An Open and Honest Approach to Marketing With Dan Kahn of Kahn Media

Dan Kahn is the Founder and CEO of Kahn Media, a public relations and marketing agency based in Los Angeles specializing in the automotive aftermarket. A lifelong car enthusiast, Dan began his career at age 16 by pitching and landing magazine features on a Mustang he restored with his father. Before founding Kahn Media in 2008, he worked as an automotive journalist and launched digital content platforms. His latest book, The New Rules of the Road, outlines his philosophy on transparency, digital strategy, and authority marketing in a fast-evolving business world.

In this episode…

Trust and transparency are reshaping the way brands connect with customers. In industries like automotive repair and aftermarket services, reputation is everything. How can leaders and marketers build lasting customer relationships without relying on old-school sales tactics?

According to Dan Kahn of Kahn Media, authentic engagement starts with openness and education. Drawing from decades of experience in automotive journalism and agency leadership, Dan explains how businesses can thrive by prioritizing customer empowerment and honesty. He highlights the power of authority marketing and the need to communicate value without overpromising.

On this episode of Gain Traction, Mike Edge chats with Dan about keys to brand authenticity, customer trust, and business resilience. Dan shares personal stories of success and failure, insights from his book, and actionable tips for both local tire shops and national brands.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• [01:53] The Mustang project that launched Dan Kahn's media career at 16
• [05:32] The significance of converging PR and marketing in modern business
• [07:09] Why Dan founded Kahn Media to serve a gap in the auto industry
• [8:38] The concept of "open, honest, and transparent" brand storytelling
• [11:36] How education trumps selling in building customer loyalty
• [12:46] Flat-rate pricing and transparency in auto repair shops
• [13:52] Owning mistakes and regaining trust with clients
• [25:49] How a small-town tire shop survived national competition through community ties

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Dan Kahn Website | LinkedIn
• Kahn Media
• The New Rules of the Road by Dan Kahn 
• Mike Spagnola on LinkedIn
• SEMA
• Mike Edge on LinkedIn
• Tread Partners

Quotable Moments: 

• "Don’t sell — just educate. If people don’t get it, they’re not your customer."
• "Transparency makes me feel like I’m part of the process — and I’m happy to pay more for that."
• "Our biggest hurdle with new clients is fixing the damage done by other agencies."
• "When you own your mistakes, people respect you more and keep coming back."
• "Marketing is like falconry — you need to stay just hungry enough to stay sharp."

Action Steps: 

1. Adopt a transparency-first mindset: Build trust with customers by openly sharing your process, costs, and updates.
2. Stop selling, start educating: Empower your audience with knowledge rather than pressure them with sales pitches.
3. Commit to consistent business development: Avoid complacency by always nurturing your pipeline, no matter how busy you are.
4. Engage in community marketing: Sponsor local events and be present — authenticity creates brand resilience.
5. Turn mistakes into loyalty builders: Admit errors quickly, provide solutions, and use failures to deepen relationships.

Sponsor for this episode...

This episode is brought to you by Tread Partners. 

At Tread Partners, we provide digital marketing for multi-location tire dealers and auto repair shops. 

By using our strategy, branding, and marketing services, we help shops sell more tires and put more cars in bays.

We’ve helped companies like Action Gator Tire, Colony Tire and Service, and Ulmer’s Auto Care Center bring extreme growth in paid leads, ROI, and searches. 

So, what are you waiting for?

Visit www.treadpartners.com or email [e-mail] to learn more.