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Franchised Dealers Podcasts

Oct. 23, 2025

From $270M to $490M: Ryan Downing on Growth, Family Business, and Wha…

Today I’m joined by Ryan Downing, Dealer and CEO of Ross Downing Auto Group. We break down his plan to scale to 20 dealerships by 2040 , how he’s achieved 100% absorption at every store , and what it took to grow group revenu...

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Oct. 21, 2025

30 Days In: How Phil Pecoraro’s 26 Years Are Powering His First Store…

Today, special guest host Sam D’Arc is joined by Phil Pecoraro, Operating Partner at Murdock Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. We dig into Phil’s first month running his new store — why he’s returning to the same dealership where he e...

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Oct. 14, 2025

Inside the Culture Shift Powering Paradise Chevrolet: From People to …

Today I’m joined by Katelyn Gilmore, General Manager of Paradise Chevrolet Cadillac. We dive into why she’s doubling down on the world’s first fleet-only service center , her playbook for attracting and keeping Gen Z talent ,...

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Oct. 11, 2025

Appraisal Landmines Costing Dealers $1,000's — And How To Defuse Them…

Welcome to Industry Spotlight—a focused series hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlighting standout dealerships and innovative companies, and exploring the trends driving success in today’s automotive market. Today, Sam sits down with ...

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Oct. 2, 2025

“Let’s Buy Everything!” — Scaling the Playbook for a High-Volume Car …

Today I’m joined by Brent Faron, manager at Bo Beuckman Ford. We cover Brent’s journey from cleaning cars to leading one of the Midwest’s largest single-point buy centers, the AI tools he’s using to acquire 100 cars a month, ...

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Sept. 30, 2025

The Battle Between Dealers and OEMs: Why They Have to Win—or Lose—Tog…

Today I’m joined by Joseph Agresta, Jr., Chair of the Mercedes-Benz Dealer Board. We get into why his top salespeople are fluent in Korean, the future of Mercedes EVs in a post–tax credit market, and how outdated incentive st...

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Sept. 25, 2025

The Old-School Process Still Killing Dealer Productivity – And How To…

Welcome to Industry Spotlight—a focused series hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlighting standout dealerships and innovative companies, and exploring the trends driving success in today’s automotive market. Today, Sam sits down with ...

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Sept. 23, 2025

“I Want to Build It Even Bigger!”: The Dealer Turning Tragedy into Mo…

Today I’m joined by Whitney Yates Woods, Dealer Principal at Yates Buick GMC & Yates Mitsubishi. We discuss how the loss of her father pulled her from a successful real estate career into leading a single-point dealership, he...

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Sept. 16, 2025

"There's No Technician Shortage!" – The Mastermind Behind Bozard's Se…

Today I’m joined by Ed Roberts, COO at Bozard Ford Lincoln. We discuss how Ed scaled a team of 165 technicians from scratch, the strategies behind his world-class service lane, his unlikely entry into dealerships nearly 30 ye...

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Sept. 11, 2025

The Time Bomb In Labor Rate Increases (& How Dealers Are Maximizing P…

Welcome to Industry Spotlight—a focused series hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlighting standout dealerships and innovative companies, and exploring the trends driving success in today’s automotive market. Today, Sam sits down with ...

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Sept. 4, 2025

Against All Odds: This Dealer's Rise from Refugee to 29-Store Auto Em…

Today I’m joined by Mario Murgado, CEO of Murgado Automotive Group. We cover Mario’s dramatic escape from communist Cuba, his journey to building a 29-store dealership empire across five states, the growth model fueling expan...

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Sept. 2, 2025

"Fewer Leads, More Sales"– Massive Upsides, Fatal Flaws, and Sobering…

Today I’m joined by Daniel Kim, Director of Operations at Barnes Crossing Auto Group. His journey from tech entrepreneur to dealership operations leader, the promises and pitfalls of AI BDCs, why he insists his team stay on t...

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Aug. 31, 2025

Remote Deliveries Are Booming—So Is Fraud (Here’s How to Stay Safe) |…

Welcome to Industry Spotlight—a focused series hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlighting standout dealerships and innovative companies, and exploring the trends driving success in today’s automotive market. Today, Sam sits down with ...

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Aug. 26, 2025

50+ Dealerships Later: The Car Business Lessons of an Industry Legend…

Today I’m joined by John Bergstrom, Executive Chairman of Bergstrom Automotive. We discuss his legendary 50 year career in the car business, the exponential growth curve his dealership empire is on, Why he has no plans for re...

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Aug. 19, 2025

From the Sales Floor to the GM’s Chair: Her $1M Kia Journey (And What…

Today I’m joined by Lauren Wilson Reeves, GM at Wilson Kia. We discuss her path from plastic surgery technician to high-powered GM, the untapped potential of having more women on the sales floor, how her open-door leadership ...

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Aug. 17, 2025

From Dead Weight to Cash Flow: The Transfer Fix for Aging Cars | Indu…

Welcome to Industry Spotlight—a focused series hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlighting standout dealerships and innovative companies, and exploring the trends driving success in today’s automotive market. Today, Sam sits down with...

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Aug. 12, 2025

"You Don't Know What You Don't Know": The Mindset Shift Behind a $500…

Today I’m joined by Josh Potts, CEO of Mac Haik Automotive Group. We dive into how living in his car at 17 sparked his journey into auto retail, his rapid rise to GM at one of Houston’s top dealerships, and how he built a $50...

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Aug. 5, 2025

The Dealer Hacking ChatGPT: The Prompt Strategy That Doubled Close Ra…

Today I’m joined by Josh Clinton, GM of Cape Coral CDJR. We dive into how he doubled his close rate using simple AI prompts, the headwinds Stellantis is facing after cutting key models, the evolving role of the salesperson in...

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July 31, 2025

Cut Costs, Go Viral: Taverna INFINITI's Repeatable Formula for Domina…

Welcome to Industry Spotlight—a focused series hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlighting standout dealerships and innovative companies, and exploring the trends driving success in today’s automotive market. Today, Sam sits down with ...

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July 29, 2025

“Ego Doesn’t Sell Cars” – 30 Years of Brutal Truths on Leadership & H…

Today I’m joined by Jeff Laethem, President of Ray Laethem Buick GMC. We dig into why "ego doesn't sell cars"—and how Jeff learned that lesson the hard way, why Buick might be on the brink of a major comeback, what made him p...

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July 24, 2025

The Road To 40 Stores Within 10 Years – Proven Frameworks To Scale Ef…

Today I’m joined by Kyle Coleman, CEO of Coleman Automotive Group. We unpack his bold plan to scale to 40 stores in 10 years, the frameworks driving rapid growth, why investing in top talent is non-negotiable and much more. T...

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July 22, 2025

45 Years Running Top Dealerships: Howard Tenenbaum’s Brutal Truths fo…

Today I’m joined by Howard Tenenbaum, President of Keyes Automotive Group. We dive into his 45-year run leading top dealerships, why survivorship bias distorts the industry, how a Tony Award barely cracks his top achievements...

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July 17, 2025

"Customers Calling the Service Dept is a Sign of Failure" — Inside Ho…

Welcome to Industry Spotlight—a focused series hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlighting standout dealerships and innovative companies, and exploring the trends driving success in today’s automotive market. Today, Sam sits down with ...

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July 15, 2025

“Innovate Or Evaporate”– How Small Dealer Groups Can Win In Ultra-Com…

Today I’m joined by Richard Lupo, Fixed Operations Director at Apple Tree Automotive. We dig into why he’s training master techs from the ground up, how streamlining the online service flow drove a 10x jump in appointments, a...

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