo, SEMA at Las Vegas Convention Center)
When: Annual (usually November)
Attendees: Massive
Duration: 5 days between both shows
Hosts: MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers, Auto Care Association, and Special Equipment Market Association
Wesbite: https://www.aapexshow.com/ and https://www.semashow.comÂ
I know the folks at AAPEX hate it when I say this, but I’m going to say it anyway: you go to SEMA for the fun, and you go to AAPEX to pay for it all.
SEMA is basically a massive car show with some business mixed in. It’s cool, it’s fun, and you’ll see some incredible builds. But as a shop owner, focused on growing your business? SEMA isn’t going to move the needle much.
AAPEX, on the other hand, is where the money is made.
They have an entire floor called “Joe’s Garage” that’s set up like a working auto repair shop. We’re talking lifts bolted to the floor with cars on them, tire machines, diagnostic scanners, everything you’d find in your shop. You could literally bring a car in there and fix it. The only thing missing is your toolbox.
The training at AAPEX is laser-focused on auto repair shops. Sales skills for service advisors, best auto repair shop marketing strategies, management techniques that actually work, it’s all there.
Here’s my advice: spend your mornings at AAPEX getting educated, then hit SEMA in the afternoons for the automotive eye candy. You get the best of both worlds, and your ticket to one gets you into the other.
The scale of these shows is insane. Plan on five days, and you still won’t see everything. But if you focus your time wisely, you’ll come back with actionable strategies that can transform your shop.
5: TOOLS (Lancaster, PA)
Where: Lancaster, PA
When: Annual
Size: Smaller but growing
Host: Mid-Atlantic Auto Care Alliance (MAACA)
Website: https://midatlanticaca.org/tools/Â
TOOLS rounds out my top 5, and here’s why it cut: it has all the charm of ASTA Expo but with serious growth potential.
This is another “family reunion” style conference with great training and genuine networking opportunities. What I love about TOOLS is that it’s getting bigger every year, and I think it has the potential to become one of the major shows in our industry.
The training quality is solid, covering technical skills, management, and auto repair marketing. But like ASTA Expo, what really sets it apart is the community. It’s small enough that you actually get to know people, but professional enough to deliver real value.
I really enjoy going to TOOLS, and I think you will too. If you’re looking for a conference that feels more intimate than the big shows but still offers serious education, this is your spot.
The Real Conference Strategy That Most Shop Owners Miss
Here’s what I see most shop owners get wrong about conferences: they treat them like entertainment instead of investments.
They pick conferences based on location, price, or because their buddy is going. Then they show up without a plan, attend random sessions, and wonder why nothing changes when they get back to their shop.
Want to actually get value from conferences? Here’s how:
Before you go:
- Identify the 2-3 biggest challenges in your shop
- Research which sessions directly address those challenges
- Set specific goals for what you want to accomplish
While you’re there:
- Take notes like your business depends on it (because it does)
- Don’t just collect business cards, have real conversations
- Ask other shop owners specific questions about their successes
After you return:
- Implement at least one major change within 30 days
- Share key insights with your team
- Plan how you’ll measure the impact
The conferences on this list all have one thing in common: they’re focused on making you a better shop owner, not just entertaining you for a few days.
Don't Just Attend - Invest
Look, conferences aren’t cheap. Between registration, travel, hotels, and lost revenue from being away from your shop, you’re looking at serious money.
But when you choose the right conferences and approach them strategically, the ROI is incredible. I’ve seen shop owners implement one idea from VISION and transform their business in the following year. That’s not uncommon; that’s what happens when you take this stuff seriously.
At Shop Marketing Pros, we work with shops all over the country, and I can tell you this: the most successful ones are the ones that never stop learning. They invest in conferences, they invest in training, and they invest in themselves.
And if you want to maximize what you learn at these conferences with a marketing strategy that actually works for your shop, let’s talk. Book a Free discovery call today. We help shop owners turn insights into action and growth into sustainable success.
The conferences on this list will challenge you, educate you, and connect you with people who can help take your shop to the next level.
So pick one. Book your tickets. Clear your calendar. Your shop and your future deserve nothing less.
Brian Walker
Brian Walker is the Owner and CEO of Shop Marketing Pros, a marketing agency specializing in marketing independently owned auto repair shops. Brian is a Mercedes Benz Master Technician and has owned multiple shops and served as the Mechanical Division Director for ASA-NC.He’s a mechanic at heart who loves fixing things that are broken, which is why he loves marketing so much.
“Digging in and figuring out why a business’ marketing isn’t working is a lot like it was when he was elbows deep into a car that no one else could fix. When you figure it out, there’s nothing else like it.”
To get to do this for auto repair shop owners combines his passions, and he couldn’t be more excited about helping shop owners.