Car Dealership Guy Podcast

byCar Dealership Guy

LeisureAutomotive

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 SpotlightHosted by Sam D’Arc, this segment highlights standout dealerships and vendors with tactical insights and stories from the front lines...

Episodes(40 episodes)

Newest first

Why Most Service Departments Leak Calls – And What Actually Stops It | Pre-NADA AI #5

In part 5 of our Pre NADA AI Spotlight series, Sam sits down with Luke Sontag, Marketing, & IT Manager at Kissee Ford and Ari Polakof, CEO & Co-founder of Flai. We explore how one family-owned dealership used voice AI to capture after-hours and rollover calls without losing its local, human feel. Ari explains why most “bolt-on” AI fails, how deep DMS integration changes outcomes, and what it really takes to get service advisors to trust automation. The result is real appointments, immediate ROI, and less chaos on the service drive. This episode of t...

Published: Jan 24, 2026Duration: 41:21

Nenni on AI Traffic, Maher on Recall ROI, Studebaker on Selling 700 Cars/MO | Daily Dealer Live

Today's show features: - George Nenni, Founder of Generations Digital - Ryan Maher, CEO of BizzyCar - Rob Studebaker, General Manager of Treasure Valley Subaru This episode is brought to you by: Impel – Your sales team should be selling—not answering the same questions after hours or chasing low-intent leads. Impel Sales AI works the inbox 24/7, qualifying every lead, responding with intent-aware, personalized answers, and booking showroom appointments automatically. With Agentic Response, Impel interprets context in real time and hands off only ready-to-buy customers—complete with full conversation history and smar...

Published: Jan 23, 2026Duration: 1:01:20

250 Million Car Shoppers – How Dealers Are Turning Big Data Into A Secret Weapon | Brian MacDonald, CEO & President of CDK Global

Today I’m joined by Brian MacDonald, CEO & President of CDK Global. We explore the massive scale of the CDK's automotive data ecosystem and what it means to have a touchpoint with nearly 90% of car owners in the country. Brian breaks down how dealers can transform this historical database into a functional asset to improve operations and capture market share. This conversation reveals the strategic power of connectivity in an increasingly data-driven industry. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Lotlinx - What if ChatGPT actually spoke dealer? Me...

Published: Jan 22, 2026Duration: 28:50

Dyjak/York on PARTS Act, Nens on Buyer Privacy, Johnson on EOS Gains | Daily Dealer Live

Today's show features: - Charlie Dyjak, Senior Manager, Legislative Affairs at NADA - Greg York, President/CEO of Vann York Auto Group - Sherryl Nens, SVP Head of US Dealer Sales at Privacy4cars - Josh Johnson, CEO of Don Johnson Auto Group This episode is brought to you by: Impel – Your sales team should be selling—not answering the same questions after hours or chasing low-intent leads. Impel Sale...

Published: Jan 21, 2026Duration: 59:51

Drowning in Tech Noise – How to Really Win with GEO, Reviews, and Conversion | Alexi Venneri, Co-founder and CEO of DAS Technology

Today I’m joined by Alexi Venneri, Co-founder and CEO of DAS Technology. We dig into why dealers are spending a record $29,000 a month on SaaS yet still feel buried by noise, how AI search is shifting power from SEO to reviews-driven GEO, and why “conversion” now matters more than attraction. Alexi breaks down her vendor agnostic philosophy, the idea of replicating perfect employees with tech, and what actually drives results in today’s market. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Podium - Don’t miss another lead. With...

Published: Jan 20, 2026Duration: 45:34

Dealer Succession Panel w/ Fred Beans | Daily Dealer Live

Today's show features: - Fred Beans, Owner of Fred Beans Family of Dealerships - Beth Beans Gilbert, Vice President of Fred Beans Family of Dealerships - Hugh Roberts, Partner at The Rawls Group This episode is brought to you by: Impel – Your sales team should be selling—not answering the same questions after hours or chasing low-intent leads. Impel Sales AI works the inbox 24/7, qualifying every lead, responding with intent-aware, personalized answers, and booking show...

Published: Jan 19, 2026Duration: 59:00

The Service Goldmine Dealers Are Ignoring – How To Deploy The 24/7 Revenue Engine | Pre-NADA AI #4 Shaun Sorensen, CEO and Co-Founder of Kenect

In part 4 of our Pre NADA AI Spotlight series, I’m joined by Shaun Sorensen, CEO and Co-Founder of Kenect. We dig into why the biggest untapped profit pool in dealerships isn’t sales—it’s service—and how AI agents are moving from “assistive tools” to full-on employees. Shaun breaks down inbound vs. outbound AI, the real risks dealers fear, and how data-driven personalization is already driving nine-figure service revenue results. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Merchant Advocate - Merchant Advocate saves businesses money on credit card fees WITHOUT s...

Published: Jan 17, 2026Duration: 31:49

Covideo Contest Finalists Revealed, Sita on Videos Driving Performance | Daily Dealer Live

Today's show features: - Margaret Henney, Vice President of Marketing of Covideo - Nino Sita, General Manager at Lindsay CDJR This episode is brought to you by: Experian – In the past year, 85% of dealers have suspected or confirmed fraud cases, primarily due to income fabrication and forged documents. The fix? Experian Automotive's Fraud Protect. Fraud Protect quickly and easily validates customer identities and documents with zero disruption to your sales flow or the consumer journey. Learn more at: https://www...

Published: Jan 16, 2026Duration: 1:00:28

The Next Frontier for Dealership Service Phone Lines (+ The Hours Saved Using It) | Pre-NADA AI #3

In part 3 of our Pre NADA AI Spotlight series we break down why call handling is still broken, and how a new generation of agentic AI is changing the equation. Today, Sam sits down with Chris Murphy, General Manager of Volkswagen of Oakland and Monik Pamecha, CEO of Toma. We explore how forward-thinking dealers are reallocating human talent away from low-value phone work and back into high-impact, in-store customer interactions. The conversation also tackles a harder truth: as AI becomes a true operational layer, GMs are now managing AI agents the same way they manage...

Published: Jan 15, 2026Duration: 42:02

Horner on Used Strategy, Riley on Loyalty | Daily Dealer Live

Today's show features: - Doug Horner, GSM of Mercedes-Benz of North Olmsted - Jameson Riley, General Manager of Riley Volvo This episode is brought to you by: Experian – In the past year, 85% of dealers have suspected or confirmed fraud cases, primarily due to income fabrication and forged documents. The fix? Experian Automotive's Fraud Protect. Fraud Protect quickly and easily validates customer identities and documents with zero disruption to your sales flow or the consumer journey. Learn more at: https://www...

Published: Jan 14, 2026Duration: 59:47

"Fair Doesn't Mean Equal": How Spitzer Autoworld Doubled in 5 Years (+ Tools They Used To Do It) | Andrew Spitzer, COO of Spitzer Autoworld

Today I’m joined by Andrew Spitzer, COO of Spitzer Autoworld. Spitzer breaks down how his fourth-generation family business doubled its footprint to 26 rooftops while maintaining radical showroom etiquette. He reveals why he bans AirPods on the floor, how a chance encounter with Henry Ford shaped the group’s legacy, and the specific ways they use AI to scale high-touch customer service. We also explore the group’s "Elite 8" meritocracy and why service retention is now the primary driver of their long-term growth strategy. This episode is brought to you by: <...

Published: Jan 13, 2026Duration: 51:12

Hill on Sales Process, Thomas on 2026 Predictions, Smith on Mystery Shopping | Daily Dealer Live

Today's show features: - Stephen Hill, Managing Partner at Oakes Auto Inc - Dave Thomas, Director of Content Marketing at CDK Global - Greg Smith, Vice President of Operations at Leavens Automotive Group This episode is brought to you by: Experian – In the past year, 85% of dealers have suspected or confirmed fraud cases, primarily due to income fabrication and forged documents. The fix? Experian Automotive's Fraud Protect. Fraud Protect quickly and easily validates customer id...

Published: Jan 12, 2026Duration: 1:09:55

Fixed Ops Friday: David Cerqueira, Danny Negalha | Daily Dealer Live

Today's show features: - David Cerqueira, Service Director at Benzel-Busch Motor Car - Danny Negalha, Fixed Ops Director at McGovern Automotive Group This episode is brought to you by: Stream Companies – Stream Companies is a full-service, fully integrated, tech-enabled advertising agency that drives measurable results through performance marketing, creative and content development, and proprietary AdTech solutions. Our innovative platforms, including the Retail Ready platform and Integrated Marketing Cloud, empower brands to optimize performance and accelerate growth. To learn more, vi...

Published: Jan 9, 2026Duration: 41:29

The Time-to-Sale Problem Dealers Are Dying to Fix (and Who's Figured it out) | Pre-NADA AI Spotlight #2 | Sanjay Varnwal, Co-Founder & CEO at Spyne.ai

Today I’m joined by Sanjay Varnwal, Co-Founder & CEO at Spyne.ai. In part 2 of our Pre NADA AI Spotlight series we break down how AI is actually being deployed inside dealerships today—from faster merchandising to smarter lead handling—and where it’s delivering real ROI versus hype. Sanjay explains how workflow optimization and tech partnerships are reshaping the dealer tech stack, why voice AI has accelerated dramatically in the last 6–9 months, and what data security and compliance mean in an AI-first world. This episode is brought to you by: <...

Published: Jan 8, 2026Duration: 32:12

Burnett on Ford 2.0 Launch, Lasky on Honing F&I Process | Daily Dealer Live

Today's show features: - JB Burnett, Executive General Manager of Preston Automotive Group - Justin Lasky, Business Manager at Lexus of North Hills This episode is brought to you by: Stream Companies – Stream Companies is a full-service, fully integrated, tech-enabled advertising agency that drives measurable results through performance marketing, creative and content development, and proprietary AdTech solutions. Our innovative platforms, including the Retail Ready platform and Integrated Marketing Cloud, empower brands to optimize performance and accelerate growth. To learn mo...

Published: Jan 7, 2026Duration: 58:54

The Margin Problem Dealers Rarely Audit: Credit Cards (And 3 Practical Fixes) | Eric Cohen, CEO at Merchant Advocate

Today I’m joined by Eric Cohen, CEO at Merchant Advocate. We break down why credit card processing is one of the most overlooked expense lines in dealerships, how 60–70% of stores are overpaying, and which “non-negotiable” fees are actually negotiable. Eric explains where the hidden charges live, how to audit statements properly, and why transparency matters more than ever in a largely unregulated space. The payoff: real strategies dealers can use to reclaim margin without cutting people or growth. This episode is brought to you by: 1. Flai Technologies Inc - Yo...

Published: Jan 6, 2026Duration: 31:13

Pharr on Recruiting, Ferri on Inbound Challenges, Westrum on Team Dev | Daily Dealer Live

Today's show features: - Scott Pharr, COO/Partner of P4 Automotive - Stephane Ferri, CEO of Car Wars - Micah Westrum, General Manager of Ramsey Mazda This episode is brought to you by: Stream Companies – Stream Companies is a full-service, fully integrated, tech-enabled advertising agency that drives measurable results through performance marketing, creative and content development, and proprietary AdTech solutions. Our innovative platforms, including the Retail Ready platform and Integrated Marketing Cloud, empower brands to...

Published: Jan 5, 2026Duration: 1:12:24

‘The CSI Illusion’ : The Death of the Survey and Why Speed is the Real Driver of Dealer Profit | Pre-NADA AI Spotlight #1

This year, auto retail crossed a real inflection point with AI — not just experimentation, but actual adoption inside dealerships. With that shift came a flood of questions from operators trying to separate signal from noise. AI is everywhere right now. Claims are loud. Results are uneven. And it’s not always clear what’s actually working. So we’re launching an seven-part series, Pre-NADA AI Spotlight — conversations with the most forward-leaning AI companies in auto retail, focused on what they’re building, what’s delivering real results in dealerships today, what isn’t, and what dealers should realistically be...

Published: Jan 3, 2026Duration: 38:10

Year-End Special: CDG Founder on 2025 Lessons & 2026 Ahead | Yossi Levi

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 2026 in Las Vegas, visit Stand 1763 West to see the benefits for yourself and take your chance to...

Published: Jan 2, 2026Duration: 12:32

NYE Special: Best of Daily Dealer Live

Today's show features a best of roundup from our first year of Daily Dealer Live: Brian Benstock, VP/GM @ Paragon Honda & Acura Doug Horner, General Sales Manager at Mercedes-Benz of North Olmsted Grant Cardone, CEO of Cardone Capital + more! This episode is brought to you by: Impel – Impel’s Service AI with Voice AI changes that with proactive, VIN-specific outreach based on individual driving behavior, missed call capture, and inst...

Published: Dec 31, 2025Duration: 1:29:22