The David Spisak Show

What happens when a professional athlete’s dream ends… and a legendary automotive career begins? In this episode of The David Spisak Show, I sit down with Jack Hollis for a conversation I’ve wanted to have for a long time, one that goes far beyond titles, logos, and resumes. This is about people, purpose, grit, and what it really means to build something that lasts. Jack takes us all the way back,...

What if the most overlooked department in your dealership is actually the most powerful growth engine you have? That’s not a hypothetical. That’s the reality—and in this episode, Brian Kramer and I go straight at it. If you’ve ever felt like used cars were treated as “the other department,” or you’ve struggled with acquisition, trade capture, or keeping up with CarMax, Carvana, and a rapidly shift...

Some conversations age well. Others quietly explain the future before most people realize they’re already living in it. This one does both. In this episode of The David Spisak Show, I sit down with Rusty West, a builder, systems thinker, and one of the most consequential architects of modern automotive pricing, payments, and digital transaction logic,to unpack the ideas that reshaped an industry l...

What if the most overlooked lever in your dealership… is actually the one that determines your profitability? We talk a lot about acquisition in this business. But what happens after the car hits your lot, and more importantly, how it exits, might be the difference between grinding harder or winning smarter. In this episode of The David Spisak Show , I sit down with Joe Neiman , founder of Dealer...

What if the car business isn’t really about cars at all? In this episode of The David Spisak Show , I sit down with Adam Cherin , Variable Operations Director at Hudson Automotive Group, for a conversation that goes way deeper than rooftops, revenue, or expansion headlines. Adam’s story starts the way so many great automotive stories do, unexpectedly. A 12-year-old kid, a school shadow day, and a...

What if the most misunderstood part of the car business is the one keeping the whole thing alive? In this episode of The David Spisak Show , I sit down with Kevin Tynan , Director of Research at The Presidio Group , for a conversation that cuts past headlines, hype, and talking points—and gets to the real mechanics of the automotive industry. Kevin’s journey alone is worth the listen. From growing...

What if the secret to surviving the next era of automotive disruption isn't about technology at all, but about people, perspective, and the power of a well-earned scar or two? In this episode, I sit down with someone I’ve admired for decades, and someone who’s quietly shaped more of the modern auto tech landscape than most people will ever realize: Robert Burnett , legendary M&A leader fo...

What if the most profitable opportunity in your entire dealership isn’t something new… but something you’ve been driving past every single day? In this episode, David Spisak sits down with Todd Cooperider , the founder of Esoteric Detail, one of the most respected names in automotive preservation to unpack a quiet revolution happening inside modern retail automotive… one that most dealers won’t no...

There’s something about Thanksgiving that slows the world down in a way almost nothing else does. For one day, the noise drops. The pace eases. And we’re reminded sometimes gently, sometimes by contrast of what actually matters. In this episode, I sat down alone with a microphone and a heart full of gratitude… the kind that comes from years of hard chapters, unexpected blessings, and the people wh...

Most people think the revolution in automotive is “AI.” But what if the real disruption, the one that will separate the next decade’s winners from everyone else, is something far quieter? What if it’s the moment your systems start making decisions faster than your people can understand them? That’s the conversation I sat down for with Marianne Johnson , Chief Product Officer at Cox Automotive, liv...

What if the future of automotive innovation wasn’t 20 years away, but sitting right around the corner? At The Presidio Group Tech Summit, I sat down with Pearl Percy , Chief Development Officer at JM Group , for a conversation that perfectly captures where our industry is heading. Surrounded by art and innovation at the Denver Art Museum, we dug into what’s really driving progress in automotive, a...

Ever wonder what it actually takes to go from selling used cars in Chico, California, to running one of the top Audi dealerships in the nation? In this episode, I sit down with Brandon Hale , Executive General Manager of Fletcher Jones Audi , to unpack a 25-year journey that’s as gritty as it is inspiring. Brandon’s story isn’t your typical “worked hard and made it” tale. It’s a real-world masterc...

What if the secret to building a $9-billion company wasn’t strategy or capital—but character? In this episode, I sit down with Bill Cariss , President and CEO of Holman Growth Ventures , to explore how one of the most respected names in automotive quietly reinvented itself for the future, without losing the soul that built it. We talk about the kind of leadership you can’t fake… the moves that kep...

Ever notice how some of the biggest breakthroughs come from the most overlooked corners of the business? That’s exactly where today’s conversation goes. In this episode, I sit down with Jim Roche, founder and CEO of WarrCloud , a company that quietly built one of the most transformative innovations in fixed ops, and took seven years to bring it to life. We talk about what it really takes to stick...

In this episode, I’m joined by Jason Stein , Managing Director at The Presidio Group and host of Cars & Culture on SiriusXM . Together, we pull back the curtain on the third annual Presidio Auto Tech Summit , one of the most exclusive gatherings in the industry, where innovation meets capital and real deals get done. Jason shares what makes this event unlike anything else in automotive, includ...

In this episode, my guest is Dave Rogers, the Director of Fixed Operations at Piazza Auto Group in Pennsylvania. And let me tell you, this one’s a masterclass in earning your stripes in the automotive world. We go back to 1982, when Dave borrowed $300 from his grandmother to buy his first set of tools from Sears. From that moment, his journey through the retail auto business has been nothing short...

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: most dealers are unknowingly killing their own used car sales . I know that sounds dramatic. But stick with me, because if your used volume has flatlined, if it’s swinging up and down but never meeting your expectations, it’s probably not the market that’s holding you back. It’s the invisible limits you’ve placed on your own operation. In this episode, I’m breaking...

What happens when a kid who once felt invincible, who made more than his fair share of bad decisions, finds himself leading one of the largest auto groups in the country? That’s the story of Joshua Potts , CEO and Director of Dealership Operations at Mac Haik Auto Group. And let me tell you, it’s not the kind of story you’d expect. In this conversation, Josh opens up about: Growing up with almost...

In this episode I sit down with my longtime friend and industry powerhouse, Don Reese . For nearly 40 years, Don has been shaping the automotive landscape—partnering with giants, leading bold transformations, and now serving as CEO of the automotive sector at Franchise Equity Partners. Together, we rewind the tape back to the late ’80s, tracing Don’s unlikely entry into the business and the pivota...

Most people think great leadership comes down to charisma. The loudest voice in the room. The rockstar personality. But what if I told you that kind of leadership might actually be dangerous? In this solo episode, I unpack Jim Collins’ timeless lessons from Good to Great —and how they apply to the real-world challenges leaders face today. We dive into: Why charisma can cover up deeper organization...

What if the future of your dealership wasn’t about selling more EVs—but about understanding where the real opportunity in EVs actually is? In this episode my guest is Jimmy Douglas, Founder and CEO of Plug, the first wholesale platform built specifically for pre-owned EVs. Jimmy’s career has taken him from Tesla during some of its most intense years, to now building a company that’s changing how d...

What happens when you put culture, technology, and pure hard work into the same room? You get a story like Jeremy Beaver’s. In this episode, I sit down with Jeremy, CEO of the Del Grande Dealer Group (DGDG), one of the most innovative and people-first dealership groups in the country. We talk about how a kid making cold calls from a phone book grew into a leader shaping one of the most forward-thi...

In this episode my guests are Steve Greenfield from Automotive Ventures, Chip Perry, industry icon and former Autotrader CEO, and Dom Pope, founder of Sell My Ride . We dive into how dealers can win in the used car market at a time when acquiring the right inventory feels harder than ever. You’ll hear how Dom’s unique approach to vehicle acquisition caught the attention of Steve and Chip, why they...

In this episode, my guest is Angelo Mendola , President & COO of Priority Payment Systems Local — a guy whose business success is rooted in something far more powerful than just numbers or technology. Angelo’s journey starts in a Brooklyn restaurant at 14 years old, where he learned that the real magic in business isn’t in the “menu,” it’s in listening — finding out what people truly want and...

In this episode, I sit down with Rob Stettler—founder, president, and the driving force behind Clear Car Concepts. From wrenching on lawnmowers in freezing Amish country as a second grader… to running one of the largest automotive accessory install operations in the U.S., Rob’s story is anything but ordinary. We talk about the quiet power of consistency, what it’s really like to go six years in bu...