Meet Donavon Chandler

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Donavon Chandler a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Donavon, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I found my purpose when Powerhouse Mobile Dyno became something bigger than just me. What started as a way to stay connected to cars grew into a shared effort that brought my family together with the car community. Behind the scenes, my wife, Ashley, handles much of the travel preparation, secures vehicles on the dyno, and guides them onto the ramps at events. My oldest daughter, Tasha, manages social media, clothing, and documentation while supporting daily event operations. My youngest, Emma, helps with sign-ups and connects with customers at events. Along the way, we also gained friends who truly became family—Alex from Dude Tuned, who helped build and tune Grimace while showing up at any hour, and Matt from C10 Shenanigans and his family, who make the effort to be at our events and consistently support us, always willing to help however they can.

Scott and his family help plan and DJ select events. Curt and his family DJ and hype the crowd at others. Brody and Michelle have been a great addition to the family. Seeing everyone involved, along with how the car community continues to show up for us, gave the work deeper meaning. With more than 37,000 subscribers and the community pushing toward 40,000, it’s clear people aren’t just watching content; they’re invested in the journey. That realization showed me this was no longer about horsepower or numbers. It became about building something real—something people believe in and want to be part of.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Powerhouse Mobile Dyno is a fully portable Dyno testing service that brings real horsepower and torque measurement directly to car shows, meets, shops, and no-prep drag racing events. Instead of owners hauling their cars to a facility, we bring the Dyno to them — turning testing into a live, high-energy experience.

One of the things car owners and builders love most is being able to ride in their own car during testing. Whether we’re at a shop or at a large event, drivers are part of the process from start to finish. At events, it’s more than just numbers — their cars are pulled onto the dyno right in front of massive crowds, with the rollers spinning, engines screaming, and fans cheering them on as they become part of the show

What makes Powerhouse Mobile Dyno special is how hands-on and community-focused we are. I personally operate the Dyno, work closely with each owner, and take the time to explain results, answer questions, and make sure every car is treated with care and respect. The goal isn’t just accurate data — it’s creating an experience that builders, racers, and spectators all connect with.

That connection has helped us grow a strong online presence, with over 37,000 YouTube subscribers and the car community actively pushing us toward 40,000. People aren’t just watching content — they’re invested in the journey and the events we support.

Each year, we continue to add new events and expand our reach across the Midwest. Looking ahead to next summer, we’ll be traveling to Georgia three times to support the Super GP Americas, marking a major step in expanding Powerhouse Mobile Dyno’s presence beyond the Midwest and further across the United States.

At its core, Powerhouse Mobile Dyno exists to serve the car community — giving builders a platform, creating unforgettable moments, and bringing real horsepower to the people, wherever they are.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Consistency and Reliability

One of the most impactful qualities in my journey has been consistency. Showing up prepared, on time, and delivering the same level of quality every single time builds trust — and trust is everything in business and in the car community. Events, customers, and partners remember who follows through.
Advice: Don’t focus on being flashy early on. Focus on being dependable. Do the small things right, over and over, and momentum will follow.

2. Technical Understanding Paired with Communication

Knowing how things work is important, but being able to explain them clearly is just as critical. Dyno numbers, torque curves, and performance data don’t mean much if people don’t understand what they’re seeing. Learning how to communicate technical information in a way that makes sense helped me build credibility and stronger relationships.
Advice: Invest time in learning your craft deeply, then practice explaining it simply. Teaching others reinforces your own knowledge and builds confidence.

3. Community Mindset and Approachability

Approaching the journey with a community-first mindset has been one of the most impactful parts of my growth. We focused on serving builders, racers, and event hosts — not just transactions. Creating experiences, celebrating others’ work, and being approachable and real helped build trust far beyond a single event or service.

By working directly with people, answering questions, and making them feel included, those interactions started to matter just as much as the results. Over time, that consistency turned customers into supporters and supporters into advocates. When people have a genuine experience, they remember it — and they’re far more likely to recommend you when someone needs your services.

Advice: Be present, be approachable, and invest in people. When you focus on serving the community first, your reputation grows naturally and your name becomes one people trust and talk about.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Yes — we’re always open to collaborating with people and organizations who genuinely care about the car community. The best partnerships we’ve built have come from working with event organizers, builders, racers, shops, and brands that value quality, safety, and creating memorable experiences for car owners and fans.

We’ve been fortunate to partner with brands like GP Headers, Thompson Motorsports, Dynojet Research, Trail Side Convenience Store, Mechman Alternators, Dude Tuned, Ton’s Performance, Shearer Fabrications Inc, and ProCharger Superchargers — partners who share a community-first mindset and support grassroots motorsports.

Looking ahead, we’re especially interested in collaborating with event hosts who want Dyno testing to be a centerpiece attraction, builders and racers who are passionate about showcasing their work, and brands that believe in being present and engaged at the ground level of the car scene.

If someone is interested in collaborating, the best way to connect is through our social media platforms or our website. We’re approachable, active, and always open to starting a conversation to see if there’s a good fit. For us, the right collaboration isn’t just about exposure — it’s about building something meaningful that benefits the entire community.

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