Steve Adragna, a partner at CDG Recruiting, dives into the current trends reshaping dealership hiring. He discusses the challenges dealerships face, the rising demand for specialized roles, and the shortage of technicians. Adragna emphasizes the evolving pay structures and the increasing prominence of the $1M manager role. His insights reveal the necessity for swift hiring processes and the transformation of dealership recruitment strategies to adapt to new digital demands.

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Matthew Crawford, Chief Product & Innovation Officer at Cars Commerce. We discuss: How he designs retail experiences for 30M car shoppers, best practices for selling cars online, how dealers are gaming the marketplace algorithms and much more.This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by:DLRdmv - Everyone knows out of state titling is a major headache. It doesn’t have to be this way. Our friends at DLRdmv have created a program called DLR50 - A revolutionary approach to 50 state titling. With DLR50, your dealership now has 24/7 portal access to calculations, pre-filled forms, checklists, inquiries, plus white glove processing and specialist support. You can even acquire duplicate titles in all 50 states directly through the DLR50 platform! Visit https://www.dlr50.com/ to learn more.Car Dealership Guy Industry Job Board - Connecting world-class talent with top-notch companies in Automotive. Find your next role—or start hiring today—at https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/Cars Commerce - The platform to simplify everything about buying and selling cars. Learn more at https://www.carscommerce.inc/Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line hereInterested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name hereTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:20) - Matthew’s background(00:02:47) - Cars’ Product roadmap(00:04:37) - What are consumers looking for today?(00:06:25) - What are some best practices for folks to have their listings show up at the top in the Cars algorithm?(00:13:24) - Will consumers eventually have an AI agent that helps them find the exact car they need?(00:16:26) - Where will AI have the greatest impact?(00:19:54) - How do you avoid investing in the wrong technology?(00:24:16) - What are the biggest opportunities for marketplace right now?(00:27:18) - How do you align incentives?(00:29:31) - What’s exciting to you these days?(00:30:26) - What’s the most unexpected thing you’ve learned in automotive?Check out Cars Commerce here.Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:CDG News - https://news.dealershipguy.com/CDG Jobs - https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealershipX - https://x.com/GuyDealershipLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/Everything else - dealershipguy.comThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Mark Pomella, Vice President at SAB Capital where we discuss: The $30B market hiding within dealerships, How private equity values car lots, Dealership real estate tax hacks and much more.This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by:OPENLANE - The world’s best online dealer marketplace for used cars, bringing you exclusive inventory, simple transactions, and better outcomes. New to OPENLANE? Sign up now and receive a $350 buy fee credit. Learn more at https://www.openlane.com/Cars Commerce - The platform to simplify everything about buying and selling cars. Learn more at https://www.carscommerce.inc/SAB Capital -SAB Capital is a brokerage powerhouse of experienced investment sales professionals providing advisory services that create an impact across a variety of sectors and asset classes consisting of Net Lease, Retail, Industrial, Affordable Housing, Leasing, 1031, Sale Leaseback, and Capital Markets. Learn more at https://www.sabcap.com/Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line hereInterested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name hereTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:38) - The state of the commercial real estate market today(00:04:16) - Mark’s role at SAB Capital(00:05:48) - What are sale lease-backs?(00:07:30) - Why are dealers looking to sell their real estate as a form of financing?(00:09:48) - What is a dealer paying on average in a mortgage as a percentage of sales?(00:12:19) - Are you targeting any specific regions of the country?(00:18:51) - How does selling the real estate impact the value of the dealership?(00:22:02) - Tax consequences(00:23:05) - How do sales impact the experience of the facility? (00:25:13) - What regions and brands are performing well right now?(00:27:09) - Who are the people buying these properties(00:32:01) - How are you getting deals across the table in this market state(00:33:22) - Closing thoughtsCheck out SAB Capital here. Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:CDG News - https://news.dealershipguy.com/CDG Jobs - https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealershipX - https://x.com/GuyDealershipLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/Everything else - dealershipguy.comThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

Join Tom Doll, former CEO of Subaru of America, as he shares insights from his transformative journey in the automotive industry. Discover how he turned Subaru into a cult brand through innovative marketing like the 'Love Campaign' and strategic decisions that fostered customer loyalty. Doll discusses the importance of strong partnerships with retailers and shares the evolution of Subaru's growth amidst market challenges. Get ready for a deep dive into the emotional connections that fueled Subaru's success and the future of auto retail!

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Alan Haig, President and Founder of Haig Partners where we discuss: Best and worst auto franchises right now, Why dealerships are selling at record pace, What's next for car market and his personal letter to Elon Musk.This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: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/Car Dealership Guy Industry Job Board - Connecting world-class talent with top-notch companies in Automotive. Find your next role—or start hiring today—at https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/Haig Partners - Haig provides expert advice based on extensive retail dealership buy-sell experience to lead a confidential and customized sale process helping dealership owners maximize the value of their life's work. Learn more @ https://haigpartners.com/Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line hereInterested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name hereTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:23) - The state of the market(00:05:26) - Where do you see the industry heading over the next 12 months?(00:08:14) - Thoughts on Stellantis(00:09:16) - What brands are performing poorly?(00:15:26) - How is the market still strong in this environment?(00:19:06) - Is there fear in the dealer community?(00:24:49) - Thoughts on dealership facility upgrade requirements(00:28:29) - What are you seeing in terms of EV investments?(00:33:09) - The state of Ford(00:35:47) - What brands are high in demand?(00:42:39) - Foreign entrants(00:45:44) - Writing a letter to Elon Musk(00:50:56) - PredictionsCheck out Haig Partners here.Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:CDG News - https://news.dealershipguy.com/CDG Jobs - https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealershipX - https://x.com/GuyDealershipLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/Everything else - dealershipguy.comThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Alex Lawrence, CEO of EV Auto where we discuss: From PhD to selling Teslas, Why EV mandate should end, Decoding Elon to beat the market and much more.This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by:DealerOn - Put the power of the highest-converting, fastest-performing website platform in retail automotive to work for you. Get guaranteed results when you switch to DealerOn.Learn more at https://www.dealeron.com/Stream Companies - Full-service, fully integrated, tech-enabled ad agency doing the ordinary extraordinarily well. Learn more @ https://www.streamcompanies.com/Car Dealership Guy Industry Job Board - Connecting world-class talent with top-notch companies in Automotive. Find your next role—or start hiring today—at https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line hereInterested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name hereTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:23) - From college professor to car dealer(00:04:50 - Why are you so bought in on EVs?(00:09:36) - Why does someone buy an EV?(00:11:36) - Transitioning from marketplace to dealership(00:19:23) - What’s your gross profit per unit?(00:20:22) - Where are you acquiring vehicles?(00:22:33) - How are you attracting customers?(00:25:55) - What’s your biggest challenge?(00:28:14 - Who are EVs not for?(00:28:43) - The politics of EVs(00:32:11) - How are you solving this puzzle to make a profit?(00:34:23) - What happens to you if the used EV tax credit goes away?(00:35:50) - The politics of EV customers(00:37:42) - Tips for dealerships on selling EVs(00:44:15) - Opportunities in EV Service(00:48:39) - Pulse of the EV market(00:51:18) - What’s your grand vision?(00:54:48) - Closing thoughtsCheck out EV Auto here.Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:CDG News - https://news.dealershipguy.com/CDG Jobs - https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealershipX - https://x.com/GuyDealershipLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/Everything else - dealershipguy.comThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Brad Miller, Head of Legal at ComplyAuto where we discuss: The most costly mistakes dealers are making, Why the FTC is coming after car dealers, Top 3 "sleeper" risks in the car biz and much more.This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by:OPENLANE - The world’s best online dealer marketplace for used cars, bringing you exclusive inventory, simple transactions, and better outcomes. New to OPENLANE? Sign up now and receive a $350 buy fee credit. Learn more at https://www.openlane.com/Car Dealership Guy News - The #1 source for concise and unbiased car industry news. Stay informed with the most relevant and interesting stories by visiting https://news.dealershipguy.com/ComplyAuto - Your ultimate partner in automotive compliance solutions. Ensure your dealership stays compliant with privacy laws, cybersecurity measures, and more through our innovative software and expert guidance. Learn more at https://complyauto.com/Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line hereInterested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name hereTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:00:52) - Thoughts on the aftermath of the CDK and CrowdStrike outages(00:03:32) - Brad’s career and Comply Auto(00:05:46) - CDK breaking news(00:12:15) - What are the biggest security and regulatory risks dealers face today?(00:17:24) - The CARS rule: Is it going to happen?(00:23:27) - What are the costliest mistakes dealers are making right now?(00:29:01) - What are some quick wins dealers can implement right away?(00:32:05) - Thoughts on AI and chatbots(00:35:35) - The importance of website data(00:37:15) - Will all of this regulation hamper innovation in the car buying experience?(00:39:30) - Closing thoughtsCheck out ComplyAuto here. Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:CDG News - https://news.dealershipguy.com/CDG Jobs - https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealershipX - https://x.com/GuyDealershipLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/Everything else - dealershipguy.comThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

In this engaging conversation, Andy Elliott, the CEO of The Elliott Group, shares his inspiring journey from adversity to success. He reveals how an F5 tornado reshaped his life and led to a dramatic career shift. Andy opens up about the ethical challenges he faced, including an FBI raid, and his bold decision to leave a $1M salary to pursue his passion for sales training. He emphasizes that anyone can excel in sales through mentorship, urging everyone to experience working in a car dealership for a year.

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Fred Beans, owner of Fred Beans Auto Group where we discuss: his iconic career in the car business, wealth-building tips from Warren Buffet, the journey from farmhand to dealership mogul, his succession plan, and much more.This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by:OPENLANE - The world’s best online dealer marketplace for used cars, bringing you exclusive inventory, simple transactions, and better outcomes. New to OPENLANE? Sign up now and receive a $350 buy fee credit. Learn more at https://www.openlane.com/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 http://t.uber.com/CDGauto today Car Dealership Guy News - The #1 source for concise and unbiased car industry news. Stay informed with the most relevant and interesting stories by visiting https://news.dealershipguy.com/Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line hereInterested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name hereTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:00:50) - Fred’s background and career(00:04:00) - What was the industry like back in the ’60s and ’70s?(00:06:56) - How have you reinvested your wealth over your career?(00:09:27) - What has the learning curve been like over your career?(00:10:31) - What does your business look like today?(00:11:52) - How did you approach growing your business?(00:15:55) - What does your daily regimen look like?(00:19:45) - Has the car business meaningfully changed over the past 30 years?(00:22:30) - What led you to build your parts department?(00:27:53) - How do you think about the future of dealerships?(00:29:50) - Have you ever thought about divesting?(00:30:45) - What does your succession plan look like?(00:32:27) - What’s your advice to up-and-comers?(00:33:34) - What brands are you bullish on?(00:35:11) - Was life better 50 years ago?(00:37:24) - What are the biggest customer pain points today?(00:40:00) - Parenting(00:44:15) - Floor plans(00:46:41) - How do you approach business opportunities at your scale? (00:49:48) - Questions for Yossi(00:52:24) - Growing by staying small(00:53:23) - What are the first four pieces of information you would ask for if you took on an underperforming store?(00:56:47) - What message do you want to leave?Check out Fred Beans Auto Group here.Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:CDG News - https://news.dealershipguy.com/CDG Jobs - https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealershipX - https://x.com/GuyDealershipLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/Everything else - dealershipguy.comThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Eric Rea, CEO of Podium where we discuss: The rise of the A.I. employee in car dealerships, Hack to converting 99% of customers, Raising $420M for the future of A.I. and much more.This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: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 Car Dealership Guy News - The #1 source for concise and unbiased car industry news. Stay informed with the most relevant and interesting stories by visiting https://news.dealershipguy.com/Podium -Turn every lead from website, email, text or phone into more sales for your dealership. Podium’s AI BDC converses directly with customers to schedule test drives, answer inventory questions and even make sales with context from your website and customer history. And you’ll never miss a lead again, as Podium’s AI BDC is available 24/7, day or night. Get your first month of Podium free until August 2. Text CDG to (385) 293-3461 or visit https://bit.ly/PodiumFree1 to get started.Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line hereInterested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name hereTopics:(00:00:00) - Intro(00:00:43) - Eric’s background and career(00:05:34) - What is the state of automotive technology today?(00:11:01) - What are the real applications of AI that dealers are adopting?(00:15:43) - Revenue mining(00:16:37) - Is there any progress in AI on the service side of the industry?(00:19:20) - Are text communications as effective for dealerships?(00:23:49) - What should dealers expect how they will retail cars over the next few years?(00:31:03) - What is the bottom line ROI for this technology?(00:32:42) - What was it like selling to dealers in the early days?(00:34:47) - What other ways are you working with dealerships?(00:36:57) - Closing thoughts & the future of buying carsCheck out Podium here. Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:CDG News - https://news.dealershipguy.com/CDG Jobs - https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealershipX - https://x.com/GuyDealershipLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/Everything else - dealershipguy.comThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.