It’s funny the things that stick with us.

More than a decade ago, I was acting as show director at the control table during a live event production for, primarily, 18-22 year old young men. Not an easy group to keep entertained for an extended period of time.

As show director you’re worrying about a lot of things: trying to make sure camera angles are right, switching what the audience is seeing on the big screens, ensuring you’re staying on time, and keeping the audience from falling asleep or staying glued to their phones.

A Vietnam veteran-turned-reverend was on stage giving a presentation meant to inspire these hopeful future leaders. He had a fantastic story, but there was one thing he said that really resonated: “If you think you’re a leader, but you turn around and there’s nobody there, you’re just going for a walk.”

That phrase struck me. And it’s a phrase I think about often, especially with our efforts at International Carwash Association.

Part of our responsibility to the car wash industry is to lead. In recent years, we’ve changed our strategic plan to incorporate enhanced Association partnerships, added a variety of new event offerings like Splash! and Car Wash Show Europe, invested resources into working with automotive manufacturers on the “washability” of today’s vehicles, and continued our efforts to produce best-in-class research and information for our industry.

It’s exciting to see that industry professionals like you are walking this path with us. We see great support in the direction we’re headed, from our work to strengthen our Association partnerships to producing best-in-class events for car wash professionals and in producing publications like the one you’re reading.

In this issue of CAR WASH Magazine, we focus on leadership, including hearing from some of our Emerging Leaders Scholarship winners and we continue our efforts to highlight the amazing people in our industry. Thank you for your ongoing support of our work, and for making sure that we’re not just going for a walk.