Super U Podcast | Empowering Tomorrow’s Craftsmen with Matt Ebert

Today, Erik sits down with the CEO of Crash Champions, Matt Ebert. Crash Champions is a prominent player in the automotive collision repair sector. As the founder and CEO, Ebert’s entrepreneurial drive propelled a local New Lenox, IL repair center, to become the third-largest multi-shop operator (MSO) in the U.S. Under his leadership, Crash Champions has expanded to over 600 locations across 37 states, garnering recognition from industry experts and investors.

Need a sneak peek? Below are the main takeaways from the episode.

Episode Preview:

“Collision work has been my life’s work. I wrecked my car when I was 16, so I got into the industry—literally—by accident. I needed to fix my car and knew a technician who worked out of his garage after hours. I asked him to show me how to repair it, and that experience led me to start fixing other cars with him. Since then, this has been my career.

Fast forward to 1999—I was in my late 20s, managing a shop when the owner presented an opportunity to open one together. I entered into a partnership with him, and we opened our first shop under a simple, straightforward name: New Lenox Auto Body, based in New Lenox. We remained partners in that business for 15 years until he decided to retire. At that point, I was able to buy him out and finally begin expanding beyond the single location we owned together.

In 2014, I rebranded the business as Crash Champions. I had watched the industry consolidate and saw other companies growing, and I wanted to do the same. However, my partner at the time was 20 years older than me and wasn’t interested in further expansion, so I had to wait. I felt like I was missing out on a lot of opportunities, but in hindsight, I realize there was still plenty ahead.

From 2014 to 2019, I grew the business independently. Then, in the summer of 2019, with 11 locations at the time, I partnered with a private equity firm. Since then, the company has expanded significantly—today, we are just shy of 650 locations.

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From the very beginning of my business journey, I took on significant risk. To open my first business, I cash-advanced $100,000 on credit cards. I quietly accumulated multiple cards and then withdrew the full amount all at once. It was a bold move, but I believed in what I was building.

Starting a business from scratch is never easy. When we opened that first body shop, just getting the first customer through the door was a challenge. We had no existing accounts—just an empty shop waiting for its first job.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that challenges are inevitable. That realization taught me perseverance and persistence. More importantly, it taught me to find opportunity within adversity. Every challenge presents an opportunity—you might not see it immediately, but if you push through, it becomes clear on the other side. That mindset has always kept me focused on the goal.”

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The Super U Podcast is hosted by #1 bestselling author and Motivational Speaker Erik Qualman.