Car Dealership Guy Podcast

• How Cavender Built a Scalable Dealer Group: The Framework for Success | Rob Cavender & Eric Barbosa

  Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I sit down with Rob Cavender, COO of Cavender Auto Group, and Eric Barbosa, VP of Variable Operations, to discuss how they create and execute a blueprint for success in retail automotive, how they’re training salespeople to become General Managers, the growing pains of scaling a dealer group, and the secrets they've uncovered along the way—plus much more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. IkonTechnologies - Ikon Technologies was founded by dealers, for dealers, to solve the daily challenges your dealership faces. Our no-cost Lot Management Platform, with Find the Car, Find the Keys™ technology, makes finding inventory easy, while our patented Smart Marketing platform and Dealer-branded Connect app drives customer loyalty and drive revenue growth back to your dealership. Schedule a demo today to see how Ikon Technologies can help drive your dealership’s success by visiting @ https://hubs.la/Q02WVYbV0   2. Richtech Robotics - Titan is the autonomous parts delivery system that keeps techs in bays, helping you reach new heights of productivity. By eliminating wasted trips to the parts counter, Titan boosts fixed ops efficiency by up to 12%, accelerating service times and streamlining operations. Let Titan handle the heavy lifting – reducing injuries, cutting downtime, and raising your dealership’s profitability. For a limited time, Richtech Robotics is offering a FREE 2-week pilot – just cover shipping.Visit @ https://www.richtechrobotics.com/cdg to book your trial now. 3. CDG Recruiting - Building on the success of my industry job board, I’m launching CDG Recruiting — a more hands-on, personalized automotive recruiting service. Our team has decades of experience and has successfully placed over 1,000 roles in the automotive industry. So if you’re ready to find your next rockstar employee, try CDG Recruiting today by visiting @ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/    🚨 Don’t forget to subscribe to Car Dealership Guy Bites, for quick, daily insights into automotive retail — delivered in less than 5 minutes: Subscribe on Apple: https://carguymedia.com/apple_bites Subscribe on Spotify: https://carguymedia.com/spotify_bites Subscribe on YouTube: https://carguymedia.com/youtube_bites Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu Topics: 00:18 – How do authenticity and vulnerability shape leadership? 00:54 – Why are podcasts such a powerful tool? 01:54 – What has Eric Barbosa’s career journey been like? 03:47 – How has Rob’s family legacy influenced business growth? 07:25 – What lessons can be learned from running a family business? 17:00 – What strategies improve the customer experience? 29:39 – How is AI transforming customer engagement? 30:54 – How can AI redefine sales metrics? 41:58 – How do values-based leadership and emotional intelligence drive success? Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ x.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy Threads ➤ threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com

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• How to Run a Dealership Like a $10B Company: Secrets of a Lithia Motors GM | Ric Saatzer

  Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Ric Saatzer, General Manager of BMW of Minnetonka where we discuss: How to run a dealership like a $10B Company, How Lean Six Sigma has transformed his business, The role of a GM to build a winning culture of detail, and more secrets of a Lithia Motors General Manager. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: 1. Mia - Your 24/7 AI receptionist who speaks like a human, not a robot. No more "press 1" - just natural conversations for sales, service, and support. She handles everything from car shopping to appointment scheduling in multiple languages, while integrating with your systems. Never miss another lead. Learn more @ https://www.mia.inc/ 2. CDG Recruiting - Building on the success of my industry job board, I’m launching CDG Recruiting — a more hands-on, personalized automotive recruiting service. Our team has decades of experience and has successfully placed over 1,000 roles in the automotive industry. So if you’re ready to find your next rockstar employee, try CDG Recruiting today by visiting @ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ 3. OPENLANE - The world’s leading online dealer marketplace for used cars, bringing you exclusive inventory, simple transactions, and better outcomes. Learn more @ https://www.openlane.com/ 🚨 Don’t forget to subscribe to Car Dealership Guy Bites, for quick, daily insights into automotive retail — delivered in less than 5 minutes: Subscribe on Apple: https://carguymedia.com/apple_bites Subscribe on Spotify: https://carguymedia.com/spotify_bites Subscribe on YouTube: https://carguymedia.com/youtube_bites Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu Topics: 00:19 What was Ric's early career journey like? 01:28 How did Ric transition to a service advisor role? 03:30 How did positive influences impact Ric's career? 05:27 What challenges do service advisors face? 07:12 How did Ric's career progress into leadership roles? 09:05 What are the differences between public and private dealerships? 18:51 How does Lean Six Sigma contribute to process improvement? 26:18 What insights can be gained from business acquisitions? Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ x.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy Threads ➤ threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com #AutomotiveIndustry #CareerJourney #DealershipManagement

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  55:23
• A $250M Vision to Transform the Auto Retail Landscape | Brian MacDonald

  Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I’m joined by Brian MacDonald, CEO of CDK Global. We explore why he’s betting $250M on a major shift in automotive retail, the winners and losers as service department trends evolve, and his prediction for a wave of dealership acquisitions this year—and much more. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: 1. Richtech Robotics - Titan is the autonomous parts delivery system that keeps techs in bays, helping you reach new heights of productivity. By eliminating wasted trips to the parts counter, Titan boosts fixed ops efficiency by up to 12%, accelerating service times and streamlining operations. Let Titan handle the heavy lifting – reducing injuries, cutting downtime, and raising your dealership’s profitability. For a limited time, Richtech Robotics is offering a FREE 2-week pilot – just cover shipping. Visit @ richtechrobotics.com/cdg to book your trial now. 2. Kenect - The platform auto dealers are using to gather reviews, generate leads, and improve their online reputation, all powered by AI. – Visit @ https://www.kenect.com/ 🚨 Don’t forget to subscribe to Car Dealership Guy Bites, for quick, daily insights into automotive retail — delivered in less than 5 minutes: Subscribe on Apple: https://carguymedia.com/apple_bites Subscribe on Spotify: https://carguymedia.com/spotify_bites Subscribe on YouTube: https://carguymedia.com/youtube_bites Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu Topics: 00:00: Intro 00:57 How can dealers harness the power of social media? 02:25 How did CDK handle its cyberattack and recovery? 03:34 How is the automotive industry shifting towards electrification? 04:49 What trends are driving dealer consolidation? 05:31 What is the current economic outlook, and how is it affecting consumer behavior? 08:18 How is CDK demonstrating its commitment to innovation? 09:18 What role does AI play in dealership operations? 16:05 How can the car-buying experience be improved? 24:31 What challenges and innovations exist in F&I? Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ x.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy Threads ➤ threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com #AutoIndustryInsights #CybersecurityChallenges #FutureOfAutomotive

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  29:35
• Owning 11 Dealerships Was Just the Start: The Dealer-Built Solution Generating $55M/Year | Sam Mahrouq

  Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Sam Mahrouq, CEO of Ikon Technologies where we discuss: Scaling his auto group to 11 dealerships and millions in sales, How an "ah ha" moment at the dealership led him to found a $55M revenue tech company and much more. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: 1. Uber for Business - With Central, you can request a ride on behalf of your customers even if they don’t have the Uber app. If you’re ready to reduce the costs associated with maintaining shuttles and limit the liability of loaner vehicles, it's time to partner with Uber. Visit @ t.uber.com/CDGauto today 2. Lotlinx - Get the best possible market advantage on every vehicle transaction. Optimize operations and boost profits using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Learn more @ https://lotlinx.com/ 3. Ikon Technologies - Ikon Technologies was founded by dealers, for dealers, to solve the daily challenges your dealership faces. Our no\-cost Lot Management Platform, with Find the Car, Find the Keys™ technology, makes finding inventory easy, while our patented Smart Marketing platform and Dealer-branded Connect app drives customer loyalty and drive revenue growth back to your dealership. Schedule a demo today to see how Ikon Technologies can help drive your dealership’s success by visiting https://hubs.la/Q02WVYbV0 🚨 Don’t forget to subscribe to Car Dealership Guy Bites, for quick, daily insights into automotive retail — delivered in less than 5 minutes: Subscribe on Apple: https://carguymedia.com/apple_bites Subscribe on Spotify: https://carguymedia.com/spotify_bites Subscribe on YouTube: https://carguymedia.com/youtube_bites Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu Topics: 00:00: Intro 01:22: What is the story behind the ranch? 03:50: What was Sam's early life and entrepreneurial beginning like? 07:07: How did Sam's automotive journey unfold? 09:34: How did Sam scale his dealerships? 13:28: What led to the launch of Ikon Technologies? 21:05: What is Icon's white label solution? 37:52: What future innovations and AI integrations are planned? 39:38: What are the closing thoughts and personal insights from Sam? Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ x.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy Threads ➤ threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com #EntrepreneurshipJourney #CarDealershipBusiness #EffectiveTeamManagement

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  46:50
• Why Dealers Are Losing 70% of Trade-Ins—and How They’re Fighting Back | Brian Kramer

  Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I’m speaking with Brian Kramer, EVP at Cars Commerce, where we discuss: why dealers are losing 70% of trade-ins for every new car they sell, the future of data ownership for dealers, how Brian and his team are working to tackle—and beat—online vehicle price manipulation, and much more. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: 1. Dealer Pay - Designed to increase productivity and customer retention, offering a dealer-specific payment acceptance solution backed by over 25 years of experience as a trusted payments partner for dealerships across the United States. To learn more, contact Julie @ [email protected] or call 636-442-4901. 2. Pacer - Transform your dealership with Pacer, the all-in-one platform designed to optimize inventory, speed up sales, and boost profitability—all powered by real-time data and analytics. Don’t miss out: Be one of the first 50 dealers to join the waitlist by the end of NADA and unlock free shipping for an entire year. Terms and conditions apply. Visit pacer.co/free See Brian Kramer at NADA 2025, send him a DM on LinkedIn to schedule a meeting: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkramer1/ And don’t miss Cars Commerce at the big show, booth #1426, schedule a live demo here: https://www.carscommerce.inc/nada/ Check out the 2024 Auto Market Year-In-Review report, packed with data and insights on the trends and shifts in the auto industry in 2024 here: https://www.carscommerce.inc/insights-report/ 🚨 Don’t forget to subscribe to Car Dealership Guy Bites, for quick, daily insights into automotive retail — delivered in less than 5 minutes: Subscribe on Apple: https://carguymedia.com/apple_bites Subscribe on Spotify: https://carguymedia.com/spotify_bites Subscribe on YouTube: https://carguymedia.com/youtube_bites Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu Topics: 00:00: Intro 01:21: What problems come up when buying cars? 01:47: What do dealers complain about at auctions? 02:26: How do CarMax and buying cars in bulk change the market? 04:01: What are the main ways to set prices and compete? 05:03: How do customers’ experiences and dealers' actions connect? 10:26: What rules are hard to follow, and what can be done? 16:33: How can negative value in trade-in cars be fixed? 17:17: What’s happening now in buying used cars? 20:16: What problems do dealers have, and what can help? Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff: CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/ CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/ My Socials: X ➤ x.com/GuyDealership Instagram ➤ instagram.com/cardealershipguy/ TikTok ➤ tiktok.com/@guydealership LinkedIn ➤ linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy Threads ➤ threads.net/@cardealershipguy Facebook ➤ facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683 Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions. #DealershipStrategies #DataDrivenDecisions #TransparentPricing

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  36:20

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