Franchised Dealers Podcasts

Today I'm joined by Frank Esparza, General Manager at Tracy Honda. Frank walks through how his Honda store in Tracy, California, turned a stagnant pay plan into more than a million dollars in net profit growth in twelve months. He breaks down enforcing minimum sales standards, why he moved his advertising budget from broad reach to buyers already in the market, and how a lending partner is approving finance deals that traditional banks reject outright. Topics: 03:00 Raising Standards Drove $...

Today I'm joined by Husband and Wife, Kelly and Rob Ruth of Bob Ruth Ford. Married 24 years, Rob and Kelly built the dealership together while he worked bell-to-bell, 78-hour weeks, and she ran the household solo, raising their kids largely on her own. Kelly reveals the role she played long before it had a title, shaping personnel decisions from behind the scenes and backing Rob's zero-revenue media bet on nothing but belief before any money came in. Topics: 05:45 Why Growth Meant...

Today I'm joined by Nick LaSorsa, Director at LaSorsa Auto Group. Nick runs two very different stores in the New York metro, and he lays out the exact playbook he uses to keep both profitable heading into 2026. He explains how a single hiring platform audit uncovered more than $15,000 in wasted spend, why he cancels every vendor contract the day he signs it, and how a mobile fleet service built around school bus recalls became one of the highest-margin corners of his business. Topics: 03:00 ...

In this episode of the Industry Spotlight, joining host Sam D'Arc are Mike Martucci, General Manager at Jim Ellis Kia, and Kevin Esmezyan, Chief Product Officer at Matador AI to discuss how conversational AI is turning a three-person sales team handling 700 leads a month into a machine that doubles close rates and books service appointments at nearly 90% — while most dealers are still missing after-hours calls and watching customers drive to the competition. Mike walked into a store with a li...

Welcome to Dealer War Room from Car Dealership Guy, where we sit down with top operators to break down how they're navigating the biggest challenges in auto retail. These three rural store owners share the specific moves working right now: Scott Simons bought a Chevy store for $6.9M and tripled sales & fixed ops in under a year. Rob Ruth built a street-sourcing machine buying 300 cars/month from consumers at a 7% cost advantage over auction. Kyle Coleman launched a $59.99 oil change, dr...

In this episode of the Industry Spotlight, joining host Sam D'Arc are Aaron Zeigler, President of Zeigler Auto Group, and Johnny McKellar, who leads NationsGuard for Hendrick Automotive Group, to discuss why Zeigler is leaving its third-party warranty provider to stand up its own dealer-owned program, Zeigler Guard, and what Rick Hendrick himself says has been the single best decision in his 50 years in the car business. Rick Hendrick joins the conversation to explain how his dealer-owned ...

In this episode of the Industry Spotlight, joining host Sam D'Arc are Karen Chagnon, VP Sales at Guidepoint Systems, and Ferris Hamdan, General Manager at Wesley Chapel Honda, to discuss why most dealers are operating blind — unaware of which vehicles on their lot have a dead battery, a check engine light, or low fuel, and equally unaware of what's happening inside the vehicles they already sold, data their manufacturer sees but doesn't share with them. Ferris walks through how Wesley Chap...

Today, Sam D'Arc is joined by Jon Alcorn, Operating Partner at Dogwood Automotive Group. Winchester, Virginia's three-brand Dogwood Auto Group hasn't printed a paper pencil in over a year, yet grosses are up, and finance penetration sits at 89%. Jon breaks down the two systems behind that shift: a salesperson efficiency scorecard that grades reps from 113% down to 58% on metrics they can actually control, and a digital retailing stack that will deliver a 30-second actual cash value and a 60-s...

In this episode of the Industry Spotlight, joining host Sam D'Arc are Ben Atkinson, VP of Auto Lending at Upstart, and Evan Driscoll, General Sales Manager at Audi Jacksonville to discuss why the credit score has become the most overrated number in auto lending and how a full-spectrum dealership running everything from $2,000 used cars to $400,000 Rolls-Royces gets first-time buyers approved at competitive rates with no money down. Evan breaks down how a slow approval costs his store at least $...

Today I'm joined by Marcello Sciarrino, Co-Owner at Island Auto Group. Marcello runs 20 stores across New York and New Jersey — the 37th largest business in New York State, ahead of the Yankees and the Giants — and he watched peers go from 3 stores to 12 overnight while he and his partners sat on their hands. He breaks down the math trap killing over-leveraged dealers, why brokers in the New York market are secretly extracting thousands per deal at the consumer's expense, and why his next big ...

Today I'm joined by Corina Straub Diehl, CEO and President at Diehl Automotive Group. After the sudden loss of her husband in 2007, Corina ignored advice to sell the business and instead scaled it into a 24-store powerhouse generating over a billion dollars in revenue. This conversation breaks down her "rebel" leadership style, her aggressive 5-year ROI acquisition strategy, and why she views collision centers as the ultimate customer retention tool. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Ope...

Today I'm joined by Erikka Tiffani, General Manager at Walser Hyundai Brooklyn Park. In an industry defined by grind and tradition, Erikka breaks down how Walzer has successfully implemented a 4-day work week and a non-commissioned sales model. We discuss the transition from traditional F&I "boxes" to a one-point-of-contact system that actually maintains high PVR. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Podium - the AI platform trusted by one in three dealerships. Podium helps dealers consolida...

Welcome to Dealer War Room from Car Dealership Guy — a new series where host Yossi Levi sits down with top operators to break down the biggest challenges in auto retail. Today I’m joined by Matt Bowers, Owner of Matt Bowers Automotive Group, Todd Blue, CEO of LAPIS, and Andy Wright, Managing Partner of VINart Dealerships. In this episode, we get into the growing tension between dealers and OEMs — from affordability and negative equity to mandated tech. We also break down the split in the buy-s...

Today I'm joined by Rob Cochran, 2026 Chairman of NADA and CEO of #1 Cochran. We dive into the high-stakes world of dealer advocacy, exploring how NADA defeated the onerous CARS rule and why the FTC still has the industry in its crosshairs. Rob breaks down the "alignment gap" between OEMs and dealers, the looming threat of Chinese EVs, and why the franchise system must overhaul the customer experience to survive. This episode is brought to you by: 1. EasyCare - Pulseprotectsusa.com is provid...

Today I'm joined by Fred Timbrook, CEO at Timbrook Automotive. We dive into Fred's unique diversification into Power Sports, the intense efficiency required to run a high-volume collision center, and the personal philosophy of a dealer who also serves as a senior pastor. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Experian - By combining precise audience targeting with deep automotive insights, you can identify high-intent buyers, re-engage existing customers, drive service retention, and grow both...

Today I'm joined by Brian Dorsett, President of Dorsett Automotive. Brian breaks down why he is moving away from OEM-mandated digital spend, his "Big Stick" radio branding tactics, and the strict inventory rules required to survive in today's margin-compressed market. We also discuss the "catcher's view" of leadership and the reality of managing sub-prime and prime brands under one campus. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Lotlinx - Meet LotGPT, your AI Inventory Strategist built exclusiv...

Today, Sam D'Arc is joined by Joey Logano, NASCAR Driver and Co-Owner of Huntersville Ford. Joey breaks down his transition from the NASCAR track to the dealership floor, revealing how he applies a "Sunday report card" mentality to retail operations. We explore the complexity of managing inventory, the "brutal" nature of automotive competition, and why Joey is focused on building a generational legacy beyond racing. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Openlane - The world’s best online dea...

Today I'm joined by Michael Joe Cannon, Owner of Cannon Motors of Mississippi. After stepping away from a coaching career at Ole Miss to take over his father’s 12x12 used car lot, Michael has scaled his group to 37 rooftops by treating business like a team sport. He breaks down his "Circle of Life" philosophy, explaining why employee stability is the ultimate defensive play against market volatility and direct sales threats. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Podium - The AI platform trus...

Today I'm joined by John Hiester, Dealer Principal at John Hiester Automotive Group. In this conversation, we discuss how video and AI are transforming sales and F&I coaching, why Hiester moved toward salaried “product specialists,” and how diversification—from parts distribution to real estate—creates new stability beyond vehicle sales. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Lotlinx - Meet LotGPT, your AI Inventory Strategist built exclusively for car dealers. Fluent in your market, your deal...

Today I'm joined by David Wyler, CEO of Jeff Wyler Automotive Family. We dig into why Wyler abandoned traditional corporate management in favor of a “coach” model, how a strict 100-mile acquisition rule protects execution, and why culture—not capital—is the only defensible edge left in consolidation. David also unpacks his massive acquisition of the Midwest Auto Group, the lessons of stagnation during COVID, and what it really takes to scale a family business without losing its soul. This epi...

Today I'm joined by Michael Maroone, Chairman and CEO of Maroone USA. Michael breaks down why new cars are becoming commodities, where profit has actually migrated, and why culture, curiosity, and operational freedom matter more than pay plans. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Podium - 78% of customers buy from the first business that responds, yet most businesses reply an hour or more late. Jerry 2.0 is the only fully customizable AI Employee. Jerry learns your playbooks, understands y...

Today I'm joined by Matt Stuckey, President of Stuckey Automotive. Matt explains how real estate mandates, throughput targets, and workforce pipelines intersect, and why productivity—not volume—is the real competitive edge in today’s market. This episode is brought to you by: 1. iPacket - iPacket also offers iPacket Recon, iPacket OnTargeting and iPacket Value - the newest product to the iPacket line-up. iPacket partners with thousands of dealer partners and is headquartered in Williamstown, ...

In this episode of the Industry Spotlight, we dive into why used car success in 2026 is no longer just about the purchase price, but about the high-stakes ability to acquire and articulate a vehicle's complete story. Joining host Sam D’Arc is Doug Horner of General Sales Manager at Mercedes-Benz of North Olmsted and Tyler Astorg, Vice President Sales at iPacket to discuss how precision data—specifically knowing the exact options and trim levels—serves as a dealer's ultimate superpower. The...

Today I’m joined by Donald Kemp, General Sales Manager at Stowasser Buick GMC. We dig into why human-first social content is outperforming inventory posts, how moving F&I earlier drives higher penetration, and where dealers are quietly leaking money through junk fees. The conversation is tactical, practical, and immediately applicable for stores feeling margin pressure. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Experian Automotive - Like most Car Dealership Guy Listeners, you’re constant...