The Walk Around

What should dealers be thinking about when it comes to digital retail and eCommerce? Is one form of sales better than the other? Emily Chonko, Director of eCommerce at Cox Automotive, joins the podcast to answer pressing questions on the future of car sales amidst changes over the past few years resulting from inventory levels, consumer buying habits and the pandemic. As a child, Emily developed a...

Dubbed by Elliot as a modern-day renaissance man, David Spisak, President and CEO of Disruptive Growth Solutions, LLC sure has the resume to prove it. He didn’t go to college, but his desire to hustle and see results propelled him to reach success in his endeavors. David’s expertise is apparent throughout his nearly 40-year career – he’s served as a dealership operator where he achieved $29 millio...

Every leader in the automotive industry will want to hear this episode.   Natalia Giner, CEO at A2Z Sync, an automotive software solution for dealers, is a 20-year veteran of the car industry. Throughout her career, she’s navigated her fair share of ups and downs, while becoming a leader in a field that is still heavily male-dominated. With humbleness and vulnerability, she shares her experiences...

Nicole Wakelin is no stranger to the automotive world – you have probably seen her work in U.S. News & World Report, The Boston Globe, Motor1 and Forbes (among others). Or maybe you’ve seen her coming in first among all novice entries in the 2022 Mille Miglia Warm-Up. Whether in the U.S. or abroad, Nicole, a renowned journalist, covers industry breaking news, writes reviews, and often attends...

A great commercial can impact your emotions, evoke action to buy/support a brand, and stick with you for years to come. Whether creating commercials for YouTube or print ads, dealers can benefit from understanding how to maximize marketing materials. In this episode of The Walk Around podcast, hosts Marc Spoto and Elliot Schor discuss what dealers should know about advertising and marketing in tod...

What is the biggest hesitation for consumers when considering an electric vehicle purchase? How should dealers start to think differently about marketing EVs to their consumers? Listen in as AJ Detrick, Head of Sales in the US for Swedish automotive brand Polestar, answers these pressing EV questions – and more. AJ shares sales techniques, his thoughts on consumer adoption to EVs and his personal...

The auto industry continues to face a rise in electric vehicles, shortages in labor and speculation over the future of dealership relevancy as direct-to-consumer manufacturers like Tesla impact traditional sales processes. Today’s guest, Jason Stein, is well-positioned to discuss these trends and others impacting  dealers, and spotlight what they can be excited (yes, excited!) about over the next...

With the rising prevalence of online car buying and digital purchase pathways, in what ways can dealerships maximize their presence to engage consumers and turn those engagements into meaningful in-person experiences? We dig into the details and much more in this episode of The Walk Around. Customer acquisition is a necessity for all retailers, and digital engagement is a key resource for meeting...

Has employee hiring and retention been a pressing issue for your dealership lately? With a slowing economy and inventory shortages still present, retention is a prevalent issue at dealerships nationwide. Adam Robinson, Co-Founder and CEO at Hireology, details his thoughts on the industry’s service demand and what dealers can do to mitigate turnover. For over 20 years, Adam has shared his expertise...

It’s 2022, we can celebrate podcast birthdays right? Well it’s our second birthday at The Walk Around podcast, and we couldn’t be more excited. Throughout the production of more than 50 episodes (wow!), we’ve discussed the automotive trends and issues facing the modern industry with thought leaders across the nation. In this episode, Marc Spoto and Elliot Schor are joined by our first season’s pod...

Matt Poepsel, PhD, VP of Professional Services at The Predictive Index (PI), a leading talent optimization software platform, discusses the ways leaders can promote transformation among their business practices and teams. He started his career as a Marine, then went on to become a leadership author and speaker who is passionate about the intersection of business and people aspects in an organizati...

KC Crain says he doesn’t like to give advice – only opinions, but we think the insights he gives  are quite compelling. From starting as a reporter to his current role as CEO at Crain Communications, a publishing company that includes dealer-favorite Automotive News, he has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to working with family and managing customers to navigating the influence he has overseei...

From humble beginnings living on a hog farm in the Midwest, to Chief Revenue Officer at EchoPark Automotive, Sonic’s nationwide pre-owned vehicle sales company, Thein Truong’s career history is a testament to the benefits of versatility in business dealings. He’s had successful positions in the worlds of finance, consumer packaged goods companies like PepsiCo, and technology startups. So why did h...

Ever wonder what’s really going on behind those Sales Satisfaction and Customer Service Index reports? In addition to serving as industry benchmarks, you should be using them as more than tools to measure and improve results. Doug Betts, President of the Automotive division of J.D. Power explains all this and more in this episode of The Walk Around. Listen in for his take on hot topics like: In wh...

From their cool Robo Dog Super Bowl commercial to big hits in vehicle rollouts, Kia is riding an incredible wave of momentum and innovation. Its branding journey has shaped the look and feel of its products and dealerships as well as their talent. From a mobility transformation and commitment to remain a leader in the EV space, its plans for the future are bringing new buyers and profitability to...

For those in the automotive sales industry, Alan Haig’s word is as good as gold. Haig, founder and president of Haig Partners, has been involved in the purchase or sale of more than 350 dealerships with a total value of $5.1 billion. He is also a former senior VP of Corporate Development with AutoNation. In this episode of The Walk Around, Alan shares insights on how incredible the past year has b...

What do Navy Seals executing combat tactics have in common with running a car dealership? In a word, leadership. Best-selling author and decorated former Navy Seal officer Leif Babin sits down with us to share battle-worn lessons that will help unlock your most effective, efficient dealership. In this episode, Leif answers pressing dealer questions like: What does “extreme ownership” mean?  How ca...

So much has changed in our industry in recent years, and not surprisingly, consumers have too. Bob Lanham, Head of Automotive Retail at Meta (Formerly Facebook) returns to The Walk Around to share insights on what makes today’s car buyers tick. In this episode, Bob answers pressing dealer questions like: Do dealers still need to advertise? Are CSI scores real, and do they matter? How do you bring...

What could an uber-successful head of fleet services for a car rental group teach you and your dealership about thriving in an upside-down automotive environment? Turns out, a lot! Douglas Campbell, Head of Fleet Services for the Americas with Avis Budget Group shares insights he’s learned through the course of a winding automotive career that led him from the “box to the boardroom.” These tools c...

New hosts. New guests. New Insights. Stay tuned to the Walk Around podcast!

Leadership continues to be one of the hottest topics in business – not only in our industry but across the spectrum of business, in general. So, what are successful dealers doing to lead their retail automotive teams? Glenn Pasch, CEO at PCG Digital, unpacks answers to that question in a frank and informative conversation on The Walk Around, with JM&A Group’s Nick Funsch and Danny Vendrell. At...

Whether it’s in-store, online, or a hybrid of both approaches to sales, your dealership’s process can always use at least some level of refinement. But with so many changes in our industry and among our consumers, how do dealers create a system that works for them and their customers? Beau Jarrett, VP at JM&A Group, joined our hosts Nick Funsch and Danny Vendrell to share his insights about op...

Adding an extra step to the retail automotive sales process seems like a crazy idea. But...what if that extra step can potentially create savings for consumers, as well as an average of $538 in F&I gross on the backend for dealers? Would that be an extra step worth taking? Ryan Fitzgerald, VP of Business Development at Polly (formerly known as DealerPolicy), thought so. He and his company crea...

A long career in automotive is neither an easy feat nor a boring journey. In an industry that continues to evolve alongside customer needs, technology, oil and gas prices, and car maker innovations, staying power depends on our ability to adapt and share knowledge. Ed Sheehy, President of Southeast Toyota Distributors, joined The Walk Around podcast for a frank conversation about the lessons lived...

As a new year approaches, we start to look ahead with eyes made wise by the lightning-quick evolution of our industry. Quick pivots towards an emphasis on digital retail, a younger generation rising to the top of the consumer list, a chip shortage that won’t seem to end, and the emergence of EV’s as possibly more than a short trend, have all given our industry an opportunity to grow through challe...