“Take On The Big Boys!” — Inside the Mind of a 70+ Rooftop Canadian Auto Giant Taking on the U.S. | Jared Priestner, CEO of Go Auto

Dec 25, 2025

Jared Priestner, CEO of Go Auto, shares insights from his journey in the Canadian automotive retail sector. He discusses the aggressive U.S. expansion driven by concentration risk in Canada. Topics include the balance of culture across borders, the importance of clarity in compensation to build trust, and how a people-first approach contrasts with tougher management styles. Jared highlights used cars as a significant profit driver and advocates for a customer-centric strategy that combines technology with a personal touch.

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ANECDOTE

Stepwise U.S. Expansion Began Near Home

Jared describes early U.S. expansion with seven stores including Mercedes and Toyota in Bellingham and multiple stores in L.A. and Washington State.
He frames the U.S. entry as strategic and incremental, starting near Canada then moving into tougher markets like LA.

ANECDOTE

Driving School Was A Trial By Fire

Jared recounts running a driving school at age 18–19 as his first business test and learning by making many mistakes.
That trial-by-fire led him into car sales where he discovered a passion for selling and operations.

INSIGHT

Scale Requires Process Then Brand-Specific Flex

Jared explains growth as slow, then systemized using processes inspired by Van Tuyl to scale multiple stores.
He later realized one-size-fits-all processes failed across different brands, prompting decentralization.

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