Industry Executives Podcasts

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 Jen Speerbrecher, Vice President at Veramatic. We dive into the "unsexy" but critical world of the dealership back office, where tribal knowledge is disappearing, and manual errors are eating into razor-thin margins. Jen explains why your DMS often fails as a source of truth and how top-performing controllers are using automation to cut month-end closing times in half while guaranteeing 100% accuracy. Want learn more? Send Jen your biggest accounting challenges at askjen@v...

In this episode of the Industry Spotlight, joining host Sam D’Arc are Damian Arras, General Sales Manager at Credit Union Auto Sales, and Barton Harris, Chief Revenue Officer of Titan Secure, to discuss a South African-inspired prevention model that stops vehicle theft before a car ever crosses the curb. Damien shares how his New Mexico dealership eliminated losses by shifting from reactive GPS tracking to proactive ignition and fuel-cut technology. Barton explains how this "prevention-first" a...

Today I'm joined by Chris Walsh, President and Acting CEO at The Reynolds and Reynolds Company. Chris breaks down how to transition from a fragmented "bolt-on" tech stack to a unified AI ecosystem that automates routine administrative tasks. This conversation provides the blueprint for "agentic" AI and the radical restructuring of the accounting and service departments over the next five years. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Podium - The AI platform trusted by one in thr...

Today Sam D'Arc is joined by Randy Parker, CEO of Hyundai and Genesis Motor North America. Randy breaks down how Hyundai is navigating a market that's down 5% in early 2026, absorbing the cost of 15–25% tariffs, managing dealer profitability and inventory pressure, and making tens of billions in U.S. infrastructure bets designed to secure the brand's next 50 years. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Reynolds & Reynolds - Reduce your cycle time with ReconVision, an automated reconditioning ...

Today I’m joined by George Karolis, President of The Presidio Group. George breaks down the tension between record-high blue sky multiples and the rising cost of capital, offering a rare look at who is buying, who is selling, and why the "big get bigger" trend is accelerating. Visit @ ⁠https://thepresidiogroup.com/v2ud⁠ to download the data discussed in today’s episode. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Amazon Autos - Sell vehicles to online shoppers who can now buy or lease at Amazon Au...

Happy New Year everyone! Today I’m recapping 2025, and giving a sneak preview of what's next for 2026. My direct line: (856) 393-5432 This episode is brought to you by: 1. Ikon Technologies - Ikon Technologies delivers a connected vehicle program for dealers that maximizes Customer Lifetime Value by driving sales efficiency and securing non-cancellable PVR on your front end while delivering an average of 50 additional customer-pay ROs every single month for your service bays. At NADA...

Today I’m joined by Alan Haig, President of Haig Partners. We dig into why Q4 buy-sell activity is suddenly exploding, which franchises are becoming “must-own” (and which aren’t), how rate cuts are reshaping buyer math, and get a sneak peek at the latest Haig Report before its released. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Equifax - Fund More Auto Loans, Faster. Auto loan applicants are 40% more likely to be funded when instantly verified by The Work Number. You can get the data you need to ...

Today I’m joined by Sanjiv Yajnik, President of Financial Services at Capital One. We cover why tech integrations are still the biggest challenge for F&I, how lenders are anticipating an EV market slowdown, why "6%" is the most important number in dealership leads and much more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. vAuto - As the industry’s premier provider of end-to-end inventory management solutions, vAuto gives every dealer—from a single point store to the largest groups—the data, insights...

Today I’m joined by Alan Haig, President of Haig Partners. We dig into why Stellantis and Nissan are still searching for the bottom, which states are commanding the highest blue sky multiples, the drivers behind Carvana’s first brick-and-mortar win and more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. 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 @ http...

Today I’m joined by Alan Haig, President of Haig Partners. We get into why tariffs and an uneasy economy aren’t slowing down dealership acquisitions, why new GMs should consider taking on underperforming stores, where profits are headed through the end of 2025—and more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. DLRdmv - Dealers, are you still stuck using outdated interstate titling methods? DLR50 from DLRdmv modernizes out‑of‑state titling by providing 24/7 sales tax, title, and registration fees,...

Today I’m joined by Jack Hollis, former COO of Toyota Motor North America. We unpack his 30-year journey helping Toyota become the #1 car brand in America, why he walked away at the top, and what he’s planning next. This episode is brought to you by: 1. 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 vehi...

Today on the show: A powerhouse panel breaks down one of the most urgent issues facing auto retail — tariffs. With major policy shifts on the horizon, I brought together some of the industry's top operators, economists, and insiders to cut through the noise and unpack what tariffs could mean for dealers, OEMs, and the entire retail ecosystem. This isn’t theory — it’s what’s coming, and how the smartest folks in the room are preparing. Before we introduce today's panelists, this episo...

Today, I’m sitting down with David Thomas, Director of Content Marketing at CDK Global to discuss: Tesla polarizing customers and the brands they are flocking to, The potential impact of auto tariffs and how manufacturers are pivoting, the coming drought of used rental inventory—plus much more. This episode is brought to you by: DriveHRIS - DriveHRIS streamlines hiring, onboarding, timesheets, PTO tracking, and payroll—all in one seamless platform. Let DriveHRIS handle HR and Safety ...

Today, I’m sitting down with Vinay Shahani, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer at Nissan/Infiniti USA. We break down Nissan’s comeback strategy, how its product mix is evolving, whether or not the brand is "over-dealered," and what it all means for the future of the franchise—plus much more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Corpay - Corpay is transforming how dealerships handle payments. We help you save time, score big rebates, and ditch manual headaches—all while syncing directly with your...

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I welcome back Alan Haig, CEO of Haig Partners to discuss: Why dealers are lining up to buy Stellantis stores, Why "Japan Inc." won't let Nissan fail, the vibe shift on dealership profitability in 2025, and how 10 million cars disappeared from American roads. This episode is brought to you by: 1. 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 t...

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I sit down with Elgie Bright, Chair at Northwood University, to discuss his game plan for the future of auto in a time of disruption, the importance of developing lifelong learners, building automotive retail curriculum to tackle tomorrow’s technologies, and much more. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Ikon Technologies - Ikon Technologies was founded by dealers, for dealers, to solve the daily challenges your dealership fa...

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I’m joined by Brian MacDonald, CEO of CDK Global. We explore why he’s betting $250M on a major shift in automotive retail, the winners and losers as service department trends evolve, and his prediction for a wave of dealership acquisitions this year—and much more. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: 1. Richtech Robotics - Titan is the autonomous parts delivery system that keeps techs in bays, helping y...

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast! In this episode, I sit down with Ernie Garcia Jr., Co-founder and CEO of Carvana. We dive into topics like the greatest comeback story of any public company ever, lessons from selling millions of cars, the future of the automotive wholesale business and much more. This episode is brought to you by: DealNow - The safe and simple way to avoid fraud, sign documents, and instantly transact any vehicle online. Learn more at https://dealnow.com/ CDG Recrui...

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Angela Zepeda, Global Head of Marketing for X, where we discuss: Her role in reshaping Hyundai's brand presence in the American Zeitgeist, Why Hyundai is leaning into EV innovation, and her vision for taking on her biggest challenge yet... the social platform, X. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: Tax Max - The Tax Max “File and Drive” Sales Event is a simple tax season program that ...

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Alan Haig, CEO of Haig Partners, where we discuss: how dealers can navigate the post-election landscape in the automotive business, Fords wild rise in recent months, the imapct on AI on dealership valuations, VW's fatal mistake rolling out the relaunched Scout brand, 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,...

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast! In this episode, I sit down with Bill Cariss, CEO of Holman Strategic Ventures, to discuss how he's deploying $9 billion into the next generation of automotive disruptors, his journey from car dealer to venture capital giant, the rollercoaster experience of being an early investor in Rivian, and much more. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: Lotlinx - Get the best possible market advantage on every vehicle tr...

Welcome to the Car Dealership Guy Podcast. In this episode, I'm speaking with Steve Adragna where we discuss: The biggest trends in dealership hiring, Demystifying pay plans, Rise of the $1M manager, Hottest automotive roles and much more. This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by: CDG Recruiting - Building on the success of my industry job board, I’m launching CDG Recruiting — a more hands-on, white-glove automotive recruiting service. Our team has decades of experie...