As we close out 2025 and look ahead to a new year, National Oil and Lube News caught up with a pair of members of its editorial advisory board to check the pulse of the industry: Scott Hempy, CEO of Oilstop Drive-Thru Oil Change and Happy’s Drive-Thru Car Wash, and Shawn Gilfillan, owner of Automotive Magic and Magic Lube & Rubber.
Specifically, we asked what they viewed as the biggest story of 2025 and the biggest victory they celebrated in their shop, and we also asked them to share with NOLN readers a piece of advice to get 2026 off to a great start.
Editor’s note: Respondents’ answers were edited for length and clarity.
NOLN: In your opinion, what was the biggest story in the quick lube industry in 2025?
Scott Hempy: To me, the biggest story in the quick lube industry this year was a tale of two car counts. Large regional and national operators continued to post strong car count growth, driven by aggressive marketing budgets, digital campaigns, and deep discounting strategies, while smaller independents struggled to keep that car count. These big players leaned into paid acquisition, SMS funnels, discount channels, and loss-leader pricing to keep bays full and market share expanding. This was furthered by continued aggressive footprint expansion by many national operators.
Meanwhile, small operators, especially single-site and small multi-site shops were left feeling the pressure. Many smaller operators saw car-count declines or stagnations. The gap between large national brands and independents widened in 2025, setting the stage for even more possible consolidation heading into 2026.
Shawn Gilfillan: I think you saw in the quick lube industry—or even in the whole repair industry—I think there was a lot of fear around tariffs. There was a lot of talk about it. There was a lot of content created about it across the board. Everybody was talking about how the tariffs were going to impact us and/or the labor cost over the next handful of years and the shortage of techs. It was all that. Our supply chain, whether it be the people that do the work or the materials to do the work, I think is really where a lot of stuff was centered around.
NOLN: What was the biggest victory you and/or your team experienced this year?
Scott Hempy: Our biggest victory this year was the success of our 2025 Oilstop Leadership Symposium. This provided a transformational moment for our entire company. Bringing 120 of our managers and leaders together for three days improved our teams’ connection, alignment, and shared purpose. We watched teams from different states learn from one another, challenge one another, and build genuine community. The ripple effect has already shown up in our hospitality, car count, team engagement, and leadership confidence across our locations.
The content was strong, the breakouts were impactful, but the real victory was emotional: seeing our leaders leave with their heads high, their hearts full, and a renewed belief in what it means to serve our guests, our teams, and our communities. It was a great reminder that investing in time to develop your team and leaders has an infinite ROI.
Shawn Gilfillan: The biggest victory for me and my team this year actually was the most recent through some of the work that we've done on emotional intelligence training and team building. We had an employee that unfortunately (struggled with serious personal issues). … The way that my team was able to pivot and pull together not only for us as a as an organization between both locations, but also for him in a way that support him is, you know, his wife, and kids and just like the love and you know, the energy that I've put into really building a solid team that really is cohesive regardless of the situation, how everybody pulled together. … I’ll be the first critic of myself. My leadership is never good enough. But I'll also be willing to own the fact that like that would have never happened if I hadn't done all the things to create leaders below me.
So that was big. That one touched me a bit.
NOLN: If you could share one piece of advice with quick lube operators as we enter 2026, what would it be?
Scott Hempy: My advice is simple: Double down on hospitality. In a year where car count will be harder to win and marketing will get more expensive, the operators who create unforgettable human moments at the guest's window will outperform those who only focus on speed or price. Guests remember how you made them feel, and that’s the most defensible advantage in a crowded market.
Shawn Gilfillan: Focus on your margins. We all have to increase margins together. It's not about who's cheaper than who, but how do we all elevate? And you know the only way to be able to contribute to our team's lives is to have them be able to make more money. I mean, milk's double the price it was two years ago, right?
We all have to be able to afford to live and have happy, thriving lives. And that's something that I really take to heart. I want my people to be able to win at life. And if they're winning at life, they're winning at work and kind of vice versa. I I believe it's all one.
Looking at our operations, just being transparent and authentic with your people. I think that's where, for me, that’s the biggest lesson that I've had over the years, and I continue to push into it. Raising prices as well. Keep your margins in place.
About the Author
Tom Valentino
Editor
Tom Valentino is the editor of National Oil and Lube News. A graduate of Ohio University, he has more than two decades of experience in newspapers, public relations and trade magazines, covering everything from high school sports to behavioral health care. Tom’s first vehicle was a 1990 Mazda 626, which he used to deliver pizzas in the summer after graduating high school. Today, he drives a 2019 Jeep Compass, which usually has a trunk full of his daughter’s sports gear. In his spare time, Tom is an avid Cleveland sports fan and a volunteer youth sports coach.
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