524 episodes
"It Could Be a Record Year!" Inside Auto Retail's Biggest Buy/Sell Year Yet & What Top Operators Know | George Karolis, President at The Presidio Group
23/07/2026 | 36 mins.Today I'm joined by George Karolis, President at The Presidio Group.
George breaks down why the average dealer is over 70 years old with no succession plan, why nearly 18% of dealers now say they want to sell in the next year, and why the biggest groups are trading luxury stores rather than walking away from them entirely.
He also unpacks why Toyota stores now trade like BMW and Mercedes dealerships, and why Carvana's rapid new-car growth might not be the experiment dealers think it is.
Topics:
02:30 Ernie Garcia's Tight-Lipped Strategy.
03:00 Carvana's 998-Unit Month.
09:00 18% Of Dealers Want Out.
13:00 Lexus Stores Trade Like Gold.
19:55 The Two Porsche Stories.
23:25 Toyota Trades Like Luxury.
This episode is brought to you by:
1. Plug - If your dealership is taking EV trade-ins or looking for used EV inventory, you need to check out @ here.
2. Podium - the AI platform trusted by one in three dealerships. Take a closer look @ here.
3. The Presidio Group - The Presidio Group is one of the longest-standing investment banks focused exclusively on automotive. Explore these and other industry insights @ here.
Presidio reports mentioned in today's episode:
Q2 2026 M&A Market Update / Presidio Valuation Index
Midyear 2026 Dealer Direction Survey
Q2 2026 Presidio-NCM Average Dealership Performance Benchmark
Q2 2026 Drive-In LIVE
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Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.comLevi on Retreat, Sokolowski + Bobo on Bench Program, Trafford on Leadership | Daily Dealer Live
22/07/2026 | 59 mins.Today's show features:
- Yossi Levi, Founder at Car Dealership Guy
- Matt Sokolowski, COO at Willis Automotive
- Jaiden Bobo, Sales and Leadership Intern at Willis Automotive
- Glen Trafford, General Manager at Salmon Arm Toyota
This episode is brought to you by:
Experian – Experian Automotive helps marketers identify and engage high-value auto shoppers, strengthen customer loyalty, grow service revenue, and activate 1,100+ automotive audiences across 30+ advertising platforms. Learn more here: https://carguymedia.com/3RTNi9H
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Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.comWhy Most Dealership Couples Fail (And How the Best Ones Succeed) | Kelly and Rob Ruth, Bob Ruth Ford
21/07/2026 | 46 mins.Today I'm joined by Husband and Wife, Kelly and Rob Ruth of Bob Ruth Ford.
Married 24 years, Rob and Kelley 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.
Kelley 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 Letting Go.
07:20 The Two-Year Transition.
08:40 The Unseen Spouse Impact.
17:30 The Mortgage Rate That Changed Everything.
19:00 The Dopamine Hit Every GM Chases.
28:50 Giving Without Spoiling.
This episode is brought to you by:
1. Digital Dealer - Get real strategies to drive sales and tighten operations, September 22–23 in Detroit. Register today @ here.
2. Experian Automotive - Experian's Fraud Protect solution helps dealers identify potential fraud risks earlier in the sales process by leveraging advanced data, analytics, and identity verification tools. Visit @ here.
3. CDG Platform - Dealer intelligence, all in one place. Give your dealership a competitive edge @ here.
Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:
For dealers:
CDG Circles ➤ https://cdgcircles.com/
Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com
Dealership recruiting ➤ http://www.cdgrecruiting.com
Fix your dealership’s social media ➤ http://www.trynomad.co
Request to be a podcast guest ➤ http://www.cdgguest.com
For industry vendors:
Advertise with Car Dealership Guy ➤ http://www.cdgpartner.com
Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com
Request to be a podcast guest ➤ http://www.cdgguest.com
Car Dealership Guy Socials:
X ➤ x.com/GuyDealership
Instagram ➤ instagram.com/cardealershipguy/
TikTok ➤ tiktok.com/@guydealership
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Threads ➤ threads.net/@cardealershipguy
Facebook ➤ facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683
Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com- Today's show features:
- Shane Helms, Founder / CEO at TrueView Media Group
- Shelley Pratt, Director, Media, Activations, and Business Intelligence at Nissan USA
- Kristin Coleman, Vice President Marketing at AutoNation
- Mario Diez, CEO at Peer39
This episode is brought to you by:
Experian – Experian Automotive helps marketers identify and engage high-value auto shoppers, strengthen customer loyalty, grow service revenue, and activate 1,100+ automotive audiences across 30+ advertising platforms. Learn more here: https://carguymedia.com/3RTNi9H
Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:
CDG Circles ➤ https://cdgcircles.com/
CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/
My Socials:
X ➤ https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership
Instagram ➤ https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/
TikTok ➤ https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership
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Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com "Best Boss, Worst Boss!" The Interview Question That Exposes Every Bad Hire | Industry Spotlight
18/07/2026 | 39 mins.In this episode of the Industry Spotlight, joining host Sam D'Arc are Bill O'flanagan, Dealer Principal at Reedman Toll Auto Group, and Todd Kaminski, Head of Direct Markets at Zurich North America to discuss the one interview question that predicts almost everything about whether a new hire will thrive or wash out, and why building a culture of transparency and daily accountability is the real fix for automotive's turnover problem.
O'Flanagan shares his go-to interview question, "Who was your best boss and why, and who was your worst boss and why," and explains how the answer tells him everything he needs to know about how someone wants to be managed.
He also breaks down why he shares full financial statements with every manager, a move his peers once called "insane," and how a daily 10-minute results call with every manager helped seven of his ten service centers set growth records this year.
Kaminski adds a rare outside view from three decades working inside dealerships on why transparency, meritocracy, and recognition are what separate cultures that retain talent from those that don't.
This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by Zurich North America.
Topics:
00:10 The First Three Hires.
01:20 Why Service Manager Is Toughest.
02:25 The Trial Skill That Wins.
04:20 Why Dealer Is Least Important.
06:30 Why Bill Never Wins Arguments.
08:00 The Finance Director's Warning.
11:30 Dating Vs. Marrying Employees.
13:10 The Risky Financial Move.
16:00 Three Pillars Of Culture.
19:40 The 2008 Pivot.
23:15 The Parent-Employee Link.
28:30 The 10-Minute Daily Call.
Zurich - Zurich delivers The Zurich Advantage to dealerships nationwide by combining comprehensive F&I products, consultative training, revenue‑generating programs, and wealth‑building profit participation strategies. Grounded in our mission to provide clarity, confidence, and certainty, we help dealers protect what matters, strengthen performance, and build a legacy for the road ahead. Learn more @ here.
Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:
For dealers:
CDG Circles ➤ https://cdgcircles.com/
Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com
Dealership recruiting ➤ http://www.cdgrecruiting.com
Fix your dealership’s social media ➤ http://www.trynomad.co
Request to be a podcast guest ➤ http://www.cdgguest.com
For industry vendors:
Advertise with Car Dealership Guy ➤ http://www.cdgpartner.com
Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com
Request to be a podcast guest ➤ http://www.cdgguest.com
Car Dealership Guy Socials:
X ➤ x.com/GuyDealership
Instagram ➤ instagram.com/cardealershipguy/
TikTok ➤ tiktok.com/@guydealership
LinkedIn ➤ linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy
Threads ➤ threads.net/@cardealershipguy
Facebook ➤ facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683
Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com
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About Car Dealership Guy Podcast
The Car Dealership Guy Podcast Network is your front-row seat to the people, companies, and trends shaping the future of automotive retail—delivered across three focused formats:
The Car Dealership Guy Podcast (Tuesdays & Thursdays)
Hosted by Yossi Levi, these deep-dive interviews feature top dealers, operators, and innovators driving the industry forward.
Daily Dealer Live (Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays)
Our live-streamed show, also released here in audio format, brings real-time news, sharp takes, and high-impact guests—think CNBC for car dealers.
Industry Spotlight
Hosted by Sam D’Arc, this segment highlights standout dealerships and vendors with tactical insights and stories from the front lines.
Follow us on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for highlights and behind-the-scenes content from every episode.
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