From the Sales Floor to the GM’s Chair: Her $1M Kia Journey (And What It Took) | Lauren WIlson Reeves, General Manager of Wilson Kia
Today I’m joined by Lauren Wilson Reeves, GM at Wilson Kia. We discuss her path from plastic surgery technician to high-powered GM, the untapped potential of having more women on the sales floor, how her open-door leadership bridges the gap between employees and executives, and more.
This episode is brought to you by:
1. Cox Automotive - Omnichannel isn’t a buzzword anymore—it’s the playbook winning dealers are running. In a world where the buyer journey is more fragmented than ever, the most successful dealers are connecting the dots—online, in-store, and everywhere in between. The result? Smoother deals, faster turnarounds, and serious lift at the bottom line. Nearly 80% of omnichannel dealers are seeing higher close rates, and you can too. Want in? The Omnichannel Dealership—a new guide from Cox Automotive—breaks it all down. Click the link in the show notes below to download it now free @ https://www.coxautoinc.com/retail/omnichannel-dealership
2. DLRdmv – Dealers, are you still stuck using outdated interstate titling methods?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, pre‑populated state-specific forms, through an online platform that directly integrates with your DMS. CDG listeners get 30 days of free full-service access to DLR50 on unlimited out-of-state deals. Head over to http://www.DLRdmv.com/CDG, use code POD30 to claim your free month today.
3. Nomad Content Studio - Most dealers still fumble social—posting dry inventory pics or handing it off without a plan. Meanwhile, the store down the street is racking up millions of views and selling / buying cars using video. That’s where Nomad Content Studio comes in. We train your own videographer, direct what to shoot, and handle strategy, to posting, to feedback. Want in with the team behind George Saliba, EV Auto, and top auto groups? Book a call at http://www.trynomad.co
Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:
For dealers:
Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com
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Industry job board ➤ http://jobs.dealershipguy.com
Request to be a podcast guest ➤ http://www.cdgguest.com
Topics:
00:23 How balance family and business?
01:06 Current business challenges?
01:58 Why enter car business?
05:33 Best turnaround success story?
06:48 Women in auto industry?
12:38 Motherhood and career balance?
15:12 Earning family business respect?
22:17 Advice for women in auto?
26:52 Building positive work culture?
Car Dealership Guy Socials:
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Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com
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Spisak on Acquisition Pitfalls, Adragna on Hardest Dealership Roles to Hire | Daily Dealer Live
Today's show features:
David Spisak, President/CEO of Disruptive Growth Solutions, LLC
Steven Adragna, General Manager at CDG Recruiting
This episode is brought to you by:
Prime Dealer Equity Fund - Prime Dealer Equity Fund is providing a limited number of accredited investors with $100,000 or more the rare opportunity to invest directly into franchised auto dealerships; the offering can only be made via the Private Placement Memorandum under Regulation 506(c). Led by seasoned operators with deep experience in both dealership operations and fund management, the fund is designed to deliver consistent cash flow and long-term capital appreciation. f you’re looking to diversify into this asset class—this is your chance. Check out https://primedealerfund.com/CDG/ to learn more.
Disclaimer: This is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities. Any investment can only be made through the official Private Placement Memorandum and only by verified accredited investors. Nothing stated here should be considered investment advice.
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Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com
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From Dead Weight to Cash Flow: The Transfer Fix for Aging Cars | Industry Spotlight
Welcome to Industry Spotlight—a focused series hosted by Sam D’Arc, highlighting standout dealerships and innovative companies, and exploring the trends driving success in today’s automotive market.
Today, Sam sits down with Trent Waybright, Vice President of Pre-Owned Operations for Kelley Automotive Group, and Patrick Janes, AVP of vAuto Inventory Solutions.
This episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast is brought to you by vAuto:
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 and tools they need to maximize returns from the new and used vehicle inventory investments. Known for its game-changing inventory management innovations, vAuto provides AI-powered predictive data science to help dealers see their future and consistently make the right, ROI-minded decisions with every vehicle they appraise, acquire, price and retail. Discover why 96 out of the top 100 used vehicle retailers trust vAuto to help them achieve greater success. Check out vAuto here: https://carguymedia.com/vauto
Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:
For dealers:
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
Topics:
01:20 How has used car ops evolved?
03:27 Best used car sales strategies?
06:33 Current market challenges?
10:16 Innovative inventory solutions?
20:37 Setting up car transfers?
21:54 Analyzing transfer results?
22:50 Optimizing transfer strategies?
25:20 AI in used car ops?
29:53 Future used car innovations?
Car Dealership Guy Socials:
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Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com
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Roland Lynn on Nissan Challenges, Piazza on Maintenance Schedule Mismatch | Daily Dealer Live
Today's show features:
Roland Lynn, Executive General Manager of Dan Davis Nissan, Clay Cooley Nissan
Dave Rogers, Fixed Ops Director at Piazza Auto Group
This episode is brought to you by:
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 @ https://lotlinx.com/
Plug – The only wholesale auction built for EV’s, making used EV buying fast, transparent, and profitable. If your dealership is taking EV trade-ins or looking for used EV inventory, you need to check out https://plug.vin/
Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:
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
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Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com
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56:59
"Stop the Churn": How AI Is Predicting (and Preventing) Service Defection | Vishal Vadodaria, CEO of AutoEngage
Today I’m joined by Vishal Vadodaria, CEO of AutoEngage. We dive into the product obsession Vishal learned under Steve Jobs, why a major public dealer group bet early on his AI tech, how Agentic AI is poised to reshape the future of the car business and much more.
This episode is brought to you by:
1. CDK Global - CDK SimplePay is the only payment solution that's built into CDK solutions for unrivaled reliability and financial efficiency. To learn more or schedule a demo visit @ http://www.CDK.com/simplepay
2. OPENLANE - The world’s best online dealer marketplace for used cars, bringing you exclusive inventory, simple transactions, and better outcomes. Learn more at https://www.openlane.com
3. AutoEngage - LISA (Linguistic Intelligence Service Assistant) “proactively” engages service customers in 2-way conversations throughout their ownership lifecycle using the most advanced Natural Language Processing in the market and books the appointment directly in the scheduler with no human assistance to increase retention, drive revenue, reduce cost and maximize customer lifetime value. Learn more @ https://autoengage.ai
Need help finding top automotive talent? Get started here: https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/
Interested in advertising with Car Dealership Guy? Drop us a line here: https://cdgpartner.com
Interested in being considered as a guest on the podcast? Add your name here: https://bit.ly/3Suismu
Topics:
01:02 How Apple shaped Vishal's approach
06:35 Why switch to automotive?
07:28 Biggest customer retention challenges
10:24 How Auto Engage solves problems?
13:02 Most impressive AI success story?
18:36 Measuring AI ROI how?
23:33 AI improves customer interactions?
30:57 Customizing AI for dealerships?
37:25 Future AI applications in auto?
Check out Car Dealership Guy’s stuff:
CDG News ➤ https://news.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Jobs ➤ https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/
CDG Recruiting ➤ https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/
My Socials:
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Threads ➤ threads.net/@cardealershipguy
Facebook ➤ facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683
Everything else ➤ dealershipguy.com
This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a basis for investment decisions.
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.