“Burn The Ships!” – Scott Simons’ Tactics for Fixing a Dealership From the Ground Up | Scott Simons, Dealer Principal of Simons Chevrolet GMC
Car Dealership Guy Podcast
Why He Bought Solo, Not With a Group
Scott discusses choosing independence, family values, saving discipline, and wiring a $7,500 retainer to prove commitment.
Today I’m joined by Scott Simons, Dealer Principal of Simons Chevrolet GMC.
Scott breaks down the leap from corporate leadership to dealership ownership — the money discipline, personal brand, and network it actually takes.
He lays out the unexpected challenges of buying his first store, how he navigated a sub-$10M investment, and why adaptability became his biggest edge. Dealers will walk away with clear, tactical insights on evaluating opportunities, managing risk, and jump-starting early growth.
This episode is brought to you by:
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Topics:
03:10 Key to acquiring the dealership?
06:24 How does family drive your motivation?
11:42 Biggest operational challenge and strategy?
14:13 Most crucial vendor relationship lesson?
24:59 Securing OEM approval: hardest part?
28:42 How to build a strong team?
29:52 How does networking drive career growth?
49:27 What is your ultimate legacy goal?
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